One of the agreed ways of
working is safeguarding adults which relates to rights and choices of an
individual with dementia. Every individual has right to be safe from harm and
abuse regardless their physical and mental conditions. Therefore, we require to
record and report any concern or abuse we observe or come across. Individual
with dementia can be subject of abuse or become an abuser very easily as they
have lack of mental capacity, poor judgement, poor mobility, disorientation and
anger. Therefore, we must take reasonable action according to policies and
procedures to promote and maintain rights and choices of an individual with
dementia. An example is given below for you to understand better -
Example:
An individual with
dementia always choose not to have any personal care. It is the individual’s
choice which must be respected. Similarly, you have to consider your duty of
care. Your duty of care is what action have you taken or technique you have
approached to persuade the individual to maintain personal care. Recording
individual’s refusal in provided form is not enough to prevent individual from
being self-neglect. You must record what you have done to persuade or to make
agree the individual including different time, different person, family
meetings or involvement, who did you report and what is the outcome.
