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Validation therapy is a communication technique used primarily with individuals who have dementia or other forms of cognitive decline. It focuses on validating and acknowledging the person’s feelings and experiences, even if they are based on inaccurate memories or perceptions, rather than trying to reorient them to reality.
Understanding Validation Therapy:
- Focus on Feelings:
- Validation therapy prioritizes emotional validation over factual accuracy.
- It acknowledges that a person’s feelings are real, regardless of their cognitive state.
- Empathy and Understanding:
- Caregivers strive to understand the person’s perspective and emotional needs.
- They attempt to enter the person’s reality, rather than forcing them into theirs.
- Communication Techniques:
- Active listening, reflective statements, and open-ended questions are used.
- Nonverbal communication, such as touch and eye contact, is also important.
- Goal:
- To reduce anxiety, agitation, and confusion.
- To enhance self-esteem and promote a sense of security.
- To improve communication.
Key Principles of Validation Therapy:
- Respect: Treating individuals with dignity and respect, regardless of their cognitive abilities.
- Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of another person.
- Acceptance: Accepting the person’s reality, even if it differs from your own.
- Validation: Acknowledging and affirming the person’s feelings and experiences.
How Validation Therapy Works:
- Active Listening: Paying close attention to the person’s verbal and nonverbal cues.
- Reflecting Feelings: Repeating back what the person has said, or reflecting their emotions.
- Using Open-Ended Questions: Encouraging the person to share their thoughts and feelings.
- Using Sensory Stimulation: Incorporating touch, music, or familiar objects to evoke positive memories.
- Matching Affect: mirroring the persons emotions in a calm and supportive way.
Relevance to Dementia Care:
- Individuals with dementia often experience confusion, disorientation, and memory loss.
- Reality orientation can sometimes cause further distress and agitation.
- Validation therapy provides a more compassionate and supportive approach.
The Misconception: Validation therapy is about agreeing with everything the person says, regardless of how incorrect it is.
Practical Applications:
- If someone with dementia is asking for their deceased spouse, instead of saying, “Your spouse is dead,” you might say, “You must miss them very much.”
- If someone is agitated and insists on going “home,” even though they are in their residence, you might say, “Tell me about your home. What does it look like?”
- If someone is expressing fear, do not tell them there is nothing to fear. Instead, ask them what they are afraid of, and then validate that feeling of fear.
Resources for Validation Therapy:
- Alzheimer’s Association:
- Provides information on dementia care and communication strategies.
- Link: https://www.alz.org/
- National Institute on Aging (NIA):
- Offers resources on caregiving and dementia.
- Link: https://www.nia.nih.gov/
- Mayo Clinic:
- Provides medical information on dementia and related conditions.
- Link: https://www.mayoclinic.org/
- The Validation Training Institute:
- Provides training and information on Validation therapy.
- Information can be found by searching “Validation Training Institute”
- Your Local Area Agency on Aging (AAA):
- They can provide local resources.
- Use the Eldercare Locator to find your local AAA.
- Link: https://eldercare.acl.gov/