Understand the role of communication and interaction with individuals who have Dementia free essay sample

You could misinterpret a person who has dementia because you do not know the full extent of the illness. So when a service user becomes aggressive you may think they are being nasty to you when in reality it is the illness and they do not know any different. 1. 3 Explain the importance of effective communication to an individual with dementia. Effective communication can improve the quality of life for someone with dementia so try and find out the best way to understand the service user and what level of dementia they have so you can learn to communicate in a way they like (singing) Speak to family members of service user to find out how they like to communicate Read the care plan for information Speak to other carers 1. 4 describe how different forms of dementia may affect the way an individual communicates The different type of dementia affects the brain in different ways and each individual communicates their thoughts and feelings in a unique way In the early stages of some forms of dementia people have difficulty finding the right word; and in the later stage words become lost completely in all forms of dementia. It becomes harder to put sentences together as the disease progresses. Automatic responses such as â€Å"hello† are maintained for long periods of time. In the late stages of the disease a person with dementia may have very limited ability to speak. 2 understand the importance of positive interactions with individuals with dementia. 2. 1 give examples of positive interactions with individuals who have dementia. Have a positive interactive environment. A positive mood, tone of voice and body language will go along way to positively interact with someone with dementia. Showing affection is also a good way of creating a positive atmosphere. The person with dementia might not know who you are, but they may know that you are not a threat to them. Make sure you have the attention of the person with dementia, remind them who you are and anything else that may help them focus on you, if they are sitting sit with them, if they are standing stand with them remember they need to feel that you are not a threat to them. Be clear, don’t use complicated words or raise your voice. Asking yes/no questions and or giving simple choices are also ways for a chance at successful communication. Be reassuring, holding their hand often helps with communication. 2. 2 explain how positive interactions with individuals who have dementia can  contribute to their wellbeing. Dementia can result in a range of difficulties; memory; thinking and planning; orientation to time, place and person; communication ,learning judgement, emotion, motivation, perception, these can all have impact on mobility ,for example: remembering where to go, understanding staff so positive interaction with individuals with dementia can help them in many ways by keepin g their minds active. 2. 3 explain the importance of involving individuals with dementia in a range of activities. Involving individuals with dementia in activities is very important because the individual should gain a satisfaction and achievement and that is very important to them Keep the activities very simple and do not go on to long so the person doesn’t feel a sense of failure or they can not cope or get too tired. Activities should be kept positive and enjoyable. Doing activities can improve the persons confidence and a sense of hope. 2. 4compare a reality orientation approach to interactions with validation approach Approaches of disoriented elderly people can be distinguished in two main perceptions, Reality Orientation and Validation. Reality Orientation appeals to still existing functions and helps people to get oriented toward the reality. Validation goes with people into their inner world, where feelings dominate and facts are no longer important. In this article both approaches are explicated. Further, it is stated that measuring the effects of Reality Orientation or Validation have the same pitfalls, such as lack of adequate scales, unclear definitions of the behaviour and symptoms of patients involved, and the risk of measuring a Hawthorne effect. The author states that Validation meets the demands of disoriented people better than Reality Orientation. She argues to think in-depth about the aims of psychogeriatric care, in order to define what effects should be pursued and measured. Nursing diagnoses should be used instead of medical diagnoses. 3 Understand the factors which can affect interactions and communications of individuals with dementia 3. 1 list the physical and mental health needs that may need to be considered when communicating with an individual with dementia. Wandering Repetitive speech Behaviour Sleeplessness Paranoia Eating Bathing Dressing Incontinence Physical disability Illness / distress Learning disability Language difference Visual impairment Hearing impairment 3. 2 Describe how the sensory impairment of an individual with dementia may affect their communication skills. A service user with dementia and impairment skills will find their ability to communicate (especially orally) severely impaired. An example of this might be an older individual who would like a cup of tea; however due to dementia they have forgotten the word for tea or cup. And as they have sensory impairment (visually)they cannot see the cup and cannot point to it to indicate what they want. This would lead them to feel very frustrated at the inability to get the drink of tea and also at the inability to express their desire and thought. 3. 3descibe how the behaviour of carers or others might affect an individual with dementia. As individuals with dementia can often suffer from stress and anxiety caused by their dementia if put into a situation outside their comfort zone they become anxious, unruly and nervous. If a dementia sufferer is taken to a place where there is lots of noise you may find them very nervous, frightened this could have a negative impact on their illness. 3. 4 describe how behaviour of carers and others might affect an individual with dementia. Always remember when visiting a service user with dementia to try and keep to the same routine as it will have a big impact on the service user if you do not, example (disagree with other carer in front of a service user with voices raised ). 3. 5 explain how the use of language can hinder positive interactions and communication An individuals use of language could have a negative affect on a individual as they might not be able to say what they mean(due to their illness) they may get frustrated/nervous /angry at themselves and to others they are trying to communicate with the individual may not speak English and that could be more difficult for them, this will have a negative impact on their dementia.