The Gems Of Caregiving: Teepa Snow, Dementia Expert

Caregiving Gems
Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
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© 2010 Teepa Snow. All rights reserved. Use only with permission. Presentation at Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County
sponsored Dementia and Alzheimer’s event, March 22, 2010, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Santa Rosa, CA.

Beliefs
People with Dementia are Doing the BEST they can
We must learn to DANCE with our partner
We are a KEY to make life WORTH living
What we choose to do MATTERS
We can change the WORLD with help
We must be willing to CHANGE ourselves
We must be willing to STOP & BACK OFF
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© 2010 Teepa Snow. All rights reserved. Use only with permission. Handout at Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County

How Can We Become Better Care Partners?
Let go of the past to be in the MOMENT
Go with their FLOW
Be willing to try something new
Be willing to learn something different
Be willing to see it through another’s eyes
Be willing to fail & try again
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Caring for Someone with Dementia…
What Works BEST?
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The Basics for Success…
Be a Detective NOT a Judge
Look, Listen, Offer, Think…
Use Your Approach as a Screening Tool
Always use this sequence for CUES
Visual - Show
Verbal - Tell
Physical – Touch
Match your help to remaining abilities
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Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Alzheimer’s Disease vs. Normal Brains
Early
Alzheimer’sAlzheimer’s
Late Alzheimer’s
Normal
Child
G. Small, UCLA School of Medicine.
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Normal Brain
Alzheimers Brain
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Learning & Memory Center
Hippocampus
BIG CHANGE
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Understanding Language – BIG CHANGE
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Hearing Sound – Not Changed
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Sensory Strip
Motor Strip
White Matter Connections
BIG CHANGES
Automatic Speech
Rhythm – Music
Expletives
PRESERVED
Formal Speech & Language
Center
HUGE CHANGES
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Executive Control Center
Emotions Behavior Judgment
Reasoning
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Vision Center – BIG CHANGES
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Some Basic Skills
Positive Physical Approach
Supportive Communication
Consistent & Skill Sensitive Cues
Visual, verbal, physical
Hand Under Hand
for connection
for assistance
Open and Willing Heart, Head & Hands
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First Connect – Then Do
1st – Visually
2nd – Verbally
3rd – Physically
4th – Emotionally
5th – Spiritually - Individually
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To Connect
Start with the
Positive Physical Approach
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Your Approach
Use a consistent positive physical approach
pause at edge of public space
gesture & greet by name
offer your hand & make eye contact
approach slowly within visual range
shake hands & maintain hand-under-hand
move to the side
get to eye level & respect personal space
wait for acknowledgement
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A Positive Approach(To the Tune of Amazing Grace)Come from the frontGo slowGet to the side,Get lowOffer your handCall out the name then WAIT…If you will try, then you will seeHow different life can be.For those you’re caring for!
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Supportive Communication
Make a connection
Offer your name – ”I’m (NAME) ”… “and you are…”
Offer a shared background – “I’m from (place) …and you’re from…”
Offer a positive personal comment – “You look great in that ….” or “I love that color on you…”
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Support to ‘Get it GOING!’
Give SIMPLE & Short Info
Offer concrete CHOICES
Ask for HELP
Ask the person to TRY
Break the TASK DOWN to single steps at a time
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Give SIMPLE INFO
USE VISUAL combined VERBAL (gesture/point)
“It’s about time for… “
“Let’s go this way…”
“Here are your socks…”
DON’T ask questions you DON’T want to hear the answer to…
Acknowledge the response/reaction to your info…
LIMIT your words – Keep it SIMPLE
WAIT!!!!
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Now for the GEMS…
Diamonds
Emeralds
Ambers
Rubies
Pearls
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Diamonds
Still Clear
Sharp - Can Cut
Hard - Rigid - Inflexible
Many Facets
Can Really Shine
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Diamonds
Know Who’s in Charge – Respect Authority
Can do OLD habits & routines
Become more territorial OR less aware of boundaries
Like the familiar – FIGHT CHANGE
Can pull it together to make you look bad
Know how to push your buttons
Want to keep roles the same
Tell the same stories ask the same ?s
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Emeralds
Changing color
Not as Clear or Sharp - Vague
Good to Go – Need to ‘DO’
Flaws are Hidden
Time Traveling
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Emeralds
Think they are FINE
Get emotional quickly
Make mistakes – don’t realize it
Do over and over OR Skip completely
Ask – “What? Where? When?”
Like choices
Get lost in past life, past places, past roles
Need help, DON’T know it or like it!
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Ambers
Amber Alert
Caution!
Caught in a moment
All about Sensation
Explorers
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Ambers
Get into stuff
Fiddle, mess, touch, taste, dig, tear, fold…..
Move toward action and noise OR away
Sensory tolerance
Sensory need
Mouth, fingers, feet, genitalia
Can’t figure it out… react physically
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Rubies
Hidden Depths
Red Light on Fine Motor
Comprehension & Speech Halt
Coordination Falters
Wake-Sleep Patterns are Gone
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Rubies
Fine motor stops
Hard to stop and hard to get going
Limited visual awareness
One direction – forward only
Can’t figure out details – but do copy us
SLOW to change
On the go or full stop
Use music and rhythm
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Pearls
Hidden in a Shell
Still & Quiet
Easily Lost
Beautiful - Layered
Unable to Move – Hard to Connect
Primitive Reflexes on the Outside
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Pearls
Can’t move
Not aware of the world around – most of the time
Problems swallowing
Hard to get connected
How we touch and help matters
SLOW!!!!
Varies a LOT
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© 2010 Teepa Snow. All rights reserved. Use only with permission. Presentation at Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County

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The Gems Of Caregiving: Teepa Snow, Dementia Expert

by Home Instead Senior Care of Sonoma County, CA on Mar 26, 2010

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