Training for care staff
Pictures to Share books are
very valuable tools that encourage interaction between staff and residents.
Meaningful interaction with staff is one of the aspects of care measured in the
SOFI system used by many CSCI inspectors of care homes for observing
the well-being of care home residents with dementia.
Inspectors observe a group
of up to 5 residents continuously for two hours and look particularly at the
way staff interact with residents. They measure this in the following ways:
- Good or excellent interactions - these interactions are those that enhance personhood. They show warmth, are respectful and enabling. Provide residents with the feeling of safety. Are sensitive and assist individual to be in control of their actions and lives.
- Neutral interaction - these interactions neither undermine nor enhance people. They are part of everyday care, often short requests or suggestions. They will be neutral - they are simply an exchange of information.
- Poor interactions - these interactions undermine person-hood. Such as: ignoring a person or talking over a person, talking to fast so an individual cant keep up, treating a person in a child like way, treating a person as an object and not an individual and not allowing an individual to use their abilities or make choices.
Using Pictures to Share books with residents who are bored or agitated, can be an easy way to create and improve interaction. Having the books easily accessible in the lounge area allows carers to spend time between other tasks, positively interacting with a resident with dementia, and could mean the difference between a ‘poor' or a ‘good' inspection result in this category.
Pictures to Share offer a guide 'Book Therapy in Dementia Care' which provides an understanding of how to get the most from the books in care homes. This is available in our shop or telephone to order your copy 01829 770024.
