The problem, says Patty Boucher, Director of Client and Consulting Services for the Ontario Safety Association for Community & Healthcare (OSACH), is that many organizations implement a curriculum without a backing infrastructure to ensure its thorough implementation. The programs’ effectiveness wanes, lacking assessment capabilities, formal procedures and policies, and evaluation tools.

The OSACH has subsequently partnered with The Continuing Gerontological Education Cooperative (CGEC) to offer the “Gentle Persuasive Approach to Dementia Care,” (or GPA program) a person-centered behavioural intervention program that aims at responding gently to seniors who have dementia.

OSACH is currently offering workshops across the province for organizations, helping them implement and inculcate the GPA program infrastructure.

“We’re struggling to get the message out about the necessity of implementing program infrastructure,” says Boucher. “If you don’t have the policies and procedures then the education will eventually fail.”

The philosophy underpinning the GPA program is that a gentle, creative response to dementia is the most appropriate, says Boucher.

“We have a growing population of aging people, and our philosophy is that people who have cognitive impairment often have an inability to respond or communicate their needs. They respond in various ways – and workers have to be alerted to the signs when someone is trying to communicate,” says Boucher.

Boucher, who is speaking at the Gerontological Nursing Association conference on November 3rd, says that recent advances in understanding dementia make the implementation of behavioural intervention techniques critical to person-centred care.

“The traditional methods – like holds and restraints – are detrimental,” says Boucher, referencing recent long term care legislation introduced by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. “Registered nurses have a responsibility now not to use restraints.”