There are more than 4 million people with dementia in India and that number is only going to grow. Nurses are responsible for the care of up to 50% of people with dementia, with the rest in other care facilities.

When a senior has dementia, they need a lot of help with daily tasks. This can be a challenging task for a nurse because it is easy to get overwhelmed and frustrated. A pertinent topic is how to improve the quality of their daily care for seniors with dementia.

This blog outlines six ways that nurses and other care professionals can improve the quality of day-to-day dementia care for elderly.

-Identifying Dementia: Keeping an eye out for and reporting any indications of underlying dementia is an important part of the nurse's job. However, the evaluation process is challenging since it involves a variety of variables that are susceptible to misunderstanding. The key to effective therapy for conditions like dementia, depression, or delirium is an accurate diagnosis, and nurses in any context who are perceptive, sympathetic, and trusted by patients are best qualified to spot these issues.

-Helping with the knowledge base: Explaining medications and their side effects to patients and family members is a crucial aspect of the job of a nurse in charge of dementia care for elderly. Additionally, nurses should also be able to guide patients/family members in the direction of additional resources for more information or support.

-On-Time Medication: Due to their short-term memory issues, people with dementia frequently struggle to take their medications. As a result, they may forget to take them or accidentally take more than one dose. Nurses can determine whether a patient is taking their medications properly. However, if there are too many or too few tablets in the packet left compared to the prescription dates, it is best to suggest the patient a proper regimen.

-Physical health: Through the means of diligent care planning and cooperation with organisations that provide dementia care for elderly people, nurses can keep a check on various aspects such as proper hydration and nutrition, metabolism, and physical activity.

-Care and communication: When it comes to communication, people with short-term memory problems perceive and interpret things differently. A key component of high-quality nursing care is the therapeutic relationship between the nurse and the patient. Patients can feel included and valued if communication is warm, individuality is valued, and strengths are acknowledged.

-Environmental Adjustments: People with dementia often find it challenging to adapt in noisy, hectic hospital conditions. Changing the settings can create a more dementia-friendly environment, whether it is in the hospital or at home. This comprises utilizing care planning to quieten and slow down life's pace.

Conclusion

Working with dementia patients is fulfilling but challenging. The sensitivity, compassion, and empathy that nurses gain through caring for patients with dementia enable them to provide better daily care for dementia-affected elderly patients.