Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-6bf8c574d5-b4m5d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-17T12:34:09.395Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 8 - Carers’ Needs before, during, and after Hospital Admissions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 April 2024

By
David Jolley ,
Brenda Roe  and
Caroline Sutcliffe
Edited by
George Tadros  and
George Crowther
George Tadros
Affiliation:
Aston University, Birmingham
George Crowther
Affiliation:
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds
Get access

Summary

Informal carers of people with dementia work with the person with dementia and with professionals to form a secure triangle of care. They make a huge contribution to the health and well-being of individuals and to the economics of care. They have rights recognised in legislation.

Unfortunately, they are often dismayed by the care received by individuals with dementia when admission to a general hospital becomes necessary. This can be avoided and much better outcomes achieved for all concerned if professionals work with informal carers throughout the process of considering admission, effecting admission, and living through admission to discharge or death. Informal carers do not constitute a homogenous group: they have a range of characteristics, strengths, and needs.

Some are old; many have pathology of their own and multiple responsibilities. They need to be listened to and to be respected.

Keywords

carersdementiarightsmental capacitytriangle of care
Type
Chapter
Information
Handbook of Old Age Liaison Psychiatry , pp. 96 - 109
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Visit https://carers.org/key-facts-about-carers-and-people-they-care.Google Scholar
Visit https://carers.org/news-item/older-carers-putting-their-health-risk-care-spouses-and-partners.Google Scholar
Age UK. Briefing: Health and Care of Older People in England. London: Age UK, 2017.Google Scholar
Cameron, I., Aggar, C., Robinson, A., and Kurrle, S. Assessing and helping carers of older people. BMJ 2011, 343. doi: 10.1136/bmj.d5202.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carers Trust. Caring about Older Carers: Providing Support for People Caring in Later Life. London: Carers Trust, 2015.Google Scholar
Carers Act 2014. www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/section/10.Google Scholar
Carers Act 2014. For the whole act, visit www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23.Google Scholar
National Institute for Health and Clinic al Excellence and SCIE. Joint publication: Dementia: Supporting people with dementia and their carers in health and social care. November 2006. www.scie.org.uk/publications/misc/dementia.Google Scholar
SCIE. Assessing the mental health needs of older people. April 2006. www.scie.org.uk/publications/guides/guide03.Google Scholar
Imison, C, Poteliakhoff, E and Thompson, J. Older people and emergency bed use: exploring variation. The Kings Fund. Ideas that change health care. London 2012Google Scholar
GOV.UK. Make, register or end a lasting power of attorney. www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney.Google Scholar
Mental Capacity Act 2005. www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/contents.Google Scholar
Tidy, C. Advance care planning. Patient: Professional Articles, Primary Care (General Practice), 2005. https://patient.info/doctor/advance-care-planning.Google Scholar
Scott, I., Vaughan, L., and Bell, D. Effectiveness of acute medical units in hospitals: A systematic review. International Journal of Quality in Health Care 2009, 21(6): 39–407.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clissett, P., Porock, D., Harwood, R., and Gladman, J. Experiences of family carers of older people with mental health problems in the acute general hospital: A qualitative study. Journal of Advanced Nursing 2013, 69(12): 2707–16.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jurgens, F., Clissett, P., Gladman, J., and Harwood, R. Why are family carers of people with dementia dissatisfied with general hospital care? A qualitative study. BMC Geriatrics 2012, 12: 57.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
NHS Choices: About dementia. www.nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/about.Google Scholar
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Delirium: Information for relatives, carers and patients. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/620644a7f9b6c87ecd6dcc99/t/64527268874dc6336a705c91/1683124840834/Delirium.pdf.Google Scholar
National Institute on Aging. Depression and older adults. www.nia.nih.gov/health/depression-and-older-adults.Google Scholar
The Mental Capacity (Deprivation of Liberty Standard Authorisation) Regulations 2008. www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2008/9780110814773/contents.Google Scholar
Law Commission. Mental capacity and deprivation of liberty: Current project status. 2017. www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/mental-capacity-and-deprivation-of-liberty.Google Scholar
John’s Campaign. www.johnscampaign.org.uk.Google Scholar
The Butterfly Scheme. www.butterflyscheme.org.uk.Google Scholar
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Care and Compassion, 14 February, 2011. www.ombudsman.org.uk/publications/care-and-compassion.Google Scholar
Care Quality Commission. Dignity and nutrition for older people. 18 March 2013. www.cqc.org.uk/publications/themed-inspection/dignity-and-nutrition-older-people.Google Scholar
Francis, R., QR (chair). Independent Inquiry into Care Provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, January 2005–March 2009. London: Stationery Office, 2010. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/279109/0375_i.pdf.Google Scholar
Alzheimer’s Society. This is me. www.alzheimers.org.uk/info/20113/publications_about_living_with_dementia/415/this_is_me.Google Scholar
Giebel, C. et al. South Asian older adults with memory impairment: improving assessment and access to dementia care. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2015, 30(4): 345–56.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Willoughby, J. Dementia Friendly Hospitals Charter. https://www.dementiaaction.org.uk/news/28149_dementia_friendly_hospitals_charter_interview_julie_willoughby.Google Scholar
What’s important to me: A review of choice in end of life care. The Choice in End of Life Care Programme Board, 2015. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/407244/CHOICE_REVIEW_FINAL_for_web.pdf.Google Scholar
Office for National Statistics. Deaths of care home residents, England and Wales: 2021. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsinthecaresectorenglandandwales/2021.Google Scholar
Dewing, J., and Dijk, S. What is the current state of care for older people with dementia in general hospitals? A literature review. Dementia 2016, 15(1): 106–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
La Fontaine, J., Juttla, K., Read, K., Brooker, D., and Evans, S. The Experiences, Needs and Outcomes for Carers of People with Dementia: A Literature Review. University of Worcester: Association of Dementia Studies, 2016.Google Scholar
Goldberg, S., and Harwood, R. Experiences of general hospital care in older patients with cognitive impairment: Are we measuring the most vulnerable patients’ experiences? BMJ Qual Saf 2013, 977–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ILC-UK. The emotional well-being of older carers. ILC-UK London, 2015. https://ilcuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/The-emotional-well-being-of-older-carers.pdf.Google Scholar
Dementia UK, n.d. www.dementiauk.org.Google Scholar
TIDE: Together in Dementia Everyday, n.d. http://tide.uk.net.Google Scholar
Parker, D., Mills, R., and Abbey, J. Effectiveness of interventions that assist caregivers to support people with dementia living in the community: A systematic review. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare 2008, 6(2): 137–72.Google ScholarPubMed
Selwood, J., Johnston, K., Katona, C., Lyketsos, G., and Livingston, G. Systematic review of the effect of psychosocial interventions on family care-givers of people with dementia. Journal of Affective Disorders 2007, 1–3: 75–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pickard, L. The effectiveness and cost effectiveness of support and services to informal carers of older people: A review of the literature prepared for the Audit Commission. Discussion Paper. Personal Social Services Research Unit. London School of Economics, 2014.Google Scholar
Brodaty, H. Family care-givers of people with dementia. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience 2009, 11(2): 217–28.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moniz-Cook, E., Vernooj-Dassen, M., Woods, R. et al. A European consensus on outcome measures for psychosocial intervention research in dementia care. Journal of Aging and Mental Health 2008, 12(1): 14–29.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Prince, M., Comas-Herrera, A., Knapp, M., Guerchet, M., and Karagiannidou, M. World Alzheimer Report 2016: Improving Healthcare for People Living with Dementia: Coverage, Quality and Costs Now and in the Future. London: Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), 2016.Google Scholar
Banerjee, S., and Wittenberg, R. Clinical and cost effectiveness of services for early diagnosis and intervention in dementia. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2009, 24(7): 748–54.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Audit of Dementia. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital care for people with dementia. RC-PSYCH, n.d. impact-of-covid-19-on-dementia-care-report.pdf (rcpsych.ac.uk).Google Scholar
Greenwood, N., STSFT. Visiting during the COVID-19 pandemic. NHS England, n.d.Google Scholar
Social care cuts mean thousands with dementia taken to A&E, charity says. The Guardian, 17 May 2021.Google Scholar
Downar, J., and Kekewich, M. Improving family access to dying patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lancet Respir Med 4, 2021: 335–7.Google Scholar
BBC News. Coronavirus: Family visit plea over dementia patients. 10 June 2020, BBC News. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52984465.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×