Blog 95. Dementia and the Humanistic Approach

I will focus on dementia and the humanistic approach. It is about how you view demented patients and all human beings. It determines the meaning and objective of your contact.

Motivational Work is based on a humanistic or positive view of humanity. Such a view is not unique to this method – a whole discipline of psychology adopts a humanistic approach, namely humanistic psychology.

A Humanistic Approach

A humanistic approach generally recognizes humans as benevolent beings whose motivation and endeavors are fundamentally positive, life-embracing, and not destructive. The innermost core of a human being is constructive energy. Motivation is a synonym for the positive life force is motivation. The positive core exists in all people without exception, regardless of their outward ‘label’.

Psychological Factors

The risk is that the motivational worker is too much influenced by the physiological factors concerning demented patients, so he forgets about the psychological aspects, especially the existence of the positive core.

However, independently of the biological consequences of dementia, he can keep his belief that the patient’s positive core remains intact. Since our knowledge of how the brain works is limited, as is our understanding of the disease, there is no obstacle to continuing trust in the humanistic approach.

Psychological Methods

Motivational Work is based on the notion that a patient’s positive core can be amplified using psychological methods and that causing his eventual weakened well-being (motivation) is immense inner pain. People are more than genes and physiological processes; this idea cannot be proved or refuted, just like biological models.

The Positive Core: The Objective of Motivational Work

The objective of Motivational Work is to nourish the positive energy in the positive core. This approach also reduces the risk of burnout, as no external affirmation is needed in the patient’s behavior to fulfill this objective.

Weakening of the Positive Core: Emotional Pain

The theory in Motivational Work is that the positive core is strong when the person has self-esteem and enough psychic energy to be open to his feelings. Especially essential is his capacity to embrace his emotional pain.

I think all dementia patients are in agony because of the deterioration of their brains. No longer can they remember what matters to them, and they are conscious about it, at least, before the disease has progressed too far.

Memory loss makes their existence insecure, and they must rely on others to manage their life situation. The inability to recognize others makes it difficult to trust family members and helpers. Furthermore, the impact on the brain can cause muscle and other body parts pain.

An example

For example, a male patient still has an emotional relationship with his wife. When he meets her, he cannot recognize her. His dilemma is, should he treat her as his spouse, or is he in front of a stranger? It is a painful and anxiety-provoking situation.

The implication of the pain

To sum up, the pain and apprehension are severe in demented patients. At the same time, the brain is damaged. It leads to the patient’s reduced psychic energy to deal with his anguish. In turn, the result is a weakened positive core. The dilemma is that he cannot himself restore the lost life force.

The Motivational Worker Strengthens the Positive Core

The motivational worker cannot stop the progressing destruction of the patient’s brain. Nevertheless, it is still possible to strengthen the positive core, which is vital for the sick person’s well-being. It will lead to the patient taking better care of himself, being more hopeful, and having increased self-confidence and self-esteem. He also has a better ability to bond with others.

Motivational Work aims to strengthen the positive core and can encompass all human beings. The patient does not need to be motivated to be supported. In the same way, brain damage is not an obstacle.

No One is Hopeless

Consequently, no one is hopeless. This approach also reduces the risk of burnout, as no external affirmation is needed in the patient’s behavior to fulfill this objective. Even if the destruction of the brain continues, the patient can still be helped to have a more positive life.

Validation of Believing

As a family member, I can validate the effect of believing in the positive core. It is always meaningful for me to see my wife, even if she has difficulties recognizing me, is aggressive, or withdraws. I can continually strengthen her positive energy.

The staff can have the same goal in their care for the patient. Hence, there are possibilities for helping the patient independent of the symptoms and progression of the disease.

Belief is Energy

With the belief in the positive core, the family members or staff give themselves energy. They do not need concrete positive confirmation from demented patients to keep their motivation to help. Their faith in the humanistic approach gives them meaning to hold on having a relationship.

The Next Blog

However, it is not enough with a humanistic view. You also need a theory about the meaning of the destructive behavior of the demented patient and how you can respond. It will be the theme of my next blog.

Contribute to Research

Dementia is a terrible disease, bit by bit, you lose your loved one, and you cannot stop it. I hope that you all will contribute to the research on Alzheimer’s dementia.

P.S. Right now, you can get all four books on Motivational Work for free as an e-book if you apply for a Kindle unlimited membership at amazon.com. D.S.