SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT DEMENTIA MEMORY CARE HLTH 335 What is Service Learning Service Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities What is Service Learning cont d IT IS MORE THAN COMMUNITY SERVICE It involves 3 Steps 1 Instruction in an educational setting 2 Application of skills learned in a community setting 3 Reflection on lessons learned by the experience We are focusing on Dementia Memory Care for our Service Learning Experience Dementia Not a specific disease It is a general term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person s ability to perform everyday activities often incorrectly referred to as senility which reflects the formerly widespread but incorrect belief that serious mental decline is a normal part of aging Alzheimer s Disease Accounts for 60 80 of all dementia cases But there are more than 50 other causes of dementia Not a normal part of aging Gets progressively worse over time There is no cure Risk Factors for Alzheimer s Age Family History MYTHS about Alzheimer s Memory Loss Myth 1 Memory Loss is a natural part of aging Myth 2 Alzheimer s disease is not fatal Myth 3 Only older people can get Alzheimer s Myth 4 Drinking out of aluminum cans or cooking in aluminum pots can lead to Alzheimer s MYTHS about Alzheimer s Memory Loss cont d Myth 5 Aspartame causes memory loss Myth 6 Flu shots increase risk of Alzheimer s disease Myth 7 Silver dental fillings increase risk for Alzheimer s Myth 8 There are treatments available to stop the progression MYTHS about Alzheimer s Memory Loss cont d Myth 9 Chemotherapy can cause trigger or hasten the onset of Alzheimer s Disease Some of these myths may sound crazy but they have been widely believed and still are Other causes of dementia Diseases that cause degeneration or loss of nerve cells e g Parkinson s and Huntington s Diseases that affect blood vessels e g stroke Toxic reactions including excessive alcohol or drug use Nutritional deficiencies B12 and folate Infections that affect brain and spinal cord e g CreutzfeldtJakob disease Certain types of hydrocephalus accumulation of fluid in the brain Brain tumors Head injury a single severe injury or chronic smaller injuries Certain kidney liver and lung diseases Detecting Alzheimer s Dementia Key Signs Symptoms Memory Loss Not always consistent important to track When dementia is advanced this will be the main characteristic Mood Swings Feeling anxious agitated is common Movement from place to place can cause confusion increase anxiety agitation Poor Judgement Exhibited through poor decisions regarding clothing hard time handling money forgetting to pay bills etc Misplacing Items Misplacing items in unusual places e g car keys in the freezer Inability to retrace steps leads to confusion and suspicion can trigger mood swing Detecting Alzheimer s Dementia Key Signs Symptoms cont d Getting lost Tendency to wander off walk aimlessly following by inability to recognize familiar people places or objects Leads to confusion May feel lost in own home MEMORY CARE A long term care option for patients who have been diagnosed with a memory loss condition or have problems with at least two areas of daily living Areas Activities of Daily Living ADL Mobility walking and transferring Personal hygiene grooming dressing Managing medications Nutrition Navigation finding dining room bedroom etc Memory skills required for all MEMORY CARE TECHNIQUES Revolve around INTERACTION with others Life Story Interviews Memory Games Bingo Cards Physical Activities Gardening Ball toss Sensorial Activities Finger knitting Spice painting Sorting activities Organizing a jewelry box Matching earrings or other objects These are just some examples For our Service Learning Project we will focus on Life Story Interviews Bingo Sensory Spice Painting You can participate in 1 or more of these activities based on your own interests BINGO We are probably all familiar with bingo Spread out among the residents who are playing You can play along with your own bingo card as well Help those around you if they ask or if they seem to need it The facility has a system of giving play money to the winners The residents can actually use this money to purchase things from time to time toilet paper kleenex etc So if YOU win please donate your winnings to those residents at the table with you Conversations often occur during bingo Interact with those around you MORE ABOUT BINGO http www theguardian com uk 2002 jul 12 research medic alscience http www sparklingbingoblog com 2013 07 04 bingo toimprove your mental health 0293 Life Story Interviews A relatively new approach in psychology and the social sciences that emphasizes narrative and the storied nature of human conduct It is also becoming more widely used as a tool in clinical settings for memory care Key Scenes in the Life Story High point Low point Wisdom event Challenges Health Personal Ideology Most important single value We will provide you with an interview guide to utilize But these interviews are only semi structured i e you can let the conversation lead and you can ask additional questions that seem appropriate See Life Story Interview Guide pdf distributed by email with these notes Life Story Interviews cont d This technique has several outcomes in addition to serving as a memory strengthening tool for the individual being interviewed It also serves to help the interviewer you in these ways build rapport with patient population Gain knowledge about lifespan development Gain experience in critical thinking about how context affects an individual Strengthen compassion and empathy skills Gain knowledge on how individuals react differently when presented with health challenges Life Story Interviews cont d Important things to keep in mind Depending on the extent of an individual s memory loss answering these questions could be difficult or A person may just not be in the mood to be interviewed Additionally a person may become sad when recalling and recounting events from the past Strategies for a successful interview Let the individual know you are visiting and would love to chat with them if they have time and would like to Keep the tone casual conversational and non businesslike Do not take extensive notes We are not