Dementia Care for Nursing Assistants

Dementia care for nursing assistants is a specialized branch of nurse assisting. Most nursing homes have a separate wing just for dementia patients, as the patient with dementia poses difficulties. Nursing homes often provide additional training for nursing assistants assigned to caring for dementia patients.  

Characteristics of Dementia Patients

Characteristics of dementia patients are that they are often out of touch with their current reality. They may also be in and out periodically. With dementia, the sufferer begins to go backwards in time and may revert to their childhood. This makes it difficult to communicate with them and get them to cooperate with the nursing assistant providing care.

Dementia Patients That Can Still Communicate and Cooperate

There will be patients who still understand the simple commands given by nursing assistants providing assistance with ADLs. Give simple and short commands as you would with a child, such as "Can you stand so I can get you ready to go?" and "I need you to wake up now because it is time for breakfast." Keeping it short and giving them the reason is the most effective with dementia patients with whom you can still reason.

Dementia Patients Who Do Not Communicate or Cooperate

Unfortunately, some of these patients have reverted so far back that getting them to cooperate is nearly impossible. They may be combative, think you are not helping them and do not cooperate at all or in a limited capacity. You must simply do the best you can to try to work with them while still performing your functions as a nursing assistant and always report their current condition in your documentation.