Cognitive and/or Mental Health Challenges
Course Description
This course builds on content from other courses to assist students to explore concepts and caregiving approaches that will allow them to work effectively with individuals experiencing cognitive and/or mental health challenges. The emphasis in this course is on supporting clients with dementia, recognizing responsive behaviours, and identifying person-centred intervention strategies.
Minimum course hours: 60
Learning Outcomes
- Describe ways to organize, provide, and evaluate person-centred care and assistance for clients experiencing cognitive challenges:
- 1.1 Explain the difference between confusion, delirium, and dementia.
- 1.2 Identify causes of reversible and irreversible dementia and describe the primary forms, causes, symptoms, and treatments, as well as the stages of dementia.
- 1.3 Discuss principles of person-and family-centred care used to care for individuals living with dementia.
- 1.4 Use effective communication strategies for interacting with persons with dementia.
- 1.5 Describe the behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia, including factors influencing behaviours and strategies for preventing and responding to behaviours.
- 1.6 Describe appropriate techniques for assisting with personal care and dietary intake for persons with dementia.
- 1.7 Describe appropriate activities for individuals experiencing different levels of dementia.
- 1.8 Identify the needs of the families and professional caregivers and describe ways to support them.
- Describe ways to organize, provide, and evaluate person-centred care and assistance for clients experiencing mental health challenges:
- 2.1 Explain the mental health continuum and identify factors that influence the mental health and well-being of individuals.
- 2.2 Describe the causes, symptoms, treatments, and prevalence of common mental health disorders and conditions.
- 2.3 Discuss stigma associated with mental health challenges and stigmatizing language.
- 2.4 Discuss how perceptions of mental health challenges may differ between diverse groups.
- 2.5 Describe the principles and approaches for person-centred care of the client and family.
- 2.6 Identify implications of involuntary admission under the Mental Health Act.
- Describe effective approaches for responding to responsive and reactive behaviours:
- 3.1 Identify behavioural indicators that an individual or group is becoming reactive or exhibiting behaviours that could impact safety.
- 3.2 Describe appropriate verbal and non-verbal techniques to promote a calming atmosphere and de-escalate responsive behaviours.
- 3.3 Identify when and how to exit a potentially unsafe situation.
- Describe effective approaches for recognizing, responding to, and preventing elder abuse.
- 4.1 Identify types of elder abuse.
- 4.2 Describe signs and symptoms of elder abuse.
- 4.3 Discuss risk factors and underlying causes of elder abuse.
- 4.4 Discuss strategies for preventing and respo