Top 5 Nursing Care Plans for Dementia Patients and Mistakes to Avoid

For someone living with dementia, each of us has tried to provide the best care possible at home. Imagine what that would be like. We strive to be patient with them because they have no control over their disease.

However, mistakes are part of being human. There are situations that you should take extra precautions to avoid as a care partner, even if you make mistakes.  

Dementia is a disease that seriously impacts a person’s ability to carry out daily tasks. The risk increases with age and usually begins after 60. Family members at higher risk are also at greater risk. 

The disease can be a challenging one to care for. There is no training on how to help someone whose disease is slowly stealing life away from them. Most of us learn on the job and have no idea what to do with dementia patients.

The behaviour of those living with dementia can challenge or worry their caregivers 90 per cent of the time. A dementia patient may exhibit aggressive behaviours or become agitated.  

You might also find them wandering around in confusion or sleepless due to their existing confusion. Caregivers are forced to cope with these distressing dementia behaviours. 

Consequently, knowing what to do can sometimes be confusing, and we may unintentionally complicate things for ourselves and our loved ones. Dementia disease caregivers should be aware of these mistakes to avoid making them. 

Nursing care plan for dementia patients  

Neither an arrest of dementia progression nor its reversal have been proven. Even though some medications may delay the progression of the disease for some time, they would be unable to prevent its progression.

Nursing care is therefore focused on preventing this progression. Those caring for patients with dementia should ensure that an accurate assessment is conducted and that the patient’s priority health problems are addressed right away. 

As nurses perform admission assessments, they can assess for signs of dementia among hospitalized elders. 

 In dementia interventions, the goal is to maintain a patient’s independence as long as possible. 

Other important goals include: 

• Promoting the patient’s safety. 

• Independence in self-care activities. 
• Reducing anxiety and agitation. 
• Improving communication. 
• Providing socialization and intimacy. 
• Providing adequate nutrition. 

• Supporting and educating the family caregivers. 

Top 3 nursing care plans for the dementia patients  

Dementia Nursing Care Plan 1

The nursing diagnosis plan for the patients is offered when the patients are unable to address a task, are often confused, and cannot perform everyday activities as normal beings.  

Through the nursing care plan, the patients are expected to have a healthy and appropriate functional lifestyle.  

Plan 1 of the nursing care plan is expected to intervene in the following situations: 

1. Assist the dementia patients – The nursing plan of care aims to monitor effective therapy and treatment.  
2. Assist the patients in working out with everyday activities – Promote good living, and promote dignity with normal activities of living.  
3. Simplification of dementia patient tasks – We all know the difficulties dementia patients face in coordinating everyday tasks.  
4. Create an environment for the patient for meaningful social interaction– It is usually done to keep the employees away from isolation.  

Nursing care plan 2 for the dementia patient

This plan resolves complex situations, disorientation, and the inability to access everyday tasks. 

Nursing care plan 2 allows the patient to perform everyday activities within limits.  

1. Understanding the patient’s level of mobility – The nursing care monitors the effectiveness of treatment and therapy.  
2. Assist the patients during their nursing care – Allow and encourage them to strengthen their immunity while maintaining safety.  
3. Use instructions for simplifying the task – Offer easiness on the regular task to alleviate the complex situation.  
4. Ensure environment safety for the patients – Take up the entire safety check and reduce incidence risk by utilizing assistive gadgets for dementia patients.

Nursing care plan 3 for the dementia patient

 Nursing care plan 3 conquers the area of active participation with an increase in the level of involvement.  

1. Explore daily living and understand the fatigue level – Understand the mental status with activity levels and their intolerance.  
2. Encourage more self-care with enough rest – Balance the rest period for the patients with proper relaxation and introduce them to dementia-friendly hobbies and activities for stimulation.  
3. Provide or refer therapy team – Offer more specialised care to the patients to help the with dementia patient balance their rest and physical period. 

Documentation guidelines for the nursing care plans  

Studies suggest that hereditary factors play a role in dementia development, but the exact cause of the disease is unclear. In addition to enzyme production and function, there is damage to neurons in the brains of affected individuals. 

Here are some documents required for patients with dementia to take the nursing care plan: 

• Findings specific to individuals include factors affecting interactions, the nature of social exchanges, and specific behaviours. 
• Feedback on interventions and treatments. 
• Achieving the desired result or progressing toward it. 

• Religious beliefs and expectations, and cultural beliefs. 
• A care plan for the individual. 
• Detailed teaching plans. 

Nursing Care Plan For Dementia Patients: Top 5 Mistakes To Avoid 

The task of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can be challenging. Those with an illness that is slowly stealing their lives away from them learn as they go and have no training to aid a person.  

We may unintentionally exacerbate matters by not knowing what to do. You can avoid many of these dementia disease caregiver mistakes by recognising them. 

#1. Correcting them very often  

In the mind of someone with dementia disease, events may seem correct even when they do not reflect reality at all, or an idea may seem true even when it cannot be confirmed.  

Ultimately, this will confuse or make you angry that you don’t believe them, so you both become frustrated and upset. Try to deal with the situation by agreeing and changing the topic when necessary. 

If they say something wrong, you shouldn’t contradict them or correct them so they will save their face. It makes no sense to do so.

Those who realise that they made a mistake will feel bad about it. Correcting them may embarrass or make them uncomfortable, even if they don’t understand their error. 

#2. Avoid arguing with the patients  

When caring for someone with dementia, you can expect them to say some things that aren’t necessarily true now and then. The brain fills in the gaps that it can’t remember or that are difficult to understand, so it produces explanations that aren’t accurate.  

Arguing with a person who has dementia is never a good idea. The person cannot win the argument. The other reason is that it will likely upset them. 

#3. Never make them feel ashamed  

Shaming the patient will never bring a positive outcome. It’s never a good habit or a reaction.  

If you know your loved one may be upset, there’s no point in bringing up the subject. Politics shouldn’t be discussed with someone you disagree with. 

There’s a possibility that it might simply spark an argument that matches the second guideline. Your efforts will not succeed, and they will probably become enraged or frustrated. 

#4. Keeping the past away  

The things your father did as a young man or boy may stand out vividly even if they cannot recall the breakfast or the doctor’s words yesterday. You can ask them what they liked to do, what subjects they enjoyed in school, and the people they met in their early years.  

You can also listen to music from their early years. Reminiscences can reduce stress when things get tough. 

People living with Dementia frequently believe that their spouse, parents or other loved ones are still alive.  

If the person does not visit, they may feel hurt or confused. The person might not believe you if you tell them the person is dead, and they might become furious.  

The news is likely to upset them if they believe you. You can also expect they will soon forget what you said and continue to believe their loved one is alive.  

If you are asked if the person has gone, you may ignore this rule. It’s wise to answer the question honestly, even if the person will soon forget it, and then move on to another subject. 

#5. Easing off the physical activity  

Dementia disease can be a challenging disease to care for. Finding engaging indoor activities for dementia patients can help improve their mood, stimulate their minds, and create a sense of connection.

There is no training on how to help someone whose disease is slowly stealing their life away from them. Most of us learn on the job and have no idea how.  

Consequently, knowing what to do can sometimes be confusing, and we may unintentionally complicate things for ourselves and our loved ones. Dementia disease caregivers should be aware of these mistakes to avoid making them. 

Conclusion

As part of the patient’s care, it is vital to ensure that he can function at the highest level possible, but he must also be able to achieve independence.

Caregiver burnout is a familiar dilemma caregivers face with progressive conditions, so family members should also be involved in care planning.