Feeling cared for and valued is good for most people. However, emotional support in particular is of great importance for people with dementia. Experiencing compassion and understanding, as well as care, plays an important role in life expectancy. German scientists have come to this conclusion. In a current study, they analyzed the data of 500 people with dementia who live at home.
It has already been scientifically proven that a person's social environment, well-being, and health are interconnected. However, in the current study, researchers emphasize: „Not only the physical and health needs, but also the psychosocial needs of people with dementia should be prioritized.“
Because not only well-known demographic and clinical factors such as age, gender, severity of dementia, or other co-existing diseases influence life expectancy, but also the level of support from the social environment. „Love, care, compassion, understanding, and a sense of appreciation from others“ – this is what characterizes emotional support. And this plays an important role in the life expectancy of people with dementia.
Stress relievers for major life events
Emotional support can act as a stress buffer, especially during major life events. „Our findings provide initial evidence that this may also be the case for a life-changing event like the onset and living with a neurodegenerative disease such as dementia,“ the study states.
Considering only social support in predicting mortality, „the average lifespan of individuals with greater perceived social support was one year longer than the average lifespan of individuals with less social support.“
Accepted as is
The study, among other things, addressed the question of whether people with dementia „know someone who accepts them as they are, who shares joy and sorrow with them, and with whom they can openly share their thoughts and feelings.“ People with dementia rated this as significant. In contrast, support with everyday tasks, for example, played a subordinate role.
Attentive environment required
An important starting point for the authors would be to identify situations in which the emotional support of an older person changes significantly, for example, in cases of grief. In general, however, this requires „an attentive environment, precise identification of emotional support needs, and tailored recommendations for each individual.“ The analyses are based on data from 500 people with dementia living in home care settings in Germany, who were followed for up to eight years.
Tip for practice: When interacting with people with dementia, not only physical and health needs should be considered, but also psychosocial needs.
Here is the link to the study:
