▸ Family participation in end-of-life care. Staff members can support families who want to feel involved in the comfort of the resident at the end of life by providing pillows and blankets for overnight stays and offering comforting music, books, and anything else that might help family members spend meaningful time with loved ones.
▸ Staff training. Dementia-specific end-of-life training for nursing home residents is an important part of providing quality care. Staff members need to be able to recognize the signs that death is imminent, and they need to be trained in pain management and communication skills so that they can explain the resident's condition to family members.
▸ Death and bereavement. When one of the residents dies, encourage the staff members who were involved in caring for that person to pay tribute to them with a poem, card, or other acknowledgment. Also, consider conducting periodic in-house memorial services to bring together residents, staff, and family members to recognize the lives of residents who have died.
For a complete version of the Dementia Care Practice Recommendations for Assisted Living Residences and Nursing Homes, visit www.alz.org/documents/DCPRPhase3_.pdf