NZQA registered unit standard
23920 version 4
Page 1 of 5
Title
Describe dementia, support, and safe practice to support people
living with dementia in a health or wellbeing setting
Level
4
Purpose
Credits
6
This unit standard is for people providing services in a health or
wellbeing setting.
People credited with this unit standard are able to describe the
following when supporting people living with dementia:
dementia, support, and safe practice.
Classification
Health, Disability, and Aged Support > Older Persons' Health
and Wellbeing
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
2
Legislation and standards relevant to this unit standard include:
Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services
Consumers’ Rights) Regulations 1996 (the Code of Rights);
Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001;
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
Human Rights Act 1993;
Privacy Act 1993;
Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988;
NZS 8134.0:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (general) Standard;
NZS 8134.1:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (core) Standards;
NZS 8134.2:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability
services (restraint minimisation and safe practice) Standards;
NZS 8158:2012 Home and Community Support Sector Standard;
SNZ HB 8134.5:2005 Health and Disability Sector Standards – Proposed Audit
Workbook and Guidance for Residential Services for People with Dementia;
SNZ HB 8134.6:2006 Best Practice Guidance for Community Services for People
with Dementia and Proposed Audit Workbook;
SNZ HB 8163:2005 Indicators for Safe Aged-care and Dementia-care for
Consumers; available at http://www.standards.co.nz/.
Definitions
Condition – a state relating to a person’s health and functional status usually related
to a specific illness, disease or disability. Examples include but are not limited to –
asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic wounds, congestive
heart failure and/or other heart conditions, depression, diabetes, epilepsy,
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
23920 version 4
Page 2 of 5
hypertension, multiple sclerosis, obesity, Parkinson’s disease, respiratory disease,
stroke, other complex, terminal, and/or life limiting condition.
Dementia is a term that covers a group of different illnesses with a progressive and
irreversible loss of mental functioning resulting in a decline in the person’s ability to
think, reason, and remember. A feature of dementia is the individual and changing
nature of the cognitive, functional, behavioural, and psychological effects that occur.
Health or wellbeing setting includes but is not limited to the – aged care, acute care,
community support, disability, mental health, and social services sectors.
Organisational policies and procedures – policies, procedures, and methodologies of
an organisation. They include legislative and regulatory requirements which may
apply across a company, a specific site, or a workplace. Requirements are
documented in the company’s health and safety plans, contract work programmes,
quality assurance programmes, policies, and procedural documents.
Person – a person accessing services. Other terms used for the person may include
client, consumer, customer, patient, individual, resident, service user, tūroro, or
tangata whai ora.
Personal plan – a generic term that covers the individual or group plans (which may
also be referred to by other names) that are developed for people receiving support
(and may include their family/whānau as appropriate).
Person-centred approach – an approach which places the person being supported at
the centre by encouraging participation and choice, and viewing them as an
individual with unique qualities, abilities, interests, preferences, and needs. A
person-centred approach for a person living with dementia focuses on relationships,
communication, and the individuality of the person living with dementia. It also
focuses on the needs, feelings, and abilities that are retained by the person living
with dementia.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe dementia in a health or wellbeing setting.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Dementia is defined and distinguished from the normal ageing process of the
brain.
Range
definition includes but is not limited to – loss of nerve cells, slower
reactions and decisions, memory changes, plaques and tangles.
1.2
Dementia is distinguished from delirium and depression.
1.3
Dementia is described in relation to its different types.
Range
1.4
types include but are not limited to – Alzheimer's disease, vascular
dementia, one other type.
Dementia is described in relation to its stages.
Range
stages include early/mild, moderate, advanced/severe.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
1.5
Dementia is described in terms of other co-existing conditions.
Range
1.6
23920 version 4
Page 3 of 5
other co-existing conditions includes but is not limited to two other
co-existing conditions and how these may impact on support being
provided.
The effects of dementia are described in terms of their impact on daily living.
Range
effects of dementia must include – cognitive effects, functional
effects, behavioural effects, psychological effects;
evidence is required for at least two impacts for each category of
effect.
Outcome 2
Describe support for people living with dementia in a health or wellbeing setting.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Support is described in terms of a person-centred approach that is in
accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
2.2
Person-centred approach is described in terms of the support required at each
stage of dementia.
Range
2.3
stages include early/mild, moderate, advanced/severe;
support required at each stage of dementia may include but is not
limited to – support that reacts to changes in the condition and its
implications; support that reacts to changes in a person’s needs;
the effect support may have on the person’s quality of life;
medication and its effects; effect support may have on
relationships, communication, individuality, feelings, abilities
retained; holistic wellbeing;
evidence is required of two aspects of support at each stage of
dementia.
The importance of meaningful activity for a person living with dementia is
described in terms of the person’s wellbeing in accordance with their personal
plan and organisational policies and procedures.
Range
meaningful activity may include but is not limited to – connection
with the community, spiritual activities.
Outcome 3
Describe safe practice when supporting people living with dementia.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Safe practice for supporting people living with dementia is described in relation
to legislation and standards relevant to this unit standard.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
Range
3.2
evidence is required in relation to three items of legislation and
standards.
Categories of restraint used when supporting a person living with dementia are
described in accordance with the national standard for restraint minimisation
and safe practice.
Range
3.3
categories must include personal, physical, environmental,
seclusion, medication.
Ways in which a person’s rights are maintained during restraint practice is
described in relation to supporting a person living with dementia.
ways must include but are not limited to – dignity, privacy, support,
communication, safety.
Range
3.4
Ways in which organisational policies and procedures comply with the national
standard for restraint minimisation and safe practice are described in relation to
supporting a person living with dementia.
ways may include but are not limited to – documentation,
assessment, informed consent, planning, care and monitoring
requirements, reporting and recording, evaluation and review,
approval process;
evidence is required of four ways.
Range
3.5
23920 version 4
Page 4 of 5
An enduring power of attorney for a person living with dementia is described in
relation to the person’s personal plan and in accordance with organisational
policies and procedures.
Planned review date
31 December 2020
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
20 March 2008
31 December 2017
Revision
2
21 January 2011
31 December 2017
Review
3
18 June 2015
N/A
Review
4
19 November 2015
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0024
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
23920 version 4
Page 5 of 5
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services ITO Limited info@careerforce.org.nz if
you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016