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It preserves the well-being of the patient. If they are convinced it's 1956 and their brother is there, it's not hurting anyone.
Arguing with them that their brother died in 1976, that they are an old person whose friends are all dead, *does* harm them. https://twitter.com/cranstonl1972/status/1355904359176015874
Arguing with them that their brother died in 1976, that they are an old person whose friends are all dead, *does* harm them. https://twitter.com/cranstonl1972/status/1355904359176015874
Arguing with the patient will do nothing but stress them out and scare them, in exchange for what? A bit of them being overwhelmed? A bit of you being right?
This technique works, extremely well, when the person's beliefs *do not harm anyone*. No one gets harmed by asking about the brother's new car, or such.
The patient doesn't get psychologically shattered, and you don't risk getting in a heated argument over what year it is.
The patient doesn't get psychologically shattered, and you don't risk getting in a heated argument over what year it is.
When those beliefs *can* harm someone, you do not do this.
He believes his long-dead brother's bringing him to the pool later? Fine. Ask him about his brother.
He believes he's late and has to go across the city to get to the pool? Time to gently argue.
He believes his long-dead brother's bringing him to the pool later? Fine. Ask him about his brother.
He believes he's late and has to go across the city to get to the pool? Time to gently argue.
She's happily telling you that her long-dead husband is going to bring them to a restaurant tonight? Ask her about the food.
She's convinced another person is trying to seduce her husband over there? Gently dissuade.
She's convinced another person is trying to seduce her husband over there? Gently dissuade.
It comes down to cost-benefit. If their beliefs harm no one, nothing is gained by arguing, and it costs both your moods.
The only problem here is that you, the nurse and presumably the one with a grasp on reality, needs to know if a belief is harmful.
The only problem here is that you, the nurse and presumably the one with a grasp on reality, needs to know if a belief is harmful.
He believes his room-mate is trying to poison him, so refuses to eat food and *also* puts broken stuff in the guy's bed in retaliation.
He believes *you* are their high-school bully.
She believes she needs to walk to the park in the middle of january to see the carnival.
He believes *you* are their high-school bully.
She believes she needs to walk to the park in the middle of january to see the carnival.
In these cases, going along is not an option. Instead, you have to gently dissuade. Divert, distract.
You don't win any points by being right, but you can get fired if they hurt themselves or someone else.
You don't win any points by being right, but you can get fired if they hurt themselves or someone else.
The big problem with applying this outside of caring for dementia patients, is that you end up hearing beliefs that are far past the antisemitic event horizon. Beliefs that are intrinsically harmful.
Not "2+2=5" but "jewish space lasers are aimed at my child and I must battle"
Not "2+2=5" but "jewish space lasers are aimed at my child and I must battle"
In the real world, knowing if the belief is harmful is a hell of a lot harder.
He believes 2+2=5. Fine, that's harmless.
He believes that because he's watched too many NorseWolf1488 videos where numerology proves the denver international airport is a vampire colony? Hm
He believes 2+2=5. Fine, that's harmless.
He believes that because he's watched too many NorseWolf1488 videos where numerology proves the denver international airport is a vampire colony? Hm
Basically: in the right context, this works wonderfully. No one gets harmed, everyone gets through the day.
In the wrong context, the one you find in the real world, you get:
In the wrong context, the one you find in the real world, you get:
