Caring for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Recommendations for nursing education.

1. Most educational programs for healthcare professionals stress acute rather than chronic care and provide little education or training related to caregiving of persons with dementia. 2. Long-term care facilities employ a minimum of licensed staff with the bulk of direct caregiving done by nursing assistants. 3. Licensed nurses and nursing assistants who work with the cognitively impaired should have specialized training and education in caring for persons with AD or other dementias. 4. Annual ongoing training and education should be provided for all caregivers of persons with a dementing illness.