Inappropriate sexual behaviour and dementia: An exploration of staff experiences

Abstract

Research assessing the impact of inappropriate sexual behaviour (ISB) on staff working in dementia care is circumscribed, yet studies from comparable settings indicate that ISB appears uniquely challenging, particularly to personal and cultural values. This study explored staff experiences of ISB exhibited by older adults with a dementia. Fourteen staff working within an in-patient setting were interviewed. Participants’ experiences of ISB appeared underpinned by complex social and psychological processes. Shock, embarrassment and incomprehension were prominent when ISB was initially encountered. Knowledge of dementia, familiarity with patients and social norms were important in contextualising ISB and staff often minimised its impact by construing a lack of capacity. Feelings about ISB appeared equivocal and findings suggest that the effect of ISB should be routinely considered in preparing staff who work within dementia care.

Older residents’ perspectives on aged sexuality in institutionalized elderly care: A systematic literature review

“…Their fear not to be recognized appears to be not entirely unjustified since most of the included studies addressing older residents' attitudes toward diverse sexualities indeed allude to the existence of homophobia in residential aged care facilities. Research has shown that nursing staff as well are more prone to hold negative attitudes toward same-gender sexual contact than toward heterosexual intimacy (Di Napoli et al, 2013;Hayward et al, 2013;Hinrichs and Vacha-Haase, 2010).…”

“Behind Closed Doors with open minds?”: A qualitative study exploring nursing home staff’s narratives towards their roles and duties within the context of sexuality in dementia

“…Operating within a relationship centered framework (Talbot & Brewer, 2015) is likely to enhance communication with residents with dementia, helping prevent situations where care home staff feel morally compromised, reduce staff burnout and suboptimal care (Hayward et al, 2012;Mahieu et al, 2011), which has been reported to be associated with dealing with inappropriate sexual behaviours.…”

Behavioural Changes in Dementia and their Impact on Professional Caregivers: A Grounded Theory Approach

“…These included disruption concerning eating patterns, sleeping patterns, mood, engagement and aggression (Hayward et al, 2012;Hooren & Waterink, 2015;Mioshi et al, 2013) which often appeared to impact the way the caregivers felt (Hall et al, 2014). A lack of understanding around these behaviours appeared to lead to negative feelings regarding those residents suggesting the finding of Stokes et al (2014) regarding family caregivers' understanding may also be applicable to professional caregivers.…”