Nursing Care for Dementia
Page contents
- Nursing Intervention for Alzheimer’s and Dementia
- How Involved are Nurses in Dementia Treatment? Dementia Nurse Training
- What is the Role of Nurses in Dementia Care?
- Community Mental Health Nurses
- The Role of Nursing Staff in Diagnosis of Dementia
- Dementia Care Training for Nurses: Challenges of the Duty
Nursing Intervention for Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Everyone knows that nurses are the backbone of all healthcare systems. It is the direct, compassionate care that you provide that allows people to get the care they need in all stages of life.
Being a nurse and dealing with someone with dementia can be particularly challenging. It may not be clear how to respond to certain comments, repetitive questions, or misinterpretations of the world around them (hallucinations or delusions).
Well, we have some excellent educational material that will help clarify a lot of this and more at Deter Dementia University.
We know that the biggest fear of older adults is developing dementia, even when they are cognitively fully intact. We also know that the healthcare providers who have the most direct time with many patients are nurses. This puts you in a very unique position where you can help alleviate a lot of the affected person’s fears and provide them with advice and direction that is helpful to their goals.
Learning more about how to deter dementia will make you a better nurse and also empower you to educate the people under your care on many things that most clinicians (including many physicians) may not be aware of themselves.
You also have another tool now by being able to direct people with dementia to us here at Deter Dementia where they can take an even deeper dive into how they can help prevent dementia and continue to live wonderful, active lives.
How Involved are Nurses in Dementia Treatment? Dementia Nurse Training
The role of nurses and staff is widely acknowledged in the care and management of dementia. This vast role covers everything from medication to personal care, emotional support to assuring well-being and making the person feel understood and valued.
The treatment of a person with dementia can be challenging due to their declining cognitive abilities and the impact of this on their daily tasks. Frontline nurses help to manage these challenges and are absolutely vital to the care of all older adults, particularly those with cognitive impairment.
Today’s nurses play a variety of roles in medical practice, from personal care to education. To address the needs of the older population suffering from dementia and guarantee the provision of high-quality care, the nursing profession is regarded as essential.
On this page, you will find some information on the importance of nurses in dementia care and get some insight into whether you may need to hire a personal care nurse for a loved one suffering from dementia.
What is the Role of Nurses in Dementia Care?
A nurse is a medical health professional with detailed awareness regarding care, maintenance of medically approved routine, helping with medications and the management of challenges involved with a disease. When it comes to dementia, the nursing staff holds a lot of importance as they regulate a person with dementia to learn about becoming independent despite the disease.
Nursing staff also plays a vital role in encouraging a person with dementia to live more independently and gain self-awareness of what they are going through. One big reason why nurses are crucial in dementia care is that they can be involved in the affected person’s well-being from a professional standpoint and provide practical, effective advice to families and patients alike. The role of nurses in dementia care includes:
Community Mental Health Nurses
Individuals with dementia and mental health issues receive treatment, care, and support from community mental health nurses. Typically, they don’t perform hands-on nursing duties but provide very helpful care strategies and approaches.
| District Nursing Staff | Depending on where you live, a district nurse (or ‘home-care’ nurse) will work in the community and provide home nursing care for people with dementia or any other illnesses. They can assist you with a variety of tasks including medication administration, wound care, and many other areas. |
| Practical Nurses | In a general practitioner practice, nurses perform a variety of tasks, including check-ups and flu shots. They manage clinics, provide general medical care, and tend to people who are chronically ill. |
| Allied Health Specialists | For assistance with certain physical health issues, you might consult with other specialists. These nurses offer services in a hospital, care facility, or your home. They often work closely with other allied health professionals including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and others. |
The Role of Nursing Staff in Diagnosis of Dementia
Dementia is much more common as we age since age is one of the most notable risk factors for dementia and its various subtypes including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and others. Therefore, the role of nurses in seniors’ homes is of paramount importance. Most of the time, early diagnosis can reduce a person’s decline by leading care providers, individuals, and their families to focus on the strong prevention and brain health strategies we outlined here at Deter Dementia.
This is why nurses with expertise in dementia care should be present in many seniors’ homes to help identify early signs or symptoms of the condition.
Dementia can often be confused with delirium, depression or other conditions. Having a strong understanding of dementia will help a nurse direct a patient towards the most appropriate care. Symptoms of withdrawal, anxiety, loneliness, lack of appetite, agitation, and repeated asking of the same questions can often be seen.
Correct therapy for dementia, depression, or delirium depends on an accurate diagnosis, and nurses who are perceptive, compassionate, and well-trusted are the best people to spot these issues in most circumstances. However, one thing to realize is that the person at risk of dementia must feel safe and comfortable to share their feelings and thoughts with their nurse. This is where dementia training for nursing home staff comes in handy.
Dementia Care Training for Nurses: Challenges of the Duty
The nursing care plan for dementia involves a series of educational sessions on medical and emotional care for the person with dementia. This role isn’t limited to dementia care organizations or hospitals. Many people with dementia prefer nursing care in the comfort of their own homes but others are sometimes in a dementia care home as well. However, as a nurse offering care to someone with dementia, there are a lot of challenges that come with this commitment.
There are various challenges with older patients including limitations in mobility, cognition, and other general health problems. These compound on one another, particularly when there is concurrent cognitive impairment or dementia.
Being a nurse and having a patient with dementia can be particularly challenging. It may not be clear how to respond to certain comments, repetitive questions, or misinterpretations of the world around them (hallucinations or delusions).
Well we have some excellent educational material that will help clarify a lot of this and more at Deter Dementia University.
Learning more about how to deter dementia will make you a better nurse and also empower you to educate your patients on many things that most clinicians (including many physicians) may not be aware of themselves.
You also have another tool now by being able to direct patients to us here at Deter Dementia where they can take an even deeper dive into how they themselves can help prevent dementia and continue to live wonderful, active lives.
