Occupational Therapy News OTNews March 2020 | Page 41

DEMENTIA CARE FEATURE
Example of the picture cards
Using the Talking Mats™ method, along with the already
identified topics, we worked on adapting and finding the right
designer to create bespoke cards for use in European cultures.
After some time creating a self-learning pack together, we now
have a teaching film to help staff engage meaningfully with clients for
use both in a home or care home setting, using guided questions
with cards to explore feelings.
I have enjoyed working with my Danish colleague and our
specialist team, including occupational therapy specialist Julia Pitkin
in the UK.
International collaboration References
A couple of years ago, I spoke at a hospice conference about
empathy and person-centred validation courses we run to support
relationship-centred care, where I met a dementia specialist visiting
from Denmark.
Mette was keen to develop a way of engaging people with
dementia in finding out broad ranging personal experiences of care
that we could also use in Denmark, and to design cards that are
easy to engage with for this specific purpose. Duff P and Hurtley R (2012) The 360 Standard Framework, 360 Forward
• how they feel about their sense of comfort and security.
Involving residents in continuous quality improvement provides
people with dementia with more influence and involvement in their
care planning.
The use of pictures with targeted questions helps give people
with moderate dementia an opportunity to be heard and provide
meaningful feedback. Importantly, we know carers and staff need
additional knowledge and feedback about what makes the person
with dementia thrive.
The tool is based on the Talking Mats TM research, which as a
visual framework is a ‘low tech’ evidence-based communication tool
that uses pictures developed at Stirling University. A national dementia conference in Copenhagen precipitated links
to a new dementia village being set up on an island nearby. I was
subsequently invited back to share how to set the culture from the
beginning, based on what matters most to people who need care,
their families and the staff delivering it – the basis of the ‘relationship
triangle’ or ‘triad’.
It is frequently assumed that the person with dementia cannot
answer questions. Observation, rather than listening, is frequently
the preferred method of mapping quality care.
This is all good, but there are people who fall between the cracks,
who could do more if given the right approach and conditions.
As a former trustee of the Relatives and Residents Association
for many years, we heard many stories of people who felt excluded
as staff did not have the right tools for their role. Increasing job
satisfaction from connecting meaningfully and helping someone feel
understood and listened to is worth its weight in gold.
Many people at the moderate stages of dementia can relate well
if they are given the right verbal and visual prompts demonstrated in
the toolkit.
The right prompts help involvement, which was so important
for my own mother when she was in a care home. This meant
she could tell us what she wanted so we could adapt her care
accordingly. The enjoyment of using pictures with words to
supplement or replace conversation is a simple and effective way of
engaging people.
Pool J (2011) The Pool Activity Level (PAL) Instrument for occupational
profiling: a practical resource for carers of people with cognitive
impairment – the Bradford Dementia Group Good Practice Guide
(4th Ed)
Rosemary Hurtley, director and consultant occupational therapist,
360 Forward, visit: www.rosemaryhurtley.com or www.360fwd.com
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