Emotional Context Between Certified Nurses Assistants and Residents with Dementia

Certified nursing assistants provide the majority of the hands-on interaction with and care for residents of nursing homes. Being a primary caregiver of a person with dementia can be a strenuous and even dangerous job. Of nursing assistants providing care to residents with dementia, over 50 percent have been injured from aggressive residents (Gates, Fitzwater, Telintelo, Succop, & Sommers, 2004). The purpose of this study is to examine the emotional content of verbal exchanges between certified nursing assistants and individuals with dementia. The relevance of this research is applicable in the fact that by the year 2050, an estimated thirteen million older adults will suffer from dementia. Twenty-four interactions between nursing assistants and patients with moderate to severe dementia were videotaped in three separate locations throughout the state of Minnesota, including a nursing home, assisted living facility, and a veteran affairs hospital. Interactions involved caregivers completing hands on care giving tasks such as bathing, changing clothes, or getting the resident out of bed. The verbal exchanges between the two parties were measured using the Linguistic and Word Count Inquiry (LIWC). The results have yet to be interpreted