Dementia is a well-documented condition with plenty of research to back various treatment methods. However, this isn’t always comforting to families who are unsure where to start when looking for the best care approaches for a loved one recently diagnosed with dementia.
Person-centred care is the preferred approach for many individuals, loved ones and carers. Today, we’ll explore what this is and how person-centred care supports individuals with dementia.
What Is Person-Centred Dementia Care?
A person-centred care approach focuses on the individual experiencing symptoms requiring support, rather than their condition and what textbooks tell us about it.
Dementia is a highly individualised condition that affects everyone differently. One person may experience common symptoms of the condition, while others may experience different difficulties. Life histories, personalities and other health conditions may also influence a person’s experience with their dementia.
This is why a person-centred approach to care is so important for people with dementia. The carer focuses on their specific needs, personality and preferences, rather than focusing too much on their diagnosis.
While knowing the common symptoms and effects of dementia is important for a comprehensive care plan, they should also be considered alongside everything else that makes a person who they are.
Why Is Person-Centred Care Important?
Person-centred care is incredibly important for dementia patients because it acknowledges their unique needs, preferences and values. Valuing their personal feelings and beliefs helps personalise their care plan and the carer’s approach to supporting them, making them feel listened to and respected.
Research into the effectiveness of person-centred care on people with dementia has shown that this approach can lead to:
- Reduced challenging behaviours
- Improved mental health
- Lower risk of hospital treatment and admissions
- Less risk of needing antipsychotic medication
- A better response to care services
- Boosted quality of life
What Happens If Care Isn’t Person-Centred?
When a condition-centred approach to care is taken, carers tend to focus more on completing tasks and following routines based on common symptoms of early, middle and advanced dementia. This can lead the person to feel they have less autonomy and choice in their daily life.
For example, a person with dementia may prefer to go to bed later than most people their age. However, carers following the ‘normal’ care needs of dementia may insist that they need to go to bed earlier to reduce the risk of heightened confusion after sunset.
Even if the person gets upset or refuses, the carer continues to get them ready for bed because their main focus is on efficiency and managing the condition rather than respecting their choices. Your loved one may feel ignored, frustrated, or as though they have lost control over their own life.
Key Aspects of Person-Centred Care
As person-centred care is individualised to each person, there isn’t a single definition or set of key requirements.
However, many care professionals agree on the same core principles and considerations, including:
- Treating the individual with dignity and respect while maintaining their independence
- Understanding the person’s lifestyle, history, culture and preferences, including their likes, dislikes, hobbies and interests
- Promoting opportunities for the person to maintain relationships, social skills and support conversations
- Looking at situations through the eyes of the person with dementia symptoms to empathise and better understand their way of thinking
- Encourage the person to continue taking part in hobbies and activities that they enjoy, or try new things, depending on their likes and dislikes
Examples of Person-Centred Dementia Care
It can be difficult to understand the full extent of the differences between care approaches without seeing examples of each. Here are typical scenarios that may arise in dementia care and how a carer can handle them using person-centred care vs condition-led care.
The client refuses to have a bath
- Person-centred approach: The carer calmly explains what is happening, reassures the person and adapts the routine to help them feel comfortable and in control.
- Condition-led approach: The carer focuses on getting the client bathed as quickly as possible, even if the person becomes distressed or refuses.
The person with dementia has difficulty communicating
- Person-centred approach: The carer speaks slowly, listens patiently and gives the person with dementia enough time to express themselves without feeling pressured.
- Condition-led approach: The carer interrupts, attempts to guess what their client is saying and finishes their sentences or ignores them after their communication attempt takes too long.
The client is a picky eater and refuses to eat
- Person-centred approach: The carer learns about the person’s favourite foods, dislikes and eating habits, then offers familiar meals and gentle encouragement without pressure.
- Condition-led approach: The carer expects the person to eat whatever is provided at set mealtimes and becomes frustrated if they don’t refuse food or eat very little.
The dementia patient exhibits challenging behaviours, like wandering
- Person-centred approach: The carer recognises that the person may be anxious, restless, or seeking something familiar, and supports them through challenging behaviours while seeking ways to soothe them.
- Condition-led approach: Instead of actively looking for reasons why the challenging behaviours may be occurring, the carer tries to restrict the behaviour as it’s seen as disruptive.
How Trinity Homecare Provides Person-Centred Care
At Trinity Homecare, we pride ourselves on offering a person-centred approach that puts each of our clients’ needs and desires first. Our compassionate, fully trained carers are experienced in tailoring care to the individual rather than their condition, prioritising their wants, wishes, dignity and respect.
We’ll work with you to create a personalised care plan that honours your loved one’s personality, helping them live life the way they want to for longer.
Our care plans will take into consideration:
- Their history, interests, hobbies and preferences: We’ll gather as much information as we can, from favourite foods to music tastes, so we can tailor our care to their unique needs.
- Their point of view: We strive to look at the world through their eyes, helping us better understand their perspective and empathise with their experiences.
- Various communication techniques: We’ll use different approaches to determine what works best for each client, ensuring they feel heard and understood, even as communication becomes challenging.
- Their social activities: We always encourage our clients to try new things and set achievable personal goals, tailoring them to the social activities and hobbies they used to enjoy.
- The little things in life: We understand how important the little things can be for clients, and honour them by keeping them in control of their lives and giving them as much choice as possible.
Talk To Us Today
At Trinity Homecare, our ultimate goal is to enrich your lifestyle in the comfort and familiarity of your own home. This allows you to live the independent lifestyle that you love without the daunting thought of moving into a care home. We are here to support you with various forms of live-in care.
Call us now on 0207 183 4884 in confidence for a free, no obligation quotation. If enquiring outside of our opening hours, please complete our online form and we will contact you the next day.
