CARING FOR DEMENTED PATIENTS

According to E.H. Erikson, the developmental task of old age consists of looking back and remembering one's life, accepting and taking respo nsibility for the past, imagining the future, and living toward death. Dealing with this final life crisis and achieving wholeness and meani ng is a difficult task for the healthy person, and it is vastly more d ifficult for the elderly person with dementia. Those who care for elde rly patients with dementia must remember for them, see their future as they would have seen it, and know and respect their philosophy of lif e. They must also know how to communicate with their patients in order to reach them, a task that is often arduous and frustrating. The pati ent's experience of wholeness and meaning must be promoted during all caregiving activities. Caregivers must be encouraged to experience the ir patients as unique and valuable persons.