Thoughtful Dementia CareTM YouTube Presentation
View the entire YouTube presentation here.
On May 9, 2013, Jennifer Ghent-Fuller gave a presentation in Thunder Bay Ontario at a conference held by the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. During this presentation, Jennifer described the concepts provided in her book, “Thoughtful Dementia Care™ : Understanding the Dementia Experience”. This talk is suitable for watching by family members or others, who are learning about or reviewing, the care needed by a person with dementia.
The table of contents of both parts one and two of the talk are provided below, in order to facilitate the playing of shorter parts of the talk to generate discussion and debate in a group, or to permit specific parts of the talk to be easily located for review.
Time | Content: |
0:00 | Introduction Highlight: the meaning of the term ‘thoughtful dementia careTM’ |
5:00 | Short-Term Memory Loss
Highlights: the types of memory processes; conversation moves away from day-to-day problem-solving; grieving starts early |
9:20 | Short-Term Memory Loss cont’d
Highlight: discussion of anger and impatience |
17:15 | Long-Term Memory Loss
Highlights: understanding the context perceived by the person with dementia; emotional palliation is a guiding principle of care |
26:45 | Immediate Memory
Highlight: lack of acceptance by others that a person has dementia |
31:00 | Other Changes…
Highlight: loss of insight into their disease does not mean that the person with dementia is “in denial” |
42:20 | Other Changes cont’d
Highlights: lack of activity is not laziness; may be unable to entertain or occupy themselves; unable to hurry; their own language may sound foreign to the person with dementia; communicating with body language; tendency to become lost |
51:30 | Other Changes cont’d
Highlights: balance between independence and safety; the struggle to get themselves through the day can make a person with dementia appear self-centred; carer often gets no thanks for all their work |
PART TWO | |
0:00 | Change in the use of Sensory Information
Highlight: don’t dismiss difficulties with “well, they have dementia,” look for thoughtful ways to help people with dementia to get through their day and to experience less anxiety and stress |
10:34 | Alterations in Judgement
Highlights: dealing with the need to go home; inappropriate sexual behaviour |
20:50 | Emotional Changes
Highlights: helping a person with dementia stay calm; preventing/reacting to unpreventable catastrophic reactions; avoiding arguments |
26:55 | Delusions, Illusions & Hallucinations
Highlights: delusions – e.g. “People are always stealing from me;” illusions – mistaking objects/people in the environment; hallucinations – compared to dreaming while awake; to help people stay calm, carers need to overcome our need “to be right” |
36:06 | Delusions, Illusions & Hallucinations Cont’d
Highlight: further discussion about avoiding catastrophic reactions |
42:15 | Living with Dementia Carer:
Person with Dementia (early):
Highlight: understanding the constellation of inabilities |
48:09 | Interaction
Highlight: helping the person with dementia avoid distress |
49:45 | Promote an atmosphere of emotional palliation: Calm Accepting Empathetic Warm Non-confrontational Humorous Laughing Promoting a sense of security and well-being Affectionate Fun Compassionate Relaxed SMILE! |
53:00 | understanding-dementia-experience.com |