Dementia - supporting physical health

You will find here resources that highlight the importance physical health, including topics such as nutrition, continence, well-being and everyday care.

In other sections of the website you can also:

Resources are arranged under the following headings:

Some of the resources on this page are in PDF format - see how to access PDF files.

Resources and tools

Alzheimer’s Society: Caring for the person with dementia – everyday care
Written for people caring for someone with dementia, this section of the Alzheimer’s Society website includes information on health, mobility, dressing, bathing and eating.

BMC Nursing: The nursing staff's opinion of falls among older persons with dementia. A cross-sectional study
The aim of this study was to describe the nursing staff's opinion of caring for older persons with dementia with the focus on causes of falls, fall-preventing interventions, routines of documentation and report and the nursing staff's experiences and reactions when fall incidents occur.

BMC Public Health: Home-based exercise and support programme for people with dementia and their caregivers: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial
This Netherlands study looks at how dementia affects the mood of people with dementia and also of their caregivers. 'In the coming years, the number of people with dementia will increase worldwide and most of them will continue to live in the community as long as possible. Home-based psychosocial interventions reducing the depressive symptoms of both people with dementia and their caregivers in their own home are highly needed.’

Health Scotland and Alzheimer Scotland (2011) Coping with dementia – a practical DVD for carers. Chapter 4:  practical caring
This is part of a DVD that has been made for people caring for someone in the middle to late stages of dementia. This short film focuses on: physical well-being; mental stimulation; life story book; spiritual well-being.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway: Communication and Mealtimes Toolkit Helping people with dementia to eat, drink & communicate. A guide for carers (PDF 7.8MB)
The toolkit is in two sections, focussing on communication, and then on eating and drinking. Unsuccessful mealtimes often reflect a breakdown in communication and the way food is given and eaten can be a means of communication in its own right. The emphasis throughout the toolkit is on centering care around the person with dementia, which relies on knowing as much about them as possible. Care plan check lists are provided in each section, with examples, to help carers look at how they can put the advice in to practice with each individual.

Nursing standard articles

The full text of articles published in the Nursing Standard are available electronically approximately three months after publication. RCN members can access them via the RCN e-Library at RCN e-journals.

RCN Nutrition and hydration resource
Well managed nutrition and hydration are vital in patient care, poorly managed they pose a significant risk to patient safety. This site brings together what we currently know about the quality of care in these areas and the strategies required to improve nutritional care in the acute and community settings. Content is based on the experience of four country and local initiatives, and learning from the RCN Nutrition Now campaign and the RCN Principles of Nursing Practice are used to describe the nursing contribution. The resource includes a section for specific groups such as people with dementia, highlighting some of the key issues.

SCIE Dementia Gateway: Eating well for people with dementia
This section of the dementia gateway which brings together tools, activities and practical tips includes areas on: promoting independence at mealtimes; the importance of nutrition for people with dementia; the eating environment; chewing and swallowing problems; diet, super foods and dementia; activities based around food and eating well at home.

SCIE Dementia Gateway: Keeping active and occupied
This section of the dementia gateway which brings together tools, activities and practical tips includes areas on: activity as a core component of care; practical activity ideas; creative arts; movement and exercise; reminiscence; involving family and friends; activity in later stages; developing community links and culture and religion. See also the related case studies which are based on real life stories. View the case studies.

Stories and good practice examples

Practitioners have shared improvements they have made in the delivery of dementia care and services describing what changes occurred as a result of their initiatives and what they learned from the experience. The stories have been arranged according to the five key ingredients in the Commitment to the care of people with dementia in general hospitals. To read these improvement stories see Best practice examples.

Department of Health (2011) Living well with dementia: a National Dementia Strategy - good practice compendium
This good practice compendium has been compiled from across the regions to support local delivery of the national dementia strategy. It brings together practice examples on a wide range of dementia care.

SCIE Dementia Gateway: Case studies
This section of the dementia gateway which brings together tools, activities and practical tips includes case studies covering: eating well; the environment and keeping active and occupied.

SCIE Dementia Gateway, Dementia Good Practice Exchange: Exercise for continuing care clients
The staff at East Ham Care Centre recognised the improvement of health and well being that short term rehabilitation patients had from participating in chair based exercises. 

Standards

For relevant standard statements and associated guidance see:

NICE quality standards: Dementia standard
See statements 4 and 7.
 
Scottish Government: Standards of care for dementia in Scotland
As a person with dementia:
I have the right to access a range of treatment, care and supports.
I have the right to be as independent as possible and be included in my community.

For overarching resources and resources on other specific aspects of care see Supporting people with dementia.