Dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term that describes a range of progressive conditions affecting the brain. As a person’s age increases, so does the risk of them developing dementia. It is estimated that by 2025 more than one million people will be living with dementia in the UK. Dementia is therefore an increasingly important topic in the nursing care of older people.

In recognition of Dementia Action Week, which takes place 17-23 May, we have grouped together articles from RCNi’s archive showcasing the nursing role in caring for older people with dementia.

While the articles identify the breadth and scope of nursing practice, what unites them is a recognition that every person living with dementia is unique and should be cared for as an individual. We hope the articles will support you to deliver person-centred dementia care.

Please contact Lisa Berry, editor of Nursing Older People, at lisa.berry@rcni.com with your comments, suggestions or feedback and help raise awareness of our content by sharing this resource on social media using the weblink rcni.com/dementia


Transforming dementia care in an NHS trust

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust was one of nine trusts selected to take part in the RCN...

Legal implications of restrictive physical interventions in people with dementia

Dementia care environments are now home to thousands of people who have complex mental and...

Staff’s views on managing symptoms of dementia in nursing home residents

Aim To identify the most common and distressing behavioural and psychological symptoms of...
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Ever considered a career in palliative care?

Nurse consultant Maggie Bisset shines a light on her emotionally challenging and rewarding...

Supporting people with Down’s syndrome and dementia

People with Down’s syndrome enjoy a longer life expectancy now than they ever have before,...

Putting the family at the centre of dementia care

Alongside growing longevity there has been an increase in the prevalence and incidence of...

Supporting staff to care for people with dementia who experience distress reactions

This article outlines the development of distress reaction training in a large care home...

Improving end of life care for people with dementia

Nurses caring for older patients across diverse settings will provide care for people with...

The effect of dementia on patients, informal carers and nurses

This article explores the effect of dementia on individuals with dementia, their families...

Use of doll therapy for people with dementia: an overview

Over the past decade, dolls have been used increasingly as a therapeutic device for people...

Introducing on-ward volunteers to work with patients with dementia

This article reports on an evaluation of the effect of an on-ward volunteer service in an...

Sharing skills in dementia care with staff overseas

More than 35 million people worldwide are living with dementia. In some countries the...

Nervous system: part 2

This article, which forms part of the life sciences series and is the second of three...

Effects of dog-assisted intervention on behavioural and psychological symptoms of...

Aim To evaluate the effect of a dog-assisted intervention on the behavioural and...
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Blood test for dementia: would you take it?

Colin Parish would rather not know whether he’s going to get Alzheimer’s disease

Evaluation of Dementia Training for Staff in Acute Hospital Settings

The development, pilot and evaluation of a brief psychosocial training intervention (BPTI)...

Computer-assisted reminiscence therapy: developing practice

Reminiscence therapy is a positive pastime for people with dementia and there is evidence to...

Disclosing a diagnosis of dementia: a background to the phenomenon

The number of people with dementia who have not received a formal diagnosis is high, in the...

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