Factors that can Affect Interaction and Communication

1. Understand the factors that can affect interaction and communication of individuals with dementia

Explain how physical and mental health factors may need to be consider when communicating with an individual who has dementia. There are many factors to consider such as pain, pain can cause misunderstandings as individuals may be in so much discomfort they cannot what they want and how they are feeling. Depression can closely link with dementia and sometimes are mistaken for one another, if a resident has depression they may not want to communicate with other people which may force them to become more secluded and withdrawn unless correct help is introduced.

Non-verbal communication may be present with some individuals; this is a factor to be considered. Non-verbal may be in the form of gestures, facial expressions and touch this is important for people with dementia who have lost or are losing their language skills. Mental health factors can be linked to aggression, if a resident can cause harm to self or others changes the way we approach that person.

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Describe how to support different communication abilities and needs of an individual with dementia who has sensory impairment.

Sensory impairment could come in the form of loss of hearing or sight or partial loss of these factors. Ways to support these impairments could be the environment, background noise could be a factor which makes communication difficult for an individual they may find it hard to hear you talk or unable to communicate. Lighting may affect communication if a pace is too bright or not well lit then it may confuse a resident as they are unable to see and concentrate on what is being said.

Is there any other distractions around that could confuse the service user such as music or activities full concentration may be needed. Sensory impairment may require the use of non verbal communication, gestures or facial expressions may help with what is being said. Other non-verbal may be the use of pictures or photographs to convey questions. If a person is deaf and contracted this at an early age they may need the use of sign language or if English s not a first language the use of an interpreter. When talking to someone who is impaired and living with dementia we must talk at a slower pace, used short simple sentences and speak clearly. 2.be able to communicate with an individual with dementia using a range of verbal and non-verbal techniques.

Read more: Role of Communication and Interactions With Individuals Who Have Dementia

Analyse ways of responding to behaviour of an individual with dementia, taking account of the abilities and needs of the individual, carers and others. All service users are individual and use different ways to communicate, carers must understand these different methods and try their best to help, speak and ask questions in a way that individual living with dementia will understand, this may be through appropriate physical contact for reassurance or using non verbal gestures. Mr. R is a resident living with dementia, although Mr. R is on end of life care he is very strong and can have periods of aggression. Sometimes when trying to communicate Mr. R can become frustrated as due to his progression of dementia he has slurred speech and cannot form full sentences. This frustration can turn into violence towards others when Mr. R feels he is not being understood, carers use short sentences and allow Mr. R time for him to make choices, we use non verbal communication, pictures and point to objects. If Mr. R does become aggressive it’s the carers duty to step away from the situation, this is safe for the resident not to cause harm to themselves, carers and others around. Be able to use positive interaction approaches with individuals with dementia.

Explain the differences between a reality orientation approach to interaction and a validation approach. Reality orientation approach technique to help manage and improve cognition and memory, relearning to improve response to gain confidence, the theory uses time, venue, place, people and objects as the basis, if individuals know all these things on one particular interaction they will be able to understand what they are doing and gain confidence about themselves. Aids come in the form of big clock, large calendars, name tags ect. For example if a resident is greeted and unable to remember where they are and what they are doing, if this is explained and validated by names, places and times they will be relieved and settled. If that resident using this approach looks at the clock in the morning this may trigger the decision to get up, wash and dress for breakfast as this is what they would usually do at that time. Validation therapy is instead of bringing a person back to that reality of dates and times is to step in to their reality to comfort and reduce anxiety. Mr. P every morning asks about her husband, when she realise her husband has passed she becomes very upset and unsettled for the whole day and will not eat meals, stepping into Mrs. P’s reality as she thinks he is at work reduces her anxiety, improves eating habits, reduces conflicts and improves self esteem.