A home health UAP is assisting a patient with Alzheimer's who is fatigued; what is the most appropriate action?

• A. Offer to speak with the social worker about resources to assist with the client's care
• B. Refer the spouse to a support group
• C. Schedule a family meeting
• D. Recommend the caregiver discontinue caregiving

Answer: (A)

When a patient with Alzheimer's is fatigued, the priority is to connect the family with supports that can sustain care and protect both the patient and the caregiver. Involving the social worker to identify and coordinate resources is the best step because social workers can assess needs, arrange respite care, in-home assistance, caregiver training, counseling, and access to community or financial resources. This helps reduce caregiver burden while ensuring the patient receives appropriate ongoing support.

Referencing a support group for the spouse is helpful for caregiver well-being, but it doesn’t directly address the patient’s fatigue or the broader care plan. Scheduling a family meeting can be useful for planning, but it should occur after a resource assessment and with the appropriate team in place. Suggesting that the caregiver discontinue caregiving is not appropriate or ethical.

So, connecting with a social worker to arrange needed resources best addresses the immediate needs of both the patient and the caregiver.