Dementiability works!

 I don't know how many days I've been working with person A on doing some simple dementiability interventions, but it has been monumentally successful. 

There are some things to consider however. 

First of all, this model doesn't guarantee success with every person. They say that in their workshops. There is no 100% success model for all human beings. We all know that.

Secondarily, I think the person I work with and I have a lot of characteristics in common. We both like consistency and familiarity, and we get nervous easily when things change that are out of our control. This has accounted for quite a lot of my success with her. I can't guess how it might have failed or needed something different on my part with anyone else. 

Having said that, I have found success using the following:

-Folding her own apron after every meal I assist her with.

-Utilizing her background that I know about (in her medical profile) to bring activities that provide meaning and utility, encouragement and improvement. (I'll get to that later)

-Finding out what her personal needs are when I provide care and trying to help fulfill them.

-Encouraging her to express her needs, wants, feelings, thoughts.

-Encouraging activity that reflects her personal abilities and values.

-Encouraging her to feed herself (with assistance) wherever possible. (I gauge her energy levels for that meal or that day and don't push her if she isn't able)

To be honest, when I learnt about dementiability, formerly based on the Montessori method, I thought we could do everything all at once for a whole lot of people. My enthusiasm and excitement were short lived once I realized that overwhelming anyone in a frail state would not be received readily, and that trying to help more people than I'm capable of, on my own, would be a quick recipe for disaster and burnout.

What works is using my active listening. I was taught this years before I entered the gerontology field. I listen to her. I ask questions to get to know her. I read her profile again and again, trying to glean new information. I talk to her sister (also her POA) to gain insights into what makes sense and what doesn't. (both from a dementia perspective and from a personality perspective)

This client of mine has co-morbidities, amongst which is a mild form of dementia. She gets confused somedays, remembers things incorrectly, has anxiety often as well as panic attacks.

She is also a religious person. Her faith was instilled in her from birth, having grown up in a very religious household. This is something we draw from daily, to keep her engaged, to find meaning and comfort.

We pray almost daily. (I've not prayed this much in years!)

All of this has lead to her self-directing without prompting, without much cuing from me. Because after my consistent routine building with her, she is used to the requirements of our time spent together. She doesn't like other people coming in to feed her or to spend time with her, excepting family who feed her on all levels (emotionally, spiritually, socially, etc.) She feels in control of what's happening, because I encourage her to do that. This is the dementiability model succeeding. 

I stand back now after weeks of celebrating her achievements from complete dependency and being bed bound, to now asking when her favourite activities are coming up, to agreeing to participate, to participating wholly, to folding her own apron after meals, and on and on....

I am proud of this. She means so much to me, and not in a clinical way. She proves to me that not only are the people who figured out dementiability and how people with dementia STILL WORK, but that human resiliency is alive and well and will always respond with encouragement and the right kind of support.

Amen.