Excellent Dementia Care in Hospitals: A Guide to Supporting People with Dementia and Their Carers

Highly Commended in Medicine in the 2018 BMA Medical Book Awards

People with dementia increasingly find themselves staying in hospitals for extended periods, often due to separate health issues. This best-practice guide presents healthcare staff with the information and tools needed to provide excellent person-centred care to people with dementia in hospital settings.

This useful handbook includes information and innovative strategies on how to manage common issues, including communication, physical health needs, pain, eating and nutrition, working with carers and relatives, understanding behaviour and approaching the end of life. It also highlights ethical considerations such as human rights and dementia, making decisions and the Mental Capacity Act. Each chapter includes a case study, emphasising the person at the centre of care and providing examples of how hospital staff can work with people with dementia to ensure best practice.

Jo James, Jules Knight, Bethany Cotton, Rita Freyne, Josh Pettit and Lucy Gilby comprise the Dementia Care Team at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. The team provides support and expert advice for staff in the trust as well as patients, families and carers using the services.

Nicci Gerrard and Julia Jones are authors and founders of John’s Campaign which advocates for the right to stay with people with dementia in hospital.