Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Care
• Patient Experience
• Non-pharmacological Interventions

Background:

• Hospitalization can negatively impact older adults, leading to disability.
• Guidelines recommend increased non-pharmacological care for physical, emotional, cognitive, and rehabilitative needs.
• A need exists for interventions addressing comfort, stimulation, and responsive behaviors in older patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop, implement, and evaluate standardized mobile 'Comfort Carts'.
• To enhance patient comfort, cognitive and physical stimulation.
• To manage responsive behaviors associated with delirium and dementia in hospitalized older adults.

Main Methods:

• Developed 'Comfort Carts' with non-pharmacological resources via stakeholder input and needs assessment.
• Trained hospital volunteers to facilitate patient interactions and non-pharmacological care on an orthopedic unit.
• Conducted daily audits and post-implementation surveys over one year to assess effectiveness and acceptability.

Main Results:

• Facilitated over 669 patient visits, including 50 with at-risk individuals.
• Logged over 168 hours of patient-volunteer interaction, with 58.1% of visits improving mood or behavior.
• 76% of staff agreed carts addressed non-pharmacological care barriers; 91% of patients/caregivers reported positive impact on care.

Conclusions:

• Standardized mobile 'Comfort Carts' effectively meet unmet non-pharmacological needs in older adult care.
• The program significantly enhances the hospital patient experience.
• Comfort Carts contribute positively to compassionate and overall patient care.