Hi everyone, it’s Vlady here on the Dóchas blog, and this week we are going to integrate the mindfulness skill I discussed in my prior blog post on mindfulness, in dementia care.
Are you a caregiver (or family member) struggling in how to best support a loved one that has dementia? Perhaps you are in the early stages of understanding how to best provide help to someone that has dementia, have already provided significant assistance to someone that has dementia, or perhaps you have learned about dementia in passing through friends and/or colleagues. Either way, let’s take some time to consider dementia, its impact, and how to incorporate some mindfulness skills when connecting with someone that is presenting with dementia.
Read on or watch my video for more details!
Dementia and its Impact
Dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, can be viewed as a neuro-cognitive disorder where there is a dampening of a person’s cognitive capacity that can impact areas such as a person’s language, memory, and perception. It can also possibly be accompanied with behavioural changes and mood alterations. Dementia impacts social connection, how one sees oneself, and how they connect with the world. Challenges with language can impact one’s communication and comprehension that can possibly complicate relationships. Perceptual disturbances can be unsettling for a person with dementia in how they identify their respective environment and people in it. Family members can find this process to be unsettling and disheartening in watching a person near to them go through the decline process, all the while navigating the different care options available to someone that is presenting with dementia.
Why Mindfulness in Dementia Care?
The idea of incorporating mindfulness in dementia care comes from my own personal experience in helping someone with dementia. Because it’s World Alzheimer’s Day on September 21st, I thought I would share my tips for mindfulness in dementia care, to raise awareness.
A framing of mindfulness that I connect with is a nonjudgmental present awareness to the here and now. Over the course of the past year, I have learned the value in taking things moment to moment when helping someone with dementia. Taking a nonjudgmental stance continues to allow me to find greater compassion and patience when connecting with someone that is undergoing significant functional decline.
Tips for Incorporating Mindfulness in Dementia Care
1. One-mindfully
When engaging in an activity with a person who has dementia (e.g., looking through old photos, listening to their favourite music etc.), pay attention to how you immerse yourself in the shared activity. For instance, suppose you are looking through a photo album together. Notice the weight of the photo album. Notice the details of the photos (e.g., colours, people, environment etc.) and how the person with dementia is responding to them. Observe the way in which you are talking to the person about the photos (e.g., tone, rate of speech, open ended vs. closed ended questions etc.). Are they following what you are saying? Consider what their body and facial expressions are saying about engaging in the activity (e.g., attentive, agitated, smiling, frowning etc.). If your mind is shifting to thinking about other things, consider how you would approach the shared activity if it was the very first time you encountered going through a photo album together.
2. Nonjudgementally
Facts rather than the ‘shoulds’ and the good/bad.
Take note if you are stating ‘shoulds’ (e.g., he should be eating more, she should not be like this today, they should not be acting like this etc.) or labeling things/persons as good or bad (e.g. “she can’t even do her own hygiene – that’s bad”, “I think it’s a good thing he’s cooperating with his eating today “etc.) when providing support to someone that has dementia.
If you notice you are being judgemental in how you are making sense of an experience in your mind, consider the following three steps:
1. Position the ‘shoulds’ and the good/bad as statements of fact instead, such as:
- “He should be eating more” → “I am noticing that he is not eating a lot right now.”
- “She can’t even do her own hygiene – that’s bad”→ “I am noticing that she is struggling to independently take care of her hygiene and needs assistance.”
2. Situate the impact from the facts such as:
- By him not eating a lot right now, he might not be getting his daily nutrients and he might feel hungry later today when the meals aren’t being served here.
- With her struggles to do her hygiene independently, we are going to need to figure out how to provide that care to her as a family or consider other care options for that support.
3. Integrate your feelings (think of them as information!) in considering (1 and (2 such as:
- I feel conflicted because it’s supper time right now and he does not want to eat; the staff might not necessarily be able to provide that meal later this evening when he ends up being hungry at bedtime or past it. I feel hopeful that perhaps I can speak with the staff in bringing him a light snack later this evening.
- I feel supported knowing that we are working together to figure out how we are going to balance her care with our day-to-day schedules and if needed, consider hiring the needed care, while weighing out the financial implications.
If you are looking to learn more in how to cope and integrate strategies, such as mindfulness, when supporting someone with dementia, feel free to reach out to Dóchas at 780-446-0300 or info@dochaspsych.com. Book an in-person (Spruce Grove) or virtual (across Alberta) appointment with one of our therapists here. Book a FREE 15 minute consult with Vlady here.
Looking for programs or additional resources on dementia? Check out the local Dementia Care Project for persons in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and Parkland County.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training handouts and worksheets (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training manual (2nd ed.). Guildford Press.
Human brain toy photo – Free Brain Image on Unsplash → link to the image from unsplash
About Dóchas Psychological
Dóchas Psychological Services is a well-established and trusted therapy clinic located in Spruce Grove, Alberta. At Dóchas we value the idea that everyone deserves a safe space. Through connection and education, our team works hard to build a trustworthy relationship with each of our clients. It is our goal to create a community for our clients to feel like they belong.
Disclaimer
Information provided through Dóchas Psychological Services blogs or vlogs is meant for educational purposes only. They are NOT medical or mental health advice. You can read more about our disclaimer here.
