The treatment of people with dementia in hospital

By Adam McCulloch

On Christmas eve, while in hospital I watched on astounded as a woman whom I - and NHS staff - knew had dementia of a kind, probably Alzheimer's, was discharged. She was clearly confused and likely to fall, but had satisfied the hospital's discharge criteria: ie she, apparently, could clothe and wash herself. But was truly amazing was the large carrier bag of drugs she was given. Two types of painkillers, laxatives, stomach protectors, stomach harderners (whatever they are). There must have been at least £50 worth of medicines in the bag. A dispensing nurse tried to explain when and how many to take but, as this was taking too long, went off to photocopy the clinical instructions. The scene demonstrated to me that hospitals clearly have no idea how to treat and relate to people with dementia who are still lucid. It also showed that the NHS is awash with money to spend on pointless medicines which staff casually hand out just to show they've done something.
Some of these points were discussed by author Deborah Moggach on the Today progamme this morning on Radio 4 (go to 08.32), and more broadly on TV by Fiona Phillips in the excellent and much discussed Mum, Dad, Alzheimer's and Me.

Read the complete post at http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/social-work-blog/2009/01/dementia-nhs-treatment-and-dru.html

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Posted 15 Jan 2009 9:46 AM by The Social Work Blog | Report Abuse

Filed under: Adam McCulloch, mental health, drugs, NHS, television programme, older people, health, medicines, dementia, Alzheimer's, hospitals