Care for people with dementia discussed at Gozo seminar

The Psychology Department of the Gozo General Hospital organised a half-day seminar on dementia care at Queen Mary University of London, Malta campus. The head of the psychology department at the Gozo General hospital, Laner Cassar, spoke about the humanistic, psychodynamic and systemic models of dementia care, underlining the need to offer respect and dignity to the person suffering from dementia.

Cassar discussed the need to overcome negative narratives of dementia as a life sentence or a return to infancy. He emphasised the need of a deeper understanding of the quasi-irrational behaviour appearing in some of the patients. Certain mediums like art, music and dance are an aid to the person with dementia.

Cassar emphasised the need to look at dementia not only as a biological condition hitting an individual; it becomes a family condition where the family is a resource to be supported so as to avoid early institutionalisation.

Geriatrician Jonathan Calleja gave an overview on the different types of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease, vascular disease, mixed dementia, fronto-temporal dementia and Lewy-body dementia. He cited its prevalence in the community and the different signs and symptoms of dementia. Calleja also explained the different pharmacological treatment available, including lecanameb and donanemab. Both drugs seem promising in helping the person ward off a cognitive decline.

Karin Grech Hospital’s clinical psychologist and gerentologist, Yaser Teebi, presented highlights from his ongoing doctoral research, including the subjective experience of the individual with dementia and how this tallies or is disconfirmed by the spouse or partner.

It seems that people with dementia, especially in the very first stages, say that everything is more or less fine, while their partner will paint a different picture. A notable issue which the persons with dementia seem to complain about is that they feel uncomfortable with the constant supervision by their respective partner.

The audience at the seminar.

Other presentations were given by health psychologist Liza Azzopardi and psychology assistant Rebecca Xerri, who both work at the Gozo General Hospital. They highlighted the different structured tasks that they use to tap and encourage the elderly residents to keep their mind active, these ranging from continuation and explanation of proverbs and idioms, solving of riddles, memory games, reminiscing tasks and traditional sing-along songs. This is done on a weekly basis.

Pauline Vella shared her challenging experience of taking care of her father and what it takes to see her father with this condition. She spoke about the white lies she had to say in order not to upset him.

She also learned not to order him about or criticise him, and to make sure to take him out a lot and socialise with his friends and the community. She also spoke about the support offered by Dar Padova, the day centre for dementia in Gozo.

Finally, Nicole Scicluna-Calleja gave an overview of the services offered by the health ministry’s dementia intervention team.

Participants at the seminar remarked on the relevance and benefits of services being offered by the health ministry. However, they also stressed the need of other services, including a national screening process for people aged 65 and over, and to support those in the early stages of dementia.