Background: People living with dementia experience difficulties in creating meaningful relationships and maintaining their personhood especially in a nursing home context. Relationship-centred approaches highlight the key role of nursing staff in supporting older adults with dementia maintain their social identity. Literature is scarce regarding the components of the interaction between nursing personnel and nursing home residents with dementia.
Aim: To explore and classify the key verbal and non-verbal behaviours demonstrated during the morning routine interaction between nursing assistants and older adults with dementia living in nursing homes.
Methods: A multiple-case study design using an inductive thematic analysis was employed. Two pairs of one nursing assistant and one resident with moderate dementia living in two nursing homes in Belgium were formed. The morning routine of each pair was observed twice and transcribed verbatim for the thematic analysis. Following each observation session, nursing assistants participated in semi-structured interviews to provide a more in-depth understanding of what was observed.
Results: Diverse and sometimes contradicting behaviours co-existed during the interactions between nursing assistants and residents with dementia. Two major themes were identified: 1. (not) Adapting the care to the person, describing behaviours such as over-caring and knowing the life story of the resident, and 2. (not) Engaging with the person which included behaviours such as reciprocity in care, ignoring the person and using elderspeak.
Conclusion: Educational courses and trainings regarding dementia and effective communication techniques should be organized. It is crucial to promote policies permitting the implementation of relationship-oriented interventions in nursing homes.

Authors:
Effrosyni Pyrovolaki, University of Liège, Belgium
Gilles Fossion, University of Liège, Belgium
Stéphane Adam, University of Liège, Belgium

About the Presenter(s)
Ms Effrosyni Pyrovolaki is a PhD candidate [FRESH grant] at the Unit of Psychology of Aging, University of Liège, Belgium.

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