Change of outlook on elderly persons with dementia: a study of trainees during a year of special education

In 1996 the Silvia Home Foundation started a non-governmental education programme with an integrated day-care unit devoted to patients with dementia: Working chairwoman of the foundation is HM Queen Silvia of Sweden. This study aims to describe the trainees’ changed outlook on elderly people with dementia during a year of special education. Data were collected by interviews, informal discussions and participant observations during the lessons. The investigation focused on two questions: the trainees’ outlook on the patients and their outlook on the work with the patients. At the beginning of their education, the trainees looked at the patients from a staff’s perspective. During their education, this was gradually toned down and they changed to a disease perspective, and eventually to a human dignity perspective. After initially seeing dementia patients as a homogeneous group, the trainees went on to see them as unique human beings. Their outlook on their work also changed, from being task-oriented to a more humanitarian approach.