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Dementia deaths in hospice: a retrospective case note audit
1Graduate School of Nursing Midwifery and Health, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. kay.devries@vuw.ac.nz
International Journal of Palliative Nursing
|January 14, 2012
Summary
People with dementia require palliative care, but hospice access is low. A UK hospice audit found 9% of patients over 65 had dementia, indicating a potential rise in referrals for this population.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Palliative Care
- Neurology
Background:
- Dementia is a progressive terminal illness with significant palliative care needs.
- Existing literature indicates low hospice service utilization by dementia patients in the UK.
- Concerns exist regarding hospice staff preparedness for dementia care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of dementia among patients referred to a hospice.
- To inform staff education requirements based on patient demographics.
- To assess trends in dementia patient referrals to hospice services.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective audit of case notes over a 3-month period.
- Inclusion criteria: patients aged 65 and over.
- Analysis of 288 case notes from a single hospice in Southern England.
Main Results:
- 9% of audited patients (aged 65+) had a dementia diagnosis or comorbidity.
- The findings suggest an increasing trend in dementia patient referrals to hospice services.
- This trend aligns with predictions due to increased disease surveillance and an aging population.
Conclusions:
- A notable proportion of hospice patients over 65 have dementia.
- Hospice services may be experiencing an increase in referrals for individuals with dementia.
- Further investigation into staff training needs for dementia care in hospices is warranted.
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