Dementia

Learn more on the importance of diagnosis and managing chronic kidney disease in older adults through this collection from Age and Ageing in collaboration with the ERA journals Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation (NDT) and Clinical Kidney Journal (CKJ).

People with dementia are not children but the effect of a hospital stay can be catastrophic for a person with dementia . John's Campaign promotes open visiting hours to enable the family of the person with dementia to minimise the confusion and distress of a hospital stay.

The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) is used to detect delirium but its sensitivity is low when used in real-world settings. A study explored reasons for this through a series of focus groups with orthopaedic nurses at two academic hospitals in Hamilton, Canada.
 

Rose Miranda argues that not only researchers, doctors and nurses should be aware of the phenomenon of pain in people with dementia. We need to make the public aware of it too.

Alexandra Feast describes a study which highlights how people with dementia experienced pain for a substantial part of their admission without being able to communicate this pain. It explores the relationship between pain, dementia and delirium.

The National Dementia Strategy aims to increase the numbers of participants with dementia into clinical research. But recruiting people with dementia can be challenging. What do you need to think about when planning a study involving patients with dementia?

What is mental capacity?  What do we really mean when we ask if a patient has (or lacks) capacity?  Capacity often depends on context.  The ethical conundrum of mental capacity unravelled. 

Depression and anxiety can severely affect the quality of life of those living with dementia but the overlap of symptoms can present challenges.

Joint activities such as art, sewing, knitting, cooking or growing plants help relationships grow between the generations.

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

Feeling anxious from time to time is a normal human experience. When someone is anxious they might experience feelings of tension, nervousness, heightened awareness, fear or uncertainty, dry mouth and throat, and tightness in the chest. 

In 2008 a letter was sent to 826 residential homes in one state in Australia asking them what information was available that addressed issues of intimacy and sexuality.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published an updated Quality Standard on dementia describing high-quality care in priority areas for improvement.

Clinical guidelines and tailored resources from NICE on supporting people with dementia, mental wellbeing of older people in care homes and a video illustrating the NICE quality standards for mental wellbeing in care homes.

Dr Eileen Burns looks at how Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, better communication and palliative care principles can improve the quality of end of life care for older people, and asks: what constitutes a good death?

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are protections for adults who lack mental capacity to consent to, say, admission to hospital or a care home for treatment or care. Caroline Cooke and Premila Fade assess why they are being reviewed and the Law Commission's proposals.

Older patients frequently have dysphagia resulting from acute or chronic illnesses.  Dysphagia management requires a collaborative approach because of the complexities of older patients' needs, and geriatricians have an important role to play in overseeing this condition.

These resources have been developed to help keep older people safe at home by reducing deconditioning and falls hazards, supporting people with conditions such as dementia or Parkinson's, and improving overall wellbeing to help to keep their minds and bodies active.

This brief guidance was developed by Alistair Burns, National Clinical Director for Dementia at NHS England/Improvement, and has been incorporated into NHS England publications.

This brief guidance was developed by Alistair Burns, National Clinical Director for Dementia at NHS England/Improvement. It is applicable to those with dementia and anyone with cognitive impairment resulting from conditions which affect the brain.

Research is an essential part of the global and UK strategy and response to COVID-19. This is the British Geriatrics Society statement on research for older people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

People with dementia are not children. They are adults with a lifetime’s experience. Yet they are not entirely dissimilar. They are vulnerable and they can be as distressed and disoriented as a child.