Understand approaches that enable individuals with dementia to experience well-being
UNIT 4222-238 The person centred approach to the care and support of the individual with dementia (DEM 202)
Outcome 1
Understand approaches that enable individuals with dementia to experience well-being
1.1. Describe what is meant by a person centred approach
Person-centred care does exactly what it says – it places the person and not their dementia at the centre of their care. The needs and emotions of each individual are the focal point around which everything else is geared. Person-centred approach is based on the principles of holistic care. This means that it considers the “whole person”, meeting the person’s whole needs and not just their physical needs. Kitwood’s work focused on the psycho-social needs of people and he highlighted five which are particularly important to people who are living with dementia. These needs form a cluster which is very closely interconnected and all of which revolve around a central need: love. These needs are: attachment, inclusion, comfort, occupation, identity.
We all share these needs, but people with dementia require greater support from others in order to meet them. These needs require nurturing in order for the person to thrive and because they are interconnected, if one need is met or unmet it will feed positively or negatively into the other needs. The person-centred approach is about ensuring that the person with dementia is the main focus of our attention and not the dementia. It recognises a person’s individuality, their personal history and personality. The idea is to see and understand the world from the individual’s perspective. When a person behaves in a way that is difficult , aggressive or inappropriate it is the role of the others to try to understand why the person is behaving in that way, especially if they are unable to explain this themselves. Knowing their past history, relationships and interests
Outcome 1
Understand approaches that enable individuals with dementia to experience well-being
1.1. Describe what is meant by a person centred approach
Person-centred care does exactly what it says – it places the person and not their dementia at the centre of their care. The needs and emotions of each individual are the focal point around which everything else is geared. Person-centred approach is based on the principles of holistic care. This means that it considers the “whole person”, meeting the person’s whole needs and not just their physical needs. Kitwood’s work focused on the psycho-social needs of people and he highlighted five which are particularly important to people who are living with dementia. These needs form a cluster which is very closely interconnected and all of which revolve around a central need: love. These needs are: attachment, inclusion, comfort, occupation, identity.
We all share these needs, but people with dementia require greater support from others in order to meet them. These needs require nurturing in order for the person to thrive and because they are interconnected, if one need is met or unmet it will feed positively or negatively into the other needs. The person-centred approach is about ensuring that the person with dementia is the main focus of our attention and not the dementia. It recognises a person’s individuality, their personal history and personality. The idea is to see and understand the world from the individual’s perspective. When a person behaves in a way that is difficult , aggressive or inappropriate it is the role of the others to try to understand why the person is behaving in that way, especially if they are unable to explain this themselves. Knowing their past history, relationships and interests