Assignment 51 Communication with dementia
Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) for England (QCF)
Assignment 51: Unit 51: Understand and Enable Interaction and Communication with Individuals who Have Dementia
Learning Outcome1
Understand the factors that can affect interaction and communication of individuals with dementia
1.1 Explain how different forms of dementia may affect the way an individual communicates
Visual perception; if a carer isn’t at the client’s level or facing away from the client, the client may not be able to determine what the carer is trying to communicate, also visual hallucinations; client may see something that isn’t really there. Unable to express their needs verbally due to structure and ordering of sentences; perseveration where over use of a word occurs over and over. Some forms of dementia are so severe that the client may lose their ability to recognise faces and their surroundings which could cause them to become distressed, agitated, depressed or aggressive. Loss of motivation to try and strike up conversation or do anything for themselves and loss of their ability to control their behaviour resulting in inappropriate actions, i.e.; lashing out at others, inappropriate sexual behaviour.
1.2 Explain how physical and mental health factors may need to be considered when communicating with an individual who has dementia
Sensory impairment such as sight as mentioned above.
Leg amputation of a war veteran or for medical reasons such as diabetes, in which their dementia has gone back to a time in their life where they could once walk using both of their legs and they are trying to do so. This could cause aggression or sadness for the client when trying to explain to the client that they must not try to walk without assistance as they “may fall and hurt themselves”. Age-related degenerative diseases, such as Macular Degeneration where extra help is needed in assisting with walking, also consideration of placing objects in
Assignment 51: Unit 51: Understand and Enable Interaction and Communication with Individuals who Have Dementia
Learning Outcome1
Understand the factors that can affect interaction and communication of individuals with dementia
1.1 Explain how different forms of dementia may affect the way an individual communicates
Visual perception; if a carer isn’t at the client’s level or facing away from the client, the client may not be able to determine what the carer is trying to communicate, also visual hallucinations; client may see something that isn’t really there. Unable to express their needs verbally due to structure and ordering of sentences; perseveration where over use of a word occurs over and over. Some forms of dementia are so severe that the client may lose their ability to recognise faces and their surroundings which could cause them to become distressed, agitated, depressed or aggressive. Loss of motivation to try and strike up conversation or do anything for themselves and loss of their ability to control their behaviour resulting in inappropriate actions, i.e.; lashing out at others, inappropriate sexual behaviour.
1.2 Explain how physical and mental health factors may need to be considered when communicating with an individual who has dementia
Sensory impairment such as sight as mentioned above.
Leg amputation of a war veteran or for medical reasons such as diabetes, in which their dementia has gone back to a time in their life where they could once walk using both of their legs and they are trying to do so. This could cause aggression or sadness for the client when trying to explain to the client that they must not try to walk without assistance as they “may fall and hurt themselves”. Age-related degenerative diseases, such as Macular Degeneration where extra help is needed in assisting with walking, also consideration of placing objects in