Enriched care planning for people with dementia
Authors: Hazel May, Paul Edwards and Dawn Brooker
Published by: The Bradford Dementia group good practice guides, 2009
Many of us need to find better ways to communicate and care for people living with dementia wether as family carers, paid carers in the home or care staff in nursing homes. The basic framework of care is called person centred care which is a contemporary view as compared to the medical model which has been the older basis of care.
This book does more than explain the methodology of person-centred care because it provides useable documentation templates that are easily adaptable to the varying environments of each individual dementia client. The book is based on 5 years of research by the authors on how best to give support to people with dementia profiling individual physical, psychological and social needs.
Using readable and non-technical language the reader can fully understand how to involve the clients with dementia in their own care plan and indicate their preferences. The language used in the templates is inclusive e.g. page 131
“I need help to process what I see
People and objects to be place in my left field of vision…”
The concepts of involving the client/ patient in the plan means that as that as the memory and health of the client gets worse and he/she may be unable to convey their unmet needs, the future needs may be better understood from the initial plan as a guide.
There are good scenarios in this book to back up the information provided.
For recreation staff knowing a more detailed personal history makes for a recreation plan truly based on the client’s interests, former life and ways to continue enjoying life despite cognitive barriers to leisure.
The use of the basic templates Brief Profile sheet, Key information sheet and the Enriched care plan, simplify the documentation that is needed for staff to immediately act upon and get a new client receiving appropriate and individual care.
I endorse this book to all staff and students working with people living with dementia as well as family carers.