Dementia care
Jemma Wiltshire and Louise Cinderby share their award-winning work to improve the experience of people living with dementia being cared for in an acute hospital , through a project to give staff a better understanding of what it may feel like to have dementia .
Dementia care
Feature
Enhancing our approach to caring for people with dementia
Jemma Wiltshire and Louise Cinderby share their award-winning work to improve the experience of people living with dementia being cared for in an acute hospital , through a project to give staff a better understanding of what it may feel like to have dementia .
O ccupational therapists can play an integral role in educating a wide variety of healthcare professionals and clinical support workers about dementia , providing specialist advice and empowering staff to provide excellent care for those living with dementia .
We are two occupational therapists working within a specialist frailty team at Southmead Hospital , a large acute NHS hospital in Southwest England .
We provide care and treatment for many people with dementia during inpatient stays within our hospital . As occupational therapists , we are experts in understanding the interaction between the person , environment and the occupation .
With significant experience gained throughout our careers , we have recognised that there is opportunity to enhance the care for our patients who have dementia , with a focus on striving for excellent person-centred care .
Using our skills , knowledge and passion for outstanding care , we have developed staff training within our hospital . Our aim is to make a positive difference and to enhance the care experience for people living with dementia when they are admitted to our hospital .
Our aims and objectives
At any one time , a quarter of all hospital beds are occupied by people who have diagnosed dementia ( NICE 2021 ). Learning and improving the quality of care for this group of patients should be on everyone ’ s agenda , as they represent a significant proportion of our hospital inpatients .
While dementia e-learning is available , there is some evidence e-learning may not change outcomes , behaviour or skills within healthcare ( Vaona et a 2018 ).
We wanted to utilise an alternative , interactive and immersive approach to further educate staff about the complexities of dementia and how , as health care professionals , our professional approach , interaction and the hospital environment has an impact on the patient ’ s experience .
Our aim was to develop an impactful simulated experience for health care professionals .
Our project
We have developed a dementia simulation training project within our trust . The project is designed to provide an opportunity for patientfacing staff to experience the perspective of someone with dementia being cared for within the acute environment .
Through this unique experience , staff can further understand some of the symptoms that our patients with dementia may experience and how the hospital environment and staff approach can impact this .
The training sessions are implemented within the fortnightly trust induction programme to educate new clinical staff . This training is delivered to groups of up to 20 staff at a time , and is conducted in a clinical skills room , where we can utilise clinical equipment such as hospital beds , bed rails and manual handling equipment . The training is also delivered for a one-toone opportunity for staff . When the simulation is complete , time for a debrief and reflection is given , allowing the staff who took part to share their experience .
The simulation is interactive and practical , delivered as a ‘ role play ’ to give participants an opportunity to experience care from the perspective of a patient . Resources are worn to replicate the physical symptoms someone may experience with dementia .
26 OTnews May 2024