Quality life for Residents Living with Dementia
An approximated five million people have age-related dementia in America. According to Keouch (2016), by the year 2050, the number of people with age-related dementia is expected to double. As per the Alzheimer’s Association (2019), at present, the number of people living with dementia in Western New York stands at 400,000.
By definition, dementia is an illness that affects the brain, causing memory loss and thinking as well as reasoning skills. In line with the Alzheimer’s Association (2019), dementia has elaborate symptoms that people ought to know. When one suffers from memory loss, daily life gets disrupted. Memory loss introduces challenges in planning and problem-solving. Besides, one is unable to complete familiar tasks and daily routines. One experiences confusion with places and time as well as confusion when comprehending visual images. When speaking and writing, memory loss causes one to develop problems as one forgets the basic of writing and speaking. It is common for people suffering from memory loss to misplace things and lose the ability to retrace their steps. Another common sign of memory loss is decreased judgment as well as withdrawal from work and social activities. The most evident sign of memory loss is the change in mood and personality. According to Alzheimer’s Association (2019), one of the most traumatizing experiences for family members is when their relative who has dementia wanders in the neighbourhood and forgets how to get home. The examples associated with dementia include short term memory loss, losing essential items like wallets and car keys and forgetting to pay bills or even prepare simple meals.
Patients who have dementia develop many problems that challenge their ability to be dependent. Thus, residents with dementia require help in daily life activities. People who have dementia need assistance to perform simple tasks such as eating, personal grooming, and for some residents, mobility. As put forward by Long (2015), when people who have Alzheimer remain in the community, they require physical and financial assistance. For instance, they need help in planning for meals, shopping as well as sticking to medication. Caregivers in the community have many tools and education resources, which enable them to care for people who have Alzheimer. Similarly, when taking care of long-term residents, nurses require special skills to provide quality care.
This paper covers several topics regarding caregiving to dementia patients, including routine. For residents living with dementia, short term memory loss does not often affect the long term memory. Therefore, residents with dementia require a daily routine. In line with Heerema (2019), the residents suffering from memory loss need a specific routine for daily life activities such as when to wake up, a particular time and place to take meals as well as leisure activities. Besides, digital photography is useful in helping residents who have dementia. When the residents look at photographs and recording of events, they recall the events that once took place in their lives.
Another useful tool in helping residents living with dementia is music therapy. According to Keough (2017), music therapy is effective in decreasing anxiety and fear, as well as increasing social interactions. When the residents are anxious, caregivers can help them recollect past experiences and happy memories, giving the residents a sense of purpose (Kris, 2017). Furthermore, music develops cognition as residents communicate with ease. Reminiscence is another essential tool for both caregivers and residents.
Physical activity is also useful in improving the health of residents living with dementia. Active exercise keeps the body fit and builds up defenses against diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Furthermore, physical activity can decrease the risk of developing dementia by keeping the brain active. According to Lee (2018), physical activities should be tailored to suit the needs of the residents. For instance, the activities can range from moderate to intense or as simple as crafts and leisure gardening. Besides, the meal intake should also be tailored to fit the personal needs of each resident. Nutrition intake should depend on the level of assistance required (Lee, 2018). The combination of physical exercise and proportional nutrition intake keeps the residents healthy and active. Residents need to maintain social connections with their families, caregivers, as well as fellow residents. In line with O’Rourke (2017), social connections vary; for instance, the connection between a nurse and a resident is medical as well as social, whereas the relationship between residents is purely social.
The final part of this paper is to discuss evidence-based interventions for providing quality care. According to Logsdon (2007), caregivers require assistance on how to apply the interventions to real-life situations.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to prove that the quality of care given to residents living with dementia improves when caregivers are adequately trained and provided all the necessary tools. Residents who have dementia ought to receive high-quality care. For caregivers to improve their services, they need to understand all signs and caregiving techniques related to the condition. Therefore, this paper will highlight the symptoms of dementia, techniques for caregivers in long-term residencies as well as the programmes that long-term care facilities can implement to achieve goals for residents living with Alzheimer’s disease.
The Alzheimer’s Association is an essential tool for caregivers. The organization not only arms caregivers with tools to improve the quality of care but also encourages nurses in their line of work. As stated earlier, Alzheimer’s has elaborate signs which out to be observed. Memory loss is one of the most prevalent and earliest signs of dementia. During the first stages of dementia, individual forget important events. During memory loss, the individual tends to use repetitive phrases as well as listing events and dates that need to be remembered. Residents who have dementia develop problems with routines. The residents quickly lose track of time as they take longer to complete tasks. Also, individuals living with dementia face challenges in completing daily routine tasks — for instance, difficulty in driving and remembering places such as their favourite grocery store. Furthermore, residents who have Alzheimer’s disease get confused easily. Due to memory loss, the residents forget significant dates and events. Thus, they get confused when they fail to understand events happening around them. Also, dementia causes one to forget visual shapes and spatial relationships. As a result, the residents may develop imbalance which affects mobility, difficulty in reading which in turn affects the ability to identify colours and drive.
Dementia also causes challenges with words during speaking and writing. For instance, calling a person by a different name or, confusing small things such as calling a watch a clock. Also, dementia causes a person to lose the ability to retrace their steps. For instance, when a person with dementia misplaces car keys, they cannot retrace their steps to remember where they last placed the keys. People living with dementia also develop poor judgment as they lose track of their finances and forget personal hygiene. Also, people with dementia tend to withdraw from social activities. Mostly, they withdraw since they want to hide their memory loss from family and friends. Change in mood and personality is an elaborate sign of dementia. Due to the confusion occurring from memory loss, a person who has Alzheimer’s disease is most likely to develop anxiety and get angered easily.
When caregivers notice the signs and changes, caregivers should outsource help from other places such as, day programmes for the elderly. In extreme cases, a caregiver should seek long-term placement in a memory care nursing homes. The nursing staff is tasked with the responsibility of taking care of residents in day programmes and long-term placement. Due to the work and commitment required when taking care of residents living with dementia, families to the residents as well as the nursing staff receive education on how to care for the residents.
Several factors influence the quality of care offered to the residents. The quality of care is influenced by moods, cognition ability and, ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL). In Logsdon (2007), line with Among the interventions applied to residents living with dementia include methods of increasing movement, preventing depression by reducing stress and maintaining current levels of activities of daily living.
Routine is an essential way of providing care for residents living with dementia. Typically, dementia starts by affecting short-term memory. Since routines are kept in long-term memory, maintaining a routine for residents has proven to be calming and reassuring. According to Heerema (2019), routines remain in long-term memory until the middle stages of dementia. Therefore, maintaining a familiar routine reduces stress among the residents.
Digital photography knits a close relationship between a resident and a caregiver (Karlsson, 2017). As stated earlier, residents with dementia tend to forget significant dates and events. Thus, photographs and recording of activities help the residents recall past experiences. The photos and videos also play a vital role in reassuring the residents when they are anxious.
According to Keough (2017), music therapy is also vital for people living with dementia. Music not only brings back memories but also calms the nervous system. Also, music can impact on short-term moods and behaviours.
Reminiscence increases social connections. When residents recall and narrate past events to fellow residents and the nursing staff, they prevent depression and anxiety (Kris, 2017). Reminiscence can be done individually or with social groups during social interactions such as gardening or playing bingo.
Physical activity is also essential for residents who have Alzheimer’s disease. Ideally, physical activity keeps the brain active; therefore, it is possible to slow down dementia once the condition has been diagnosed. In line with Lee (2018), physical activity should vary with the needs of each resident. For instance, older residents cannot engage in similar physical activity with younger residents. In addition to keeping the brain active, physical activity can reduce hypertension and diabetes.
Meals and social connections also serve to improve the quality of care for residents with dementia. According to Mann (2019), Meals should be resident-centric, and time spent should be focused on meal consumption and helping the resident to maintain independence. The nutritional value in meals should be tailored to meet the specific needs of each resident. A combination of physical activities and proper nutrition keeps the residents healthy and active. Social connections keep residents from depression and loneliness (O’Rourke, 2017). Maintaining social and interpersonal relationships also help the residence in reminiscing and prevent anxiety and stress.
Background/significance
The motivation behind this paper is insufficient training for staff working in long-term care facilities for people living with dementia. I believe that quality care is important in the well-being of all patients, especially the ones living with dementia. Dementia is a special condition because the patients are entirely dependent on caregivers. Therefore, nurses who work in long-term care facilities require extra training on how to provide excellent care.
Previous research indicates that stimuli trigger the memory. Therefore, when residents access digital cameras, they can record memories and connect to past events. Currently, studies are focused on exploring the relationship between self-identity and digital photography (Karlsson, 2017). As a result, residents will gain a sense of individuality and identity.
Research has also indicated that in New York, music therapy is used in recreation and activities of daily living. In line with Keough (2017), music therapists are encouraged to use small group approached to increase the contact. However, there is little support for the application and impact of music therapy.
Current studies about reminiscence are focused on understanding why nurses engage in recollection (Kriss, 2017). Ideally, the nursing staff participates in remembrance at a personal and professional level. Studies are aiming to prove the value of reminiscence as well as the extent to which it is used to provide quality care.
Many studies about physical activity and dementia have been completed. In one study, it was stated that the risk of dementia was lowered by 34% for those residents who participated in physical activities such as gardening. According to Lee (2018), the current research is aimed at investigating the relationship between physical activity and all-cause dementia, AD, and vascular dementia based on physical activity. Another study indicated that there was an inverse relationship between leisure-time physical activities and dementia.
According to Logsdon (2007), the new study focuses on depression and social events, mobility, cognition and activities of daily living. Studies show the influences of dementia and factors associated with dementia from the perspective of the person living with dementia as well as caregivers. Views from both parties include quality of life, ability to perform activities of daily living, mobility, cognition as well as physical health.
Poor nutrition and meal intake can cause weight and energy loss among residents living with dementia. The level of malnutrition can be determined by the assistance offered to the residents during meals. This study intends to establish the connection between mealtime actions and energy intake for long-term residents. According to Mann (2019), the study is also meant to determine whether physical eating assistance provided by the staff is associated with energy intake. Therefore, caregivers can match physical activities in nutrition intake.
This study was intended to support the development of interventions to improve social connections for older adults (O’Rourke, 2017). Social links are essential in reducing loneliness. Meaningful, close and constructive relationships with other people overcome anxiety and stress, which can easily lead to depression.
Comprehensive chapter summary
When caring for residents with dementia, the caregivers require education and in-services. At present, the interventions used to provide quality care for residents with dementia include music therapy, reminiscence programs, social connections, digital photography, routines and, physical activity. The interventions have so far been effective in promoting quality care and living among residents living with dementia.
References
Heerema, E., MSW. (2019). Verywell Health. The benefits of routines for people with dementia- how consistent caregivers can help in alzheimer’s disease. Retrieved from doi:https://www.verywellhealth.com/using-routines-in-dementia-97625.
Karlsson, E., Zingmark, K., Axelsson, K., &Savenstedt, S. (2017). Aspects of self and identity in narrations about recent events: Communication with individuals with alzheimer’s disease enabled by a digital photograph diary. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(6), 25-31. doi:http://dx.doi.org.trocaire.idm.oclc.org/10.3928/00989134-20170126- 02.
Keough, L., MSED, LCAT, MT-BC, King, B., PhD, LCAT, MT-BC, Lemmerman, T., MS, MT- BC. (2017). Music Therapy Perspectives. Assessment-based small group music therapy programming for individuals with dementia and alzheimer’s disease: a multi-year clinical project. 35(2), 182-189. doi:10.11093/mtp/miw021.
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Logsdon, R., PhD, McCurry, S., PhD, Teri, L., PhD. (2007). Alzheimers care today. Evidence- based interventions to improve quality of life for individuals with dementia. 8(4): 309- 318. doi:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2585781.
Mann, K., Lengyel, C. O., Slaughter, S. E., Carrier, N., & Keller, H. (2019). Resident and staff mealtime actions and energy intake of long-term care residents with cognitive impairment: Analysis of the making the most of mealtimes study. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45(8), 32-42. doi:http://dx.doi.org.trocaire.idm.oclc.org/10.3928/00989134-20190709-04
O’Rourke, H.,M., &Sidani, S. (2017). Definition, determinants, and outcomes of social connectedness for older adults: A scoping review. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 43(07), 43-52. doi:http://dx.doi.org.trocaire.idm.oclc.org/10.3928/00989134-20170223- 03.