The final project has a number of options, enabling you to select an option that reflects your unique abilities and interests. They include: Option 1: Portfolio Option 2: Debate Option 3: Poster Optio

The final project has a number of options, enabling you to select an option that reflects your unique abilities

and interests. They include:

Option 1: Portfolio

Option 2: Debate

Option 3: Poster

Option 4: Creative Expression

Option 5: Brochure

Option 6: Education Workshop

Option 7: Arts-informed project

Option 8: Formal lecture

You may work in a team with one or two others, depending on the option chosen.

Information on the final project options is outlined below. A list of general questions for each of the options

follows and should be submitted with the project.

Criteria for Final Project

Your final project should:

Show evidence of understanding the philosophy of the course (i.e., person focus vs. task-centred).

Demonstrate insight into the behaviour and needs of persons with dementia.

Apply knowledge from the course to an appropriate project and medium of expression.

Demonstrate an understanding of concepts and dementia care strategies discussed during the course

which include:

communication strategies

care planning

understanding behaviours

prevention/intervention strategies

recreation/meaningful activity strategies

activities of daily living strategies

assessment strategies

nutritional strategies

identifying partner-in-care needs

stress management

Demonstrate professionalism through the use of appropriate language and the practice of confidentiality.

Be presented in Session 9.

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Descriptions of Options

Option 1 — Portfolio

Create a portfolio on caring for a person with dementia by gathering information on a specific topic (from

the course) that you found interesting and would like to know more about. Include a list of the research

articles and books that you found helpful in exploring your topic and include a brief explanation of why

each was chosen. Also include your own experience and reflection with the topic and how working on it has

affected a) your understanding of dementia, and b) your role in supporting a person with dementia. Submit

the portfolio to the facilitator at the last session. Remember to follow the Project Guidelines and answer all

Project Presentation Questions.

Option 2 — Debate

A debate would require a minimum of two individuals to prepare an oral presentation illustrating different

perspectives of a specific issue related to dementia. The key points for the debate should be documented and

given to the facilitator (for example, segregation [dementia care unit] and/or use of restraints in all long-

term care sites). Total time for the debate would be 15-20 minutes and it would be held during Session 9.

Remember to follow the Project Guidelines and answer all Project Presentation Questions.

Option 3 — Poster

Create a poster which uses pictures, images, or graphs as well as text to explore some aspect of caring for a

person with dementia. Some objectives might be:

T o increase understanding of dementia through a range of methods including traditional research,

stories, ethnography, or lived experience.

T o showcase the latest research on person-centred care practices for persons living with dementia.

T o showcase efforts or initiatives which have helped improve the health and well being of persons

with dementia.

For this option, the learner would present and explain the poster to the class at the last session

(presentation time: 10 minutes). Remember to follow the Project Guidelines and answer all Project

Presentation Questions.

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Option 4 — Creative expression such as a video, play, poem, song or puppet show

Develop and present a video, play, poem, song or puppet show which demonstrates a thorough

understanding of a topic covered during the course (i.e., the experiences presented by dementia in either a

home care or long-term care setting).

The video, play or puppet show should be 8-10 minutes in length and be presented during Session 9.

With the poem or song option, include a discussion that explains the meaning of your work (i.e., explain

any symbolism used). The poem or song would be presented during Session 9. Remember to follow the

Project Guidelines and answer all Project Presentation Questions.

Option 5 — Brochure

Create a brochure for an actual or fictional organization or program that demonstrates the person-centred

care principles presented in this course. The brochure should demonstrate an understanding of dementia

and address specific topics or strategies discussed in this course. For example, a brochure on nutrition

would identify issues with meeting the nutritional requirements for persons with dementia and highlight

strategies to support good nutritional health. The brochure format would utilize an 8” x 11” or 8” x 14”

sheet, front and back, and include the use of graphics. It would be presented to the class and submitted

to the facilitator at the last session. Remember to follow the Project Guidelines and answer all Project

Presentation Questions.

Option 6 — Education Workshop

Design a 30-minute workshop session to educate staff and/or other partners in care on a specific aspect of

caring for persons with dementia. The objective is to enhance the well-being of persons with dementia and/

or improve the working environment for staff. For example: develop a workshop session for maintenance

workers or family members on how their interactions with the person with dementia contribute to the

supportive environment. An overview of your workshop would be presented during Session 9. Remember

to follow the Project Guidelines and answer all Project Presentation Questions.

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Option 7 — Arts-informed project

This final project option calls upon you to reflect on your past, present, and possible future journeys as

someone supporting a persons living with dementia. In this final project you will explore meanings, issues,

and strategies.

For example, you may choose to:

reflect on a range of aspects that have contributed to your growth as a care provider of persons with

dementia

reflect on a specific topic of care that you learned in this course

reflect on your occupation as a whole. This might include a reflection on how your occupation has

changed over time, how it is perceived and represented within society (i.e., in the media), the general

needs and concerns of people who work in your occupation, how your occupational role is connected

with other occupations and professions, etc.

Represent these critical reflections in an artistic way. Be creative. Consider using media such as clay,

photography, painting, drawing, collage, papier mâché, quilting, wood, fabric, etc.

In addition to your creation, include a brief write up (one to two single-spaced pages) that describes and

explains the artistic piece you created (i.e., why you chose this medium/media, what message you hope to

convey, what meanings this artistic piece has for you, etc.). Remember to follow the Project Guidelines and

answer all Project Presentation Questions.

Option 8 — Formal lecture

Write a formal lecture which focuses on a key topic related to dementia; for instance, research and describe

the process by which a person is assessed for dementia. You may draw on research from academic journals,

stories, critical reflections on your own experiences, and/or other information that you have acquired from

accurate and reliable sources. Include an outline at the beginning of your lecture. Your lecture time is 10

minutes so plan to make your lecture concise, clear, and attention-grabbing.

It is recommended you practice (and time) your lecture a few times before presenting it. Consider

including visual aids to support your lecture. You may also wish to spice up your lecture with a very short

“sound bite” (such as music, a short audio recording of an interview with an expert, a very short piece from

a DVD, etc.). Share a list of references used with your audience (for example, by putting the reference list

in a handout or a power point slide). Provide a written copy of your lecture with a reference list to your

facilitator. Remember to follow the Project Guidelines and answer all Project Presentation Questions.

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Project Guidelines

Choose a project option to present one (or more) aspects of care for persons with dementia. Get

approval from facilitator to proceed with the chosen project option. Doing this earlier in the course

allows you more time to put your project together. If you wish to focus on topics covered in the last few

sessions, you can still do preliminary research and organize your thoughts and ideas for your chosen

project. Speak to the facilitator if you have any questions about your option.

Obtain permission/consent from subjects (or their family members), if appropriate for your project,

i.e., if you are including photos or other visual images of persons with dementia or others, including

classmates, colleagues, etc. in your project. Families can be a valuable resource for information that will

assist you in completing your project. When involving families as a resource make sure to follow ethical

guidelines. (See your facilitator for more details).

The project is a “work in progress” . It should begin early in the course and be expanded and refined as

you gain insights from the course material. After each session, ask yourself how the material applies to

your project. Consider caregiving principles and/or tools from the course that are relevant to your topic.

Reflect the overall philosophy of Dementia: Understanding the Journey in your final project.

Illustrate insights gained about dementia (rather than repeating course material presented); include

personal reflections and experiences.

Use concepts presented in the course to demonstrate your understanding.

Plagiarism is unacceptable. Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s words or ideas (taken from any

source, including the Internet), as though they were your own. Specific examples of plagiarism include,

but are not limited to: copying written text without using quotation marks around that written text

and/or without acknowledging the source; paraphrasing and/or summarizing the original wording too

closely to the original; failing to acknowledge the source you have paraphrased and/or summarized;

giving your facilitator work that has been written in full or in part by someone else. If you are uncertain,

please consult with your facilitator.

Follow ethical guidelines (for example, if you are using photographs or other visual images of anyone,

ensure you have written permission from your subjects).

Use appropriate language and terminology.

Provide an abstract (a project summary which can be included in the portfolio), on the poster,

brochure, the accompanying description of your arts-informed project or in the lecture notes. It can be

read aloud before beginning your debate, play, puppet show or workshop, etc. An abstract is a succinct

description (summary) of your work (e.g., 150-250 words). It should:

Explain why your work is important — set the context and answer the question, “So what?”

Describe the objective(s) of your work.

Succinctly state insights, conclusions, and/or recommendations. This is what most people want

to know.

Present the material in a well-organized, formatted, consistent, clear, and concise manner regardless of

the format used, (i.e., portfolio, poster, brochure, debate, video, play, puppet show, lecture, workshop

presentation, or arts-informed project).

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Edit the material for spelling, grammar, clarity, etc.

Be prepared to present your project to the class during the final session.

Answer the questions below, describing your project, and submit this with your project to the facilitator.

This will be considered part of the final assessment.

Submit the project on time.

Adhere to time allotted for your project presentation.

Project Presentation Questions

Name: ________________________________________________________________________

Project Option: _________________________________________________________________

Project Title: ___________________________________________________________________

Date: ___/___/_____(mm/dd/yyyy)

The following questions are to be completed for each of the project options:

1. Write an summary of your project.

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2. What course concepts and dementia care strategies (e.g. communication strategies, nutrition strategies)

have you chosen to illustrate? Why? Reminder: you need a minimum of two strategies.

3. What care principles and/or tools did you refer to in your project?

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4. Explain how this project changed your attitude and behaviour towards support persons living with

dementia.

ICONS USED IN THIS TEXT BOOK:

Indicates Activities Indicates Discussions Indicates Key Concepts

This text book does not hyphenate text. Footnote URLs found with hyphens actually contain those hyphens.

Dementia: Understanding the Journey

make a poster by following poster instructions