The BBC series on Gerry Robinson’s efforts to improve the quality of life for poeple living with dementia continues. Two parts to go after this.
Let me know what you think. What are you dealing with in your efforts to improve life for people with dementia.
My mother has dementia. She has no English. Her biggest joy is to see me come and take her out, bring her home, (from the Nursing home where she now lives), or take her on little excursions, cook her a favourite meal, collect shells from the beach etc., go for a drive… FAMILY AND FRIENDS CAN HELP PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA SO MUCH, BY CONTINUING EVERY DAY ACTIVITIES WITH AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. We all know that Aged care/Dementia services lack funds and staff, so let us, the community, help any way we can.
Yes Danijela
I agree with you. My mother has Alzheimer’s disease and the family tries to continue normal events – like we are having an Australia Day BBQ tomorrow in the back yard and the other day we went for a picnic in the park where wedding photos were being taken…….there needs to be more funding for the activities side in Nursing Homes as clients quite often look bored – there also needs to be more funding for scientific research for a cure for all forms of dementia.
As the man in the film said, we are adding more years to people’s lives – and then we are wasting these added years with making people feel useless and bored to death. I encountered a situation in a care home, where a simple, healthy food as lettuce was scrapped from the menu because it could not be scrubbed as other less fragile vegetable – yet, lettuce is usually liked by older people, who are not always eating very well and leaving the healthier foods leftover on the plate. What would the home risk if they left lettuce on the menu? It’s just another example of taking away choices.
And yes, life’s simple activities can be fun for people with dementia, although they might need guidance by staff to perform them, and this adds so much quality to their lives – and job satisfaction to staff’s lives.
we forget that red tape is the sole and soul destroyer of dementia clients not being able to do this or that, because residents are not allowed to touch or ensure that the correct WHSO is adhere otherwise the the facilities can be sued….. I still ensure that my residents set the table and assist with wiping the table and place-mats etc, they feel needed and useful and willing assist in ensuring that all is done….. why are we just removing the clients from living?
common sense should prevail at all times….. and allow these special people who gave so much a last chance to LIVE WITH DIGNITY…..
I am feeling a bit relieved that by showing even a few simple changes can make all the difference! Making meal time a social occasion is what we did back in the nineties at our day centre. Adding familiar items making the home a real home is current practice in the places I visit. Memory books, boxes or photocollage make a great tool for families and carers to use with their loved ones- part of what we encourage staff and management to implement.This encourages positive reminisicng. Many facilities now encourage staff to do easy tasks with the clients eg self care, meal time preparation and polishing dusting etc. However many places the staff do all the caring and disempower their residents. The bottom line is we have added years to life but we must also add life to years especially for these most vulnerable people living with dementia.