“Like a Dance”: Performing Good Care for Persons with Dementia Living in Institutions

Dementia care is demanding, and health care workers can become emotionally exhausted and frustrated. Particularly, demanding aspects of dementia care include patient agitation and care-resistant behaviour. The aim of this study is to describe skilled staff’s understanding of high-quality praxis in d...

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Main Authors: Kristin Mjelde Helleberg, Solveig Hauge
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:Nursing Research and Practice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/905972
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author Kristin Mjelde Helleberg
Solveig Hauge
author_facet Kristin Mjelde Helleberg
Solveig Hauge
author_sort Kristin Mjelde Helleberg
collection DOAJ
description Dementia care is demanding, and health care workers can become emotionally exhausted and frustrated. Particularly, demanding aspects of dementia care include patient agitation and care-resistant behaviour. The aim of this study is to describe skilled staff’s understanding of high-quality praxis in dementia care units in nursing homes. Eight nurses and care workers were individually interviewed, and a qualitative design was used. Participants were recruited from two nursing homes in two towns in eastern Norway. The data were analysed following the hermeneutic tradition inspired by Kvale. The analyses revealed three main findings describing good care: (a) to find: to identify the patient’s personal characteristics, state, and needs, (b) to follow: to choose the right time and the tempo and to adapt to the patient’s sensitivity, and (c) to lead: to be in the forefront and prepared and to change the patient’s state. An overall interpretation of the findings is described by the metaphor of a dance between the patient and the caregiver.
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spelling doaj-art-c9d67119aa9b4a5a918e361aba0d52322025-02-03T01:20:57ZengWileyNursing Research and Practice2090-14292090-14372014-01-01201410.1155/2014/905972905972“Like a Dance”: Performing Good Care for Persons with Dementia Living in InstitutionsKristin Mjelde Helleberg0Solveig Hauge1Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Studies, Telemark University College, 3901 Porsgrunn, NorwayInstitute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Studies, Telemark University College, 3901 Porsgrunn, NorwayDementia care is demanding, and health care workers can become emotionally exhausted and frustrated. Particularly, demanding aspects of dementia care include patient agitation and care-resistant behaviour. The aim of this study is to describe skilled staff’s understanding of high-quality praxis in dementia care units in nursing homes. Eight nurses and care workers were individually interviewed, and a qualitative design was used. Participants were recruited from two nursing homes in two towns in eastern Norway. The data were analysed following the hermeneutic tradition inspired by Kvale. The analyses revealed three main findings describing good care: (a) to find: to identify the patient’s personal characteristics, state, and needs, (b) to follow: to choose the right time and the tempo and to adapt to the patient’s sensitivity, and (c) to lead: to be in the forefront and prepared and to change the patient’s state. An overall interpretation of the findings is described by the metaphor of a dance between the patient and the caregiver.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/905972
spellingShingle Kristin Mjelde Helleberg
Solveig Hauge
“Like a Dance”: Performing Good Care for Persons with Dementia Living in Institutions
Nursing Research and Practice
title “Like a Dance”: Performing Good Care for Persons with Dementia Living in Institutions
title_full “Like a Dance”: Performing Good Care for Persons with Dementia Living in Institutions
title_fullStr “Like a Dance”: Performing Good Care for Persons with Dementia Living in Institutions
title_full_unstemmed “Like a Dance”: Performing Good Care for Persons with Dementia Living in Institutions
title_short “Like a Dance”: Performing Good Care for Persons with Dementia Living in Institutions
title_sort like a dance performing good care for persons with dementia living in institutions
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/905972
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