Module: Therapeutic Responses for People with Dementia

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Therapeutic Responses for People with Dementia
Module Code	NS5076 (ITS) / NUR1131 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health
Module Co-ordinator	-
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	10
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Coursework Only

Description

This is a 12 week blended learning module involving in-class education, workplace clinical placement with access to practitioners with experience of specified therapeutic approaches and online learning. The aims of the module are (i) to increase the students' knowledge and skill in the care of people with dementia and (ii) to give them the ability to transfer that knowledge and skill to other staff. This module will cover four approaches to therapeutic interaction with people with dementia; two core and two optional approaches. Students will study the two core approaches: (i) cognitive approaches to supporting function and building resilience and (ii) emotion led communication. Students will also select one optional approach based on best-fit for their practice needs: (iii) dyadic approaches to care or (iv) multisensory approaches to care. Managers in participating sites must make a commitment to support the on-going practice development plan that the students design.

Learning Outcomes

1. Through advanced holistic assessment, recognise strengths in people with dementia and their family members and demonstrate an ability to activate those strengths in the face of challenges posed by dementia while showing compassion for the human struggles involved in living with dementia.
2. Apply evidence-based psycho-social interventions that promote the well-being of people with dementia and their carers: these include validating people with dementia, building resilience, multi-sensory approaches and dyadic support of family members and people with dementia.
3. Identify, analyse and critique the relevant theoretical and empirical interventions evaluating their application to practice in a given situation.
4. Following a comprehensive assessment,evidence-based therapeutic approaches to dementia will be critically evaluated with particular emphasis on the practical implications of each intervention for clinical practice,
5. Demonstrate the principles of collaborative practice and the ability to support colleagues to integrate evidence-based therapeutic approaches into every day dementia care through role modelling and by supporting reflective discussion.
6. Critically evaluate the broad range of evidence-based interventions available and apply a suitable evaluation strategy in a clinical case.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	24	Face to face lecture time
Online activity	44	Prescribed online exercises
Clinical placement	24	Out of work placement to develop specific skills
Group work	8	Prescribed group activity
Independent Study	150	This will be made up of reading prescribed and independently located texts and journal papers, completing prescribed clinical exercises (as distinct from clinical placement), work planning and critical thinking on issues emerging. Significant time will be spent developing the portfolio for assessment.
Total Workload: 250

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Philosophies of care
A number of philosophical/theoretical approaches will be covered as they relate to dementia including; humanistic, person centred, theories of ageing and social constructionism.

Therapeutic approaches
Therapeutic focus will be on strengths based approaches towards the person, their cognitive, emotional, interpersonal and community assets. Students will explore the myriad of supports that might be needed at individual, family and community level to foster and support personal, family and community resilience. Students will explore how to find ways to support people to identify, mobilize and take ownership of their own strengths and capacity to cope and to develop in the context of dementia.

Therapeutic skills
Students will cover a number of explicit skills for example, validation, dyadic intervention, resilience interventions, cognitive interventions and multi-sensory approaches to care. Further they will explore how best to transfer these skills to their peers through reflective practice.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	0%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Completion of online activity	10% of your mark (or part there of) is generated by the Loop if you completed the activities set for you. You will have a tick in the activities box on the left of Loop page if the activity is completed.	10%	n/a
Professional Portfolio	Development of a portfolio of evidence supporting increased skills and knowledge of all learning outcomes using a variety of evidence mediums. Contributions to the portfolio will include online posts, critical evaluation of therapeutic approaches for people with dementia in a variety of different care settings, demonstration of skills in practice in the two core topics (Validation and Resilience) and in one of the two option topics (Dyadic or sensory approaches) and student reflection. Marks will be given to the demonstration of enhanced skills and competencies, reflective thinking, creative problem solving and use of academic referencing.	90%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category -

Indicative Reading List

Adams, T. (Editor): 2008, Dementia Care Nursing: Promoting well-being in people with dementia and their families, 1st, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke,
Adams, T. & Manthorpe, J. (Editors): 2003, Dementia care, Arnold, London,
De Klerk-Rubin, V.: 2007, Validation Techniques for Dementia Care, Health Professions Press, Chicago,
Feil, N.: 2012, The Validation Breakthrough, 3rd, Health Professions Press, Baltimore,
Keady, J., Clarke, C. & Page, S.: 2010, Partnerships in Community Mental Health Nursing and Dementia Care: Practice Perspectives, Open University Press, Berkshire,
Moniz-Cook, E. (Editor) & Manthorpe, J. (Editor),: 2009, Early Pyschosocial Interventions in Dementia, Jessica Kingsley, London,
Morgan, S.: 2014, Working with strengths: Putting personalisation and recovery into practice, Pavilion Publishing and Media, Hove,
Moyle W, Parker D, & Bramble M: 2014, Care of Older Adults a strengths based approach, Cambridge University Press, Sydney,
Post, S. G.: 2000, The moral challenge of Alzheimer disease: Ethical issues from diagnosis to dying., JHU Press.,

Other Resources

0, Website, Dementia Skills Elevator 2014, Dementia Champions Network, 0, Dementia Skills Elevator 2014, Dementia Champions Network, http://dementiaelevator.ie/,