Optimizing meaningful engagement among persons living with dementia through sensitivity to differing situations and realities

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundMeaningful engagement is a critical dimension of quality of life and quality of care for persons living with dementia and an area highlighted in recent Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Practice Recommendations. Defined broadly as participation in an activity, including the “the act of being occupied or involved in an external stimulus,” engagement has implications for well‐being, mental health, and cognitive and physical function and shows promise as a non‐pharmacological strategy for addressing anxiety, depression, and behavioral expressions. Across long‐term care settings, including assisted living, meaningful engagement among persons with dementia represents a significant challenge. This poster presents findings from our ongoing 5‐year study conducted in the United States and funded by the National Institute on Aging (R01AG062310). The overall goal of the study is to identify best care practices aimed at recognizing, creating, and maintaining optimal meaningful engagement opportunities for persons with dementia that enhance their quality of life. Guided by grounded theory methods, our research involves: participant observation; formal and informal interviewing with residents, assisted living staff, family and friends, and others involved in residents’ daily lives and routines. Here, we report on analysis of data collected over a one‐year period in 4 diverse care settings. As expected, residents’ meaningful engagement experiences were highly variable. Residents’ cognitive and physical function also varied widely and typically fluctuated over time, influencing meaningful engagement opportunities. Awareness of and sensitivity to residents differing situations and for some, differing realities, were essential to optimizing meaningful engagement experiences among this heterogeneous and dynamic population. Care partners, including care staff and families and friends, who met residents “where they’re at” had more success collaborating with them to create positive engagement experiences compared to those who did not. We offer data‐driven recommendations for research and practice including the need to emphasize and promote person‐ and relationship‐centered care.