As a Dementia Consultant and Educator, I can’t help but get excited to hear creative solutions to dementia-related behaviour! Every person and in almost every circumstance has something to teach us…if we remain open to learning and improving ourselves.
When I was delivering the workshop “Cracking the Dementia Code™ – Fundamentals” to a care home recently, one care aide shared a story of a gentleman the team had been having difficulty supporting. From what she had shared, it seems to me that “Terry” may be in the early- to middle-stage dementia.
Initially, the staff at the care home perceived Terry to be “lazy.” He doesn’t like getting out of bed. On top of that, Terry also couldn’t see very well; but he always wanted to know what time it was.
Morning Routine Challenges – Terry’s Repetitive Questions and Yelling
Part of Terry’s behaviour pattern was to ask “what time is it?” He would ask this question repeatedly… many times. Often, Terry would yell loudly asking for the time and getting the care aides to come to his room.
This, understandably, can become a source of annoyance for the care aides who are also trying to support the other residents and complete their tasks in a timely manner. The care aides would often vent with each other saying: “Why doesn’t he just get out of bed and come down the hall and ask us instead of yelling at us?”
Understanding the Meaning Behind the Behaviour
As I have consisted reminded all our professional and family caregivers, there is always a reason behind the behaviour. Putting my detective hat on, though I do not know Terry, what comes to mind for an explanation for Terry’s behaviour is that he may be concerned about missing out on the next major activity or meal.
I also discovered that Terry couldn’t see very well and therefore having his own clock may not have solved this issue. This may also be a reason why he may not be keen to get out of bed on his own or as quickly as he was used to.
The Staff’s Creative Solution to Support Terry
Knowing Terry’s concern for consistently needing to know the time and his visual impairment, the staff came up with a very simple and creative solution that I wanted to share!
The staff decided to try out putting in a device that when asked will tell the time! Terry was taught to say, “Alexa, what time is it?” And voila! Problem solved! Frustration and stress on both sides disappeared!
I want to share this story as an example to encourage people to not be too timid to try different, or in this case, unique approaches using technology. The goal is to do whatever works!
It’s also all about keeping the peace. Peace is the antidote to stress and a way for us to cope better for everyone’s well-being, for both the person providing care and the person receiving care. For healthcare professionals, when a new approach that you’ve tried works, it’s a boost to your professional confidence and esteem and allows you to reconnect with the meaningful work that you do.
We would love to hear from you! If you have tried some creative solutions in supporting someone living with symptoms of dementia; or, if you are experiencing challenges as a caregiver, we welcome you to send us an email at [email protected]. Keep up the great work!
DISCLAIMER:
The contents of this blog are provided for information purposes only. They are not intended to replace clinical diagnosis or medical advice from a health professional.
