The Alzheimer Society of British Columbia has a number of activities planned to mark January as Alzheimer Awareness month - including regional residential care workshops and outreach to family caregivers. Contact www.alzheimerbc.org for more details. Age is still the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer's and with the first baby-boomers turning 65 this year, governments and care providers must work collaboratively to prepare for this growing demand.
WorkSafe BC has just released a new guide to help care providers better understand the risks associated with caring for dementia patients and ways to prevent violence. The new Worksafe Dementia guidebook is available with many other useful resources and instructional videos at www.worksafebc.com. The new book is organized in two parts:
- Clinical care approaches and interventions
- Incorporating occupational health and safety regulations into clinical care
BCCPA looks forward to working with WorkSafe BC in the year ahead to "highlight the need to improve staff safety and its connection to retention of workers in the seniors care sector".
Dementia Backgrounder: Behaviours Indicating Pain
When people have cognitive limitations, it can be hard to identify pain as a problem. People with dementia who are pacing or demonstrating two or three of the following behaviours should have an in-depth pain assessment:
- Wincing, groaning or striking out when touched or moved
- Tense body or resistance to moving or care
- Loud and repeated calling out
- Irritability
- Rubbing of body parts, decreasing mobility and increasing frequency of falls
- Increasing confusion and decreasing language ability
- Increased pulse, blood pressure and sweating
- Refusing food and biting lips
 Mar 2012-thumb-600x600-454-thumb-600x600-455.jpg)
 Mar 2012-thumb-600x600-454.jpg){kind=link}