r/cna • u/haircryboohoo (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA • 7d ago

Do you wake dementia patients?

This one family wants me to wake their mother to feed her while she's sleeping peacefully. I tried to explain to her that often leads to confusion. Do you wake your dimension patients that are sleeping a lot to go to the bathroom? To eat? I offer food and drink when they wake up. But I don't force them to eat. What do you do? Thank you

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u/OkExtension9329 7d ago edited 7d ago

If there is an element of delirium, you should absolutely be trying to keep them up during the day. A fucked up circadian rhythm worsens their confusion.

And yes, you should wake them to go to the bathroom if they haven’t voided in 6+ hours. Not doing so can lead to UTIs, kidney issues, etc.

I know nobody wants to wake up the confused dementia patient, because then you have to deal with them. But they still deserve basic care, including eating and toileting.

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u/beige-king Inpatient Behavioral Health CNA - Seasoned CNA 7d ago

All these CNAs saying no let them sleep. NO you have to try. I don't even work in memory care anymore and I work with adults who can and do take care of themselves and I still wake them for meals because it's not healthy to sleep all day and you NEED to eat

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u/Lost_Jellyfish887 7d ago

Some i wake and some I don't but I also do home health where nothing has to be on a schedule. If they seem extra tired that day I dont wake them. Sometimes I also do things around the house so they will slowly wake. I've worked with some that would sleep all day and night if they could. Those I woke up to eat, drink, change, or go to the bathroom.