Enhancing Dignity Amongst Persons with Dementia Through Occupational Engagement

Authors

Habeeba Ahmed, University of St. Augustine for Health SciencesFollow
Amy Lyons-Brown MS, OTD, OTR/L, University of St. Augustine for Health SciencesFollow

Files

Description

Dementia is a cognitive impairment that impacts an individual's memory, judgement, safety awareness, and emotions which can interfere with their activities of daily living. As the condition progresses, the person living with dementia (PLWD) may require a care partner to help them complete their daily tasks. Having a care partner and being a care partner can be challenging for both, the PLWD and their care partner, as there begins to be a shift in their independence. The PLWD must rely on their care partner to help them throughout their day, leading to a decrease in independence and occupational engagement. When taking on the new role, care partners are not provided with enough education on how to include their loved one in decision making and how to facilitate participation. Along with the decrease in independence and lack of care partner education, the dyadic relationship and social participation can also be impacted.

In order to enhance dignity amongst PLWD, a family engagement program was developed to improve care partner education on how to include the PLWD in decision making, increase occupational engagement, rebuild the dyadic relationship, and increase social participation. The family engagements encompass families participating in new activities together in a semi-structured social environment.

Publication Date

Fall 12-16-2024

Publisher

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

Keywords

Dementia, Dignity, Care partner, Decision making, Social participation

Medical Subject Headings

Activities of daily living, Caregivers, Social participation, Respect, Judgment, Cognitive dysfunction, Social environment, Dementia, Emotions, Decision making, Occupational therapy

Disciplines

Geriatrics | Occupational Therapy | Recreational Therapy

Comments

Poster presented at the Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium, held online at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences December 16, 2024.

Recommended Citation

Ahmed, H., & Lyons-Brown, A. (2024, December 16). Enhancing Dignity Amongst Persons with Dementia Through Occupational Engagement. Poster presented at the Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium, University of St Augustine for Health Sciences. Retrieved from https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesfall2024/53