The Brain Change Model: Why We Choose a Positive Approach to Care

Turnagain Social Club is focused on social! We love getting people together for fun activities in a place where they can relax and enjoy life. Our goal is to make people happy, and nobody ever got happy by fixating on their negatives. That’s why we take the other approach.

We have all types of people come together at Turnagain Social Club, but this post focuses on how we use a positive approach with our guests who are going through cognitive changes. The Brain Change Model is an easy way to illustrate the stages of dementia that an affected person may experience.

Whether you are blessed with healthy aging and physical health or are experiencing declining mental health, you’ll find the following article very useful for understanding how we create a safe, healthy place for our guests to enjoy a few hours every day so they can separate their minds from the confusions and stresses of the world and have fun with others.

Are you looking for a great place for a senior to spend their days? We would love to talk!

What is the Brain Change Model?

Contrary to the conventional wisdom of the past, dementia is not part of normal aging. It is a disease.

As the Alzheimer’s Associations states, dementia is a broad term for a number of medical conditions resulting from damaged brain cells that trigger a decline in thinking ability, which can affect a person’s behavior, cause memory loss, and even degrade motor skills. A person can go through several stages of the disease, from barely affected to totally debilitated. Yet, dementia is not as easily diagnosed as a tumor that can be seen on an X-ray or fever that can be detected with a thermometer.

The Brain Change Model categorizes the progressing stages of dementia by comparing them to different gems, each of which has a distinct color and characteristics. Let’s take a quick look:

Sapphire – True Blue

This is a person who is not experiencing cognitive dysfunction and has a healthy brain that is characteristic of normal aging.

Diamond – Clear and Sharp

This person has just begun to experience the effects of cognitive dysfunction, so he or she still has clear thinking and, when happy and supported by others, is still capable. Yet, the occasional loss of memory or trouble thinking is irritating, so when distressed, this person can cut like a diamond. She can lash out, in other words, and cause arguments or hurt feelings. A Diamond person is still mentally healthy enough that she wants to retain normal routines and lifestyle, and in fact, other people may not even realize she is going through brain change. But it’s happening, and she may need some help and support.

Emerald – On the Go With a Purpose

This person is more strongly affected by her disease, and her awareness of time, place and/or situations, may not be accurate to reality. An Emerald person can engage in casual chats but will miss about 25% of words and will not remember details later. That said, she will likely remember how your body language and/or tone of voice made her feel. It’s important to be kind, patient, and helpful with an Emerald person. Her brain is starting to play tricks on her, and she may not always be rational.

Amber – Caught in a Moment

Amber is unlike other gems. If a gem is essentially a pretty rock, amber is hardened tree sap that has hardened over many, many years. Scientists study amber because it can – like the mosquito trapped in amber in the book/movie “Jurassic Park” – be a reflection of a moment frozen in time. Caution is required when dealing with an Amber person. She may not recognize current dangers or situations. And her nervous system is changing, so an Amber person may have a very sensitive mouth, hands, feet, and genitalia – which makes her intolerant of discomfort, which in turn, may be annoying to you.

Ruby – Deep and Strong Color

It is more difficult for a Ruby person to hide what is happening in their brains, and what’s more, her fine motor skills are limited. She is losing the ability to see, chew food, and maintain balance. Because of her difficulty fitting in with normal life routines, often, people stop trying to get through to or along with a Ruby person. Yet – and this is where the comparison with our final gem is really valuable for thinking about anyone with dementia – there is still a valuable person inside, if you have the patience to look.

Pearl – Hidden Within a Shell

A person in the Pearl stage of dementia has profound changes in both mind and body, including weight loss, difficulty with mobility, and in general, her systems are failing. People in this stage of the disease present challenges for their caregivers and are quite frail. But keep in mind that the outside of a clam is an ugly, rough shell. If we are patient and gentle, the shell will open to reveal the beauty within. The Pearl.

People experiencing dementia are still valuable human beings who can still contribute lots of love and thoughts and laughter to the world. We recognize their value, and we have a special way of welcoming them into our group, our social club, and a unique way to engage with them. It is the positive approach.

Our Positive Approach

At the beginning of this post, we mentioned that nobody ever achieved happiness by fixating on their negatives. But that is exactly what most people do with dementia, both those who have it and those who love them. They talk about everything they’ve lost.

They’ve lost the ability to remember things. They’ve lost the ability to recognize their own friends and family members. They’ve lost the ability to drive, to find their way home, to feed themselves. But the reason this view of people with dementia is off base is that it overlooks everything that is not lost. It overlooks the person who is still there.

We have many guests at Turnagain Social Club who are experiencing one of the stages of dementia listed above. And, to us, they are gems. They have value. They have much to contribute. Everyone on our staff is trained in hands-on techniques and methods of interaction that focus not on the memories and skills our guests have lost but on what they still have, can still do, and the valuable human being they still are.

We lead activities as a little community that allow our guests to utilize the skills and abilities they’re capable of and that reduce the fear of not being able to perform certain functions. Our positive approach is an insulator from the confusing, fearful world outside.

Our team sees the positive in our guests, and we interact with them in positive ways. The negatives are checked at the door. This allows our guests with dementia to relax with others in a friendly, fun group setting and forget what they’ve forgotten for a few precious hours. Every day.

Would you like to know more about our positive approach to care in Anchorage, Alaska? We’d love to talk with you.