KEEPING SYLVIA’S IDENTITY Dementia & GDCP Working hand in hand with Community Health/LGA Forum 18 th June 2014

OVERVIEW Introduce Sylvia case study Developing Sylvia’s goal directed care plan Challenging our beliefs on what is possible Decline or restoration? Engaging partnerships and preparing our staff to provide what we set out to achieve

INTRODUCING SYLVIA

CURRENT SITUATION Other people in my life People who are regularly involved The people closest to me Person Centred Thinking Tool, Learning Community for Person Centred Practices, Helen Sanderson & Associates. Kate Pascale & Associates 2013

CURRENT SITUATION Family Community / neighbours / work Friends / unpaid support Paid support services Person Centred Thinking Tool, Learning Community for Person Centred Practices, Helen Sanderson & Associates. Kate Pascale & Associates 2013

IMPORTANT TO VS IMPORTANT FOR What is the person trying to tell us about their world? What is important to Sylvia (makes her happy / content and feel fulfilled)? What is important for Sylvia (to keep her healthy and safe) When we lose our language skills we can only communicate physically by means of our body language and behaviour

DEMENTIA AND MEMORY As recent memory is impaired by the disease process, older memories become more important and can provide the person with a continuing sense of who they are.

COMMUNICATION 12 More than just the exchange of words! It is any verbal or non verbal behaviour that is perceived by another person All behaviour conveys some message and is therefore a form of communication

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES Given the potential communication difficulties working with a person living with dementia, what strategies might you use to obtain maximum amount of information? Do the questions in your assessment tool tell you what you really need to know?

WHAT IS WORKING? WHAT IS NOT WORKING?

I have a good day when: I have a bad day when:

PERSON CENTRED ASM Can help a person with dementia by: feeling valued by entertaining others reinforcing long term memories that a valuable being a fun thing to create together promoting self-esteem helping the person feel that they belong validating the person as an individual who has a unique story helping facilitate social connections.

POSSIBILITES What have we tried? What have we learned? What are we please about? What are we concerned about? Given what we know, what next? Person Centred Thinking Tool, Learning Community for Person Centred Practices, Helen Sanderson & Associates. Kate Pascale & Associates 2013

SYLVIA’S STORY AND PERSON CENTRED PRACTICE The life story supports the practice of putting Sylvia at Centre Stage Adds to the personal profile of the Sylvia Assists to identify personal motivators to maximise independence Allows us to develop enabling strategies for risk management Assists to identify peer support and social inclusion in wider community

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS POSSIBLE? What have we tried? What have we learned? What are we please about? What are we concerned about? Given what we know, what next? Person Centred Thinking Tool, Learning Community for Person Centred Practices, Helen Sanderson & Associates. Kate Pascale & Associates 2013

WHAT IT SUPPORTS IN THE WORKPLACE Promoting a ‘doing with’ not ‘doing for’ approach Emphasizing the importance of ‘social connectedness’ A ‘holistic’ and ‘person centred’ approach to care Involving people in ‘setting their own goals’ and making decisions about their care Providing ‘timely and flexible’ services

TO KEEP SYLVIA HEALTH & SAFE You need to know this: And do this: Person Centred Thinking Tool, Learning Community for Person Centred Practices, Helen Sanderson & Associates. Kate Pascale & Associates 2013

ENGAGING AND PREPARING OUR STAFF

SUPPORT STAFF WORKING TOGETHER WITH SYLVIA use Sylvia’s story in their daily communication with her focus on Sylvia not the task establish a relationship of trust have most satisfying interaction gain better job satisfaction, less stress for everyone

PARTNERSHIPS Who else do we need to partner with for a good outcome for Sylvia?

HOW WILL YOU EMPOWER YOUR SUPPORT WORKERS? Risk vs benefits! Enabling vs disabling Restoring function vs declining function