Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Sieppijarvi, Finland.
Doctoral School, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
Clin Gerontol. 2024 Oct-Dec;47(5):962-975. doi: 10.1080/07317115.2023.2167623. Epub 2023 Jan 14.
Deteriorating interactive ability of people with dementia challenges formal caregivers. In Finland, Deaf people with advanced dementia may live in a nursing home designed for their care where the staff use Finnish Sign Language (FiSL). This study describes the perceptions of formal caregivers, focusing on the challenges, how they solve the challenges, and what support they need to improve interaction with Deaf residents.
Semi-structured interviews with 13 formal caregivers who work with Deaf people with dementia were conducted and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A purposive sampling was used.
Three key themes were challenges in interaction, strategies in supporting interaction, and support for coping. Caregivers perceived challenges in interaction caused by linguistic changes, deteriorating physical mobility and memory, and Deaf residents' behavioral challenges. Caregivers supported Deaf residents by learning to know them and using personal and linguistic strategies. Support for coping comprised supporting family members and other caregivers.
Efficient skills in sign language (SL) and knowledge of dementia are essential in interacting with Deaf residents and to build interpersonal relationships for care.
Supporting Deaf residents requires learning the way they interact which can be achieved over time.
痴呆症患者互动能力的恶化给正规护理人员带来了挑战。在芬兰，患有晚期痴呆症的聋人可能居住在专为他们护理而设计的养老院中，那里的工作人员使用芬兰手语（FiSL）。本研究描述了正规护理人员的看法，重点是挑战、他们如何解决这些挑战以及他们需要哪些支持来改善与聋人居民的互动。
对 13 名与痴呆症聋人一起工作的正规护理人员进行了半结构化访谈，并使用定性内容分析进行了分析。采用了目的性抽样。
互动中的挑战、支持互动的策略以及应对支持这三个关键主题。护理人员认为互动中的挑战是由语言变化、身体活动能力和记忆力下降以及聋人居民的行为挑战引起的。护理人员通过了解他们并使用个人和语言策略来支持聋人居民。应对支持包括支持家庭成员和其他护理人员。
高效的手语（SL）技能和痴呆症知识对于与聋人居民互动以及建立护理人际关系至关重要。
支持聋人居民需要学习他们的互动方式，这可以随着时间的推移而实现。
