Gayle Madden
Using video consultations to support family carers of people living with dementia
The experiences of a team of Admiral Nurses in setting up and conducting video consultations
How you can support an older patient experiencing anxiety and depression
How would I recognise if someone with dementia was experiencing anxiety or depression and how could I support them?
Suicide risk in carers of people with dementia
With an ageing population comes an increasing risk of illnesses such as dementia and a growing need for care. There are 670,000 informal, unpaid carers in the UK, reducing costs for health and social care services but presenting other concerns for healthcare professionals. Carer burden and carer stress are well-documented concepts, and can lead to depression and a risk of suicide in some individuals. It is important that this risk is considered when supporting informal carers of people living with dementia. Admiral Nurses work with families living with dementia to provide the one-to-one support and expert guidance they need to manage. This article discusses a case study that highlights how caring can affect an individual, leading to thoughts of suicide. It also demonstrates how an Admiral Nurse could support the carer in a relationship-centred way, using appropriate interventions to avoid crisis. The article offers implications for practice and provides recommendations for nurses working in this field.