What is BSO?
The Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) initiative was created to enhance health care services for older adults with complex and responsive behaviours associated with dementia, mental health, substance abuse and/or other neurological conditions. Responsive behaviours can be minimized by understanding the person and adapting the environment or care to better meet the individuals’ needs. Understanding an individual’s history can help identify potential triggers or causes to responsive behaviours, along with strategies to reduce and support the individual with non-pharmacological interventions. Behaviours are not meaningless; they are an attempt to express distress, problem solve, or communicate unmet needs.
To learn more about BSO please visit Home – Behavioural Supports Ontario – southwest.behaviouralsupportsontario.ca
Responsive Behaviours
Responsive behaviours are a way in which person may react to their environment or try to communicate their needs.
Examples of responsive behaviours include but are not limited to:
- Hitting, kicking, pushing, biting, scratching, spitting
- Pacing or wandering, trying to get to a different place
- Screaming out, cursing
- General restlessness
- Hiding or hoarding objects
- Grabbing onto people
- Performing repetitious mannerisms, or repetitive sentences or questions
- Throwing items
- Hurting self or others
- Sexually expressive behaviours
- Negativism
BSO at Braemar
Our multidisciplinary BSO team utilizes the PIECES framework to better understand the true meaning of behaviour by reflecting on the resident’s physical, intellectual and emotional needs, their capabilities, their environment, and their social experiences in order to understand the resident as an individual. The team works alongside the resident and their loved ones to determine past history, important relationships, favourite hobbies or activities, successful behavioural interventions as well as identify any known responsive behaviour triggers. Individualized interventions and programming are created based on the aforementioned information and utilized to engage the resident with purposeful and meaningful activities in a manner that creates a positive Long Term Care experience and reduces instances and/or severity of responsive behaviours. Some meaningful activities that residents enjoy are helping to fold laundry, peel potatoes, polish silverware, sort objects, reminisce with photos and books and engaging in, and 1:1 visits. We also have a host of therapeutic activities offered in both group and individual settings such as doll therapy, pet therapy, and music therapy.
