Member article
By Jane Verity ©dementiacareinternational.com
What is Validation?
Validation is a way of listening and communicating that helps us explore, accept and understand the person with dementia who returns to the past. Carried out with empathy and love, this approach is positive and non-judgmental as you simply explore what they are attempting to communicate. You do not deny their reality and experiences, nor do you start to behave as if you were an active part of that reality. It is simply eliciting what is on their mind and being the person to share the experience.
Through validation, you accept that the person with dementia who returns to the past is using ‘retreat’ as a survival mechanism. When the person feels disregarded, or that they are losing their identity and control of their life, they withdraw to the past where they felt needed, useful, and loved. They usually do this by recreating significant people, places, objects or situations.
Real-Life Examples
Ninety-year-old ‘Edna’ tells everyone that her Dad is saying, ‘You are as good as a man the way you handle those horses!’ By restoring her Dad and the specific words he spoke, she feels special and loved, which boosts her self-esteem.
‘Leo’, who used to be a baker, sits speechless in his chair, continuously going through the motion of kneading dough. By doing this, he feels needed and useful.
There is a great technique when asking questions to successfully validate people when they retreat into the past .
Questioning Techniques
When the person still communicates in words and sentences, your questions can start with ‘Who’, ‘What’, ‘Where’, ‘When’ or ‘How’ but avoid ‘Why’.
If the person is communicating more in actions, body language and facial expressions, they will generally retain the ability to indicate ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ You can still gain an understanding by asking yourself what the person might be attempting to communicate. Then mirror this back to them to check whether your assumption is correct.
For example, in Leo’s situation you could say, ‘Leo, it looks to me as if you are kneading dough. Is that what you are doing?’ Leo only needs to indicate with ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
If the answer is ‘Yes’, you can then follow with a validating comment, such as, ‘You are very busy!’ Patiently wait for a response and if he answers, ‘No,’ simply ask another question until you get it right.
The wonderful thing with this approach is that there are no negative side effects. As long as you ask questions with empathy, care, and love, the person with dementia will know you are doing your best to help them make sense of what they are experiencing.