Dementia is a disruptive disease, where medical supervision and care are taken for granted. But it is also about a person, who above all wants to continue his/her life and be and remain significant. Social contacts are hugely important for a person's well-being. Unfortunately, just now because of the coronavirus, relationships with loved ones and all other social contacts come under even more pressure. This is due to fear, uncertainty and changes in behaviour. All these components deserve attention.

In collaboration with Tao of Care, we are implementing the Social Approach to Dementia at Surplus. This approach has three main components:

Medical section: Dementia is a disruptive disease, where medical supervision and care are taken for granted.
Psychological part: It is also about a person, who above all wants to continue his/her life. And wants to continue to be of significance.
Social part: Relationships with loved ones and all other social contacts come under pressure due to anxiety, uncertainty and changes in behaviour.
Social Approach Digital
All three of these components deserve attention, as dementia has a major impact on several parts of a person's life. People who are vulnerable due to dementia, for instance, are often more socially vulnerable as well. Surplus therefore wants to offer these people appropriate support.

Because social contact had to be designed remotely due to coronavirus, Tao of Care accelerated digital development of the Social Approach Dementia vision. Tao of Care developed software to create a digital working form and e-learnings for the social approach. This is the Social Approach Digital.

Training Social Approach Digital
To explore the possibilities of Social Approach Digital, Surplus chose to start the programme with clients who attended day care at Surplus' Vuchterhage location but were temporarily unable to do so due to the corona virus. In order to continue providing these clients with appropriate support, five Surplus confidants were trained by Tao of Care.

In the training, confidential counsellors Jordi Nouwt, Mariëlle Roest, Lennie Koster, Hedwig Diepstraten and Marja Lugers learnt how to make contact and create trust from a distance from the social approach. Lennie, informal care consultant, will accompany four clients in the Etten-Leur municipality. Hedwig and Marja will also accompany five clients from the Vuchterhage residential care centre.

The training programme consisted of three modules. The digital network: connecting via image calls. The meaning channel: a form of digital day care that includes information, entertainment and remote guidance. And monitoring: calling in by the network without action by the client to see how things are going. Also discussed was how to flesh out the social approach to dementia.

Tablets
Clients participating in the Social Approach Digital project are given a tablet specially equipped for them on which they can follow activities via the meaning channel and make contact via video calls. The tablet is easy to use and confidants can offer support where needed. The tablets are always complementary to regular care services.

Official award ceremony
On 5 June 2020, the first tablets were officially handed out by Tao of Care! The confidants will start working with the selected clients. It promises to be a great way to provide support and we are looking forward to seeing the results.