Caring for people with dementia

The following resources are available in the RCN library to help in the care of people with dementia.

RCN resources

The RCN has been leading on a project to improve the care of patients with dementia in general hospital settings and many resources, both online and printed, have been created as part of this. Go to www.rcn.org.uk/dementia for more details.

• Royal College of Nursing (2011) Commitment to the care of people with dementia in general hospitals. London: RCN

Publications available online

• Department of Health (2011) Common core priniciples for supporting people with dementia: a guide to training the social care and health workforce. London: DoH.
  Available at: www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_127447.pdf  

Books

• Hughes, R. (2010) Rights, risk and restraint-free care of older people: person-centred approaches in health and social care. London: Jessica Kingsley
• Morris, G. and Morris, J. (2010) The dementia care workbook. Maidenhead: Open University Press
• Waite, J. (2009) Dementia care: a practical manual. Oxford: OUP

Journal articles

• Research: support workers play vital role in dementia care.
  Schneider, J.
  Br J Healthcare Assistants. 2010. Oct. 4(10). p498-501.  
  Research into the role of health care assistants in promoting person-centred dementia care in mental health hospital wards. The process of managing the ward environment, the need for effective liaison between HCAs and families, team working and organisational barriers experienced were studied. 3 refs.
• Learning from each others to improve dementia care.
  Mashta, O.
  Nursing Standard. 2010. 22 Sep. 25(3). p18-9.  
  Nurses who undertook a facilitators' course describe the development of dementia-specific education for HCAs at the Royal Free Hospital, London. Designed to run for 6 months and to accommodate different shifts, the educational initiative raises awareness of the care needs of patients who have dementia and encourages discussion of potentially challenging scenarios as well as a reflective approach.
• End-of-life care: making links with dementia care.
  Newson, P.
  Nursing & Residential Care. 2009. Sep. 11(9). p433-6.  
  Advice for health care assistants providing end-of-life care in the care home setting, focusing on how carers can positively contribute to the quality of care by taking a whole person approach. The principles of palliative care and whole person care are identified and issues specific to late stage dementia care are discussed. 13 refs.
• In the memory clinic.
  Williams, N.
  Br J Healthcare Assistants. 2008. Apr. 2(4). p189.  
  A healthcare assistant in a memory clinic in north Wales describes her work with patients who have dementia.
• Dementia: caring for patients and supporting carers.
  Ouldred, E; Bryant, C.
  Br J Healthcare Assistants. 2007. Jul. 1(4). p172-5.  
  Practical advice for health care assistants on caring for people with dementia, managing challenging behaviour and supporting carers. Causes of difficult behaviour and strategies for good communication to reduce the effects are suggested. Non-pharmacological interventions are reviewed, including reality orientation, validation and reminiscence therapies, music therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and aromatherapy and guidance is given on modifying the patient's environment. 16 refs.
• When it's hard to dress: managing cognitive problems.
  Swann, J.
  Nursing & Residential Care. 2005. May. 7(5). p217-9.  
  2nd in series on dressing, focusing on how care assistants can help residents with cognitive problems in care homes.
  Examples of dressing problems and suggested practical solutions are presented. 7 refs.