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We have learned invaluable lessons from observations, working with and listening to clients and carers.
When one of our first, long supported clients died, in her home and sitting in her favourite chair, we remembered the three questions she taught us to ask ourselves when faced with a decision to recommend residential care for some one:
- Is this the right decision for this person at this point in time?
- Have you tried every alternative available or possible?
- Would this decision be the same if it were your own mother/father or a loved one?
Our work with this lady, and others like her taught us that:
- people with dementia are individuals whose needs are no different to anyone else and should be enabled to take their rightful place in society.
- where there are concerns about risks, the focus should be on removing the risks and not the person.
- it is important that we understand the reasons behind the behaviour. Dementia affects people differently and sometimes their behaviour problems are their natural response to fear, threats and losses in their lives.
- it is about not categorising people into boxes such as social care or nursing care.
- it is not about following a medical model which emphasises the progressive nature of the illness with the 3 D’s – Deterioration, Difficult behaviour and Dependency. But adopting a psycho social model - which sees people with dementia as unique individuals with needs no different from us.
- we need to create a dialogue based on compromise and negotiations.
Out of these lessons evolved our P.E.A.C.H philosophy.
- P Person-Led Approach/Partnership
- A person with dementia is first and foremost a person with the same human needs and rights as anyone else, and should be treated with respect and dignity. Caring for someone with dementia needs to be a shared process and calls for clients, carers and others involved, to work alongside and in partnership with one another.
- E Empowerment – is about enabling people to stay in control. In the process of empowering clients and carers, professionals have to be prepared to be disempowered.
- A Attachment is a basic human need, where transference of attachment to a person or a place is facilitated, sensitively, to support workers or supported houses.
- C Continuity of care being provided by a small team of support workers wherever possible from the same locality of that of the client, thus offering,
- H Hope to continue their lives as active and participating members of their communities.
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