‘I have a lot of people interested in activities; however, we have a few people who make it difficult for others to attend and can be verbally and physically abusive towards their peers. Everyone wants to join in and talking to the instigators about their behaviour hasn’t been productive or been taken on board due to their behavioural challenges and it’s making it difficult to deliver a good fun session for everyone and causing pockets of isolation within the home. How can I overcome this without leaving anyone out?’ – Alexandra Farr
Hi Alexandra,
First of all, congratulations on having so many wanting to join in with activities, thats a positive sign that they enjoy what you have on your programme.
It can indeed be very tricky if there are members of the group who are disruptive and spoil the session for others.
You need to first try and find out what is causing the abusive behaviour. Are these residents anxious and frustrated because they are not in control of what is happening? Have they been given the choice of attending and can they leave if they wish?
With dementia, this sort of behaviour could be their way of communicating their anger and frustration at the situation. The environment maybe too loud or overwhelming, look for triggers. It could be just the wrong time of day for that person, they may be over tired and wanting a quiet space. Try and take the time to build up a rapport with the individual in one-to-one sessions and always remain calm when they display challenging behaviour.
Having sufficient staff and recruiting extra volunteers is one way of ensuring that there is enough help to diffuse this before it becomes disruptive.
It is worth talking to the individuals doctor to see if there is anything they can suggest if the persons mental health is deteriorating. It is important that you are able to meet their needs as well as the rest of the group.
Have a look at the life history work and see if you can tailor activities that better suit them and give them purpose. Maybe they could help the gardener for an hour if that is what they enjoy and they could bring in produce from the garden to share with the group. This would help break down barriers between residents who may have become hostile towards the individual. Giving small responsibilities and tasks can help the person feel valued and respected.
I hope this helps,
Jan
