Caring for people who have dementia in the acute care setting

摘要

As many as 25% of all people admitted to hospital in the UK are over 65 years old and living with dementia (Alzheimer's Society, 2009). However, only about half of the older people on an acute ward with dementia are diagnosed prior to their admission (Sampson et al, 2009). More than 800000 people in the UK live with the condition and it costs the UK economy ￡23 billion per annum (Department of Health, 2015). Now these are only the statistics, which only tell part of the story—and not the most important part. The most essential thing to know about dementia, is the person living with the condition. Nurses 'working in the acute care setting are usually well trained in meeting the specific needs of older people. However, adding dementia (whether diagnosed or not) to this mix can result in challenges, such as behavioural disturbances, that secondary care nurses do not necessarily feel equipped to handle (McCloskey, 2004). Caring for a person with dementia in hospital requires specific expertise, and can very easily add stress to the already challenging environment of a busy ward. Learning how to best care for a person with dementia requires the awareness that the person is not lost to their disease. They are still there and there are strategies which can be learned to care for them effectively. This column will examine the present and future situation of care for people with dementia on acute hospital wards. It will ' cover how to provide a smooth transition to patients coming onto and leaving a ward, as well as how to reduce avoidable readmissions. It will also importantly discuss identifying patient needs, communicating effectively, and providing care that is culturally-sensitive, in an environment that is suitable, and with treatment options which are appropriate.