Alzheimer’s Disease, or AD, is one of the most common causes of dementia in the elderly and more than half of nursing home patients in the US may have it, or a related disorder. AD causes tangled nerve fibers and protein deposits to form in the brain, which eventually cause dementia. The disease progressively gets worse, causing greater and greater loss of health and abilities.

Symptoms of AD appear gradually and tend to start with memory loss. Patients tend to become disoriented and start to lose their communication abilities. Mood and behavior change, leading to aggressiveness, wandering, and withdrawal. Eventually, the patient loses all ability to care for himself or herself.

When working with a patient with AD, in addition to helping the resident continue to do things for himself or herself, which can slow AD’s progression, there are things you can do to make it easier to work with a resident with this frustrating and debilitating condition.

• Do not take their behavior personally.
• Treat residents with AD with dignity and respect, as you would want to be treated.
• Work with the symptoms and behaviors you see.
• Work as a team.
• Encourage communication.
• Take care of yourself.
• Work with family members.
• Follow the goals of the resident care plan.

When communicating with the patient,

Do not startle the patient. Always approach from the front.

• Determine how close the resident wants you to be.
• Speak slowly in a calm, low voice, preferably in a room that has little background noise.
• Always identify yourself and use the resident’s name.
• Repeat yourself as often as needed.
• Use signs, pictures, gestures, or written words, if needed.
• Break complex tasks into smaller, simpler ones, giving simple step-by-step instructions when needed.