A few years back, I saw a physical therapist walking outside a memory care facility with a nonverbal resident named Frank. I recognized her patient and remembered overhearing staff talking about how the man constantly refused to walk. They mentioned how crucial it was for him to participate as it was becoming harder for him to ambulate. I wondered why this therapist brought him outside and how she got him to comply. Later that day, I introduced myself to the therapist, Chrissy, and asked her about her approach. She mentioned that she often saw Frank staring out the window in his room and noticed how calm this normally agitated man was when doing so. Seeing this time and time again, she figured he longed to be outside and thought that if he was in a place where he felt happy, he might be more willing to participate in his treatment. Chrissy asked the man if he wanted to go outside, and his normally angry affect instantly changed to excitement. The therapist presented the man with his walker, and he stood immediately. Once outside, she asked him to walk with her, and Frank happily nodded yes. Because of this woman’s perceptiveness and outside-the-box thinking, she got the man to comply with his rehabilitation, and he greatly enjoyed doing so. He loved being outside so much the therapist told me it took a lot of persuasion to get him back inside.
Creativity is a must when working with individuals with dementia, especially nonverbal ones, as it can help care providers place individuals in environments where they thrive, like the example mentioned above. Unfortunately, not all caregivers possess this trait or have the time to think of creative solutions. Thankfully, the Multiple Intelligence Survey for Persons with Dementia© (MISPWD) takes the guesswork out of care. This innovative questionnaire not only allows caregivers to pinpoint an individual’s strengths, but also accurately suggests suitable environments for the individual. Such vital information supports effective care while significantly improving people’s quality of life and, at times, increasing longevity.
Chrissy recognized that the man felt a connection to the outdoors because he was always calm when looking out the window. Still, again, not everyone has the ability or time to make such observations. If the MISPWD had been administered, the survey would have shown Frank’s affinity for being outside (naturalistic intelligence), suggesting he may be more compliant outdoors, and eliminating the guesswork.
In addition to identifying environments where individuals will feel the most safe and secure, which sets the groundwork for effective care, the MISPWD also recognizes suitable activities and augmentative and alternative communication methods for individuals. These personalized activities ensure mental engagement and the augmentative and alternative communication methods help individuals better relay information.
The MISPWD presents a win-win for residents and care providers. Residents like Frank will have happier days and staff will feel empowered by survey results that optimize their care.
-Matt Call
