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Volunteers' Experiences Visiting the Cognitively Impaired in Nursing Homes: A Friendly Visiting Program*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Thecla Damianakis ,
Laura M. Wagner ,
Syrelle Bernstein  and
Elsa Marziali
Thecla Damianakis*
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, University of Windsor
Laura M. Wagner
Affiliation:
Baycrest
Syrelle Bernstein
Affiliation:
Baycrest
Elsa Marziali
Affiliation:
Baycrest
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to: / Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à : Thecla Damianakis, PhD, MSW (corresponding author), Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Ave, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4. damianak@uwindsor.ca)
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Abstract

Two challenges facing nursing-home care today are understanding the concept of quality of life as it relates to cognitively impaired residents and finding effective ways to ensure that it is achieved. Canadian director Allan King's documentary, Memory for Max, Claire, Ida and Company, filmed at Baycrest, captures a method for enhancing the quality of life of six cognitively impaired residents. While the film suggests an intervention model implemented by volunteers, there are challenges unique to institution-based programs (i.e., the recruitment and retention of volunteers). One of the challenges is the fear that volunteers may experience when interacting with the cognitively impaired. We conducted a pilot study of a model for training volunteers to provide friendly visiting and evaluated the impact on the participating residents. Observational accounts of volunteer–resident interactions and seven volunteer interviews were analysed and yielded several themes—(a) relationship building, (b) contribution of the environment, (c) preserving personhood, (d) resident-centred presence and the quality of the moment—and several themes related to the volunteers' role and their perceived impact on the residents. Discussed are the implications for volunteer programs in long-term health care settings.

Résumé

Aujourd'hui les soins médicaux en maisons de santé sont confrontés à la compréhension du concept de « qualité de vie » puisqu'ils touchent des personnes atteintes de déficits cognitifs, et à la recherche de moyens permettant l'application de ce concept. Le documentaire du réalisateur canadien Allan King, intitulé Memory for Max, Claire, Ida and Company (Mémoire pour Max, Claire, Ida et compagnie), filmé à Baycrest, dépeint une méthode utilisée pour améliorer la qualité de vie de six résidants atteints de déficits cognitifs. Bien que le film montre un modèle d'intervention effectué par des volontaires, il souligne aussi les problèmes spécifiques aux programmes d'intervention dans les établissements de santé, c'est à dire recruter et garder les volontaires. La peur que les volontaires peuvent éprouver en interagissant avec les personnes atteintes de déficits cognitifs représente un grand défit. Nous avons conduit une étude pilote sur un modèle de formation de volontaires qui vise à assurer une « visite sympathique » et avons étudié les effets obtenus sur les résidants ayant participé à l'étude. Les données concernant l'observation des interactions entre volontaires et résidants ainsi que sept interviews de volontaires ont été analysées et donnent lieu à plusieurs thèmes: a) la création des relations volontaires-résidants, b) l'effet de l'environnement, c) la préservation de l'intégrité de la personne, d) la nécessité d'être centré sur les besoins et la qualité du moment des résidants, ainsi que plusieurs autres thèmes liés au rôle des volontaires. L'implication de ces résultats pour les programmes de volontaires dans les établissements de santé à long terme est discutée.

Keywords

vieillissementdémencebénévolesqualité de vieidentité individuelleartssoins interdisciplinairesrecherche qualitativeagingdementiavolunteersquality of lifepersonhoodartsinterdisciplinary carequalitative research
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , Winter/Hiver 2007 , pp. 343 - 356
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2007

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Footnotes

*

The authors would like to thank Julie Rice, Rosanne Chan, and Sabine Doebel for their assistance with this project.

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