Dementia care 2: exploring how nursing staff manage challenging behaviour

The national dementia strategy calls for care homes to adopt a person centred approach to care planning. This study looks at whether this is being implemented

Wheeler, Nicola L PGCert, BSc
Oyebode, Jan R PhD, MPsychol (Clinical), BA

Nicola L Wheeler, PGCert, BSc, is assistant clinical and research psychologist, mental health services for older people, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust; Jan R Oyebode, PhD, MPsychol (Clinical), BA, is director of the clinical psychology doctorate, University of Birmingham, and consultant clinical psychologist, mental health services for older people, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust.

Nursing Times 106(25):p 20-22, June 29, 2010.

ABSTRACT

Background

This second in a three part series on dementia care explores different approaches to care; part 1 examined communication issues. Dementia care traditionally uses a medical approach to management, which focuses on the standard neurogenic disease paradigm, but now many care home staff and health professionals are moving towards a person centred approach, based on biopsychosocial explanations.

Aim

This study sought to examine the extent to which care home staff have adopted a person centred approach.

Method

Focus groups were carried out with 36 direct care staff from nine care homes.

Results

The study found evidence that both models of dementia care were in use. Three homes mainly used the medical approach, four the person centred approach and two were moving towards the latter.

Conclusion

Training in biopsychosocial approaches to managing challenging behaviours in dementia is needed for care home staff, family and other health professionals.