Supporting people living with dementia - Effective Communication and Person Centred Approach

32471/02 Knowledge Test – Short Answer Questions E1144
Certificate III in Individual
Support (Ageing, Home
and Community)
Supporting people living
with dementia
This is assessment 2 of 2.
1. Background/Overview
In order to work in the aged care sector as a care support worker,
you will need knowledge the effects dementia has on clients, and
how you deal with these effects in the course of working with
them and their families.
2. Brief
This assessment consists of six (6) parts.
This assessment will give you the opportunity to demonstrate
your knowledge in the following areas:
 Verbal and non verbal strategies to ensure effective
communication with people living with dementia
 Providing a person centred approach in care
And supporting activities that reflect the individual’s
background, likes and dislikes.
 Providing activities to support maintenance of dignity, skills
and health
 Identification of and responses to changes in client
behaviours associated with dementia.
 Evaluating strategies employed to minimise the effects of
behaviours
 Self care when working with clients and their families
Deliverables
Please submit this assessment
in Word doc format.
To do list:
1. Write your
name and student ID
at the top of this page.
2. Read the Background/
Overview and Brief sections
of this document.
3. For each question, read
the scenario or client profile
before attempting to
answer the question(s)
relating to it.
4. Complete the 6 parts by
answering in the spaces
provided.
5. Make sure you follow
the instructions regarding
the required number of
words (where indicated)
6. Save the Word
document using the naming
convention: your student
number_assessment
number.doc. For example:
“12345678_31135_01.doc.”
7. Upload your document
in Open Space using the
relevant Assessment
Upload link in this Module.
32471/02 E1144 – CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) Page 1 of 25

3. Questions/Task
Effective Communication
Part 1
A: Imagine you are working as an aged care support worker for Kostas who receives support in his home.
You notice that Kostas does not always reply to you when you speak with him, sometimes he seems lost
or confused about what he is doing, and he does not always seem to know what day or time it is when you
go to the house.
Complete the table below. For each Communication Strategy, add your answers for both columns:
Communication
Strategy
Outline how you could use this
strategy?
(50 words)
Describe why is this strategy important,
how does it assist?
(50 words)
Eye Contact I would use eye contact as a non-
verbal communications tool. I would
approach Kostas from the front and
ensure that I am on the same level as
him and ensure that we have eye
contact while communicating. We
also need to respect personal space
while doing this. This technique will
grab his attention. I would also
repeat what he says while looking at
him to ensure him that I have heard
and understood what he said.
Eye contact is a form of non-verbal
communication. It ensures focused
attention, and helps Kostas be at ease. It
will help Kostas be less agitated and
increase responsiveness. When Kostas
receives eye contact while
communicating or receiving care, he
will feel more valued and that he is
receiving individualised care. This
improves the care quality that Kostas is
receiving.
Reminders about
what is occurring
When communicating with a person
with Dementia, it is important to stay
calm and be patient. It is important
not to argue or try to use logic with
the patient. I would remind the
patient what is occurring in different
but easy and simple words and
sentences. For example, “I am here
to help you have a shower” followed
by “it is time to have a shower”. And
a moment later, “let’s get you ready
for a shower”.
This strategy is important as it reminds
the person with Dementia what is
happening as the person may forget or
get confused and agitated. As memory
loss may be severe, the patient may also
get lost or confused with changes in the
surroundings. Thus, reminders about
what is happening will help the patient’s
memory keep focused on the event of
that moment or time.
Direct Statements I would talk about one thing at a time
while keeping the sentence short and
simple. For example, instead of “It’s
a nice day and its time for your daily
exercise”, I would keep it simple and
say, “Let’s take a walk”. I would
also use non-verbal cues while
keeping the sentence simple and
Direct statements are easier for the
patient to process what is being said.
People with dementia may not be able to
engage in the mental juggling needed to
maintain a conversation with multiple
threads. Hence it is best to keep it
concise and simple. This helps the
patient not feel overwhelmed or
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direct. For example, “Let’s take a
walk” and use the arm motion to
with the invitation to walk.
pressured or distracted or lost and
frustrated.
Touch I would use the gentle touch
methods, like limp hand
ssshake,shoulder tap,reassuring pat
on the back and controlling grip on
the arm of the Kostas. Because this is
another way of the speaking without
the use of any words. Which can
help to communicate with the
Kostas along with clear
understanding of each other.
Touch is the most important form of
non-verbal communication. It helps to
get the attention of the patient especially
when they are not responding to verbal
cues. Touch also helps to alleviate
anxiety in situations of stress. It
provides the patient with a sense of
comfort, reassurance, and support.
Simple Questions In order to manage the effective
communication with Kostas I will
use the simple questions like, for the
meal time I will ask Kostas, that
there is the tasty food do you want to
have it.
In the dementia patient cases, health
care process, simple question is one of
the most effective communication
strategy because this reduces the
chances of confusion and
aggressiveness of patient.
Reality Orientation
(reminders about
day, time,
relationships,
events-visual or
verbal)
Reality Orientation id the tool
designed to improve cognitive and
psychomotor function in persons
who are confused or suffering from
Dementia. It helps the resident to
focus on things of their surrounding.
In context to the Kostas key
interventions are consider in the
form of reality orientation.
In every week 4 days will be
cognitive and social skills
development practice day. Such as in
the Monday morning Kostas will
get the cogitative skills classes and in
the Thursday social gathering
activities. Which further repeat in
Friday and Saturday.
This strategy is important, because
Reality Oriesntation one of the most
effective tool which help to provide the
effective support to the patient. Such as
it help to reduce the patient confusion,
by giving the better sense of people,
place, time and health care activities.
Tone of voice and
reassurance
In case of the Kostas tone of voice
and reassurance, should be clear and
slow in order to get the good results,
by making clear understanding.
Clear and slow voice give time to
understands and respond. I can use
this strategy with the polite voice to
support the Kostas in effective
communication.
Tone of voice and reassurance is
important because tone of the voice
encompasses the words and define the
impact of communication on other
person. Reassurance is important in
order to get the right information. This
strategy helps in the effective
understating of Kostas along with
respons. This helps to support and get
right response of patient.
Talking to Kostas
about familiar
people, hobbies or
I can use this strategies to build the
strong relationship with Kostas, as
this is the right way to give attention
This is important because this provide
the emotional support to the patient and
encourage them to make more action
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past occupations. to the patient interact them in
conversation, in order to improve
their condition. I will ask the patient
about hobby, such I will ask the
patient that what is your hobbies,
which you want to involve in your
care plan. Then give higher attention
to the patient answer.
and get well. This helps in the effective
communication by increasing the
interaction and relationship with the
patient. This increase the interest of
patient in care plan.
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B: Anna is confused as to why Kostas gets cross at her when she is trying to help him. He says she nags
him when she is only trying to remind him of what they are doing or assist him with tasks when he gets
confused. What strategies could you assist Anna with to help her communication with Kostas? Complete
the table:
Area to support Identify a communication strategy
you could suggest to Anna to assist.
(50-100 words)
Why may these strategies assist?
(50-100 words)
Getting showered
and dressed in the
morning
Anna should use the Reminders
about what is occurring, positive
reinforcement, without and
arguments. Along with gentle touch
for reassurance, make the the eye
contact and respect personal space,
use clear voice, relaxed body
language. Anna should first listen
to the patient and them explain
Kostas clear about the shower and
dressing instruction. Reality
Orientation is can also be effective
communication strategies to inform
and communicate with the patient
written form, to reduce the
confusion and chances of
miscommunication.
Positive reinforcement can help the Anna
because, this is the key communication
strategy which posses the positive impact on
the patient mind regarding care. This helps to
reduce the conflict and stress from the
communication process. Consideration of the
clear, voice relax body language reduce the
chances of misunderstanding. And one of the
most important strategy is Reality
Orientation, this can assist in shower and
dressing in the morning by presenting the
visual information of the activities which can
be clearly understand by the patient.
Remembering events
such as family visits
and going to the
shops
Direct Statements is can be good
communication strategy for the
Anna to remind the patient about
family visits. By the aid of this
strategy Anna should simply
remind the patient about event in
simple statement. Anna can say that
to Kostas ' today is the time for
family and shops visit, and I am
here to guide you with that.
This strategies can help the Anna because
this reduces the chances of mental juggling
and its associated threads. By the aid of
which Anna can reduce the chances of
Kostas misbehaviour.
Remembering what
day, date and time it
is
In order to manage the good
response and behaviours of the
Kostas, during the support process
to remember day, date and time.
Anna can use the key
communication strategy, such
Reality Orientation. Anna can
illustrate the routine activities with
day, date and time in the written
form.
This can help in the effective care support
practice of the Anna, related to the patient
remembering for day, date and time. By the
clear visual presentation of the routine day,
date and time. Which can be easily assess and
understand by the patient without any
communication issue.
Eating and drinking
(eg mealtimes)
Anna can use the Tone of voice
and reassurance, touch as
communication strategies. In order
to support the patient with eating
and drinking process. Such as she
can ask the patient for meal and tell
that this is the time of meal and to
assure the patient interest or
response touch is can be use in
Touch, tone of the voice and reassurance can
help the Anna to assist the patient for eating
and drinking. Because slow and clear voice
helps to ask and tell the patient about meal
time, and touch helps to assures the patient
decision or interest.
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gentle form. Anna can tap to the
patient shoulder to seek attention
for conversation and confirmation.
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