Care Home Interaction

Elderly residents of care homes in England were less angry and agitated after a 10-minute daily talk and personalized care. The nine-month trial in 69 care homes had researchers talking to dementia patients about their interests or family life.

The one-on-one interaction helped improved the quality of their life, the study said, BBC reported. It involved more than 800 people in care homes in south London, north London, and Buckinghamshire.

Personalized care

Before the experiment was held, the employees of the care homes were trained to learn about the interests and abilities of their patients by asking about it from the dementia sufferers. Their families were also asked questions about the care that the patients received.

By incorporating

Because social activities in many care homes were done in groups, like bingo, some residents are left unengaged.

But if there is personal interaction with them, it not only improved the quality of the lives of the dementia patients, it also made them easier to deal with. Changing the policy of care homes when it comes to social interaction will ultimately help cut costs in care homes and in the wider social care system, he pointed out.

Ballard took note of the standards that vary hugely. Because the 10-minute chat approach improves care and saves money, he said that care homes must roll out approaches that work to do justice to some of the most vulnerable people in the country, The Guardian reported.

The National Institute of Health Research funded the experiment that ran between January 2013 and September 2015. The researchers randomly picked dementia patients to participate in the trial or continue with their usual treatment. The seniors were assessed for quality of life, agitation, and other symptoms at the end of the trial

Out of the current 170 carer training manuals available, only four were based on evidence that really worked. The care homes purchased manuals based on cost instead of efficacy.

By training care staff to provide the type of individualized care, activities, and social interactions, it can have a significant impact on the wellbeing of dementia residents in care homes, Dr. Doug Brown, the director of research at the Alzheimer’s Society, said. He added that it can lower the cost which is desperately needed by the stretched social care system.

The study is believed to be the largest non-pharmacological randomized control trial with dementia patients in care homes. It was led by the University of Exeter, King’s College London, and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr. Jane Fossey, from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, said that when the person-centered approach is used in getting to know each resident as an individual and these are reflected in all aspects of care, it can improve the lives of the dementia patients and can be rewarding for carers