Improving the care of patients with dementia in an acute care setting

This practice question has been published with the kind permission of the Royal College of Nursing

General hospitals are designed to deliver safe, effective and often highly technological care. For people with dementia, however, these unfamiliar clinical environments can be frightening, disorientating and a threat to independence and wellbeing. To optimise hospital care essential considerations include person-centred care; innovative and flexible approaches including meeting nutritional needs; high quality communication; pain management, dementia-specific assessment; and specialist advice from mental health liaison or dementia-specific services.