Nurses are regulated by the South African Nursing Council (SANC); however, the bulk of caregiving for persons living with dementia are believed to rest on an informal, unregulated caring system. Recommendations to the Older Persons’ Act amendment bill have called for the registration of all caregivers of older persons with the Department of Social Development, and to practice under the supervision of a registered nurse (SAHRC, 2017b). With regards to guidelines for LTC, the Department of Social Development (DSD) published Generic Norms and Standards for Social Welfare Services, that set out the following: (1) that together with the Department of Health (DOH), practitioners should be trained and understand the dynamics of ageing and disability when rendering services to older people; and that (2) the application of this understanding should be monitored through performance management (DSD, 2011).

References:

DSD. (2011). Generic Norms and Standards for Social Welfare Services: Towards improved social services.

SAHRC. (2017b). South African Human Rights Commission Older Persons Amendment Bill. Available from: https://www.sahrc.org.za/home/21/files/SAHRC%20Submission%20on%20Older%20Persons%20Bill-%20Dept%20Soc%20Dev-%2030.6.17.pdf