To read more about how this facility successfully reduced the need for antipsychotic medications, visit http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/12/09/368539057/this-nursing-home-calms-troubling-behavior-without-risky-drugs.
As a follow-up to last week's blog post about the increasing use of antipsychotics to manage behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in long-term care facilities, this week's post highlight's one nursing home's efforts to counteract this trend. Pathstone Living, a nursing home in Mannkato, Minnesota, has successfully altered their approach to managing BPSD from pharmacological to behavioural and environmental interventions. "A few years ago, antipsychotics were used frequently at Pathstone. 'We saw these as medications that were supposed to help the patient and, of course, we gave them to them with the feeling that we were doing good', says Shelley Matthes, a registered nurse who is head of quality assurance for the nonprofit Ecumen, which runs Pathstone and about a dozen other nursing facilities in Minnesota. Our goal, says Matthes, was to reduce our antipsychotic use by 20 percent. And in the first year we reduced it by 97 percent".
To read more about how this facility successfully reduced the need for antipsychotic medications, visit http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/12/09/368539057/this-nursing-home-calms-troubling-behavior-without-risky-drugs.
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John Sheehan is a 70 year old with a host of accomplishments, both professionally and personally. He has been living with Alzheimer's disease since 2013 and both he and his wife, Sharon, are determined to not let it become his identity. “The important thing to remember is that we are not our diagnosis,” says Mr. Sheehan. “We are full people with real relationships and interesting histories. In this community [Peterborough] we have the second largest population of people over 65 in Canada, so we need to be aware of this illness and learn how to treat people who suffer from dementias with respect and empathy.” To read more about John's experience with early Alzheimer's disease including the early signs that led to his diagnosis, check out: http://www.mykawartha.com/community-story/5250354-dementia-is-a-diagnosis-not-an-identity/ Baycrest Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Ontario has recently partnered with the National Ballet School to provide seniors living with dementia an opportunity to experience the arts and humanities through movement, music, and dance. The new initiative, titled Movement to Music, is more than just a way to keep individuals with dementia physically active. "Movement bypasses a lot of the verbal areas of the brain and the need for a lot of the cognitive processing … it is a non-verbal form of communication. So because of that it’s particularly suited to people with dementia because it doesn’t require a lot of the cognitive function that is needed for regular communication or interactive talking.” To see the program in action check out this great Globe and Mail video.
The prevalence of dementia is expected to increase with our aging population. A critical piece of providing quality health care to individuals living with dementia is to also support his or her caregiver(s) through the experience. In order to accomplish this it is important to appreciate the caregiver's unique experience in terms of their individual strengths and challenges. A recent article published in the Toronto Star highlights Joan Sutton's personal experience in caring for her husband with Alzheimer's disease. She states, "I have come to think of Alzheimer's disease as a cat burglar - a stealthy thief with infinite patience. He doesn't steal all your memory at once - he just slips in and takes a little bit here and a little bit there and then disappears for a while. You start to think you are safe. But back he comes, to take another piece of the precious self - and all that goes with it." To read more about her journey check out this thought-provoking article. Anxiety may Increase Risk of Alzheimer's disease in Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment11/15/2014 Upwards of 20% of older adults have mild cognitive impairment, which puts them at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. A new study published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry has shown that individuals who have anxiety in addition to mild cognitive impairment may be at an even higher risk. "MCI [mild cognitive impairment] patients with mild anxiety had a 33% increased risk of Alzheimer's, moderate anxiety was linked to a 78% Alzheimer's risk, while severe anxiety increased Alzheimer's risk by 135%." To read more about the study findings, check out this great Medical News Today article. As our population ages and the prevalence of dementia increases it is imperative that all health care providers have an understanding of how best to effectively communicate with patients who have dementia. "When a patient with dementia says something that is factually incorrect, intuitively, it may seem completely appropriate to correct the untrue statement. It is important for professionals to recognize that these seemingly unusual verbal statements and bizarre actions are usually an effort to resolve past issues. Professionals need to react with patience and empathy rather than being dismissive." For a practical framework to guide your communication with patients who have dementia, check out this informative blog post by Edward Leigh Dementia affects approximately 15% of Canadians over the age of 65 and it is estimated that 1.4 million Canadians will be living with dementia by 2031 (Alzheimer Society of Canada). In order to help healthcare workers empathize with and support individuals with dementia, virtual dementia tours are being created in an attempt to simulate the experience of living with dementia. "It’s impossible to know exactly what it feels like to have dementia, but the tour brings people closer to what it is like than any other system in existence. We want to get this technology out to as many organizations and health professionals as possible. We want to see the service provided to all those working in care homes with elderly people suffering from the illness to experience to allow them to understand how it feels."
To read more about peoples' experiences in taking part in the Virtual Dementia Tour, check out this article from the Daily Mail. |
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Supporting and enhancing students' and health professionals' knowledge and understanding of mental health and psychiatry
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