Dementia 4: The nurse’s role in caring for people with dementia

Most of the 850,000 people with dementia in the UK live at home with their families (Alzheimer’s Society 2015). The difficulties associated with dementia, for example in understanding language and with self-expression, together with reasoning, memory, orientation and sequencing problems, mean that nurses frequently respond to requests for support and advice from family carers, while also providing care for coexisting health problems, assisting with personal care and meeting other dementia-related needs. Most people living with dementia live independently or with minimal support, but around a third live in care homes (Alzheimer’s Society 2014). Modern nurse education places high value on the attitudes and skills needed for excellent dementia care, but this was not always the case. This article aims to guide nurses who may have learnt about dementia some time ago or who may be approaching this challenging and rewarding area of practice for the first time.