HRM4007 Fostering Dignity and Respect

Mrs. McDonahue is an older woman of 84, with fairly advanced Alzheimer’s Disease and has been a resident of The Firs Residential and Nursing Care Home for the last 2 years

Her dementia symptoms are variable but she tends not to talk with anyone else and does not appear to be aware of her son when he comes to visit her in the afternoons. She is incontinent of both faeces and urine and part of her agreed care plan is to wear pads to maintain her cleanliness which should be changed often. 

The staff, who care for her, have heated discussions about Mrs. McDonahue, as she masturbates in her room every day and they disagree on the correct way of caring for her needs. 

Many of the staff say that Mrs. McDonahue should not be doing that and that she should be stopped and therefore, ensure her pads are very firmly fixed and she cannot access her body. 

Other staff say that Mrs. McDonahue should be able to do what she wishes and that the team need to support her well-being and comfort. 

What are the ethical concepts pertaining to freedom, rights, responsibilities and the use of power in care which apply to this situation and what kind of strategies could the staff employ to support and respect Mrs. McDonahue’s dignity? Consider how the staff can maintain effective communication and use their interpersonal skills including compassion, dignity and respect to deliver the best care possible to Mrs. McDonahue? 

In a reflective account, explain how this case study has contributed to your own learning, self-development and practice in understanding dignity and respect