An overview of my services in the field of dementia careIndividual, empathetic, discreet – since 2015
Day care, basic care and biographical workCompassionate dementia care in familiar surroundings
I am happy to support you in caring for your relatives with dementia, which is often a great burden for the family.
To relieve you, I offer professional day care, basic care, and life-story work. I base my approach on the Validation Method by Naomi Feil. This allows your loved ones to live in their familiar environment for as long as possible.
Naomi Feil's validation methodWho is Naomi Feil?
Naomi Feil is the founder of the Validation Method. She was born in 1932 in Munich and grew up in the Montefiore Senior Home in Cleveland, Ohio, run by her father; her mother managed the social work department there. After earning her Master’s Degree in Social Work at Columbia University in New York, Ms. Feil began her work with elderly people.
She found the traditional methods of working with seriously disoriented elderly clients unsatisfactory and, for this reason, developed the Validation Method between 1963 and 1980.
In 1982, she published her first book “Validation, The Feil Method” (German title: Validation, ein Weg zum Verständnis verwirrter alter Menschen, 1990), which she revised in 1992. Her second book, “The Validation Breakthrough” (German title: Validation in Anwendung und Beispielen), was published in 1993. Naomi Feil and her husband have produced numerous films and videos on aging and validation. Ms. Feil is the Executive Director of the Validation Training Institute (VTI) and a sought-after speaker in North America and Europe.
Since 1989, she has traveled to Europe three times a year for lectures and holds workshops in Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, France, Belgium, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Austria. Her books are available in French, Dutch, German, Italian, Finnish, Danish, and Swedish.
On November 20, 2009, Naomi Feil received the Vienna Alois Alzheimer Award.
What is validation?Dignity, understanding and compassion in dealing with dementia
Validation is a method for communicating with disoriented, very elderly people. This technique helps reduce stress and enables this group of people to regain dignity and happiness. Validation is based on an empathetic approach and a holistic understanding of the individual. By “stepping into someone else’s shoes” and “seeing through their eyes,” one can enter the world of very old, disoriented individuals and decipher the reasons for their sometimes strange behavior.
The Validation theory helps us understand that many very old, disoriented people diagnosed with Alzheimer-type dementia are in the final stage of their lives and strive to resolve unfinished tasks in order to die in peace. These final efforts are of crucial importance, and we, as Validation practitioners, can support them in this process. Using Validation techniques, we provide them the opportunity to express themselves verbally or non-verbally. Validation practitioners are caring, non-judgmental, and open to the feelings expressed. When elderly, disoriented people can express emotions that they have often suppressed for years, the intensity of these emotions decreases, communication improves, and they are less likely to slide into an advanced stage of disorientation.
Validation means “to affirm as valid” or “to value.” Naomi Feil’s concept serves to assess the behavior of very old, disoriented individuals. Unlike the reality-orientation approach, Validation confirms the subjective reality of people with dementia. The method of Validation attempts to understand the reasons for disorientation, prevent withdrawal into the past, and stop the slide into what Feil termed the “vegetative stage.” Furthermore, it aims to restore self-esteem and improve physical and psychological well-being. Through Validation, the person with dementia is to be returned their dignity.
The approach of my workOpening doors with memories
The foundation of my work is memory work, based on the life biography of the person concerned. To open the closed door of their memory through memories. First a crack, and then gradually wider. Through memories, to activate memory and brain cells, to stimulate language, to promote mobility, to engage all senses, and to convey self-confidence in the abilities that remain.
My goal is to provide intensive, individualized, and meaningful engagement and life design appropriate to the illness. It is important to me to convey joy of life, fun, and security and to create an identity through a personal atmosphere, so that your loved ones can live in their familiar environment for as long as possible.
A transparent overview of my pricesDementia care for seniors in Ibiza
For the area of dementia care, I charge €35.00 per hour. Travel to and from the client is billed at €0.38 per kilometer. Any expenses for special costs such as concert tickets, entry tickets, meals, travel expenses, etc., must be covered by the client. Employment on a part-time or full-time basis is also possible (salary by agreement).