Spiritual Care and the Person with Dementia: The Development of Guidelines to Support Staff Working with People with Dementia

Dementia ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 422-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daphne Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Person With Dementia

Non-pharmacological management of sexual behaviours that challenge in dementia

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-201
Author(s):  
Hazel Thornton ◽  
Rosslyn Offord
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Institutional Care ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
Pharmacological Interventions ◽  
Pharmacological Management ◽  
Sexual Behaviours ◽  
Variation In Care ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
Person With Dementia

SummaryA literature search was conducted to identify and evaluate non-pharmacological interventions available for people living with dementia, who present with sexual behaviours that challenge. A lack of research implementing and evaluating clinical interventions was identified, and the search was broadened to include discussion papers relating to sexuality and dementia. This included work both with couples affected by dementia at home, and with staff in institutional care settings. The papers identified come from a range of countries, with wide variation in care settings and practices. Literature suggests sexual behaviours that challenge in dementia are best understood within the broader context of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). There is a consensus highlighting the importance of training staff to recognize the sexual needs of people with dementia and to develop clear policy and guidelines to support staff in managing potential challenges. Few authors attempted to include the perspectives of either care partners or the person with dementia.

scholarly journals ‘Getting back to normality seems as big of a step as going into lockdown’: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with early to middle stage dementia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine V Talbot ◽  
Pam Briggs
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Social Worlds ◽  
Middle Stage ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
The Social ◽  
Function Loss ◽  
The Government ◽  
Person With Dementia ◽  
The Impact

Abstract People with dementia can experience shrinkage of their social worlds, leading to a loss of independence, control and reduced well-being. We used ‘the shrinking world’ theory to examine how the COVID 19 pandemic has impacted the lives of people with early to middle stage dementia and what longer-term impacts may result. Interviews were conducted with 19 people with dementia and a thematic analysis generated five themes: the forgotten person with dementia, confusion over government guidance, deterioration of cognitive function, loss of meaning and social isolation, safety of the lockdown bubble. The findings suggest that the pandemic has accelerated the ‘shrinking world’ effect and created tension in how people with dementia perceive the outside world. Participants felt safe and secure in lockdown but also missed the social interaction, cognitive stimulation and meaningful activities that took place outdoors. As time in lockdown continued, these individuals experienced a loss of confidence and were anxious about their ability to re-engage in the everyday practises that allow them to participate in society. We recommend ways in which the government, communities and organisations might counteract some of the harms posed by this shrinking world.

scholarly journals Non-Pharmacologic Interventions for Caregivers of People With Dementia in Latin America: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 275-276
Author(s):  
Jose Aravena ◽  
Jean Gajardo ◽  
Laura Gitlin
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Person With Dementia

Abstract In a scenario of increasing longevity and social inequalities, Latin-America is an important contributor to the worldwide dementia burden. Caregivers’ health is fundamental to maintain the person with dementia quality of life. However, caregiving is a culturally sensible role that requires tailored solutions. The aim is to synthesize the evidence about non-pharmacologic interventions targeted to caregivers of people with dementia in Latin-American contexts. A comprehensive review of interventions in caregivers and persons with dementia in Latin-American countries was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Scopus with studies published until January 27th, 2020. Randomized clinical trials of non-pharmacologic interventions targeted to caregivers of people with dementia or dyads where included. Qualitative synthesis of the evidence was presented and analyzed. Overall, 9 pilot RCT were included for the final analysis (6 Brazil, 1 Colombia, 1 Mexico, 1 Perú). The biggest study recruited 69 caregivers and the smallest 13 dyads, with follow-up range of 3-6 months. 5 control groups received at least some other non-standard care type of intervention. 8 were targeted exclusively to caregivers (4 group intervention, 3 individual, and 1 combined) and 1 multicomponent intervention. Most frequent measured outcomes were caregiver’s burden, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and quality of life, and person with dementia neuropsychiatric symptoms. Individual interventions report better results in caregiver parameters such as burden and depressive symptoms and person with dementia neuropsychiatric symptoms. Group interventions presented mixed results. Nevertheless, the quality of evidence was low. There is a critical need to study interventions for caregivers in Latin-American contexts.

scholarly journals Wayfinding in People with Alzheimer’s Disease: Perspective Taking and Architectural Cognition—A Vision Paper on Future Dementia Care Research Opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1084
Author(s):  
Saskia Kuliga ◽  
Martin Berwig ◽  
Martina Roes
Keyword(s):  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Spatial Orientation ◽  
Environmental Design ◽  
Spatial Disorientation ◽  
Planning And Design ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Planning Processes ◽  
Person With Dementia ◽  
Underlying Processes

Based on a targeted literature review, this vision paper emphasizes the importance of dementia-sensitive built space. The article specifically focuses on supporting spatial orientation and wayfinding for people living with dementia. First, we discuss types of wayfinding challenges, underlying processes, and consequences of spatial disorientation in the context of dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Second, we focus on current efforts aimed at planning and evaluating dementia-sensitive built space, i.e., environmental design principles, interventions, evaluation tools, strategies, and planning processes. Third, we use our findings as a starting point for developing an interdisciplinary research vision aimed at encouraging further debates and research about: (1) the perspective of a person with dementia, specifically in the context of wayfinding and spatial orientation, and (2) how this perspective supplements planning and design processes of dementia-sensitive built space. We conclude that more closely considering the perspective of people with dementia supports the development of demographically sustainable future cities and care institutions.

scholarly journals What Are the Benefits of Pet Ownership and Care Among People With Mild-to-Moderate Dementia? Findings From the IDEAL programme

2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482096261
Author(s):  
Carol Opdebeeck ◽  
Michael A. Katsaris ◽  
Anthony Martyr ◽  
Ruth A. Lamont ◽  
James A. Pickett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Pet Ownership ◽  
Active Life ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Moderate Dementia ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Person With Dementia ◽  
The Ideal

Pet ownership has been associated with positive outcomes in many populations, yet the associations with physical and psychological wellbeing in people with dementia remain unclear. The current study used baseline data from 1,542 people living at home with mild-to-moderate dementia from the Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life (IDEAL) programme. Regression analyses investigated associations of pet ownership and pet care with self-reports of walking, loneliness, depression, and quality of life (QoL). After adjusting for covariates, having any pet was associated with higher likelihood of walking over 3 hr in the last week. Those with a dog and who were involved in its care were less likely to be lonely than those with no dog. Having any pet but no involvement in its care was associated with increased depression and decreased QoL compared with those without a pet. The key factor in the associations was involvement in the care of the pet by the person with dementia.

scholarly journals Pilot Randomised Evaluation of Singing in Dementia (PRESIDE): protocol for a two-arm, parallel-group randomised controlled feasibility study with waiting-list control

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Becky Dowson ◽  
Justine Schneider ◽  
Boliang Guo ◽  
Philip M. Bath ◽  
Orii McDermott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Waiting List ◽  
Community Group ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Parallel Group ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Person With Dementia

Abstract Background As the number of people living with dementia grows, so does the need to provide them with adequate psychosocial support. Many people with dementia live at home with family carers, who also require social and emotional support to cope with their role. Community group singing has received attention for its potential to support people with dementia and their carers. It is postulated that singing can improve cognitive function, strengthen the bonds between care partners and help to establish social support networks. However, there is a lack of rigorous evidence of singing’s benefits for this population. This study aims to test the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial of community singing in dementia, to pave the way for a larger, conclusive study. Methods The PRESIDE study is designed as a two-arm, parallel-group randomised trial with a waiting list control. Dyads consisting of a person with dementia (n = 80) and their carer (n = 80) will be recruited. Each dyad will be randomised either to attend 10 weeks of community group singing sessions straight away or to wait for 3 months before attending the sessions. The singing sessions will be led by experienced professional musicians and will last about 90 min, including time for socialising. The primary outcome of this study is the attainment of feasibility criteria around recruitment, retention and the acceptability of the waiting list control. Secondary outcomes include the quality of life, mood, cognition, and musical engagement of the person with dementia, and quality of life, mood, and experiences/challenges of the carer. These data will be collected during home visits at baseline, and 3 and 6 months post-baseline. Discussion Despite growing public interest in the positive effects of singing, and encouraging findings from qualitative and non-randomised quantitative studies, there is a lack of rigorous evidence. This is the first randomised controlled trial of community group singing for people with dementia in Europe, to our knowledge. If the results favour a full trial, conclusively demonstrating the effectiveness of group singing could positively affect the opportunities available to community-dwelling people with dementia and their carers. Trial registration Unique identification number in ISRCTN registry: ISRCTN10201482. Date registered: 12 May 2020

scholarly journals A qualitative study of the shared experience of humour between people living with dementia and their partners

Dementia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 1794-1810
Author(s):  
Helen Hickman ◽  
Chris Clarke ◽  
Emma Wolverson
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Relationship Strength ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
Person With Dementia

Humour is a complex social and emotional experience which could constitute a positive resource for people endeavouring to live well with dementia. However, little is currently known about the shared use and value of humour in dyads where one person has dementia. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore how people with dementia and their care-partners experience, use and draw meaning from humour in relation to their shared experiences of dementia and their ongoing relationships. Ten participant dyads (the person with dementia and their spousal partner) took part in joint semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis revealed eight subthemes that were subsumed under three super-ordinate themes: ‘Humour Has Always Been There (and Always Will Be)’; ‘Withstanding Dementia’ and ‘Renewing the Value of Humour in Dementia’. Overall, the findings suggest that humour, in different forms, can represent a salient and enduring relationship strength that helps dyads maintain well-being and couplehood by providing a buffer against stressors associated with dementia. The findings highlight the potential value of integrating a dyadic perspective with strengths-based approaches in future research into how people live well with dementia.

A Ministry of Memory: Spiritual Care for the Older Adult With Dementia

2004 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Fish Mooney
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Spiritual Care ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Worship Services ◽  
Christian Worldview ◽  
Primary Focus ◽  
Progressive Cognitive Impairment

The primary focus of research related to spiritual and ministry needs of older people, historically and in the present, has been on those whose cognitive abilities are only minimally impaired. The older adult with a dementia like Alzheimer’s disease, however, has not received as much attention. This may be related to a lack of any theoretical framework from which to understand what may be happening to a markedly confused person spiritually, and how a person with progressive cognitive impairment might still be able to maintain a relationship with God and be ministered to by a God who may only be remembered vaguely, if at all. Elderly persons with dementia with a faith background rooted in the Judeo-Christian worldview are often able to respond to various rituals of their faith, verbally, physically, and emotionally. Common practices like familiar prayers, Bible readings, hymns, and attendance at worship services where collective memory is shared can serve as memory joggers to reconnect the person, not only to the faith community, but to a faithful God. A spiritual care ministry to older people with dementia can be considered a ministry of memory.

scholarly journals Differences in assistive technology installed for people with dementia living at home who have wandering and safety risks

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Curnow ◽  
Robert Rush ◽  
Sylwia Gorska ◽  
Kirsty Forsyth
Keyword(s):  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Living Situation ◽  
Caregiver Support ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Multiple Characteristics ◽  
Person Characteristics ◽  
Person With Dementia ◽  
The Impact ◽  
At Home

Abstract Background Assistive Technology for people with dementia living at home is not meeting their care needs. Reasons for this may be due to limited understanding of variation in multiple characteristics of people with dementia including their safety and wandering risks, and how these affect their assistive technology requirements. This study therefore aimed to explore the possibility of grouping people with dementia according to data describing multiple person characteristics. Then to investigate the relationships between these groupings and installed Assistive Technology interventions. Methods Partitioning Around Medoids cluster analysis was used to determine participant groupings based upon secondary data which described the person characteristics of 451 people with dementia with Assistive Technology needs. Relationships between installed Assistive Technology and participant groupings were then examined. Results Two robust clustering solutions were identified within the person characteristics data. Relationships between the clustering solutions and installed Assistive Technology data indicate the utility of this method for exploring the impact of multiple characteristics on Assistive technology installations. Living situation and caregiver support influence installation of assistive technology more strongly than level of risk or cognitive impairment. People with dementia living alone received different AT from those living with others. Conclusions Results suggest that caregiver support and the living situation of the person with dementia influence the type and frequency of installed Assistive Technology. Reasons for this include the needs of the caregiver themselves, the caregiver view of the participants’ needs, caregiver response to alerts, and the caregiver contribution to the assistive technology assessment and selection process. Selection processes should be refined to account for the needs and views of both caregivers and people with dementia. This will require additional assessor training, and the development of validated assessments for people with dementia who have additional impairments. Policies should support the development of services which provide a wider range of AT to facilitate interventions which are focused on the needs of the person with dementia.

scholarly journals Exploring good practice in life story work with people with dementia: The findings of a qualitative study looking at the multiple views of stakeholders

Dementia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Gridley ◽  
Yvonne Birks ◽  
Gillian Parker
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Life Story ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Family Carers ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Practice Approach ◽  
Story Work ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Person With Dementia ◽  
Design And Methods

Introduction Despite growing international interest in life story work as a tool for person-centred dementia care, there is little agreement on what constitutes good practice and little evidence from the perspectives of people with dementia or their family carers. Design and methods This paper reports the findings from the qualitative element of a larger study looking at the feasibility of evaluating life story work. Ten focus groups were held with 73 participants: four groups of people with dementia (25 participants); three with family carers (21 participants); and three with staff, professionals and volunteers with experience of life story work (27 participants). Findings: It became apparent through our focus groups that, when people talk about ‘life story work’, different people mean different things. This related to both process and outcomes. In particular, a person with dementia may have very different views from others about what life story work is for and how their life story products should be used. There was general agreement that a good practice approach would be tailored to the individual needs and preferences of the person with dementia. However, in practice many settings used templates and the process was led by staff or completed by family carers. Conclusion We produced nine key features of good practice which could be used to guide the life story work process. Key elements include the recognition that not everyone will want to take part in life story work and that some people may even find it distressing; the importance of being led by the person with dementia themselves; the need for training and support for staff, carers and volunteers; and the potential for life story work to celebrate the person’s life today and look to the future.

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