Model Answer Unit 5, Activity 5.0, Step A Non-Verbal Communication For Engaging Seniors in Learning
Model Answer:
The CIRCA project allowed people with dementia to take the lead in a reminiscence activity. Care givers worked with them on an individual basis, and people with dementia could decide which subjects they would like to discuss. This led to a less pressured situation for care givers and could use more of the retained communication skills of people with dementia.
CIRCA used a screen-based computer interactive aid. The main finding of the project was that people with dementia can learn to use a touch screen.
In comparison to traditional reminiscence sessions without a touch screen, CIRCA allowed people with dementia to initiate subject choice and discussions more often. They also came up with more memories than in traditional sessions. People with dementia found the CIRCA sessions to be enjoyable. The music elements of CIRCA worked particularly well for people in the later stages of dementia because they provided a break from speech- based interaction. In CIRCA session there was less speech and less pressure to ask questions and talk.
Living in the moment wanted to engage with people with dementia in the moment. Living in the moment used games, skills and creative activities on a touch screen. The main finding of this project was that, over time, people were improving on performance on their games by getting faster and more accurate. So they learnt something new which goes against the assumption that people with dementia cannot learn new things.
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