Dementia care
Dementia is a disease which affects more people now than ever
before. Presently, 850,000 people live with dementia within the UK,
and this number is predicted to rise to over two million by 2051.
The Prime Minister has also recognised this and has set a challenge
to change the perception of dementia and improve the care provided
to those with a diagnosis. (Click here to read the full Prime Minister's
Challenge).
We know how important it is to recognise the differing needs of
patients who are living with dementia, and hope that this page
demonstrates the efforts we are making to improve the care which we
provide during a hospital admission.
At UH Bristol we endeavour to provide
the best person centred care available. As part of this, we are
striving to achieve a national goal set out by the NHS
Commissioning Board regarding dementia care in hospital. This is a
nationwide drive to identify dementia or a delirium as early as possible during a hospital
admission to ensure the best treatment can be given. It also
focuses on improving the care of those living with dementia within
the hospital patient journey and to ensure that carers and families
of those living with dementia feel adequately supported throughout
the process.
This means all emergency admissions
whom are 75 years old and over are assessed for dementia and
delirium. If you are well enough to be assessed, you will be asked
the following;
"Have you been more forgetful in
the last 12 months, to the extent that it has significantly
affected your daily life?"
Answering yes to this question will
trigger a process of assessments and investigations during your
hospital stay. The results are shared with your GP who will
continue to monitor and provide care and support for you. You are
free to decline to take part at any time. However, it is considered
best to get a diagnosis of dementia as early as possible to enable
you to get the right treatment and support.
If you do receive a new diagnosis in
hospital, we will support you through this and ensure that you and
your loved ones have all the information and help which is
available to you.
During your hospital admission
Hospital can be a very difficult place
to be if you are living with dementia. Sometimes this can lead to
increased confusion or become more disorientated. We understand
that a hospital admission can be very distressing, and that
routines and a familiar environment can be essential to your
wellbeing. When a hospital admission is required this can be very
stressful for all those affected. Anything which you can think of
that can reduce the stress of a hospital admission is valuable
information and should be passed onto the staff at the earliest
convenience.
Essential items for a hospital admission
- Appropriate footwear - Something with a good grip that fits
well and are comfortable
- Glasses, hearing aids and dentures - to help with communication
and understanding
- Items of significance/importance - for example, having copies
of pictures of family members or pets.
All about me
This is a document that tells us all about you. It can be filled
by you or someone who knows you best. It helps us understand
you as a person, from what you like to be called to your normal
routines. This will help the staff build a rapport with you
and help them care for you. If you do not already have one please
ask the ward staff who can provide you with a copy.
Lasting Power of Attorney (Health and Welfare)
If you have or are a power of
attorney, it is important that you make the staff aware. We will
need to see the original, and to take a photocopy of the
document.
Carers of those with dementia
We understand how valuable the carer is to the patient's
wellbeing. Whether this is as a source of information about the
patient's routine, or simply to keep them company during their
admission as we understand what a scary and confusing place a
hospital can seem sometimes.
If you are a carer of someone with a dementia, please let our
staff know as soon as possible. We have support available for
carer's within the hospital, via the carer liaison worker. Please
visit our carer's pages here.
If you know that making reasonable adjustments to a patients
care would improve their experience in hospital, for instance
specific eating preferences, then please raise this with the ward
staff who will do their best to accommodate.
Within our Trust, we fully support John's
Campaign; a campaign that is driving for families and carers of
people with dementia to have the same rights as the parents of sick
children, and be allowed to remain with them in hospital for as
many hours of the day and night as they so wish.
If having your carer stay with you outside of normal visiting
hours would be beneficial, whether it's to help you with your
everyday activities or just to keep you company and reassure you,
please let the ward staff know and they will be happy to
accommodate you.
What we do for patients living with dementia
We use a specific care plan to ensure that the care we
provide for those living with dementia is tailored to suit their
needs. It covers all
aspects of care, from
eating to communication and making sure the environment is dementia
friendly. It also covers ensuring that you and your loved ones have
all the information and contacts that you may need to aid in your
care going forward.
All members of staff undergo dementia
awareness training on induction to the Trust, and we have over 100
Dementia champions. Champions are staff, of any grade or
profession, who want to improve the experience, care, treatment and
outcomes for people with Dementia, families and carers whilst in UH
Bristol. Champions can be identified by a Forget-Me-Not pin on
their lanyard or uniform and are always happy to help.
A visual identification system the
Forget-Me-Not is used in the hospital to make all staff aware that
someone has a diagnosis of dementia, or has a current cognitive
impairment. This is so they can adapt their approach to better suit
your needs. These will be displayed on the patient board, by the
bedside and in your notes.
We use red lids on our water jugs and
red cups to encourage you to drink plenty of fluid. The red makes
these objects much easier to see and reminds you to drink. If you
need assistance at mealtimes, this will be provided by the nursing
staff or on some wards, volunteers.
We're piloting the use of an activity
box with patients, and iPads for reminiscence, connecting to apps
for games, and YouTube for film and music clips - with the aim to
roll these out across our hospitals after evaluation. And we've had
some very positive feedback on our knitted/crochted muffs and
blankets, which staff and members of the public have been sending
in since May 2016. These 'Twiddles' provide a source of visual,
tactile and sensory stimulation, while also keeping patients
warm.
Volunteers
We have a ready and willing team of
volunteers who are here to help. Our volunteers are great at
providing companionship. Whether it's to help you with a crossword
puzzle, play a game of cards, reading the paper or just someone who
is happy to have a chat and listen to you, they are more than happy
to assist you.
If you need assistance at meal times,
this help can be provided by a meal time volunteer, who receives
specific training in this.
Useful links
Alzheimer's Society www.alzheimers.org.uk
Care Direct
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/adult-care-and-health/care-direct
Well Aware http://www.wellaware.org.uk/
Crossroads Alliance (covering North
Somerset) http://www.crossroadscaresw.org.uk/
UH Bristol Carer's Pages /patients-and-visitors/carers/
