Working and supporting people with dementia when you are a student: a qualitative research

Abstract

Participation of young people in the care of older people will provide important contributions to improving older people's health. This qualitative case study was conducted to clarify the possible difficulties and experiences of student interns at the Blue House Alzheimer's Center for Alzheimer's Patients and Families. Data were collected by focus group interview. It was seen that all students who practice at the Blue House Alzheimer's Patient and Patient Relatives Center willingly choose the gerontology profession. Gerontology is a new field in Turkey and the increasing number of older people leads students to gravitate towards this profession. Students who participated in the present study stated that internship at the nursing home is different to internship at the Alzheimer's care center, and it is much more difficult to empower individuals with dementia. Students stated that they had difficulty constantly meeting patients suffering from dementia, teaching an activity over and over again, caring for patients who constantly talk about their memories of past professional life, the theoretical and practical differences in caring for Alzheimer's disease patients, and the fear of one day suffering from dementia themselves. In the most energetic years of their life, incorporating students into the care of Alzheimer's disease patients increased their knowledge and care skills.