Please enter a search term to begin your search.
- All Categories
- Taking care of you
- Dementia
- Personal care
- Caregiving 101
- Caregiver stories
- The spiritual perspective
- Upcoming events
- Caregiver statistics
Become a Free Toghers Member
- Take any free assessment
- Ask a Caregiver Coach® any question
Get your free Toghers Tip Cards
Maintaining dignity for someone with dementia Part I
There are many stages of dementia – in fact even a few different scales that lay out the stages of dementia, but regardless of the stage – dementia is secondary to the person affected by it. In my training I stress to professional caregivers that this is a person FIRST and someone affected by dementia second. Remembering the person they were before the dementia, and using that knowledge to make decisions about their care and their routine is one way to maintain dignity.
Remember too, that the person with dementia no longer has control of their reasoning, speech or memory. It becomes our responsibility – as the well person – to make adjustments to help them navigate their days.
Here are some ways to help maintain dignity
Tone of voice. When we are in a position of caring for another, we often revert to a parental role – sometimes without even realizing it. This can come across as condescending, disrespectful, or make the person we are caring for feel like a child. Listen to your tone when you speak – are you talking down to them?
Language. What about the words you are using? There are a few taboo words on the Toghers team that we believe are undignified. Think about the words that you use that may not represent dignity. Words that indicate a baby-state, words like diaper, bib, potty. Try to find alternate words that the person used as part of their life before dementia.
Communication. Are you setting them up for success? Asking open ended questions can often be intimidating if the person does not know the answers – yet knows they should. A way of setting someone up for success is to ask the question in a way that leads them to the answer. See the examples below:
The WRONG way: Mom, tell Kathy how many children do you have.
The RIGHT way: Mom, tell Kathy how much you enjoyed raising your ten children.
For more communications tips, read the Toghers article - Creative Solutions for communicating with care recipients with dementia.
In Part II, I will cover therapeutic fibbing, tips for successful outings and some suggestions for alternative words to the Toghers taboo words.
Comments
Leave a Comment
- Required fields are marked with *.