Day 2 (continued)
Following lunch, I was invited to take a walk outside by my assistant. This was a preference I had specified before my admission, and I was pleased to see it respected. Despite the cold weather, the 10-minute walk was delightful, and we had a pleasant conversation as we walked.
Prior to my stay, I had arranged for internet access to continue working on some projects. Unfortunately, there was a glitch in connecting my laptop to the internet, and by early afternoon it had still not been resolved. The unit director, who helped arrange my stay, allowed me to use her computer in her office so I could access my emails remotely and tend to some urgent matters. Dinner was served at 5:00, a change from my normal dinner time at home, and once again it was a large portion of fish and creamed vegetable soup.
After dinner, I observed a nursing assistant refusing to help a resident due to hurt feelings. Witnessing this interaction made me more conscious of the tone used by staff when addressing residents. There seemed to be a prevailing high-pitched and condescending manner, which I believe contributes to their decline.
Day 3
With the realization of the prevailing “baby speak” used by staff, particularly directed at female residents, I’m beginning to understand its impact. The only male staff member here uses a more direct and equal approach, reflecting a level of respect for the residents. This observation raises questions about the potential impacts of infantilizing language on dementia care and the resistance to care experienced by residents. Further research in this area is warranted.
Additionally, I noticed that I am seldom addressed in this tone, likely due to my mild confusion not requiring the same level of care as the other residents. Furthermore, male residents are not subjected to this tone nearly as often as female residents, further highlighting a clear gender disparity in the language used by staff.
My observations lead me to believe that the prevailing tone and body language used in dementia care contribute to a sense of helplessness among residents, which warrants further consideration and research.
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