Meeting those with dementia where they are

A common misconception is that dementia is caused by aging. But even though the diseases that cause dementia — including Alzheimer’s — are strongly associated with older age, they are not considered a normal or inevitable part of simply growing old.

Caused by abnormal brain changes due to brain cell damage, dementia affects memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking abilities that start to interfere with daily life and independent function.

With no cure currently available, researchers and caregivers are increasingly focused on providing person-centered, tailored care. At Holland Home, Burton has been learning what that looks like in practice.

She shadowed geriatricians, designed purposeful structured activities for memory care residents and worked closely with Curt Gritters, director of the Dementia Institute, and Irving Vega, Red Cedar Distinguished Associate Professor in the Department of Translational Neuroscience in MSU’s College of Human Medicine, to develop a new virtual screening tool for dementia that could aid earlier detection and intervention.

Kaylin Burton and Curt Gritters walk down an indoor hallway at Holland Home Raybrook Campus. — Kaylin Burton with Curt Gritters, director of the Dementia Institute. Using Burton’s experience at Holland Home, the pair collaborated on developing a new virtual screening tool for dementia. Photo courtesy of Dementia Institute

Vega sees the Intergenerational Living Program as a community-oriented complement that advances the evolving model of medical students’ traditional education. “Through this residential model, students develop a deeper understanding of aging, social context and patient-centered care,” he says. In the Cook Unit, students interact with residents in a hands-on way that exemplifies MSU’s College of Human Medicine mission of learning through service, “fostering physicians who are both clinically skilled and deeply connected to the communities they serve.”

Central to the program’s mission to improve the standard of care for those living with dementia is what Burton describes as a “positive approach to care,” which recognizes that everyone is at a different stage. Assessing that stage and responding accordingly, with a holistic understanding of patient needs, is crucial to strengthening their skills and cultivating compassion.

“A lot of times, it’s really slowing down,” Burton says, “and meeting them where they’re at.”

This includes validating patients’ feelings rather than contradicting them. When a resident living with dementia insists something has been moved or taken, Burton explains, the tendency to correct them can cause distress. “Instead of saying, ‘No, I didn’t do that,’ we will agree with them and not try to correct things in the home.”

She also incorporates techniques such as combining visual and verbal cues when communicating and using the ‘hand-under-hand’ method to help get tasks done without taking away independence. “Instead of me brushing the resident’s teeth, I put their hand over mine while brushing.”

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