Implementing palliative and end of life care for people with dementia.

Nurs Older People

Dementia UK, London, England.

Published: November 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • - Dementia leads to memory loss, behavioral changes, and a decline in cognitive, social, and physical functions, and is classified as a life-limiting palliative condition upon diagnosis.
  • - There is a lack of awareness among the public and healthcare professionals about the realities of dying from or with dementia, highlighting the importance of recognizing the need for palliative care early.
  • - The article emphasizes key factors for effective palliative dementia care including prognostication, advance care planning, staff training, and collaboration with specialized care teams, illustrated through a fictional case study.

Article Abstract

Dementia is characterised by memory loss, behavioural changes and decline of cognitive, social and physical functions and is a life-limiting condition. At the point of diagnosis it is classed as a palliative condition, yet there is limited public and healthcare professional awareness that, once diagnosed, a person will either die of dementia or die with dementia. This article discusses how the recognition and timing of the need for palliative dementia care is pivotal in providing person-centred care. The authors explore factors such as optimal prognostication, advance care planning, staff education and accessing support from palliative and end of life care teams and Admiral Nurses. The authors also use a fictional case study to demonstrate best practice in palliative dementia care.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.7748/nop.2024.e1479DOI Listing

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