Work

Responses of Persons Living With Dementia to Validating Communication by Family Caregivers: a Secondary Analysis

Year: 2022

Type: conference-abstract

Abstract: Validation is a person-centered approach for communicating with people living with dementia (PLWD). This study evaluated how PLWD respond to caregiver communication that includes or fails to include validation. This secondary analysis of homecare videos (N=41) of family caregivers interacting with a PLWD during daily care used behavioral coding of validating communication (affirmation, acknowledging emotions, encouraging emotional expression, verbalizing understanding) in relation to responses of PLWD (resistiveness to care, apathy, or cooperation). A 10 second time-lag sequential analysis identified an 11% probability of a cooperative response when caregivers communicated using affirmations. Caregiver verbalizations of understanding resulted in a 6% probability and silence had an 8% probability of cooperative responses. Use of validating communication did not result in a significant probability of negative PLWD responses (apathy or resistiveness to care). Use of validating communication strategies may assist caregivers to achieve goals of care without negative responses from PLWD.

Source: Innovation in Aging

DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igac059.531

Authors: Kaitlyn Campbell, Carissa Coleman, Kristine Williams

Institutions: University of Kansas, University of Kansas Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research

Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,615