A therapeutic approach to dementia care

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Dawn Wiggins

New Dementians, USA

: Int J Ment Health Psychiatry

Abstract

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Anyone who works in health care knows the reality of the statistics: the incidence of dementia is on the rise and the number of people living at home with later stages of the disease is also increasing. We are all hopeful for a cure, but what do we do in the meantime? This highly interactive and hands-on workshop will introduce renowned dementia care expert Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care™ philosophy and associated care skills. These skills combine care techniques that match what is known about brain function changes through dementia, with the ability to complete dynamic assessment “in the moment” for all caregivers. Using these tools has been shown to reduce the incidence of responsive behaviours, which can delay institutionalization but more importantly, enhance quality of life both for people living with dementia and, also their formal and informal care partners. Additional benefits are increased efficiency and effectiveness by shifting focus from task-driven to patient-driven care. At the end of the session, participants will have a toolkit of simple, practical, hands on skills that can be used immediately to aim for excellence in care. In the words of Teepa herself, “Until there’s a cure… there’s care.” The ultimate goal is to encourage positive outcomes, maintain positive relationships and decrease the incidence of responsive behaviours by doing tasks “with” the resident instead of “to” the resident. "Changing the perception and enhancing new strategies to fight dementia" and improve our care: the caregiver and the person living with dementia. Participants will have the opportunity to experience the visual processing changes of dementia and how this impacts residents’ perception of common care practices. At the end of the session, participants will have a toolkit of simple, practical, hands on skills that can be used immediately. In the words of Teepa herself, “Until there’s a cure…there’s care.” Objectives: 1. Re-frame common responsive behaviors based on how dementia changes the pre-frontal cortex and visual processing areas of the brain. 2. Experience common visual processing changes that occur as dementia progresses and be able to discuss how these changes impact a person living with dementia's ability to interact in their environment. 3. Demonstrate the use of the Positive Physical Approach™ as a way to connect with residents and also as a dynamic assessment tool. 4. Demonstrate the use of Hand Under Hand™ during care tasks with the resident. 5. Discuss what to do if a situation is beginning to escalate, including the use of brief time out, deep breathing and asking for help.

Biography

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Dawn Wiggins is a registered nursing professional in the province of Ontario and has over 20 years of frontline healthcare experience. She leads a dynamic team of health care experts dedicated to one thing- making a positive impact in the lives of seniors and their loved ones. She has served in a number of different capacities over the years and has a wealth of experience in acute care, long-term care, psychiatric care, home care, rehabilitation and palliative care. She has a deep and unique understanding of the disease that allows her to connect with her clients and their families in a very special way. She has built and managed world class dementia care units at the institutional level. Dawn lives in Collingwood and is happy to provide training to clients across Ontario.

E-mail: dawnsseniorcare@hotmail.ca