CNA

Certified nurses’ assistant. CNA’s are the staff who provide most of the care to nursing home residents. They are allowed to provide assistance with personal needs such as dressing, eating bathing and walking, but are not allowed to give medical care such as giving medication or changing bandages. A CNA in Illinois is required to be at least 16 years old, have graduated from the 8th grade “or the equivalent,” speak either English or the language most commonly spoken in the nursing home by residents, and pass a 132 hour course which includes 12 hours about Alzheimer’s disease.