Using drama to improve person-centred dementia care

We implemented a 12-week drama-based educational intervention to introduce to dementia practitioners person-centred care that emphasizes the notion of embodied selfhood (defined as non-verbal self-expression).

Person-centred dementia care guidelines emphasize the assessment of individual needs, and where appropriate, the use of non-pharmacological interventions before resorting to pharmacological management. However, dementia care is not consistent with these guidelines suggesting conceptual limitations and reliance on passive knowledge translation strategies.

Focus groups and semi-structured interviews with practitioners (n = 24) in two nursing homes in central Canada were undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the drama-based components of the intervention.

Our findings suggest that drama was effective as an educational modality, and helped implement the person-centred approach into practice. Significant practice outcomes included: new awareness that residents' body movements and dispositions can convey meaning; seeking biographical information from families; increased time efficiency; and supporting residents' independence.

Our findings make an important contribution to person-centred dementia care by broadening the notion of personhood, and by facilitating implementation using drama.

As an enhancement of person-centred care, the support of embodied selfhood may significantly improve residents' quality of life, quality of care, and practitioners' care-giving experience.