Effective communication in the context of dementia care: From patient-centered care to family-centered care

Background: Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Traditionally, nurses have comprised the largest group of professionals to provide mental health care, and have long relied on close contact with patients’ families to supplement that care. With the number of Americans expected to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease projected to triple by 2050, it is critical to further understand how nurses combine formal education with effective methods of communication to provide both patient-centered and family-centered care.

Method: Data were collected from 32 individual, semi-structured interviews of nursing staff working in Alzheimer’s care facilities across the United States. Two trained coders employed constant comparative analysis to distinguish patterns and salient themes in the data.

Results: Findings highlighted both the diversity of care that nursing staff must provide, as well as the challenges they face to be perceived as credible authorities and deliver high-quality care successfully. Participants underlined the strain of maintaining effective patient-centered care, in addition to the complexity of garnering trust and providing expert advice to guide and care for family members.

Conclusion: This study has important implications for improved patient care. By better understanding the experiences and communication challenges nurses and care assistants must overcome, we can progress quality of life for people living with the disease, help to facilitate more effective decision making for families, reduce the risk of burnout for nursing staff, and contribute to training programs in this specialized area of nursing.