I read this most interesting newspaper set of articles where a dementia expert from England David Sheard is aiming to transform long term care homes here as he has done in other parts of the world.
He aims to replace scheduled, clinical care empty of emotion with warm, loving, lively homes. It is called the Butterfly program. In these transformed homes, they report happier residents, fewer falls, less violence and happier staff. Training is based on empathizing with patients. The walls are painted in bright happy colours. Sheard believes frustration, loneliness and boredom is caused by cold clinical care. A Butterfly patient in England was given purpose. He was a farmer, they had him collect eggs in the courtyard every morning for tea. He stopped hitting people. Dementia patients remember vividly from their past. Staff are taught to humour the patient instead of berating him, for example, if he thinks he is 10 years old just agree. Improvements can seen when the eyes seem aware, they are listening. Well fed people are healthier so mealtimes and snack times should be fun and engaging. Staff are taught to take time for conversation and hand holding. They wear street clothes not uniforms. One staffer started hugging a patient and he stopped hitting, he was comforted. Staff are now feeling a connection to the patients.
In order to successfully make these changes they hired 5 additional staff.
After a year of trial here, the program was unanimously approved. There are plans to convert more homes. This is heartwarming because dementia touches us all in some form.
He aims to replace scheduled, clinical care empty of emotion with warm, loving, lively homes. It is called the Butterfly program. In these transformed homes, they report happier residents, fewer falls, less violence and happier staff. Training is based on empathizing with patients. The walls are painted in bright happy colours. Sheard believes frustration, loneliness and boredom is caused by cold clinical care. A Butterfly patient in England was given purpose. He was a farmer, they had him collect eggs in the courtyard every morning for tea. He stopped hitting people. Dementia patients remember vividly from their past. Staff are taught to humour the patient instead of berating him, for example, if he thinks he is 10 years old just agree. Improvements can seen when the eyes seem aware, they are listening. Well fed people are healthier so mealtimes and snack times should be fun and engaging. Staff are taught to take time for conversation and hand holding. They wear street clothes not uniforms. One staffer started hugging a patient and he stopped hitting, he was comforted. Staff are now feeling a connection to the patients.
In order to successfully make these changes they hired 5 additional staff.
After a year of trial here, the program was unanimously approved. There are plans to convert more homes. This is heartwarming because dementia touches us all in some form.
16 comments:
What a lovely idea! Hope it spreads.
This is a great idea. Hugs, Valerie
Thank you for this post, Christine.
God bless.
it sounds like a dream come true, sadly it will not come to us soon enough to help our family member, she is into her fifth year of this progressivly destructive disease, no longer living in the present but really not living at all, so sad. I am happy thugh for the people this program helps, to think such simple human acts could be the answer should actually make us feel ashamed,finding that treating them with love and kindness, purpose and caring makes the world of difference,,, this should have been the way all along.
Sadly, most of our long-term care (LTC) homes are for-profit (500/600). We are short personal support workers (PSW) and they are not regulated, nor registered. It's gonna take a lot of money and will!
What a brilliant and interesting post Christine, thank you so much for sharing it here.
Alzheimer's / Dementia is in my family, so I was most interested in reading this.
Doesn't it make sense! This is so heart-warming because dementia affects so many of us and our families.
Yes, it will cost money … I sincerely hope in time this will be the way forward for many more.
All the best Jan
I love this, Christine! What a wonderful idea. I hope it catches on around the world.
You make good points Jenn. I got this from the article " start-up costs were a one-time $100,000 for the Butterfly program and another $100,000 for renovations and paint. Moving forward, council hears, the annual costs in each unit will be $400,000, which includes $7,000 for Butterfly program accreditation and the rest to pay for five new full-time workers." They still think it is worth it.
I felt the same way Laurie.
My paternal grandmother died of it
Just amazing, and so encouraging!
I like how David Sheard thinks!
My husband's aunt and father had dementia. Both were cared for in facilities that treated them with respect and dignity. His dad lived to be 98 and his aunt was 92 when she passed away.
Thank you Christine...it is an uplifting post with hope 💮
I read this the other day, def needs to be in more places
That's a nice way to treat patients of any kind.
Very nice. That is such a terrible way to waste away for sure.
That is indeed moving and wonderful, I hope it is implemented it additional places.
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