Title: Using props when caring for people with moderate to severe dementia; supporting personhood or elaborate lies?
Abstract:
A prop is an aid or object used by a caregiver to support an interaction with the person with dementia. It is an inanimate object to which certain but not always truthful properties can be assigned. The object needs to be something that has meaning for the person with dementia in the context of either their previous roles or relationships. Some example of props that are regularly used in this way are soft toys, dolls and fake money. There are a few studies that explore specific props and dolls in particular, but few studies have considered them in the context of lie telling. Most studies talk about ‘doll therapy’ but do not examine the critical point of whether they are given to the person with dementia as a doll or as ‘a baby’; in other words are they being given as a lie. Dr Jane Murray will focus one area of an innovative ethnographic study that looked at the use of props in the care of people with moderate to severe dementia. She will argue that when props are used in the context of a lie, they can help caregivers to support personhood and engage with the person with dementia in a positive and meaningful way. She will use examples from her original study to illustrate her findings. Discussion and debate around this controversial topic will be encouraged.
Audience Take Away Notes
- How and when it could be considered ethical to use props with a person with moderate to severe dementia
- How to use the Taxonomy of Lies and the Lie ARM (Affective Reflective Model) to predict whether using a prop is likely to have a positive outcome for the person with dementia.
- That reflection is essential for all care providers
- Motivation and genuineness underpin all aspects of communication
- People will feel more confident when using pros with people with moderate to severe dementia
