Person centred dementia care: problems and possibilities

Purpose Dementia care is an issue of increasing policy focus, with person centred approaches becoming synonymous with quality provision in this area. However, the implementation and efficacy of this approach is difficult to measure and there are still huge variations in working practices, with ta...

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Main Author: Argyle, Elaine
Format: Article
Published: Emerald 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49256/
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author Argyle, Elaine
author_facet Argyle, Elaine
author_sort Argyle, Elaine
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Purpose Dementia care is an issue of increasing policy focus, with person centred approaches becoming synonymous with quality provision in this area. However, the implementation and efficacy of this approach is difficult to measure and there are still huge variations in working practices, with task centred approaches traditionally predominating over more holistic forms of care. In order to address these issues the procedure of dementia care mapping has been developed, which aims to assess the wellbeing of people with dementia and other vulnerable groups through the observation of communal activities. This article aims to critically assess the implementation of a person centred approach. Design/methodology/approach – With the use of dementia care mapping, this article assesses the implementation of a person centred approach with a group of care home residents. All were female, their ages ranged from 77 to 92. Findings – It is shown that while participants potentially experienced many benefits from person centred approaches and the social engagement and integration that derived from this, its efficacy and impact was undermined by contextual factors such as staff shortages. Originality/value – In order that contextual factors are recognised and addressed, practice should transcend its focus on the promotion of individual wellbeing and address the wider group and social contexts which can facilitate or prevent its fulfilment.
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spelling nottingham-492562020-05-04T16:32:04Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49256/ Person centred dementia care: problems and possibilities Argyle, Elaine Purpose Dementia care is an issue of increasing policy focus, with person centred approaches becoming synonymous with quality provision in this area. However, the implementation and efficacy of this approach is difficult to measure and there are still huge variations in working practices, with task centred approaches traditionally predominating over more holistic forms of care. In order to address these issues the procedure of dementia care mapping has been developed, which aims to assess the wellbeing of people with dementia and other vulnerable groups through the observation of communal activities. This article aims to critically assess the implementation of a person centred approach. Design/methodology/approach – With the use of dementia care mapping, this article assesses the implementation of a person centred approach with a group of care home residents. All were female, their ages ranged from 77 to 92. Findings – It is shown that while participants potentially experienced many benefits from person centred approaches and the social engagement and integration that derived from this, its efficacy and impact was undermined by contextual factors such as staff shortages. Originality/value – In order that contextual factors are recognised and addressed, practice should transcend its focus on the promotion of individual wellbeing and address the wider group and social contexts which can facilitate or prevent its fulfilment. Emerald 2012-02-01 Article PeerReviewed Argyle, Elaine (2012) Person centred dementia care: problems and possibilities. Working with Older People, 16 (2). pp. 69-77. ISSN 2042-8790 Person centred approaches Dementia Dementia care mapping Older people Elder care Mental illness United Kingdom http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/13663661211231828 doi:10.1108/13663661211231828 doi:10.1108/13663661211231828
spellingShingle Person centred approaches
Dementia
Dementia care mapping
Older people
Elder care
Mental illness
United Kingdom
Argyle, Elaine
Person centred dementia care: problems and possibilities
title Person centred dementia care: problems and possibilities
title_full Person centred dementia care: problems and possibilities
title_fullStr Person centred dementia care: problems and possibilities
title_full_unstemmed Person centred dementia care: problems and possibilities
title_short Person centred dementia care: problems and possibilities
title_sort person centred dementia care: problems and possibilities
topic Person centred approaches
Dementia
Dementia care mapping
Older people
Elder care
Mental illness
United Kingdom
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49256/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49256/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/49256/