help w/client? Tips?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi! So I recently got a job as a caregiver/companionship position. It is a 1:1 position and I go into a client's home (lives in an assisted living facility). The client has dementia.

She is a pleasant lady...she smiles at everyone, says hello. My biggest problem so far has been with getting her to do....anything. She will let me know when she needs to use the bathroom, but other than that its really hard to motivate her to do anything. This is whether it's getting up, eating, or anything. Everything just takes such a long time because she just sits there! I try to get her to eat, and she'll take like two bites every ten minutes.

I changed my approacth and that's helped a little. I don't say "Would you like to get up." Instead I say "it's time to get up." But seriously I have to say it around 8-10 before she actually gets up. Same with eating. I have to say "Take a bite of X" like 8-10 times before she will actually do it. The problem is I can't just 'do' it for her either.

It's a pretty simple routine, and should be a cinch of a job. It's just been boring so far because I really don't know how to motivate this lady to do anything! I'd love to have her participate in some of the activities in the center....or atleast get her to leave her apartment! I'd love to play cards or something.....nothing works. I've started reading outloud to her, but I get the feeling that she's just sitting and not registering anything I'm saying.

I am asking for advice! How do I deal? What tips have worked for you? Suggestions? I feel like I'm losing patience when I get around to the 6th time of saying something, and I don't want to be doing that. I don't want to feel like i'm taking a 'tone' with her. She is a sweet lady...how can I help her?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

How advanced is her dementia would be my first question.. Some are not motivated to do much because they forgot how to do it, or what they were doing to begin with.. Research dementia and see where she is, that will lead you to what is appropriate for her condition.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

you are awesome!!!! thank you for taking on this job. i work in a ltc facility and we have a locked dementia unit. i wish our residents had 1:1. just the fact that you are asking for advice is a ray of sunshine to me. please don't feel that what you are doing is not going un-noticed or not appreciated by the resident. somewhere in her....she knows that you are there for her. keep reading to her....get a big balloon and bat it back and forth to eachother.....take time to paint her nails. i hope you get some good advice here. i would be soooooo grateful to have some 1:1 with our residents. i try to spend time w/ them when i can. i am a supervisor at our facility so i do get some down time....but i have many tasks i need to tend to and i only wish i had more time to spend w/ our residents individually!!!

again......thanks for what you're doing!!!:yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Did you try talking to her about her past experiences when she was still young..kind of like reflecting back so you can establish rapport with her and comment and praise if she does something positive..

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

Ask family and caregivers what she enjoys and what she used to do before she was stricken ill with dementia.

Sometimes you have to adapt activites to the person with dementias ability. It maybe that going out of her apartment is overwhelming.

Try activities like nail painting, pull out an old movie and popcorn, try doing make-overs, talk about the past (children, pets that kinda stuff)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There was recently some information in my local newspapers about the use of pictures with dementia patients. I can't find any references about it right now, though.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for the advice :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment