Care for the elderly is often a hot topic in the news and elsewhere, but often for the wrong reasons. You do not have to look far to find stories of retirement residences and care homes embroiled in negligence and abuse scandals. Thankfully, there are many a good nursing home working diligently to improve the care our most vulnerable receive. Music therapy, pet therapy, and memory care facility designs are just some of the innovations that can be found in care facilities around the world.
Quality of life for dementia patients has a significant impact on their overall well-being. (1) Since dementia patients can be prone to anxiety and depression due to confusion and being moved from their home, it is important for facility staff to experiment with various strategies to improve resident quality of life. One simple initiative of Old Vicarage Care Home has caught the international attention of elderly care providers. Following a training with Dementia Care Matters, staff implemented the idea of a “no uniform” policy for the facility. Staff wears appropriate casual clothing during the day and the night staff outfit themselves in nightgowns and pajamas. (2)
Improving Quality Of Life
Visual cues are important for promoting quality of life and well-being of persons with dementia. (3) Most often, various forms of signage are thought of in this respect. The staff at Old Vicarage has expanded on that. They found that the nightgowns and pajamas help serve as subtle reminders to residents that it is bedtime. The staff also found it helpful for getting wakeful residents to bed in the evenings.
Going Uniform-Free
Wearing uniforms for dementia care staff has traditionally been thought to improve the well-being of institutionalized residents, but that may be all wrong. The absence of uniforms helps reduce the institutional feel of a facility. It also reduces the sense of separation between care providers and residents. Many aging care facilities strive to increase the sense of togetherness between staff and residents and create a more home-like atmosphere for facility residents. Going uniform-free also encourages conversation between care providers and residents, which can be a helpful tool when residents are upset or confused. A small study in France found statistically significant improvement in residents’ quality of life when the staff adopted appropriate casual or “street” clothing over traditional uniforms. (4)
Improving Emotional Health
As dementia progresses, navigating relationships can become increasingly difficult for patients. (5) However, their need to give and receive affection and emotional intimacy does not disappear. Residents separated from long-time friends, family members, and partners or spouses when they move into a care facility can feel lonely. Staff members dressed like family members can help ease this loneliness and encourage interactions that help fill the emotional void.
Meaningful changes do not need to be elaborate or extravagant. Often the smallest and simplest details can be instrumental in achieving a more nurturing environment in a good nursing home. When visual cues have such importance for residents, it is easy to see how incorporating facility staff, the people residents see and interact with daily, into that strategy would be beneficial.
