What is Positive Approach to Dementia Care?

What is Positive Approach to Care™? How does it benefit people living with dementia?

 Positive Approach to Care™ was created by Teepa Snow, one of the world’s leading dementia experts. Teepa Snow is an Occupational Therapist who has been working in dementia care in a variety of settings for more than 40 years. She developed Positive Approach to Care to change the culture of dementia care for the better! It is an approach and method of caring for people that engages and supports them with the brain changes that they are experiencing.

Tamara Ballard, Client Care Manager for Earth Angels Home Care in Bridgewater, explains “Positive Approach to Care focuses on the skills that the person still has.” All too often, when speaking of dementia and caring for persons who live with dementia, the emphasis is on what the person can no longer do. The focus is on loss. That becomes discouraging for both the person with dementia and their family. Positive Approach to Care offers much needed hope.

Watch our video with Jennifer of Simple Local Life to learn more about Positive Approach to Care and how it helps people living with dementia.

One thing is certain: Dementia does change everything. However, the person is still here. They’re just different. Knowing that they’re different, how can you best support someone based on what the person is able to do today? How can you do with them rather than to them to get tasks done?

Teepa created Hand-under-Hand as one of her care partnering techniques. One of the most common ways of greeting a person is a handshake. But then what? After a few minutes, it can be difficult and awkward to get out of a handshake! The person with dementia retains strength while losing skill and may keep a very firm grasp of your hand!

Hand-under-Hand is a better way to get connected with another person. It allows the person with dementia to feel in control and for you, the care partner, to support them. In Hand-under-Hand, the care partner can support the person to use what remaining skills they have and you can also add skill by using your own fingers when needed. For example, Hand-under-Hand may be used to help a person brush their hair or hold a utensil, so they can feed themselves.

Tamara is a Certified Positive Approach to Care Trainer and Coach. Caregivers at Earth Angels Home Care are trained in the hands-on skills and techniques, and how to use Positive Approach to Care in their daily interactions with clients. They are given the tools and techniques to be successful while caring for your family member. After the initial training, Tamara continues to coach caregivers through any challenges they have while working with clients who live with dementia and individual circumstances that arise.

Do you have questions about Positive Approach to Care? Want to learn more about the techniques and how they can improve quality of life for your family member who lives with dementia? Call Tamara at (902) 530-6205 or visit the office at 101-42 Glen Allan Drive in Bridgewater. She’ll be happy to answer your questions and will even demonstrate the techniques!