This week I worked in a unit where we all had to wear masks the entire time. The unit had recently experienced a covid outbreak and it had to have come from one of the workers, as no-one else was allowed to enter, so they were finally exploring how best to use PPE to protect everyone.
It was interesting to observe what I was first introduced to as ‘biker’s nods’, back in the days of being on the back of a moterbike, in the staff engagements, burner behaviour of saying hello with body language as our expressions were mostly hidden by our masks.
And then I recalled one of the residents I worked with in a dementia unit, so far in her own happy head that she was unable to engage much with reality. But she knew when you were smiling at her, even with the mask covering. The way she responded when you gave her a big beaming smile, it doesn’t matter that she can’t see your face. There’s something I’ve noticed about a good number of dementia clients, is that they seem to reflect what you project at them. They have lost the ability to ‘be nice’ and are very much in tune with the thoughts in your head. If you’re nice to them, they are often lovely back. They can feel when you’re thinking about going home for the day. But, put them in an environment where they never get their needs met and they take advantage because they don’t know when their needs are going to get met again. Dementia clients don’t remember events, they remember how they were made to feel, and if someone new makes them feel lovely, they want more of that.
mmmm, not sure where I was going with that. It’s just like being around sensitive children, though. Feeling what’s in the room. And practicing having that happy mask on, in order to have an easier day.