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Abbott RA, Rogers M, Lourida I, Green C, Ball S, Hemsley A, Cheeseman D, Clare L, Moore D, Hussey C, Coxon G, Llewellyn DJ, Naldrett T, Thompson Coon J. New horizons for caring for people with dementia in hospital: the DEMENTIA CARE pointers for service change. Age Ageing 2022; 51:6691373. [PMID: 36057987 PMCID: PMC9441201 DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately two-thirds of hospital admissions are older adults and almost half of these are likely to have some form of dementia. People with dementia are not only at an increased risk of adverse outcomes once admitted, but the unfamiliar environment and routinised practices of the wards and acute care can be particularly challenging for them, heightening their confusion, agitation and distress further impacting the ability to optimise their care. It is well established that a person-centred care approach helps alleviate some of the unfamiliar stress but how to embed this in the acute-care setting remains a challenge. In this article, we highlight the challenges that have been recognised in this area and put forward a set of evidence-based 'pointers for service change' to help organisations in the delivery of person-centred care. The DEMENTIA CARE pointers cover areas of: dementia awareness and understanding, education and training, modelling of person-centred care by clinical leaders, adapting the environment, teamwork (not being alone), taking the time to 'get to know', information sharing, access to necessary resources, communication, involving family (ask family), raising the profile of dementia care, and engaging volunteers. The pointers extend previous guidance, by recognising the importance of ward cultures that prioritise dementia care and institutional support that actively seeks to raise the profile of dementia care. The pointers provide a range of simple to more complex actions or areas for hospitals to help implement person-centred care approaches; however, embedding them within the organisational cultures of hospitals is the next challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Abbott
- Address correspondence to: Dr Rebecca Abbott, Evidence Synthesis Team, NIHR ARC South West Peninsula (PenARC), University of Exeter Medical School, College of Medicine and Health, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK.
| | - Morwenna Rogers
- Evidence Synthesis Team, NIHR ARC South West Peninsula (PenARC), University of Exeter Medical School, College of Medicine and Health, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Ilianna Lourida
- Evidence Synthesis Team, NIHR ARC South West Peninsula (PenARC), University of Exeter Medical School, College of Medicine and Health, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK,Mental Health Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Colin Green
- Health Economics Group, University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Susan Ball
- Health Statistics Group, PenARC, University of Exeter Medical School, College of Medicine and Health, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Anthony Hemsley
- Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter EX2 5DW, UK
| | | | - Linda Clare
- Centre for Research in Aging and Cognitive Health, PenARC, University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Darren Moore
- Graduate School of Education, College of Social Sciences and International Studies, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | | | - George Coxon
- Pottles Court Care Home, Days-Pottles Lane, Exminster, Summercourt Care Home, Teignmouth, Exeter EX6 8DG, UK
| | - David J Llewellyn
- Mental Health Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK,The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK
| | | | - Jo Thompson Coon
- Evidence Synthesis Team, NIHR ARC South West Peninsula (PenARC), University of Exeter Medical School, College of Medicine and Health, St Luke’s Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
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