Person-Centred Dementia Care in the Prevention of Behaviours and Aggression - Essay Example

University> By Essay on Person Centred Dementia Care in the Prevention of Behaviours and Aggression Introduction The article concerns dementia and the behavior attributed to it. In a broad perspective, it is concerned with a persistent disorder of the mental process due to brain disease. It is typically marked by memory disorder, personality changes and impaired reasoning. In other terms, dementia is merely associated with a broad range of symptoms that tend to destabilize the normally working on the mental capability. The affected individuals realized a reduced ability to perform most of their daily activities, which in turn may render them less productive. Alzheimer’s diseases account for a greater percentage of such cases. Vascular dementia. Which occurs after stroke has been considered to be the second most common dementia. Since such disorder affects the personality of an individual, their behavior is most likely to be affected. They tend to create violence within and outside themselves. Such individuals have the tendency of expressing hostile behavior towards others, and they are ready to initiate different levels of war. Dementia and Different types of Behaviour The perception of a person is linked to their personality that later starts the action. For the case of the elderly, their mental capability has tremendously deteriorated due to their age. Such people are typically assisted by the provision of the person-centered practice that is a treatment and care provided by health services. They place the person at the center of their care and considers the needs of the older person’s career. The priority is given to the directly affected individuals, including their family members and the loved ones. The disorder is characterized by a lot of cognitive and behavioral changes which does not only affect the age or affected population but also those who will be caring for them. The particular behavior outlined in the essay is aggression. It is characterised by the fact that those suffering from the mental disorder typically experience displaced frustration. In schools, students learn a lot regarding caring for those with such disorder. Even after their undergraduate studies, such individuals are required to demonstrate efficient and practical skills when handling such patients. Some of the health care students had not been in a position to handle such cases before; it, therefore, required that they get articulated with the relevant information before embarking on that particular field. In a broader dimension, it is worth noting that the care should not be limited to only the physical attention towards such individuals. Again, it should also help them in making decisions, coping with feelings, managing relationships with other and their independence as long as possible. For instance, the Australian Government’s National Framework for Action on Dementia provides an overarching vision for Australia's dementia care and support systems. That is has been made possible through involvement in the care of people with dementia and support for those who care for them. For this to be effective, it has been identified that the concept of a person-centred approach supported by accurate and relevant training for newly diagnosed people with dementia. Such an approach is required since its absence had been noted in most healthcare centers. In caring for such patients, it is prudent to ensure that their right and dignity is placed right before the illness, and they are treated with much respect. In contrast, the medicalisation of dementia with a focus on disease has carers and the people who experience dementia reporting that the person inside is lost or ignored (Ford, Byrt & Dooher, 2010). In the recent years, handling older people has been done formally as objects required to conform to organisational needs of the institutions in which they reside (Waite, 2010). That should not be the case in the current century. Person-centred care and its elements Person-centred care involves the establishment of the personhood of the patient or individual by acknowledging and entering their world so that their rights, values, meaning and potential. It also involves shared decision-making about and for them, can be supported (Waite, 2010). Even though the campaign has focused much on caring for such people, the process at times is complicated and typically leads to distress to those taking caring of them. Such may include the nurses, doctors, and other allied health professionals as well as their family members. That occurs due to their behavior since such people can’t communicate effectively. Their verbal senses are frequently affecting resulting into poor communication. In the current society set up, such behavior typically makes people isolate the patients making their care a milestone. (Waite, 2010) Illustrates that understanding such people become extremely hard since those with advanced dementia is no longer in a position to communicate verbally. Due to that, their needs can not be identified and addressed in the most productive manner. Consequently, such individuals have the tendency of expressing themselves through emotions and behaviour. A study conducted by some Australian medical practitioners identified that it is significantly important to understand their behavior and empathise with its meaning for the purpose of reducing the distressing and stressful consequences engendered. Furthermore, an adverse approach by the health care professional can cause deterioration in the pathological state of the person that may compromise their wellbeing. Conversely, it has been identified that actively using the person-centred approach can maintain the welfare of the person with dementia. It is important for the professionals to understand the state of the patients presently and before the disorder. Due to that, they are better placed to know that the person’s character is not lost but rather concealed. With that, the capability of the patients can be quickly determined which enable the professionals to place the right social responsibility on those affected by dementia. Various psychologists have made an attempt to justify the understanding of person-centered dementia care. Dr Carl Rogers, an American psychologist of the late 20th century, created the concepts of client-centred counselling, student-centred education and person-centred approaches to human relations and community (Waite, 2010). Some other professors such as Professor Tom Kitwood later made an attempt and integrated these concepts with the philosophy of personhood to define person-centred care for people with dementia through active person work and the influence of malignant social psychology (Waite, 2010). The professor managed to reach a great number of people but especially shared his experiences with those living with cognitive impairment. On focusing on the person with dementia, he focused much on the quality of care they receive in an institutional environment. The professor expounded on how the social context of an individual's experience influences their state of behavior. It is illustrated that the impact of experience and behavior can affect a person’s personhood or the status that is bestowed upon one human being, by others, in the contexts of relationships and social being. Personhood implies recognition, respect and trust’ (Pulsford & Thompson, 2013). Understanding all of these relational aspects of dementia enables more positive interactions with the person who has dementia. Conversely, the practice of malignant or negative interactions by healthcare professionals can lead to organic and behavioural deterioration of these same elements in the person with dementia. Thus, the theory of personhood and person-centred care strives to bring the moral ideals of protecting and nurturing to the fore when caring for people with dementia, rather than directly addressing bodily needs. As pointed out earlier, the understanding of the individuals is critical to the provision of any care to them.For instance, before conduction the attention and support, it is important to understand other factors around the person that constitutes to their wellbeing. (Hughes, 2010) illustrates that such factors include social, psychological and neuropathological factors that act together to create the person within. Management Strategies The cognitive part of any human being handles the creation of their personality, which constitutes their psychological and physical being. The behavior of an individual, for instance, is characterized by their mental capability to solve daily occurrence as well as their appearance. For example, it is critical to understand all the rational aspects of dementia so as to enable more active interaction with the person who has dementia. In our physical environment, the level of our communication is attributed by our mental and physical wellbeing. Conversely, the practice of malignant or negative interactions by healthcare professionals can lead to organic and behavioural deterioration of these same elements in the person with dementia. To make all the attempts feasible, a number of theories of personhood and person-centered care strives to bring the moral ideals of protecting and nurturing to the fore when caring for people with dementia, rather than directly addressing bodily needs (Bajley, Sanderson & Routledge, 2013). Still, it has been identified that taking care of such individual has been a challenge due to their aggression behavior; it is worth noting that a lot can be done to care for them. Their needs and demands should be identified at early stages to ensure that they are taken care of in the right manner. Scholars have identified the different levels of interactions that occur between such parties as Positive Person Work and Malignant Social Psychology. The first once manages to create positive experiences for the person with dementia. Conversely, MSP comprises 17 interactions that create negative experiences for the person with dementia. In the presented case study, the psychologists outlined that both types of interaction play a significant role in affecting the wellbeing of people with dementia. With the active person work, the professional should be part of ensuring that those with dementia proactively participate in those other activities that make them happy and ensuring that they attain a greater self-realization. On the contrary, negative activities such as accusation have to be discouraged since they can affect the wellbeing of the affected. The management strategies have been used to articulate most of the findings of the essay, as outlined below; Person center care has been articulated to present so many benefits to different countries and in particular to the Australia citizens. (Dening & Milne, 2011) Both identified the need for specialised care contexts, environments or organisational units that will promote person-centred care. Understanding and accepting the individual’s concept and value of their wellbeing and health are essential in improving person-centred care even when organisational structures seem to impede the process. (De Bellis et.al, 2009) Accepts that nursing care, in particular, can be hindered by corporate structures that centre on tasks rather than the person for a variety of reasons. It, however, should not preclude the use of person-centred care and rather than striving for the ideal, the focus should be on inducing a constant state of person-centeredness in care. Since those with dementia typically experience the cognitive biases, they are not rational in their activities. Due to that, making a rational decision has been recorded to be a challenge hence making them less productive. To expound on that, such individuals tend to be much violent in their particular environment, hence affecting others in the process. Addressing workplace culture is important because the stress that changing behaviours can have on healthcare professionals, students and the person with dementia have been identified as being of concern. Of particular interest is how people who have dementia and mental health issues that lead to distressing behaviours have higher rates of institutionalization. Healthcare professionals and students who interact with people with dementia using a person-centred care approach can help to prevent painful ways that may have an impact on future care arrangements for the person with dementia (Cantley, 2010). When the reality of the workplace culture is blended with the person-centred approach to care, a time-rich and reflective analysis of the impact of the care that the embodied person is receiving will generate relationships of care that are serviceable for both individuals and institutions. Conclusion In winding up, it is critical to ensure that we take good care of those suffering from mental disorder. By doing so, it is evident that the essay has been correctly set up and offers many benefits. When such practices are taken care of, the level of violence is most likely to reduce hence promoting peace. It should be noted that what violence can do, peace can do better. It is prudent to ensure that we constantly install the best practices and skills into the college students, who will later be professionals handling those suffering from dementia. The concept of our behavior has a direct link to our personality. For any individual to make a rational decision, their cognitive and physical components have to function efficiently and coordinate in the appropriate manner. People suffering from dementia can be consistently said to communicate much through their emotions and behavior since the adverse conditions commonly impair the verbal element of their communication. They can be considered violent, but as a team, we can try and accommodate them with the aim of rectifying their behavior. Pivotal to person-centred care is interacting and communicating with the person who has dementia as a sentient being with feelings, emotions and value. To do this, it is essential to validate the actions and dialogue of the person with dementia in a way that recognises their expression of emotions, behaviours and needs, as well as their dignity and personhood as people with dementia can behave and act in as many varied ways as there are individuals. The type of interactions that undergraduate healthcare students engage in during care of people who have dementia will determine not only their practice outcomes, but also their contribution to the promotion or detriment of the wellbeing of the person with dementia. References Bajley, G., Sanderson, H., & Routledge, M. 2013. Personalisation and Dementia a Guide for Person-Centred Practice. London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers. http://www.123library.org/book_details/?id=114363. Cantley, C. 2010. A handbook of dementia care. Buckingham [u.a.], Open Univ. Press. De Bellis, AM, Bradley, SL, Wotherspoon, A, Walter, B, Guerin, P, Cecchin, M & Paterson, J 2009, Come into my world – how to interact with a person who has dementia: an educational resource for undergraduate healthcare students on person-centred care, Flinders University, Hyde Park Press, Adelaide Dening, T., & Milne, A. 2011. Mental health and care homes. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ford, K., Byrt, R., & Dooher, J. 2010. Preventing and Reducing Aggression and Violence in Health and Social Care: A Holistic Approach. New Providence: Unknown UK Publisher. Hughes, R. 2010. Rights, risk and restraint-free care of older people: Person-centred approaches in health and social care. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Pulsford, D., & Thompson, R. 2013. Dementia: Support for family and friends. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Waite, J. 2010. Dementia care: A practical manual. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Read More