Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County, CA, sponsored an event with guest speaker Teepa Snow. Teepa is a dementia and Alzheimer's expert, particularly teaching caregivers how to understand the disease and the symptoms and how to best care for the elderly with the disease.
This event was held on March 22, 2010, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Santa Rosa, CA. An all day workshop that included CEU credits for certain health care professionals. Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County (Rohnert Park home care) and Brighton Gardens Assisted Living of Santa Rosa were the sponsors.
This presentation was one part of the workshop in which Teepa Snow explained the various stages of dementia as GEMS. (c) 2010 TeepaSnow.com. All rights reserved. Use only with permission.
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• Use a consistent positive physical approach– pause at edge of public space– gesture & greet by name– offer your hand & make eye contact– approach slowly within visual range– shake hands & maintain hand-under-
hand–move to the side– get to eye level & respect personal
space– wait for acknowledgement
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A Positive Approach(To the Tune of Amazing Grace)
Come from the frontGo slow
Get to the side,Get low
Offer your handCall out the name then WAIT…If you will try, then you will see
How different life can be.For those you’re caring for!
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Supportive Communication
• Make a connection– Offer your name – ”I’m (NAME) ”… “and
you are…”– Offer a shared background – “I’m from
(place) …and you’re from…”– Offer a positive personal comment –
“You look great in that ….” or “I love that color on you…”
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Support to ‘Get it GOING!’
• Give SIMPLE & Short Info• Offer concrete CHOICES• Ask for HELP• Ask the person to TRY• Break the TASK DOWN to single steps
at a time
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Give SIMPLE INFO
• USE VISUAL combined VERBAL (gesture/point)– “It’s about time for… “– “Let’s go this way…”– “Here are your socks…”
• DON’T ask questions you DON’T want to hear the answer to…
• Acknowledge the response/reaction to your info…
• LIMIT your words – Keep it SIMPLE• WAIT!!!!
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Now for the GEMS…
DiamondsEmeraldsAmbersRubiesPearls
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Diamonds
Still ClearSharp - Can Cut
Hard - Rigid - InflexibleMany Facets
Can Really Shine
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Diamonds• Know Who’s in Charge – Respect
Authority• Can do OLD habits & routines • Become more territorial OR less aware
of boundaries• Like the familiar – FIGHT CHANGE• Can pull it together to make you look
bad• Know how to push your buttons• Want to keep roles the same• Tell the same stories ask the same ?s
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Emeralds
Changing colorNot as Clear or Sharp - Vague
Good to Go – Need to ‘DO’Flaws are Hidden
Time Traveling
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Emeralds• Think they are FINE• Get emotional quickly• Make mistakes – don’t realize it• Do over and over OR Skip completely• Ask – “What? Where? When?”• Like choices• Get lost in past life, past places, past
roles• Need help, DON’T know it or like it!
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Ambers
Amber AlertCaution!
Caught in a momentAll about Sensation
Explorers
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Ambers
• Get into stuff• Fiddle, mess, touch, taste, dig, tear,