Don't use the word “don't”!
Have you ever noticed that whenever you remind your patients “Don't do XX”, “Don't take XX”, “Don't go to XX”, they do exactly what you've been trying to tell them not to do? If this is the case, you can do what you've been told not to do. If this is the case, consider changing the way you remind them. In fact, “Don't do XX” is a complex instruction for people with cognitive impairment because there are two parts of the sentence that need to be understood: the first is “do XX” and the second is “don't”. The first part is “do XX” and the second part is “don't”, and it is difficult enough for the patient to understand both parts. If you look at it more closely, “Don't do XX” is not a direct instruction at all; it does not let the patient know what he should do. So instead of reminding patients not to do it, they should be told directly what they should do. For example, for a patient who is at risk of wandering, avoid using “don't go out” and consider using a more direct instruction such as “stay at home”, which is easier for the patient to understand.
