The Human Touch in Dementia Care by Anne Quinn,Advanced Nurses Practitioner in Dementia Care

—The greatest threat to a person living with dementia is the threat of not being seen as a person
—Being viewed as less than human – a non person – a shell
—A state worse than death – already dead – a living death

...and therefore not a person to be concerned with


—Seeing the person as worthy of our compassion and understanding
—Compassion is different from pity which implies the person who is suffering is weak and hence inferior
—More vigorous than empathy which seeks to understand a person’s suffering
—Compassion recognises shared humanity and a desire to alleviate suffering
—Compassion is synonymous with good dementia care

—Possibly the most important component of compassionate care is listening to our patients
—As much as possible, we need to see the world through their eyes, and we need to do so in an accepting fashion, not from a judgmental perspective


We must see the PERSON with dementia
rather than
the person with DEMENTIA

I WHO LIFTED A CAR
by Gerald Stern

My lips say the words too slow
but I am a drop in the bucket
and my body will never catch up
for I am going in reverse
and my slow mind has ruined me
and I can guess the weight of a woman I am so good
though my lips says the words too slow
and my heart goes out to a woman,I who drove a car.
But I am a drop in the bucket and my body will never catch up
for I am going in reverseand my slow mind has ruined me,
I who lifted a car.