The use of drama to support reflection and understanding of the residents' situation in dementia care: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
One key aspect of person-centredness is striving to understand both the patients' experiences and behaviours from their perspective. These aspects are precisely those that staff in dementia care highlight as causing them most difficulty because the people in their care have major problems expressing themselves. There is thus a need to develop a method to help the staff to achieve interpretation through reflection.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to explore the use of drama as a tool to support reflection among staff working in the residential care of people with dementia.


METHODS
A qualitative evaluation of a programme consisting of three drama sessions with staff working in residential care (n = 10 nurse assistants).


METHODS
Data comprised observations and tape recordings of the sessions, the researchers' reflections after each session and a focus-group interview with the participants. The texts were analysed using qualitative content analysis.


RESULTS
The analysis showed that: (i) the exercises stimulate reflection about daily caring practice; (ii) the participants must receive extensive information about the purpose of the sessions; (iii) the research team must secure the defined frames and conditions and have practical knowledge about caring for people with dementia and (iv) the management needs to be stable, committed and supportive.


CONCLUSIONS
Drama seems to be a valid tool to aid reflection, but several adjustments are needed concerning both the content of the sessions and the methodology. When designing a larger intervention study, it would be preferable to the sessions to be combined with staff support to effect changes in care provision resulting from their increased awareness of the residents' situation and experience.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results showed that drama can be a means to enhance reflection among staff in residential care for people with dementia. Further research is however needed concerning the effects for the staff's situation and nursing care quality.
Associate Professor, Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, SwedenProfessor, The Swedish Institute for Health Sciences, Lund University and Kristianstad University, Lund, SwedenSenior Lecturer, The Swedish Institute for Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Ingrid
I
Bolmsjö
Anna-Karin
AK
Edberg
Petra Lilja
PL
Andersson
D000328:Adult; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D004324:Drama; D005260:Female; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013192:Staff Development; D014743:Videotape Recording