Liverpool Care Pathway - And Preconditioning Outcomes

"Often as a result of admission to a care home or hospitalisation dementia can sometimes advance extremely fast. One area in the care of older people which has received little attention is ‘end of life’ care of people with dementia, many of who are more likely to die in care homes."

This is CORE -

Evaluation of the implementation of the Gold Standards Framework and Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying on End of Life care for people with dementia

By B Roe

Abstract

There has been a growing awareness of how important the perspective of the person is with dementia (Cheston et al 2003). Dementia is an irreversible degenerative syndrome characterised by deficits in memory, language and personality change resulting in difficulties with self care management, self neglect and psychiatric syndromes (Harris 2006). Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia which develops gradually and occurs most commonly after the age of sixty years of age. Kitwood (1997) acknowledges that often as a result of admission to a care home or hospitalisation dementia can sometimes advance extremely fast. One area in the care of older people which has received little attention is ‘end of life’ care of people with dementia, many of who are more likely to die in care homes. There is currently limited research evidence about the quality of dying for people with dementia in long term care settings. Whilst there are numerous moral and ethical difficulties to surmount when undertaking research into sensitive areas such as older people with dementia, Hughes and Robinson (2006) also identify three main areas of difficulties to providing good palliative care with advanced dementia in nursing and residential homes; communication, organisation (systems) and education (specialist knowledge and skills).

Type: Conference or Workshop Item, NonPeerReviewed

Topics: BF Psychology, RT Nursing

Year: 2009

OAI identifier: oai:repository.edgehill.ac.uk:2564

Provided by Edge Hill Research Archive

The Alzheimer’s Society reports -

Record numbers of people with dementia in care homes

Published 26 February 2013

Eighty per cent of people living in care homes – more than ever thought before - have either dementia or severe memory problems according to a new Alzheimer’s Society report published today.

However, while excellent care exists, less than half of these 322,000 people are enjoying a good quality of life.

'Low Expectations' finds evidence of a deep-seated pessimism about life in care homes. Only 41 per cent of relatives surveyed by Alzheimer’s Society reported that their loved ones enjoyed good quality of life. Despite this, three quarters (74 per cent) of relatives would recommend their family member’s care home.

The report also reveals the severe image crisis facing the care sector. According to a YouGov public poll commissioned by the charity, 70 per cent of UK adults say they would be fairly or very scared of going into a care home. In addition, two thirds (64 per cent) do not feel the sector is doing enough to tackle abuse in care homes. The charity argues that public attitudes and scepticism about whether people with dementia enjoy a good quality of life in a care home is leading to a failure to drive up standards of care. Alzheimer’s Society is calling on government and care homes to work together to lift expectations and to strengthen existing minimum standards to boost quality of life.

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimer’s Society, said:

'When you walk into an excellent care home it’s full of warmth, activities and interaction. But between these best examples and the worst, which often dominate headlines, there is a forgotten scandal of people with dementia who are failed and left living a life that can only be described as 'OK'.

Society has such low expectations of care homes that people are settling for average. Throughout our lives we demand the best for ourselves and our children. Why do we expect less for our parents? We need the government and care homes to work together to lift up expectations so people know they have the right to demand the best.'

In addition, 'Low Expectations' finds that:

• Less than a third (30 per cent) of the public believe people with dementia are treated well in care homes.
• The main factor (48 per cent) the general public would look for in choosing a care home is training of staff. 
• Less than half (44 per cent) of relatives said opportunities for activities in their relatives' care home were good. 
• Over 9.3 million UK adults (19 per cent) know someone with dementia in a care home*.