Naomi Feil, Promoted Empathy as a Response to Dementia, Dies at 91
Naomi Feil, Empathy in Response to Dementia, Dies at 91.
Naomi Feil: Pioneering Comfort for Older Adults
Naomi Feil, a compassionate advocate for disoriented older adults, passed away at the age of 91 on December 24th at her home in Jasper, Oregon. Her entire career was dedicated to finding ways to bring comfort to older individuals and their caregivers. The cause of her death was cancer, according to her daughter, Vicki de Klerk-Rubin.
A Remarkable Journey of Empathy and Understanding
Naomi Feil’s journey began at the age of 8 when she moved into a home for the aged, where her parents worked. Growing up in that environment, she gained firsthand experience in comforting and communicating with older adults. This early exposure laid the foundation for her lifelong commitment to understanding and empathizing with disoriented individuals.
In her early twenties, Mrs. Feil worked as a social worker at the Montefiore Home for the Aged in Cleveland. It was there that she was introduced to the concept of validation therapy by a staff psychologist. This method, which she would later develop and champion, emphasized the importance of validating the feelings of older adults to provide them with relief and comfort.
Validation Therapy: A New Way of Relating
Validation therapy, as Mrs. Feil called it, focused on empathizing with disoriented individuals instead of trying to impose reality on them. By accepting them where they were in their own reality, she believed they could find acceptance within themselves. This person-centered approach challenged the traditional notion of dementia care and formed the basis of Mrs. Feil’s work.
A Legacy of Innovation and Advocacy
As Mrs. Feil refined her methods, she established the nonprofit Validation Training Institute in 1982. For over three decades, she directed the institute, training thousands of individuals worldwide to communicate with those experiencing cognitive decline, particularly dementia, through empathy.
Her groundbreaking work has been recognized and praised by experts in the field. Sam Fazio, the senior director of quality care and psychosocial research at the Alzheimer’s Association, referred to Mrs. Feil as a pioneer in person-centered dementia care. He emphasized the significance of meeting individuals with cognitive impairments in their own reality, rather than expecting them to conform to ours.
Controversy and Critics
While Mrs. Feil’s validation therapy received widespread acclaim, it was not without its critics. One objection raised was the concern that it condoned deception, as caregivers were encouraged to accept and validate their patients’ delusions. The British Alzheimer’s Society, for instance, questioned the authenticity and trustworthiness of systematically deceiving someone with dementia. However, others argued that lying or accepting delusions could be justified if it served the best interest of the patient.
A Lasting Impact
Despite the ongoing debate surrounding validation therapy, Mrs. Feil’s methodology has made a lasting impact. The Validation Training Institute reports that over 9,000 individuals across 14 countries have been trained in her approach, enabling them to effectively communicate and empathize with those experiencing cognitive decline.
In addition to her work in validation therapy, Mrs. Feil authored two books: “Validation: The Feil Method, How to Help the Disoriented Old-Old” (1982) and “The Validation Breakthrough” (1993). She collaborated with her daughter, Ms. de Klerk-Rubin, on an updated edition of the latter book. Furthermore, she and her husband, Edward R. Feil, a professional filmmaker, collaborated on various documentaries, including the critically acclaimed “The Inner World of Aphasia” (1968).
A Life Shaped by Resilience and Compassion
Naomi Feil, originally named Gisela Noemi Weil, was born on July 22, 1932, in Munich, Germany, to Jewish parents. Her family fled Nazi Germany when she was five years old, seeking refuge in the United States. Her father became the director of the Montefiore Home for the Aged in Cleveland, and her mother served as the head of the home’s social service department.
After completing her studies at Oberlin College and Columbia University School of Social Work, Mrs. Feil married Warren J. Rubin. She later joined the professional staff at the Montefiore Home, where she had once lived. In 1963, she married Edward R. Feil, her husband until his passing in 2021.
Mrs. Feil is survived by her daughters, Vicki de Klerk-Rubin and Beth Rubin, her sons, Edward G. Feil and Kenneth Jonathan Feil, six grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. In 2015, she and her husband relocated to Eugene, Oregon, where they resided on their son Edward’s farm. It was there that Mr. Feil, who was experiencing cognitive decline, received full-time home nursing care, piano lessons, painting classes, and validation therapy.
Continuing the Legacy
Naomi Feil’s remarkable contributions to the field of dementia care and her pioneering work in validation therapy will continue to inspire caregivers and professionals in the years to come. Her legacy serves as a reminder of the power of empathy, understanding, and acceptance in providing comfort to those in need..
1. Naomi Feil promotes empathy in response to dementia
2. Empathy as a response to dementia: Naomi Feil’s legacy.
