Title: Meeting the needs of patients with moderate to severe dementia; telling lies to support personhood
Abstract:
Telling lies to patients with moderate to severe dementia is much debated in the literature. A whole range of words are used such as white lie, fiblet, therapeutic to reduce the emotional impact of the intervention being labelled as lie telling. In this presentation, Dr Jane Murray will argue that lie telling is an effective and person centred intervention that can be used to maintain and support personhood in a compassionate and kind manner. A taxonomy of Lies will be used to help the audience to think about the language used around lie telling and how they might start to consider their own practice. The Lie ARM (Affective Reflective Model) will be used to demonstrate the importance of reflection on action and in action. There will be discussion around how Dr Murray’s research is challenging historical thinking around telling lies to people with moderate to severe dementia and how it can be used to meet the needs of people who often have time shifted reality.
Audience Take Away Notes:
- Communication strategies for use in practice will be shared and discussed
- The importance of discussing difficult topics such as telling lies, whilst considering the impact on the teller as well as the receiver
- That reflection in practice and on practice is essential for all health care providers
- Motivation and genuineness underpin all aspects of communication
- People will feel more confident when communicating with people with moderate to severe dementia
