ence and participation
- Relate to the person rather than the illness
The Care Environment
- Provision of an environment and experience that is enriching and meaningful
- Recognise the importance of working in partnership with family and friends of the person
- Commitment to personalised care
- Leadership by senior carers that promotes ownership of the core principles of person centred care
- Knowledgeable and consistent carers who are encouraged to be positive, creative and flexible
- Well-designed/homelike environment – avoid clutter – do not change
Creating ill being from well-being
- Rule out and resolve immediately depression/delirium
- Concise and accurate assessment/interview and specific individualised care planning
- Management of other comorbidities – eg. Pain, breathlessness, blood ppressure
- Reduce chemical restraint/use of sedatives/polypharmacy
- Abolish physical restraint
- Homelike safe environment
- Establish relationships/rapport/communication based on the person’s abilities
- Treat with respect, and dignity
- Sensory stimulation whilst ensuring over/under stimulation does not occur
- Provide praise to boost self-esteem and remove unfair expectations based on capability
- Create positive situations to experience success and feel needed, valuable and worthwhile
- Include in day to day living, but simplify activity towards need
- Rest periods/recuperation time – especially as progression of dementia occurs
- Use validation, reminiscence, memory aids
- Maintain a sense of humour – laughter is truly the best medicine – SMILE!
- Affection and touch – massage, hold hands, a cuddle, a kiss on the cheek
- Physical activity and exercise catered to needs
Examples of daily activities that are meaningful or purposeful, and not just a diversion, so as to continue life as the person knows it:
- Domestic life: baking, preparing morning tea, setting tables, wiping tables, washing dishes, folding washing.
- Outdoor life: walking, raking leaves, sweeping, gardening, feeding pets, small repair jobs, outdoor men’s sheds.
- Social life: shopping, outings, visiting a park, going to the beach, movies, attending a concert, games, exercise.
- Artistic life: painting, drawing, crafts, knitting, decorating, making cards, flower arranging, singing, instruments.
- Personal life: facials, hand massages, manicures, looking at photos, pets, radio stations.
- Individual life: activity board projects, sorting objects, reading, games, writing letters or cards.
- Work life: working at a desk, using a computer, ledger books, counting money, other tasks related to past
- Physical life: Tai Chi (or tai chair), yoga, strength training, dance, walking groups, swimming, standing and seated exercises.
“At a time when an older person is experiencing the most dramatic changes in their life, they cannot be placed in a situation where who they are, and have been, becomes secondary to the priorities and demands of where they are, or who is caring for them. Becoming older, living with dementia and/or having conditions that debilitate, does not mean losing oneself or one’s humanity. If needs are not met effectively, then that person is likely to deteriotarate, thus withdraw into their own personal, lonely reaity. However if neeeds are met then a person is able to embrace life and their personhood once more, and again retain that distinct and integral place they hold in the world”.
“The person is considered to be the best judge of whether or not his/her needs are being met”.