Volunteer Appreciation Week.

This week is Volunteer Appreciation Week!

In honour of the hardworking volunteers here at MAREP, we will be running 2 feature interviews this week, shining the spotlight on our amazing student volunteer team!

Today, I'd like to introduce Brianne:

Program/Year: Honours Health Studies, 4B

Favourite class: This term I really enjoyed GERON 400, a Multidisciplinary Seminar on Aging.

Hobbies/Interests: I love cooking and try to make at least one new recipe each week. I love keeping active by jogging (I aim to be able to run 10km by the end of the summer) as well as by playing sports including hockey, ringette, volleyball, beach volleyball and soccer. This summer I look forward to doing a lot of reading.

Future plans: I will be starting a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Toronto in September. My long-term goal is to become a Nurse Practitioner.

I volunteer because…I love giving back to my community. More specifically, I find the work that MAREP does as an organization is very valuable for anyone who is somehow linked to a person with dementia. The numerous courses I have taken about aging have sparked my strong interest in dementia and dementia care. And with the increasing prevalence of dementias in our population, the importance of support such as that provided my MAREP cannot be overestimated.

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Thanks, Brianne! We so appreciate your contribution to MAREP this year. We are wishing you all the best in Nursing this fall.

Happy Weekend!

It might be Friday the 13th, but with all of the sunshine out there, it feels like our lucky day!

Enjoy this collection of great reads from around the web as you wind down this weekend:

The Rubin Museum of Art in Manhattan provides an opportunity for people with dementia and their partners in care to reconnect through art. (This reminds me of Gather at the Gallery, a program that our Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Lisa Meschino, is involved with).

What an interesting and creative campaign for Alzheimer's awareness. What do you think?

In Canada, dementia will directly affect 1.1 million people in less than 25 years. The rising economic cost of the disease will increase tenfold to a staggering $153 billion per year. Why doesn't Canada have a national dementia plan? The Alzheimer Society is encouraging you to add your voice to the discussion here.

A lovely video that reminds us of the powerful impact that music can have on quality of life (you can also read about it here).

(Images from top: New York Times; Alzheimer Society of Canada; The Stir)

Re-Defining Responsive Behaviours

Here at MAREP, our learnings surrounding dementia research and care continue to evolve. We recently posted a revised definition of Responsive Behaviours on our website.

This re-definition of Responsive Behaviours (RB) was created in response to the need for a clearer, more easily applied conceptualization of RB that encourages compassion and understanding in all care contexts.

Want to share this definition with others? Use this downloadable PDF version.

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Responsive Behaviour

 

Definition and Philosophy:

Responsive Behaviours (RB) is a term originating from, and preferred by, persons with dementia that represents how their actions, words and gestures are a response, often intentional, to something important to them. Persons may use words, gestures, or actions to express something important about their personal, social, or physical environment. Responsive Behaviours adhere to the following principles:

1. All personal expressions (words, gestures, actions) have meaning.

2. Personal expressions are an important means of communicating meanings, needs, concerns.

3. Care partners require a multidimensional lens that seeks understanding of others’ expressions.

A Responsive Behaviours Philosophy requires:

• a focus on understanding the meaning of personal expressions (words, gestures, actions)
• understanding the layered nature of personal expressions – including at the individual/personal level (subjective experience of the physical body, cognition, emotional experiences, spirituality, and cultural beliefs), the experience of the social environmental (the nature of caring and interpersonal relationships and broader cultural issues such as organisational policies and practices), and the experience of the broader physical environment (built environment, temperature, lighting)
• developing skills in active listening, being truly present, and using alternative ways to communicate
• being open, non-judgemental, and compassionate

Rather than the current focus on pathology/disease as the root cause of all actions, words or gestures, a multi-dimensional lens/approach assists partners in care in developing a broader and more comprehensive understanding of the person with dementia and his/her subjective experiences, the meanings of personal expressions (i.e., what the personal expressions are communicating), and how best to offer compassionate support (caring styles and approaches).

Long Term Care Task Force

I recently learned about the Long Term Care Task Force from a tweet by @AlzheimerPeel

According to the site:

The Task Force was established in response to media reports of incidents of abuse and neglect in long-term care homes and underreporting of these incidents. It is independent of government and has broad representation from across the sector, including family and resident councils, nurses, physicians, unions, personal support workers, long-term care provider associations and advocates.

Share your story about your experiences in long term care. Your thoughts and feedback can make a difference for yourself and others!

12 Apps for Caregivers

Are you, like many of us, never far from your smart phone?

This article outlines how you can use technology to your advantage by connecting to one of 12 handy apps for caregivers.

Here are three of my favourites:

Elder 411 (Free): Elder 411 is a widely-applicable app containing general caregiving information and tips on things like communication, financial matters, and safety.

Pocket First Aid & CPR ($3.99): this app can help you care for a senior who is having a cardiac episode, begins to choke, or needs basic first aid. There is also a section where you can create medical profiles of elderly loved one.

Stress Stopper Pro ($.99): What would this list be without a stress-relief app? Includes strategies and breathing exercises to help you reduce stress (both chronic and random).

Would you use an app to help with any aspect of your caregiving?

Which apps are your favourite?

Have a Nice Weekend!

I woke up to a winter wonderland! Brrr, hopefully the Sunday sun melts the snow away.

In the meantime, here are a few interesting reads from around the web:

Via Way Wild Pets

Channel the therapeutic powers of your four-legged friends for use in elder care settings.

A recent letter to the editor about treating older adults with respect.

Understanding your risk for for dementia.

Some helpful strategies to communicate more effectively with a person who has dementia.

The Alzheimer's Disease International 2012 Conference is taking place this week. MAREP Director, Sherry Dupuis, and our Associate Director of Research, Lisa Loiselle, are presenting. Take a look at the book of abstracts to see if any sessions interest you, or follow the #ADI2012 hastag on Twitter for live tweets from the event.

Wishing you all a happy, safe weekend from the team at MAREP.

Introducing: Amanda Waring

Dr. Sherry Dupuis (Director of MAREP) and Lisa Loiselle (Associate Director of Research) traveled to London, England this week to present at the 2012 Alzheimer's Disease International Conference.

In her travels, Lisa had the opportunity to meet and chat with Amanda Waring. Amanda is an actress, filmmaker, and speaker from the U.K.

An important aspect of Amanda's work is giving inspirational keynotes about person-centered care. Using her award-winning film, What Do You See?, Amanda explores themes of diginity, respect, and compassion in care.

Lisa Loiselle (left) pictured here with Amanda Waring

View a clip from What Do You See? below:




Thank you, Amanda, for sharing your inspiring work with us!
We look forward to sharing more learnings from London as the ADI Conference unfolds.