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Eldercare's Gary Campbell on the importance of dignity and respect in dementia care

Eldercare's Gary Campbell has had his latest blog post published by the Aged Care Channel to coincide with Dementia Awareness Month (September 1 to 30).

The ACC has featured Gary’s piece ‘When Nature Calls: A Struggle for Dignity’ in a collection of online resources about dementia experiences, support and education.

Gary’s post reflects on the experience of going to the toilet and how a ‘very private situation’ can become ‘something more public’ in an aged care setting.

“The horror of no longer being able to attend to this basic human need, and to find oneself in a compromising situation, is not to be underestimated,” writes Gary.

“I believe the key lies in developing a better understanding of each resident’s behaviour and mannerisms.

“I think it can be too easy sometimes to ‘label’ a certain type of behaviour when a resident may simply be in need of assistance; assistance that should enshrine a sense of dignity.”

The ACC invited Gary, who has worked as an enrolled nurse with Eldercare for nearly 30 years, to become a guest blogger last year after he won the 2015 Aged and Community Services Award (SA/NT) for ‘Best Employee’.

Read Gary's blog posts ‘When Nature Calls: A Struggle for Dignity’, ‘Matter of Time’, ‘Distraction’ and ‘We are all in this together’.

Dementia Awareness Month runs from September 1 to 30 and this year’s theme is ‘You Are Not Alone’.

Visit the Alzheimer’s Australia website for more information about Dementia Awareness Month and the events and activities happening in South Australia.

Image: Gary Campbell.

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