Dementia Care in hospitals 'to improve'.

[Monzter]

BBC News - Dementia care: Hospitals


I have said for years that dementia patients don't get the care they need in hospital. The staff are too busy and don't have half an hour to talk round a very confused patient to accept treatment. Physio's don't have enough time to gain the trust of a dementia patient to help them regain mobility after a fracture of neck of femur. It's not the staffs fault, lack of resources and training.

I know it's highly unlikely but with the increase in dementia there should be, IMO, a team of people in each department, who are trained in how to deal with dementia patients alongside their own speciality. Pain and fear makes dementia patients confused and sometimes aggressive, which can lead to them not receiving treatment.

[di30]

Re: Dementia Care in hospitals 'to improve'.

With dad, he was always back and forth in hospital and many a times we had to remind the staff on each shift of the Dementia!
We used to get phone calls that he gone missing and found half way up a busy car park.
They have cardex's on each patient and an explanation of dad's condition was explained, and wandering is part of the illnesss.

Somehow on one occasion he made his way home, ok wrong street, but we were down the hospital looking for him, then we received a phone call on the moby from his next door neighbour that dad was outside the front door in his jim jams, it was someone in the next street that recognised dad getting dropped off in a white van and walked dad to his house.
Hospital a few miles away too!

Everytime he went in, we would stay as long as we were allowed to, but policy was policy, and it was their job in the hospital to make sure all and each patient were/are being looked after.

No understanding of the illness whatsoever. Most just grumbled because dad was still in his 60's.
More needs to be done.


"God bless you dad, love and miss you always! XXXXXX

[SpringerSpaniel]

Re: Dementia Care in hospitals 'to improve'.

The policies should be more flexible so that patients can have as much support as possible.

[Monzter]

Re: Dementia Care in hospitals 'to improve'.

Di 30,

That's an awful thing to have happen to your dad and very worrying too.

There are so many policies and procedures put in place to originally protect people but we all often get caught up in them and they end up working against the patient and making everyone's life harder.

To a person with dementia, most of the time they have no concept that there is anything wrong with them and think that 'we' are silly for suggesting that it wouldn't be safe for them to go out alone. Being on a busy ward, with people rushing in all directions and other people ill around them, quite often is disorientating for someone who doesn't have dementia. It must be terrifying when you are deeply confused and cannot grasp the things we take for granted. No wonder people want to escape from that environment and get somewhere familiar and safe. Unfortunately that place sometimes no longer exists, or at least not how it is remembered.

Given that someone with dementia may not have the same perception of time as others, and may well be missing large chunks of their memories, it must be like living in a weird alternative universe that makes no sense whatsoever. Add hospital to that mix, which can be a weird alternative universe where nothing makes sense anyway (!!!) and you have a recipe for disaster!

Small units where dementia patients can be firstly kept secure and safe, and then visited by specialists from whatever department needed may be a better idea. Staffed by trained personnel who know how to deal with a dementia patient. At least the families would know that their loved one couldn't just get up and wander off the ward.

I have often accompanied clients to hospital in emergencies as ambulance crews will generally not take a dementia patient without an escort. I have sat in A and E for up to 12 hours, unpaid and often into the early hours, getting a taxi home out of my own pocket as the staff just do not know how to deal with the person, and there certainly isn't someone to sit with them and keep them calm whilst waiting for examinations and treatments. A small secure unit where the client could wait safely with trained staff until they can be treated would ease the stress and fear of the client and the workload of the staff, as well as the workload of carers (I don't mean care assistants like me, I am thinking of those who care for their family member or friend here). Carers often need to spend the majority of their time at the hospital with the patient to ensure they are OK.

[di30]

Re: Dementia Care in hospitals 'to improve'.

Di 30,

That's an awful thing to have happen to your dad and very worrying too.

There are so many policies and procedures put in place to originally protect people but we all often get caught up in them and they end up working against the patient and making everyone's life harder.

To a person with dementia, most of the time they have no concept that there is anything wrong with them and think that 'we' are silly for suggesting that it wouldn't be safe for them to go out alone. Being on a busy ward, with people rushing in all directions and other people ill around them, quite often is disorientating for someone who doesn't have dementia. It must be terrifying when you are deeply confused and cannot grasp the things we take for granted. No wonder people want to escape from that environment and get somewhere familiar and safe. Unfortunately that place sometimes no longer exists, or at least not how it is remembered.

Given that someone with dementia may not have the same perception of time as others, and may well be missing large chunks of their memories, it must be like living in a weird alternative universe that makes no sense whatsoever. Add hospital to that mix, which can be a weird alternative universe where nothing makes sense anyway (!!!) and you have a recipe for disaster!

Small units where dementia patients can be firstly kept secure and safe, and then visited by specialists from whatever department needed may be a better idea. Staffed by trained personnel who know how to deal with a dementia patient. At least the families would know that their loved one couldn't just get up and wander off the ward.

I have often accompanied clients to hospital in emergencies as ambulance crews will generally not take a dementia patient without an escort. I have sat in A and E for up to 12 hours, unpaid and often into the early hours, getting a taxi home out of my own pocket as the staff just do not know how to deal with the person, and there certainly isn't someone to sit with them and keep them calm whilst waiting for examinations and treatments. A small secure unit where the client could wait safely with trained staff until they can be treated would ease the stress and fear of the client and the workload of the staff, as well as the workload of carers (I don't mean care assistants like me, I am thinking of those who care for their family member or friend here). Carers often need to spend the majority of their time at the hospital with the patient to ensure they are OK.

Hiya
And thank you. X
Also for your understanding.
Every time dad was in, which was more so than not it was a very worrying time for us all.
Dad was diagnosed in his early 60's and we lost him last year at the age of 69, down to upper lobe pheumonia.

I must give you credit for what you do, it is that I have to admit is a very demanding job.
I used to work Nursing for the NHS and can understand how busy it can be, as each patient is different and requires their own personal care & attention, and also EMI Nursing homes and like yourself have used my own time and money when required which I did not mind as such, I fully understand where your coming from.

As a full time carer for my autistic son as well, we shared the time as much as possible with dad, but every shift were different as well as the staff, where we found ourselves having to repeat of dad's condition each time, however, as dad did have so many critical health problems I know it wasn't an easy time for them, which is why I certainly agree on what you said about specialised units with trained staff will be beneficial.
I know it all comes down to money at the end of the day.

The wandering was certainly a worry, and I can recall on reading about this in the media prior to dad having the condition and I know how it feels for other families going through the same.

Thank you so much for your input on this and as said I totally agree with all you say.
Keep up the good work! Xx

[enaid]

Re: Dementia Care in hospitals 'to improve'.

I agree that big changes must be made on dementia care, it is well known that we are living longer, it is also known that dementia patients will increase because of this., even though dementia is not wholly an old persons disease.

Most referrals and indeed services offered to people with dementia are instigated by GPs and I suppose there has to be a starting point. My problem is that I do not think GPs are up to the mark at all on this subject judging by my experience with them.

I attended a short course on dementia because of my dad, I was hoping to try and learn what to expect but sadly you can not do this as every person is different and although many symptoms are the same how they affect that person is never the same.

We had different people every week speaking on the subject but no GP was ever part of the course. I feel strongly that GPs must be better prepared for dementia as sadly the days of the family GP who knew you all so well, has gone and will never return.
They must learn to heed the family who know the person better than anyone else. As stated on the tv ad much better sooner than later that this horrid disease is diagnosed, but until GPs get up to speed far too many will slip the net and will not get the help they need as soon or indeed as good as they should.

[di30]

Re: Dementia Care in hospitals 'to improve'.

I second that enaid.

Our GP's need to get involved more in these situations, even though mum and dad raised us "8 children" where we tried sharing the caring side of it taking care of dad, my mother found it hard to understand and many a times made contact with my dad's GP, but it was just a case of having dad referred to specialists that deal with this field, and that was the end of that, his GP would have no involvement apart from the other med problems.

However, I hate to say it but the keyworker provided to dad was not a very understanding person, yet this was his job where he was supposed to be fully trained in regards of dementia, at one point he wanted to remove dad from the programme altogether!!

[Monzter]

Re: Dementia Care in hospitals 'to improve'.

Here's a few more interesting articles on social care in general and dementia -

Social care 'not fit for purpose' - Yahoo!

'Crisis' warning over elderly care - Yahoo!

Plans for public to rate care homes - Yahoo!

Dementia emergency admissions rise - Yahoo!

Hospitals' dementia care criticised - Yahoo!

'Shocking' Level Of Dementia Care Training - Yahoo!

Dementia patients 'being cheated' - Yahoo!


Well there's a few news stories on how our elderly and vulnerable are being treated. With all this information and all these studies happening, why isn't anything changing????