What It’s Like to Live in a Dementia Care Residence

Posted on February 23, 2018 by Sue Diane Rosenbloom, CT, MA

via What It’s Like to Live in a Dementia Care Residence

About Sue Diane Rosenbloom, CT, MA

Thanatologist: Loss, Trauma, Crisis, Death, and Grief Educator - My blog is for educational purposes only. I am not a licensed professional counselor - Bachelor of Arts in Human Studies - Marylhurst University (2007) Certificate in Thanatology - Hood College (2008) Master of Arts in Thanatology - Hood College (2009) Certificate in Thanatology - The-Association for Death Education and Counseling (the highest level of loss and grief education). * Hospice, Alzheimer's and Senior's Advocate * Former first responder for Trauma Intervention Program, Inc. (TIP) * Former Hospice and Bereavement Volunteer for Providence Hospice Bereavement Program * Association for Death Education and Counseling Member * National Alliance for Bereavement of Children * Hood College Thanatology Association * American Group Psychotherapy Association * Hospice, Loss, Grief and Bereavement Researcher
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4 Responses to What It’s Like to Live in a Dementia Care Residence

  1. Auntysocial says:
    February 23, 2018 at 1:01 pm

    Dementia care and residential settings in particular vary enormously from country to country and place to place but it’s always a challenge to manage things so people are being given the best possible care that works for each individual and everyone at the same time.

    I’ve never heard or experienced the tepid water issue before although we do have anti-scald thermostatic mixing valves which is required for all residential, nursing and dementia care homes as a minimum standard. Even still the water has still been relatively hot even with the temperature regulated and prevented from reaching scalding temps.

    My main aim during staff training is always to help them understand how it feels to be in the shoes of those reliant on us for care. It’s a confusing, exhausting and often terrifying place they live in so for me it’s important that staff experience or appreciate on some level how that feels.

    What I have never understood is how or why night staff will continually keep assisting someone back to their bedroom during the night if they’re up and on the wander. Worryingly this is very common in hospitals. I’ve had to suggest to ward staff that instead of spending the best part of a ten hour night shift going back and forth with Mrs Miggins, it might help if they bring her through to the lounge, staff room or wherever they are so she has company and doesn’t feel compelled to keep getting up, walking round and looking for something or someone.

    Wouldn’t like to hazard a guess at the number of times I’ve appeared with a cup of tea and slice of cake to find Mrs Miggins absolutely spark out fast asleep. What do you do then? Eat the cake, drink the tea and take the weight gain 🙂

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