This guide will help you answer the NCFE CACHE Level 2 Award in Awareness of Dementia 1.2. Outline the benefits of working with an individual with dementia in a person centred manner.
What is Person-Centred Care?
Person-centred care involves viewing the individual with dementia as a unique person rather than just focusing on the disease itself. This approach places the individual at the centre of their own care. It respects their personal history, preferences, and needs. The foundation of this care model is dignity, respect, and involving the person with dementia in their care as much as possible.
Key Principles of Person-Centred Care
- Individuality: Recognising and treating everyone as an individual.
- Choice: Supporting people in making their own choices.
- Privacy: Respecting personal space and personal information.
- Dignity: Treating people with respect.
- Respect: Valuing each person’s unique qualities and life experiences.
- Rights: Upholding human rights.
Benefits for the Individual with Dementia
Person-centred care offers numerous benefits to individuals with dementia. Let’s look into some of these advantages:
Improved Quality of Life
By focusing on the individual’s preferences and needs, person-centred care can actually enhance their quality of life. When they feel valued and respected, there’s an improvement in their overall well-being.
Enhanced Emotional Health
Understanding a person’s history and preferences can help in creating a comforting environment. This reduces feelings of confusion, anxiety, and frustration. Being heard and understood fosters a sense of security and belonging.
Better Communication and Relationships
When care is tailored to an individual’s needs and preferences, communication becomes more effective. This can strengthen relationships between the person with dementia, their family, and caregiving staff. Trust is built, and interactions become more meaningful.
Increased Sense of Agency
Person-centred care empowers individuals with dementia to make choices about their daily lives. This sense of control can boost their confidence and self-worth. Even small decisions, like what to wear or eat, can make a big difference.
Reduction in Behavioural Issues
Understanding the person’s past experiences, likes, and dislikes can help in reducing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. The care team can anticipate triggers and prevent distress by providing supportive environments and activities.
Benefits for Caregivers
Enhanced Job Satisfaction
Care workers who practice person-centred care often report higher job satisfaction. They feel more connected to the people they care for and experience a sense of achievement from providing high-quality care.
Improved Care Strategies
Knowing the person’s history and preferences allows caregivers to tailor their approach. This targeted care can be more efficient and effective, resulting in better patient outcomes.
Family and Community Benefits
Better Family Involvement
A person-centred approach encourages family members to participate in care plans. Their insights into the individual’s preferences and history can be invaluable. This collaboration can provide cognitive and emotional stimulation for the person with dementia.
Strengthened Social Networks
Person-centred care supports social engagement, which is important for cognitive and emotional health. Engaging in meaningful activities helps maintain community ties and social networks.
Practical Applications of Person-Centred Care
Life Story Work
Creating a life story book or biography helps care staff understand the individual’s history and personality. This personalised knowledge can be used to tailor activities and conversations, making them more relevant and engaging.
Tailored Activities
Providing activities that align with the individual’s interests can improve their engagement and enjoyment. For example, if a person enjoyed gardening before their diagnosis, facilitating gardening activities can be very beneficial.
Respecting Personal Routines
Whenever possible, supporting the individual’s preferred routines can reduce stress and confusion. If someone always started their day with tea and a newspaper, maintaining this routine helps them feel more at ease.
Person-Centred Care in Practice Settings
Residential Care Homes
Care homes that adopt a person-centred approach often see better outcomes. Personalising rooms with familiar items and photos can make the environment more comforting.
Home Care
For those living at home, person-centred care might involve adapting the home environment to meet their needs. This could include labelling drawers or creating a safe, navigable space.
Issues and Considerations
Time and Resources
Implementing person-centred care can be time-consuming. Adequate training and staffing levels are essential for this approach to be effective. It requires commitment from the entire care team.
Balancing Needs
There can be challenges in balancing the needs and preferences of the individual with organisational policies and resource constraints. Creative problem-solving and flexible thinking are often required.
Example answers for unit 1.2. Outline the benefits of working with an individual with dementia in a person centred manner
Example Answer 1
As a care worker, I have experienced firsthand the benefits of working with individuals with dementia in a person-centred manner. One significant benefit is the enhancement of emotional health for the person with dementia. For instance, I cared for a lady named Margaret who used to be a teacher. When I encouraged her to share stories from her teaching days and incorporated teaching-related activities, she became more animated and less agitated. By understanding and valuing her past, I was able to create a comforting environment, reducing her anxiety and providing her with a sense of security.
Example Answer 2
Working in a person-centred manner improves communication and relationships with those I care for. In one situation, I cared for a gentleman named George who enjoyed gardening. When I found out about his interest, I arranged small gardening tasks for him to do in our care facility’s garden. This not only made him happy but also gave us a common ground to talk about. Our interactions became more meaningful, and he trusted me more, which made it easier for me to provide care and support.
Example Answer 3
Empowering individuals with dementia through person-centred care can actually improve their quality of life. In my experience, allowing them to make choices about their daily activities has a positive impact on their self-esteem. For example, I always ask Mrs. Daniels what she would like to wear each morning and what she prefers for breakfast. These small choices give her a sense of control over her life, and I’ve noticed she’s generally happier and more cooperative throughout the day.
Example Answer 4
Understanding and preventing behavioural issues is a key benefit of person-centred care. I had a resident named John who would often become agitated in the afternoons. After learning about his past routine of taking a nap after lunch, I implemented a quiet time for him during that period. This small adjustment reduced his agitation significantly, demonstrating how tailoring care to the individual’s known history and preferences can prevent distress and improve overall wellbeing.
Example Answer 5
Person-centred care also benefits caregivers by enhancing job satisfaction. In my role, I find that knowing the residents on a personal level makes my job more rewarding. When I see the positive effects of my care, such as a resident smiling or relaxing because of an activity I arranged, it reinforces my commitment to my work. This deeper connection with the residents makes me feel fulfilled and motivates me to continue providing high-quality care.
Example Answer 6
Involving family members in the care plan is another advantage of person-centred care. I cared for a gentleman named Alfred whose family was initially hesitant to get involved. By discussing his likes and history with them, I encouraged them to share more about his past hobbies, like bird watching. This information was invaluable and allowed us to create engaging activities for Alfred. His family began to visit more often, participating in these activities, which enriched Alfred’s social interactions and brought joy to both him and his family. This collaborative approach not only improved Alfred’s quality of life but also strengthened his family’s engagement in his care.
Final Thoughts
Working with an individual with dementia in a person-centred manner offers substantial benefits. It enhances the quality of life, emotional health, and sense of agency for the person with dementia. For caregivers, it provides greater job satisfaction and effectiveness. Family members can also experience stronger involvement and satisfaction.
The person-centred approach requires dedication and continuous improvement. Yet, the rewards in terms of human dignity and enriched lives make it a worthwhile effort. It is a really important practice in dementia care that aligns with the core values of respect, empathy, and individualised attention.
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