Improving acute care for patients with dementia

People with dementia are more likely to experience a decline in function, fall or fracture when admitted to hospital than the general hospital population. Informal carers' views were sought on the care their relative with dementia received in hospital. Participants were concerned about a lack of essential nursing care, harmful incidents, a decline in patient function, poor staff communication and carers' needs not being acknowledged. Care can be improved through further training, more effective communication, consideration of the appropriate place to care for people and more use of carers' knowledge.