abstract: As the incidence of dementia increases with age, and the number of older people is increasing, so more people with dementia will be admitted to and die on acute hospital wards. A retrospective study of case notes showed that referral to palliative care and the prescription of palliative medications was significantly less frequent in patients who were documented as having dementia. The researchers also found that less attention was paid to spiritual needs and religious background of those patients noted as having dementia. Nurses need to be aware that symptom control and spiritual support is equally important for all people irrespective of whether or not they have dementia.
authors.affiliation: MSc Gerontological Practice, University of Portsmouth.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sander