Reducing Distress and Personal Care Risk in Persons with Dementia
Host Institution: Providence Health Care
The Comfort Care Wrap is a solution to minimize the distress many people with dementia experience in the loss of control, privacy and dignity during personal hygiene and bathing activities. Personal care activities can be high-risk, both for people with dementia and for their caregivers. The distress felt by the person with dementia during these specific activities can lead to catastrophic responsive behaviours, falls, transfers to emergency rooms and ultimately, the need for residential care placement.
Direct healthcare workers who specialize in caring for people with dementia are developing the wrap, which is made of towel-like material and has an elastic upper hem and a Velcro closure that can be placed and positioned on the body where and when privacy and secure coverage are required — even during bathing. It can also be removed easily and discretely when necessary.
Supported by $50,000 in funding, the project team is developing a working model and will conduct a pilot study at the Youville Residence, an assisted living facility in Vancouver, British Columbia to test the innovation with individuals who have been particularly distressed by personal care and bathing activities. Once the working prototype is developed, staff will be trained in the use of the CCW, and it will be tested in a pilot research study in a tertiary mental health wetting.