Challenges in Caring for Dementia Patients

INTRODUCTION

Dementia consists of a lot of symptoms that include lowering ability to do routine or familiar tasks, impairment of the memory, reasoning and judgment, behavior and mood changes. However, treatments are not yet available for the progressive, irreversible, dementias in which nerve cells in the brain become sick and eventually die.

People experiencing dementia have been entitled the right to enjoy the highest possible quality of care and quality of life by engaging in meaningful relationships which are based on trust, respect, sharing, understanding, dignity and.

TASKS

These are the principles involving the person-centered approach on older people with dementia and other common geriatric health problems with respect to the following:

• Individuality – Each and everyone are unique and do have different moral stance, ideologies, philosophies, social outlook, and even likes and dislikes in life. Approaching an individual that has dementia through a person centered type; one must acknowledge the person’s history, interests and hobbies and respect the person’s whole uniqueness. Emphasize the moral worth of people with dementia and other common geriatric health conditions.

• Rights – Every person is empowered and entitled to human rights. It is important to protect people with dementia against people who might want to harm them. Knowing the rights of the person and respecting them allows the person with dementia maintain their dignity.

• Choice – Regardless of the level of physical or physical impairment people with dementia, families and friends are supported and encouraged in partaking in the decision – making and care at the way they choose. This includes the respecting their choices that are dealt in simple things they do every day.

• Privacy – Every individual has the right to hold information about them from being exposed. The person has the control if they allow others to gain information or details about themselves. Privacy of the person should be respected and not to be spread for his honor and reputation.

• Independence – Encouraging people with dementia to participate as much as possible on the physical activities on a daily basis. Maintaining the strength and flexibility on the person with dementia will promote independence. One activity that can help maintain the person’s strength and flexibility is physiotherapy.
• Dignity and Respect – Just like any other individual, people that have dementia or any other common geriatric health conditions are people first. Their choices and perspectives are to be honored and heed. They have an inherent value and dignity which must remain with them throughout the whole course of the disease and should be respected at all times. It is appropriate to include in the planning and delivery of care their families, their beliefs, spiritual backgrounds and values of people with dementia.

• Autonomy – Person with dementia or any other common geriatric medical condition should have the opportunity to create informed decisions about the treatments and care that are provided, and in collaboration with their healthcare professionals.

Review of the non-person-centered approach to dementia and other common geriatric health condition’s care, from the:

Institution perspective

There are various implemented activities are created together in a single rational plan purposely to meet the official objectives and goals of the institution. There are many aspects that this perspective encompasses to sustain the well being and health of the person with dementia; such as their physical and social environment.

Bio-medical perspective

This mainly focuses on diagnosing and treating the person with dementia. It concentrates on the person’s behavior and symptoms and finds ways to lessen these through drug studies and treatments. Biomedical perspective means that the cause of symptoms and behaviors is assumed to be the individual involved. A biomedical understanding of dementia is necessary in guaranteeing the person has a correct diagno sis, to provide treatment and support from memory clinics and to gain the latest and most proper medical treatments.

Range of techniques used to meet the wavering abilities and the needs of individuals with dementia and other common geriatric medical conditions to maintain their health and well being:

Reality-oriented approach

Reality orientation is a therapy that lessens the feeling of memory loss, confusion and mental disorientation and also better the self-esteem of the person with dementia. This involves displaying of information such as current dates, events, location, and names of people. And thus reinforced by orientation cues such as sign posts, photos, color coded doors, weather boards and labels on cupboards.

Validation approach

Validation approach is a therapy that places emphasis on the probable thoughts and feelings behind the behavior of the person, and rather than forcing the person to be in our reality, it propose that we are to join with the reality of that person. Validation therapy may suggest that we ask her questions about the family of the person with dementia, such as what the person misses most about his family and what is his favorite family get together. With this therapy, the response to a scenario may pertain not castigating the person and accepting the concerns of the person with dementia, but also communicating about their issues and bit by bit steering the conversation in a different direction. This will help them acknowledge the meaning of their feelings and thoughts and that it would reduce their distress.

Assistive technologies

Assistive technology would refer to any system or device that provides the person with dementia to carry out a task that they find difficult and unable to do, or maximise comfort and will provide safety with any activity can do. These devices will help people who have medical conditions with:

• eyesight, hearing, speaking, moving around
• memory and thought processing
• activities of daily livingactivities

Assistive technology can promoteautonomy and independence, both for the person with dementia and those around them and will help manage potential risks in and around the home, facilitates the memory and will help improve their quality of life even with dementia or any other common geriatric medical condition.

Reminiscence techniques

This technique involves re-experiencing and recalling the person’s events especially that matter in his lives. This technique uses talking about the things from his past using familiar objects, sounds and photos. This technique respects the life of the individual’s character and life story to improve in depression, loneliness and further the individual’s psychological wellness.

Holistic approach

Holistic approach takes into account the specific needs of each individual, may it be physical, emotional, and social aspect of the person with dementia. Properly eliminating the potential problems surrounding the individual such as lighting, noise clutter and tweaks can minimize anxiety and agitation of a person with dementia. The care plans in holistic type of approach is looking at specific need of the person with dementia, the individual should be involved in the design of the services, tailored according to their needs and meeting their aspirations in order to guarantee that the health care facilities will be able to provide the proper care to give to the person with dementia.

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Responsive and flexible approach

Responsive and flexible approach can be used to help handle individuals in many of the behavioral conditions that are involving dementia, such as aggression, delusional thinking, and depression. It is acknowledging the independence of the person and focus on what suits the individual. It is more on matching the activity to the individual and lessens the emphasis on the completion of person care tasks at particular time rather than coercing them.

The impacts of equality, and cultural and diversity issues on the provision of the person-centered approach to individuals with dementia and other common geriatric conditions within the:

Public health and promotion

There are heaps of organisations that promote health and provide support people with dementia. And organisations such as the World Health Organisation collaborates with government bodies around the world in order raise global awareness about people who are experiencing dementia and the support they need. Organisations such as The Health Foundation, made it a priority in advocating for action on proper treatment, intervention, and care for the individuals. These organisations aid in dissemination of these information about the people with dementia and the demand of care that these individual needs will better the services in health care facilities.

Attitudes to health and demand for healthcare

The increase of demand of health care and the outsourcing of health care professionals from other countries is due to the ageing population of the country. The ageing population increases the demand of health care professionals in rest homes, hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities

The impacts that health sector standard and codes of practice and other published standards have on the person-centered practice approach for individuals with dementia and other common geriatric health conditions.

The person centered type of approach concentrates on individuals rather than on the health condition. A person-centered type of approach to dementia and other common geriatric health problems acknowledges each individual are unique and have different values, personal history and behavior and that each individual has an equal right to be treated with respect, right to dignity, and the right to fully participate in their environment. Understanding and respecting the person with dementia will help the health care sectors provide a very effective and efficient health care service.

RECOMMENDATION

Person – centered type of approach in the health care sectors towards people with dementia or any other common geriatric health conditions will provide an efficient and effective health and social facilities, in which it involves understanding and respecting these individuals. Demonstrating sensitivity, seeking to engage with them through their aspirations and values, and understanding their spiritual, social and cultural background will provide a great help in improving the services in the health sectors. Maintaining and monitoring regularly these health care practices must be observed in order to provide the appropriate amount of care to give in the health care facilities.

CONCLUSION

Believing that providing support to people with dementia and experiencing these hurdles in life is an important part of being a health care professional. Understanding these individuals and respecting their social backgrounds, rights, privacy, uniqueness, dignity, independence and their value as a human being is a very important aspect in providing care towards people with dementia or even people with any other common medical conditions. I believed health care facilities specializing people with dementia will dramatically improve the health care services through applying the person centered type of approach towards their clients.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Electronic Sources

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• The Dementia Services Development Centre. An Educational Resource to Support Early Interventions for People receiving a Diagnosis of Dementia. Retrieved on 08 August 2014 from http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/351619/early_interventions_dementia_education_resource.pdf
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