Back to Conference 2014 - Abstracts
Dementia is a global concern, as the global population increases and ages the corresponding number of people with Dementia will also increase. The WHO has reported that worldwide 35.6 million people have Dementia and that there are 7.7 million new cases annually1.Australia also has a National Framework for Action on Dementia to support on-going progress2 3.
People who are admitted to hospital, or move to a residential facility, with Dementia often present a serious challenge to staff. With many staff frequently lacking some of the specialist skills required to manage the complex needs of people with Dementia4. Additionally a major concern when Dementia sufferers are admitted is that they are effectively moved out of their familiar environment. Consequently the risk of them experiencing mobility problems significantly increases. Additionally continence problems, nutritional issues and confusion may also occur.
Previous research has identified numerous theories, techniques and technologies which can be put in place to support people with Dementia. In this work we report on our experiences applying these theories and perceived best practices in support of Moving and Handling practitioners. In particular we report on our experiences:
• Redesigning facilities to be Dementia friendly environments, primarily focussing on: colour schemes; flooring; seating; beds and hoists5.
• Applying several tools and new assistive technologies to support people with Dementia, in particular focusing on reducing the risk of patient falls6.
• Incorporating new interactive technologies and techniques within training workshops, to improve care staffs’ awareness of, and empathy with, Dementia patients. With the aim to reduce Moving and Handling musculoskeletal injuries and the risk of aggressive or violet behaviour towards staff 4.
Ultimately our work aims to raise general awareness and improve existing best practice in Dementia care, with reference to real world case studies.