WWYD Dementia Has No Age Limit
WWYD Dementia Has No Age Limit
A woman with young-onset dementia lives in a care home where most residents are 30 years older than her.
Staff are kind and include her in activities, but these mainly consist of sing-alongs from the 1940s and 1950s, knitting groups, and reminiscence sessions that mean little to her.
She often asks about her teenage children, wants to listen to music she grew up with, and enjoys activities that reflect her age and stage of life. Her memory is rapidly failing.
One staff member says,
“She has dementia, so the same activities should suit everyone.”
Another responds,
“Are we seeing the dementia and forgetting the person?”
It is best to get to know the Invidual and involve her in activities which meets her needs. Creating a personalised care plan would highlight what is important to her
It is important to get to know the individual and involve her in activities that meet her needs, interests, and preferences. Creating a personalised care plan helps identify what is important to her, ensuring that the support she receives is person-centred and promotes her wellbeing, independence, and quality of life.
“I would focus on the person, not just their dementia. Although she has dementia, she is a younger woman with her own interests, memories, relationships and stage of life. I would speak with her and, where appropriate, her family to find out what music, activities and routines she enjoys. I would provide age-appropriate activities, such as listening to music from her younger years, watching programmes she enjoys, discussing her interests, and finding ways for her to maintain connections with her teenage children. I would also make sure she is included in activities with other residents when she wants to be.
Dementia does not take away a person's identity, choices or dignity. Person-centred care means adapting activities to the individual rather than assuming that everyone with dementia wants the same things. We should see the person first and the dementia second.”