Nursing Care Plan for Patient with Dementia

Nursing Diagnosis for Dementia​
It is important to know how this ailment affects a person’s life and health. For this, they rely on patient assessment & clinical observation. Always remember, nurses don’t medically diagnose dementia. Doctors do it. But they play an important role in recognizing symptoms and creating care plans.

They perform the Mini-Mental State Examination (also known as the Folstein test) or the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. It allows them to know dementia signs in people. It may be changes in behavior, poor judgment, difficulties with communication, memory loss, confusion, etc. Based on the report, they make important observations for patients. For example- Self-care deficit, impaired verbal communication, risk for injury, memory loss, etc. 

Remember, honest diagnoses pave the way for dementia nursing interventions. It ensures patient safety and care. 

Developing a Person-Centered Nursing Care Plan
Once nurses identify the true cause of dementia, they create a unique strategy. It allows them to pay attention to unique needs, preferences, and life experiences of each patient. For this, they might talk to the patient and their family members. Based on the information received, they set realistic goals and choose interventions. It allows patients to lead a normal and comfortable life. Based on the patient’s condition, they update the care plan from time-to-time. 

Communication With The Patient
Communication helps dementia patients feel good, safe, and entertained. As their ability to speak or understand things declines, positive communication can uplift their mood and reduce anxiety. It might lead to their emotional well-being. So, speak simple and easy-to-understand words and sentences. Give them more time to respond to your questions. A gentle touch on the shoulders and avoiding arguments work wonders. 

Creating a Safe and Supportive Environment
Remember, the hospital environment can be troublesome for dementia patients. Therefore, creating ideal living conditions is very important for them. It promotes their safety, comfort, and emotional well-being. For this, nurses- 

• Crete and follow a regular daily schedule (meals, bathing, activities, etc).
• Restrict unnecessary movement from one room to another. 
• Reduce background noise in their rooms
• Ensure proper lighting in their rooms. It allows patients to navigate their surroundings safely for essential work. 
• Implement safety measures.
• Promote communication with peers, engage them in their favorite hobbies, etc. 
  
  

A supportive environment helps dementia patients lead a high-quality life. Star Capital promises ideal living conditions for them. So, it helps reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. So, they lead a good life. 

Dealing With Patients’ Behavior
Dementia patients have anxiety, confusion, aggression, and memory loss. They often refuse to cooperate. Many of them are unable to communicate their needs. So, dealing with them can be challenging. 

Therefore, nurses try to identify the root cause of their behavior. It may be hunger, unfamiliar environments, pain, etc. So, if required, they speak in a soft tone to reduce the patient’s aggression. Also, they might divert their attention to something useful or entertaining.

In many cases, they work with families and the healthcare team to create personalized care strategies. It enables them to pacify patients with difficult behaviors & enhance their quality of life.

Collaboration with Other Healthcare Professionals
Remember, dementia affects the patient’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. So, nurses work with other healthcare professionals while caring for patients. It allows them to ensure comprehensive, coordinated, and effective care for all. 

For example, they collaborate with doctors to support daily living activities & do the needful accordingly. It enables them to address all of the patient’s needs. They live comfortably and feel safe throughout their care journey.

Informing Family Members
From time to time, nurses inform family members of a patient with dementia. It lets them understand the nature and progression of disease. Based on the information, they can manage expectations, support nursing care plans, or make appropriate decisions. It enables family members to prepare emotionally and practically for future complications. 

Ongoing Evaluation and Adjustment
Remember, dementia is a progressive condition. So, its symptoms worsen little by little with time. In the early stages, the patient may have mild memory problems or confusion. Over time, they face challenges in thinking, remembering, communicating, and performing daily activities. At last, they need others for care and daily activities. 

Therefore, nurses keep a close eye on patients and make changes to their care plan. They also document everything and provide feedback to everyone involved. STAR Capital actively tracks patients’ conditions and implements changes to its nursing care plan for dementia. Continuous evaluation ensures the patient gets the best nursing care.