Persons with dementia experience impairments in cognitive, behavioral, and functional ability, often leading to long-term care placement. The Enhancing Care Program was developed by the Alzheimer Society of Canada to assist organizations in improving care for this population. Although this program has been implemented in many facilities, the majority have been located in urban settings and there has been limited formal evaluation. Little is known about dementia care in rural facilities, or about how programs are implemented in rural settings. The Enhancing Care Program is based on eleven guidelines that outline best practices for caring for individuals with dementia. With the assistance of a facilitator from the Alzheimer Society, a multi-disciplinary team from the facility assesses their current ability to meet each guideline. In subsequent meetings, the team establishes specific, measurable goals to improve care in targeted areas. The two purposes of this study were to conduct a process evaluation of the Enhancing Care Program and to develop theory relating to the implementation of a program in two rural long-term care facilities. Observations were made over the course of seven months as teams worked through the guidelines and set goals. Focus group interviews consisting of team members took place at the end of the observation period. In addition, individual interviews were conducted with general staff, the facility managers, and the facilitator from the Alzheimer Society. Grounded theory methodology informed the research and analysis process. The theory that emerged, The Process of Building Effective Teams, explains the transition of the participants from collections of individuals to cohesive units that functioned as teams. Five key categories were developed in the theory: trust, respectful and open communication, transformational leadership, creating change collectively, and enhanced team culture. As part of the process evaluation of the Enhancing Care Program, 24 recommendations were made for program improvements.

Older adults living with dementia are marginalized in society through the socially constructed binaries of old/young, able/disabled and ultimately us/them. These are manifested in a culture dominated by approaches towards illnesses that favor clinically inclined models of care which entail the search for cures rather than attention to the care required by and for individuals. To heighten their vulnerability, from an individual perspective, the cognitive nature of dementia often prevents people living with it from having a voice in their representation. Person-centered care is a philosophy that recognizes the importance of who the individual is and where they are situated in an effort to create a more holistic care experience. The Lodge at Broadmead is a residential care facility that has operationalized an explicitly person-centered philosophy of care. The main objectives of this project were to gain an understanding of the lived experience and implementation of person-centered dementia care from the many different perspectives contained within this facility as well as the methodological barriers associated with including people living with dementia in this type of research. To this end, one-on-one interviews and focus groups were conducted with a total of 16 staff members and leadership at The Lodge at Broadmead as well as one resident. These were informed by a 4 month period of observation in the form of volunteer work. Three main themes emerged around the implementation of person-centred care at The Lodge at Broadmead: identity maintenance, facilitating relationships, and aligning values. These themes represent the most important theoretical links between the physical and social aspects of the environment, and person-centred care’s ultimate goal of maintenance and enhancement of personhood for the residents. Drawing from my own research experience, there were several methodological challenges in undertaking the research as well which were: the institutional necessity of consent by proxy, a rigid interview approach, and not enough time spent with the residents. / Graduate / 0336 / 0351 / kyle.plumb@gmail.com

Background: With the increasing older adult population, new graduate nurses will be providing care for patients with dementia more frequently and should be supported to care for this population during their transition period. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis was to explore the experiences of new graduate nurses providing care for patients with dementia in acute care environments. Methods: An interpretive descriptive qualitative study explored eleven Ontario new graduate nurses’ experiences providing dementia care in acute care environments. A thematic analysis was conducted. Findings: The thematic analysis resulted in three themes and several sub-themes: building of vision and values, clash of vision and values, and “make do with what you have”. Discussion and Conclusion: Facilitators to providing dementia care in acute care were supportive colleagues and early exposure to dementia care. The barriers identified were similar to the barriers experienced by nurses in the literature.

Older adults living with dementia are marginalized in society through the socially constructed binaries of old/young, able/disabled and ultimately us/them. These are manifested in a culture dominated by approaches towards illnesses that favor clinically inclined models of care which entail the search for cures rather than attention to the care required by and for individuals. To heighten their vulnerability, from an individual perspective, the cognitive nature of dementia often prevents people living with it from having a voice in their representation. Person-centered care is a philosophy that recognizes the importance of who the individual is and where they are situated in an effort to create a more holistic care experience. The Lodge at Broadmead is a residential care facility that has operationalized an explicitly person-centered philosophy of care. The main objectives of this project were to gain an understanding of the lived experience and implementation of person-centered dementia care from the many different perspectives contained within this facility as well as the methodological barriers associated with including people living with dementia in this type of research. To this end, one-on-one interviews and focus groups were conducted with a total of 16 staff members and leadership at The Lodge at Broadmead as well as one resident. These were informed by a 4 month period of observation in the form of volunteer work. Three main themes emerged around the implementation of person-centred care at The Lodge at Broadmead: identity maintenance, facilitating relationships, and aligning values. These themes represent the most important theoretical links between the physical and social aspects of the environment, and person-centred care’s ultimate goal of maintenance and enhancement of personhood for the residents. Drawing from my own research experience, there were several methodological challenges in undertaking the research as well which were: the institutional necessity of consent by proxy, a rigid interview approach, and not enough time spent with the residents. / Graduate / 0336 / 0351 / kyle.plumb@gmail.com

Caregivers of dementia patients who were referred to a community-based comprehensive assessment program for demented and/or chronically ill older adults by physicians or community agencies were studied for this thesis.

No description available.

Yes / The full-text of this article will be released for public view at the end of the publisher embargo, 6 months from first publication.

Yes / Although discussion of reminiscence is prevalent in dementia care research, few studies have examined what actually occurs in these interactions, and how they are structured. This study examined how reminiscence activities are structured and negotiated in a care home environment. Informal one-to-one reminiscence interactions between people living with dementia and professional carers were transcribed from a larger video dataset. We used Conversation Analysis to examine reminiscence sequences in a novel relational approach that explored the interactional practices used by carers and people living with dementia. We identified divergences between manualised practice recommendations and observed interactional practices, such as the rarity of open questions, and frequent use of closed questions. This was contrary to current practice recommendations. These and other divergences demonstrate the value of interactional research in informing reminiscence practice and training manuals. By examining how reminiscence operates in practice, our approaches to conducting such activities can be more empirically informed. Our findings can be used to advise and guide those doing reminiscence work in care home settings, and improve the inclusiveness of reminiscence interactions. Through incorporating empirically informed techniques that both carers and people with dementia use in practice, we can facilitate interactions around memories which are supportive of people with dementia's identity. / This research was supported by an ESRC doctoral studentship funded through the Midlands Graduate School DTP [ES/P099711/1] and Loughborough University. The data on which this paper draws were collected as part of a British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship [MC110142] awarded to Elizabeth Peel.

Yes / Introduction: Stigmatising language concerning people living with dementia can cause potentially harmful and dehumanising consequences. Language used about people living with dementia in mental health wards may focus on medical perspectives and suggest custodial relationships with patients rather than person-centred accounts of individuals. This language could have a devastating impact on the provision of person-centred care. This study investigated the relationship between accounts of people living with dementia written in healthcare case notes and clinical practice at three dementia specialist wards in Wales, UK. Language guidance was provided to ward staff to assess whether stigmatising language could be reduced and whether this influenced the provision of person-centred care. Methodology: Dementia Care Mapping was adapted to analyse case note entries for enhancing and detracting accounts of people living with dementia at three data collection points. These were compared to the results of routine DCM observations of care across the three wards. The healthcare case notes of 117 people living with dementia, encompassing 4, 522 entries over ten months were analysed. DCM observations of 38 people living with dementia within the three wards were compared against the case note results. Person-centred language guidance was shared with care staff following each data collection point. Results: Following the provision of person-centered language guidance, the use of personally enhancing language was observed to increase across all three wards. Non-person-centred case note entries predominantly focussed on Labelling language, whilst language concerning Invalidation and Objectification also occurred frequently compared to other DCM domains. Person centred language typically concerned Acknowledgement. A relationship between case note entries and practice was evident in some domains although findings were inconsistent. Discussion and Implications: The findings highlight the importance of addressing stigmatising language in healthcare and suggest that further studies to support the anti-stigma agenda in dementia care are required. / This work was supported by Improvement Cymru, CADR (Centre for Ageing & Dementia Research), Bangor University and the University of Bradford.

No / Communication involves the exchange of information between at least two people, a giver and a receiver. If left unaddressed, communication difficulties may have a profound effect on quality of life and quality of care. Poor communication may result in high levels of anxiety and depression for the person living with dementia. Communication breakdown contributes to high rates of depression in spouses of people living with dementia and is a major problem for family and carers. Positive and supportive communication is essential to ensure good quality dementia care. A person-centred approach focuses on supporting a person to use and retain their skills and abilities. Person-centred communication involves a commitment to including the perspective of the person living with dementia, and an understanding of who the person is, their life history and preferences.