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Abstract

Background: Despite a quarter of acute hospital beds being occupied by people with dementia, many hospitals lack appropriate services to meet the holistic needs of people with dementia. Namaste Care is a sensory program that has been developed to meet the spiritual needs of people in the more advanced stages of dementia. It has been implemented successfully in care homes but it is not known whether it is an appropriate service for the acute hospital setting. Aim: To explore whether Namaste Care is an acceptable and effective service for people with advanced dementia being cared for on an acute ward in a busy inner-city teaching hospital. Methods: This was an exploratory qualitative interview study. Individual, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with hospital healthcare staff working in the area of the hospital where Namaste Care had been implemented. Data were analyzed using the framework approach. Results: Eight interviews were completed with members of the multidisciplinary ward team. Two main themes emerged with associated subthemes: Difficulties establishing relationships with people with dementia in hospital (sub-themes: Lack of time and resources, lack of confidence leading to fear and anxiety); The benefits of a Namaste Care service in an acute hospital setting (sub-themes: A reduction in agitated behavior; connecting and communicating with patients with dementia using the senses; a way of showing people with dementia they are cared for and valued). Conclusion: This small scale study indicates that Namaste Case has the potential to improve the quality of life of people with advanced dementia being cared for in an acute hospital setting. However, further research is required to explore more specifically its benefits in terms of improved symptom management and wellbeing of people with dementia on acute hospitals wards.

Biography

Email: kimberleystjohn3@gmail.com