Leaflet launched to help hospital staff improve care to people with dementia

'This is me' can be filled out and given to staff when a person with dementia goes into hospital and provides a 'snapshot' of the person behind the dementia. The leaflet will help hospital staff to learn about the person's habits, hobbies, likes and dislikes and is being supported by the Royal College of Nursing.

'This is me' comes following the publication last November of Counting the Cost: caring for people with dementia on hospital wards which found large variations in the quality of care for people with dementia.

The leaflet will enable staff to respond to the person with dementia's needs and reduce their feelings of agitation and distress. For example, people with dementia can become agitated and confused when they are in an unfamiliar environment and it is this behaviour that nurses can find challenging and prevent them from providing good care.

Actor and Alzheimer's Society Ambassador, Kevin Whately, says,

'My mother became very ill in hospital. Someone would bring her a tray of food then collect it untouched because she'd forgotten to eat it. I think if staff had access to a leaflet like this they would have known that she needed encouragement to eat the food and maybe she wouldn't have become so weak.'

Andrew Ketteringham, Director of External Affairs at Alzheimer's Society, says,

'People with dementia are staying too long in hospital and many are discharged in worse health than when they arrived. But we know that no one goes into nursing wanting to do a poor job; rather, staff are often not equipped to care for people with dementia. We hope 'This is me' will support staff to provide the best possible person centred dementia care, by helping them to get to know the individual and understand their needs.'

Notes to editors

• Kevin Whately, Jo Brand, case studies and spokespeople are available for interviews on request.
• People with dementia, relatives and hospital staff can get hold of a copy of This is me by visiting alzheimers.org.uk/countingthecost or calling 01753 535 751
• Alzheimer's Society's hospital care report, Counting the Cost: caring for people with dementia on hospital wards, was published on 17 November 2009
• People with dementia occupy one quarter of hospital beds at any one time.
• One in three people over 65 will die with dementia.
• Alzheimer's Society research shows that 700,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer's disease. In less than 20 years nearly a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051.
• Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them.
• Alzheimer's Society works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Alzheimer's Society needs to raise money to help people live well with dementia today and for research to find a cure for tomorrow. You can donate now by calling 0845 306 0898 or visiting alzheimers.org.uk 
  
• Alzheimer's Society provides a National Dementia Helpline, the number is 0845 300 0336 or visit alzheimers.org.uk