Lesson 2: How Validation Developed, What is Validation: Beginning Principles
-
-
The feeling that other people approve will help that person open up to you with trust and real feelings. Really listening and taking the time to hear that person’s feelings is so important to build a true relationship. People crave validation from people. This will help build healthy relationships and improve their quality of life.
-
Feeling with people. Love this. I know that feeling. Understanding the person’s emotion and connection will make that person feel better.
-
Role play for Senior #1: Reality: Well Mrs. Smith, your husband comes to visit you every Saturday in your nice apartment that you live in here with us. It is a very nice apartment and you have been with us a couple weeks now and you really enjoy all the activities in your new environment.
Diversion: Mrs. Smith that is so nice of your husband to provide this nice getaway for you for some R & R, and I know how much you lov chatting and playing LRC with the ladies, so let’s go grab a cup of coffee and go play LRC with the ladies now.Role Play #2: Confrontation: Well Mrs. Smith I know you are anxious to get home to greet your kids when they get home, but when is your birthday? So you see we are in 2023 and so that would make you 95 years old, I think maybe your kids are all grown but they come visit you quite often here.
Reassurance: Oh Mrs. Smith, I know you are excited to go greet your kids and get dinner started but it is really only 1:30pm so you have plenty of time to get home. -
Before I started this course, I watched a lot of Naomi’s you tube videos and while I enjoyed seeing her interaction with seniors it really confused me as to why this highly experienced woman would use the term very old old people as that seemed to me very disrespectful. After starting the course and learning more about the day and age that she was interacting I understood that it was normal to call old people by this term. I also now know that it was not considered a form of disrespect in that day and age. It is good to know that validation courses are still being developed and modified for our current day and age. I look forward to learning more on the techniques and how they can help me in my work with seniors with dementia.
-
My thoughts about validation were that we were meeting our residents where they were, basically living in their world.
-
The idea that I had before about Validation was that you were telling the resident what they needed to hear to help them feel better and safe.
Know having a different perspective, Validation is having empathy, “walk in their shoes”, and will build trust, and trust will bring safety, and safety brings strength and strength renews feelings of worth and reduces stress. These will be moments of learning about them and their fears and concerns. -
Great conversations….
-
#1 Role Play exercise:
Diversion: Lets have some tea now and your husband will be along to pick you up in a bit
Reassurance: Oh don’t worry you’re husband paid for the whole day so you have plenty of time here
#2 Role Play Exercise:
Sympathy: Oh i understand I always worry about my kids also
Reassurance: Dont worry your kids are safe and in good hands with the sitter -
Validation is not merely a way of communicating, it is meant to promote deep empathy when caring for people that are disoriented, to help them feel safe, seen, heard, important. As I continue to study, it’s application can be made to everyone we interact with in life. That we can use Validation to restore safety
to people, make them feel important and heard helps me to truly understand that behind Naomi’s development of Validation was an inherent need bring this same sense of belonging and compassion to disoriented older adults giving them back a sense of self-worth that is often lost
Role play
Reality: Mrs. Smith, you live here now. You have been here for a couple weeks–see, this is your apartment. You need just a little extra help that you aren’t able to get at home. Your husband and family know that you are here and they visit you often!
Distraction: Before you go, would you mind to help me sort through these socks? It will take me all day if I have to match them all myself.