How do I care for a person with a stoma and dementia?

This Practice Question has been published with the kind permission of the Royal College of Nursing.

An ageing population in the UK has resulted in the increasing prevalence of dementia. Many of those affected also live with multiple co-morbidities, which may include stoma formation resulting from bowel surgery. These individuals will fall into two categories: established ostomists who develop dementia and people with dementia who undergo stoma formation. Each scenario will result in several additional challenges for the person and those who care for them.