This one-page Word Swap Poster invites readers to consider swapping out common words in favour of person-centred language(PCL)-friendly words in everyday conversations.
The poster is available in French and English and contains a total of 15 examples under four categories: people, places, actions, and items.
We hope these examples can inspire you to reflect on the power of words when supporting people with, or at risk, of responsive behaviours/personal expressions. You can also explore more PCL resources to support your LTC homes’ inclusion journey.
Quality care and safety in LTC depend on teams that are proactive, reflective, and collaborative. Team Essentials program is based on leading practices; experiential, team-based learning and interprofessional competencies are integrated into the program in order to encourage discovery, critical thinking, communication, and solution-focused team responses.
The Person-Centred Language toolkit and report has background information, useful suggestions, activities, reflection questions and other resources to increase the use and spread of person-centred language in your long-term care home.
Activities can be done individually, as a small or large group, across your organization, and during recruitment, orientation or education sessions.
Practical knowledge of person-centred language ensures the appropriate, respectful, life-affirming and inclusive language is used when talking with and referring to people who communicate via responsive behaviours/personal expressions associated with dementia, complex mental health, substance use and/or other neurological conditions, and their care partners.
This toolkit is available in English (French version coming soon).
These posters feature the Person-Centred Language Commitment Statements and imagery to encourage the use and spread of person-centred language in your long-term care home.
Two versions of the poster are available in both English and French:
1) Full version with additional actions for each commitment statement.
2) Simplified version with larger graphics rather than additional wording.
Take the online pledge to commit to using person-centred language in your daily interactions with those who live, work in and visit your long-term care home. The pledge can be completed individually and as a team.
Print and save your personalized person-centred language certificate after taking the pledge to proudly display, keep on file and encourage others to do the same.
Practical knowledge of person-centred language ensures that appropriate, respectful, life-affirming and inclusive language is used when talking with and referring to people who communicate via responsive behaviours/personal expressions associated with dementia, complex mental health, substance use and/or other neurological conditions, and their care partners.
This webinar shares strategies and resources to increase the use of person-centred language in your long-term care home, developed in collaboration with Behavioural Supports Ontario, the Alzheimer Society of Ontario and people with lived experience.
By watching this webinar, you will:
Understand the importance of person-centred language when interacting with residents, team members and family members.
Increase your use of person-centred language by engaging in self-reflection exercises.
Learn strategies to enhance and sustain the use of person-centred language in your home.
This webinar is split into three 15-minute learning objectives focusing on different areas of person-centred language. Use the below links to navigate to each section.
This webinar series focuses on ways Ontario long-term care homes can apply their culture change journey to ensure residents living with dementia thrive.
Target Audience: Those who support people living with dementia and those in leadership roles.
Dementia Beyond Disease: Enhancing Well-being
aired: October 08, 2019
This webinar is the first in the two part series. Dr. Allen Power, Schlegel Chair in Aging and Dementia Innovation, shows the limitations of a traditional view of dementia and, how this view has not only failed to provide support for those living with the diagnosis, but how it has led to the overuse of dangerous psychoactive medications. Dr. Power describes an alternate view of dementia that focuses on the changing perspective of the individual and uses a framework of seven domains of well-being to understanding and address distress. He then outlines the aspects of culture change that must take place in order to embed this new approach when caring for those living with dementia, and share stories of success.
By watching this webinar, you will:
Understand the limitations of our biomedical approach to dementia
Describe the 3-pillar approach presented
Name the 7 domains of well-being and list some simple ways to put them into practice in various care settings
Negotiating Autonomy and Risk for People Living with Dementia
aired November 26, 2019
In this webinar, Dr. Allen Power, Schlegel Chair in Aging and Dementia Innovation, addresses the sensitive issues around balancing choice versus risk for people living with dementia. Using the approach outlined in the previous webinar “Dementia Beyond Disease: Enhancing Well-Being” held on October 8, 2019, he shows how the desire to avoid risk, and operational decisions made as a result of this, can create an environment that may look “secure,” but is actually unsafe. Using real-life stories and situations, Dr. Power will shows how we can best negotiate risk, in order to maximize well-being and individual rights.
By watching this webinar, you will be able to:
Define “surplus safety” and “all-or-none” thinking
Describe a 7-step process for negotiating risk
Explain how segregated living environments can harm autonomy
This one-page Word Swap Poster invites readers to consider swapping out common words in favour of person-centred language(PCL)-friendly words in everyday conversations.
