Getting Creative with Dementia Care

What comes to mind when you hear the term “creative thinking”? Too many of us equate it with an artistic skill or talent beyond our reach, when in actuality we are all creative thinkers, particularly when it comes to daily problem solving. As a dementia consultant, I know that especially in the case of caregivers for those with dementia, creative thinking can be a treasure trove for finding effective ways to manage challenging behaviours. Finding that treasure trove of course all starts by asking the key question ‘WHY?’

A former caregiver (“Mary”) recently told me a story about how asking ‘Why?’, followed by some creative thinking, led her to find a solution for a challenging dementia-related behaviour. As a provider of home care support, she was caring for a gentleman with dementia (“Jim”) who whenever he had the opportunity, would go stand in his closet, shovel in hand. Baffled by his behaviour, Mary didn’t know what to do. She could have ignored the problem or simply given up, but instead she thought further and asked herself, “Why is Jim doing this? She delved beyond the label of Jim’s medical condition, and looked at him as a person with a unique history and personality that could be fueling his behaviour.

After talking to his family, Mary made a startling discovery about Jim’s past. She learned that he had once been a prisoner in a labour camp where a readiness to work meant the difference between life and death. At the camp, he had to have a shovel in his hand at all times or risk punishment by being deprived of food. Having connected the dots between Jim’s traumatic past experiences as a prisoner and his present behaviour of enclosing himself in the prison-like confines of a closet with a shovel, Mary started thinking of some creative solutions. Instead of trying to drag Jim out of the past and force reality upon him, Mary used a different approach. Whenever she saw Jim in the closet she would gently let him know that he had completed his work for the day and that there was food waiting for him if he would come out of the closet. To Mary’s delight, her strategy worked!

By asking “Why?” and thinking outside the box, Mary found an approach that successfully calmed Jim’s cognitive concerns. Her story highlights not only the power of getting to know the person you are caring for, but also the power of using creative thinking in finding effective solutions. Any of us can be creative thinkers! So the next time you’re confronted with a challenging dementia-related behaviour, remember Mary’s story and get creative!

If you require assistance on creative ideas, please feel free to contact us at: DementiaCareAcademy@DementiaSolutions.ca