Treating The Person ~ Not The Disease

As a trainee carer with no experience of having worked with Dementia sufferers before (not quite true as my parents both had strokes back in the 1960's, but it was not really defined as dementia back then and the information available was almost non-existent) it was quite a shock to be told, 'treat the person, not the disease!'  I wasn't quite sure what this meant until I came face to face with my new pals, it then became crystal clear. ~ The human connection kicked in and the word compassion had a whole different meaning. 

Obviously treatment is given by medical experts but as a carer your priority is the person.  Although in the worst case scenario's the person can be a mere shell of their former selves, inside of them that person still exists and deserves to be treated as an individual with the same human rights as any well person has.  It is vital to remember this fact when caring for someone, it not only gives that person a better quality of care (and indeed, life) but helps you to come to terms with the problems a carer will inevitably meet head on.

It's not easy to keep this in mind when dealing with aggressive or even violent behaviour but in my short experience as a carer it has been a valuable asset to be able to look a person in the eyes and look for the person within; to treat the person, not the disease.

Fortunately these days all care homes are run along 'Person Centred Care' principles based on the principles of Tom Kitwood that good quality care not only improves quality of life but could actually slow down the progression of dementia.  His work was based on the psycho-social needs of individuals and that good care should involve meeting these needs. In his book Dementia Reconsidered: The Person Comes First (Rethinking Ageing) he details the process which covers:-

Comfort ~ the need for closeness and tenderness.
Attachment ~ (Belonging) - the need to form bonds with others.
Inclusion ~ the need to feel involved and part of what if happening.
Identity ~ the need for others to know who we are, our likes, beliefs etc.

I think we can all relate to these needs, and a person suffering with dementia is no different.