J. Basic Comforts > 1. Sample narratives
• Have helped people with dementia Well trained staff. Consistency of staff across all shifts. Life books for staff/volunteers to discuss. Good clinical care to prevent health crisis. Staff not task oriented but focus on the needs of the resident. Use of interdisciplinary team. Have helped carers Welcoming environment/no restrictions. Feel part of the team. Involved in decision making. Carer support groups. Assistance with taking resident out into community. Using facility for family functions. Positive Ever changing environment rewarding. Can provide holistic care. Can include family/carers. End of life experiences – privilege. When you get the culture right it all falls into place. Joy of working with people with dementia (life can be fun). Negative Funding. Finding good quality staff. Expectations of family member in a residential facility. Lack of time. Lack of recognition from community about the value of working in aged care. Keep up the good work.
A AUSTRALIA PROFESSIONAL
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L. Strengthening Services > 2. Any other
• Interaction from initial diagnosis to final stages of disease with same team of supports - eg geriatrician, Dr GP, educators, carers, careworkers, rest home with day care, respite care, full time care Stage III dementia facilities. Able to be accomplished in smaller towns and very beneficial. Maybe local AD support groups and rest home and primary coordinators of the total holistic interaction.
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L. Strengthening Services > 1. Sample narratives
• Positive Acknowledgement of human rights for those having dementia. Enjoying being human through inclusion. Positive stimulation. Agencies/Carers/Public legislation working with families rather than for. Recognising a holistic view may be appropriate. Encouragement to work at own pace. Negative Overload of information. Taking away the dignity by lack of inclusion in decision making and doing for self. Changes instigated hurriedly and without inclusion. Facility unavailability in communities ie rooms in public buildings for dementia people to have time out when accessing public facilities. Loss of male role. Expectations that all fit into one mould (non-individuality, unavailability of specialist cultural resource to meet both the person with dementia and family need in relation to food, language, emotional support and ethnic resource. Lack of public education. NEW ZEALAND CAREGIVER
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L. Strengthening Services > 1. Sample narratives
• Positive Interaction from initial diagnosis to final stages of disease with same team of supports - eg geriatrician, Dr GP, educators, carers, careworkers, rest home with day care, respite care, full time care Stage III dementia facilities. Able to be accomplished in smaller NZ towns and very beneficial. Maybe local AD support groups and rest home and primary coordinators of the total holistic interaction. Negative Lack of staff (in Rest Home Situations) education in dementia in NZ eg practical help and activities available for individual cases if they arise. This applies especially to the smaller rural communities where it is expensive to get people to come and educate dementia staff. Theories are great but not always practical when you are working in a 'hands on' situation. (Tutors, teachers etc are often people who have not had practical experience). NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONAL
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D. Identity/Continuity > 1. Sample narratives
• Treating each person with dignity. Spend quality time with person. Endeavour to include people in decision-making/at their level. Regard each person as spiritual being (not necessarily religious) and valuing each one's personhood. Listen, really listen to them. Work with them according to the skills they still have. Good physical care, tidy, clean clothing, tidy hair. Holistic care, physical, spiritual, mental. Don't take away all the opportunities to do things - to take an initiative. Sufficient opportunities for carer to have time out for rest/refresh. Have fun-time, for laughs. Physical touch/where appropriate. Encourage memory times, what they do remember is important. NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONAL
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D. Identity/Continuity > 1. Sample narratives
• Treating the person and their carers as individuals and with respect and dignity. Acknowledging that the person with dementia and their carers have more knowledge about what their needs may be, than someone else (eg. health prof's. Listen to what they say). Identifying in a holistic way what the needs of the person with dementia AND their carers are, and looking at positive ways that these needs can be met. Knowing that the person with dementia has a history - was a child, son, daughter, brother, sister, patent, brought up a family, had/has a job, has friends, interests etc. Safety, security, warmth, protection and other basic needs met. Participating in life, their community, their family. Touch. The person and their carers feeling empowered. What makes it worse: Ignorance and lack of education, understanding. Lack of support informally and formally. Not being included in decision making, etc, in situations that are about them. Impatience from others. Being rushed. Being treated like a child. Being 'labelled'. Lack of physical touch. Friends and social contacts 'dropping off'. Feeling embarrassed in front of others, or family, friends being embarrassed by some behaviours, for example. NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONAL
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