Page 152 - KNJIGA SAŽETAKA

INOVACIJE I IZAZOVI U OBRAZOVANJU I SESTRINSKOJ SKRBI - KNJIGA SAŽETAKA

Didactic Games to Maintain the Cognitive Functions of

Dementia Patients

Dementia is a rapidly growing public health problem worldwide. It is a clinical syndrome
characterized by the decline of previously acquired mental functions, leading to a limitation or
inability to perform everyday activities. The more the disease progresses, the more the patient
requires the presence of medical personnel. In the final stage of the disease, healthcare
professionals provide palliative care to improve the quality of life of the person with dementia.
During this time, good communication skills are extremely important in order to provide quality
care to the patient and their family.
In our daily work with students, we have noticed that it is a problem for dementia patients to
make the first contact. In the social environment, the stigmatization of dementia patients is often
perceived, which can also create a feeling of insecurity and fear among future healthcare
professionals. To break down these communication barriers, we decided together with the
students to reuse medical consumables to stimulate the activity and creative development of
dementia patients and to develop interactive, didactic games to help maintain brain function.
We used the created materials and didactic games in clinical exercises in social care facilities
and received positive feedback from residents and all staff.

Key words: dementia, communication, recycled medical consumables, educational games

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