Hello everyone, Many of you are working on integrating more person-centered approaches into your care plans, and looking for ways that GNAs and other staff can easily access information about the social histories and preferences of residents, which is critical information when caring for people who have dementia. Those “golden nuggets” of information can help […]
Tag: BPSD
Use your Sleuthing Skills for the Second Step of the DICE Model
Hello everyone, In last week’s tidbit, we discussed the DICE process for assessing and managing behavioral issues in residents with BPSD. We focused on the “D”—describing a resident’s behavior with specific details that provide important clues about the cause of the behavior. This week we focus on the “I”—Investigate. Once we have a detailed description of […]
Using “DICE” to Assess and Manage Challenging Behaviors
Hello everyone, This week we are introducing “DICE,” a tool you can use to assess and manage behavior change in people with dementia. DICE stands for: Describe the behavior Investigate the influence of things like cognitive status, environment, caregiver approach, physical/medical disorders, and psychiatric symptoms Create a person-centered plan to address the behavior Evaluate if the plan works (Kales, Gitlin, Lyketsos, 2014, […]
Wandering Worries
Hello everyone, Wandering is common for many people with dementia, and can sometimes be frustrating and nerve-wracking for caregivers. DailyCaring.com has an article about wandering this week. The article describes some reasons why people with Alzheimer’s disease might wander: Fear or stress: they might not recognize where they are, the environment is overstimulating, or a loud noise or […]
Wisdom from Experienced GNAs
Hello everyone, A good rule to follow when teaching (especially when time is limited) is to first determine what your audience already knows. This way, you can meet them where they are and not only save time, but clarify misinformation and learn what to focus on and expand upon. As one of the nurse facilitators […]
Does One Hand Know What the Other is Doing?
Hello everyone, Last week we highlighted the importance of communication between caregiving staff and people with dementia. We are also learning about another challenge you face: improving communication between your nursing assistants. While nurses have a change of shift report to update the incoming nursing staff about medical issues with residents, CNAs rarely have the […]
Pay Attention to Apathy
Hello everyone, “The squeaky wheel gets the oil” is a well-known proverb. In terms of challenging behaviors, the man running down the hall naked or the woman crying loudly at lunch generally get our attention more quickly than the quiet lady in room 101 who likes to keep to herself and “isn’t any trouble.” In […]
Happy New Year…And Next Steps
Hello everyone, We hope all of you had a happy and healthy New Year! As we begin a new year, we know that for many of you, our monthly intervention visits will soon be ending. We hope that over the past months we’ve helped you and your staff understand that this is more than a […]
Detecting Delirium
Hello everyone, Dementia and old age are the strongest risk factors for delirium, a condition of acute confusion and rapid changes in brain function. It is important to distinguish delirium from behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, as delirium is a medical emergency that should be addressed immediately by the healthcare team. Delirium typically involves […]
Congratulations!
Hello everyone, Timber Ridge in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania had a summer contest to recognize employees who used effective interventions to address behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. The big winner was Kathleen Hunter! Congratulations Kathleen! We’ve attached a photo of her receiving her award. Kathleen is a CNA on the 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift. One of […]