Dementia Patients On Regular Wards - Is This A Regular Thing?

[Smowball]

I am being discharged home soon with a pain management/care plan, but since last night they have admitted 2 ladies with dementia into my bay, one who also has schizophrenia. Apart from being very distressing for them, it’s also very very hard for the staff, and also for the other patients. The lady with schizophrenia will not let anyone near her - she just screams and screams till they back off. They’ve been unable to take her obs, her bloods, anything so far today. The other lady directly opposite me is convinced she is viewing a flat and keeps asking if I will take her home, will I book her a cab, why am I being so awkward etc etc. all day shouting at me. The staff say there is absolutely no room on the relevant ward for them and so they have had to put them here. Is this a typical situation? I’m genuinely interested - the staff give the impression that this happens all the time.

[Mamyalynne]

So difficult for everyone involved, so glad you haven't too long before you are home.x

[gness]

In my experience with my mother, Smow, yes it is.
Very difficult for all.

[Smowball]

The schizophrenic lady - every time the go near her after she’s stopped screaming she pulls all the bedding over her head and basically buries herself under it all.

[Smowball]

Ohhh I didn’t realise. It was just a shock.

[bednobs]

yes it is normal. as people lie longer, there are many more cases of dementia. they are proably not in hospitl for their dementia, but they have fallen like you, or need an op

[pixie374]

Yes. The schizophrenia should prioritise any dementia... but a lack of beds and staff, means that may well not happen.

[TheWinner]

yes. I've seen an 80+ year old patient stood in a hospital corridor with her coat over her arm. She thought she was stood at a bus stop, and was desperate to get home, so she didn't get in trouble from her mother for being home late. very sad.

[rowanwitch]

Patients will normally be admitted for the primary health issue, e.g. Broken hips, heart failure, to the ward appropriate for that condition. Ideally for as short a time as possible. This is because nurses tend to specialise so for the best cardiac or orthopaedic care you need to be on those wards. However patients sometimes end up on inappropriate wards simply because of the need to get them into a bed. ( 4 your trolley wait targets) This means their medical team have to leave their areas to see them, extending ward rounds, and also making it harder for ward staff to access the specialist teams. Much of my work when I was Oncology bed manager was getting outliers back to their specialities so I could use their beds for cancer patients

[pixie374]

It happens in Care homes too. We had several that were diagnosed with dementia, but actually had schizophrenia or Aspergers- very different. Different approaches needed, and they were eventually moved to somewhere more appropriate.
I would fully expect someone with dementia to be on a standard ward- but I would expect the staff to be aware.

[pat2604]

An older lady with dementis in our ward when I had my shoulder replaced was a joy. She was up and about with a beautifully made up face first thing in the morning. She had s broken hip, so in an orthopaedic ward. She thought she was at wedding and keep asking me when the bride was arriving. And then thought I had a dog with me. I sat with her for ages chatting and just joined in with her fantasies.

[Smowball]

God so so awful for everyone.
Pat that’s actually lovely that you chatted to her about the ‘wedding’.

[barry1010]

I experienced similar on a male ward in the 70s.

[bednobs]

even back in the day when i worked in a hospital (early and mid 90s) there was no such thing as "dementia wards" why should there be? people suffering from dementia arent generally looked after in hospital, but at thier place of residence, and only go to hospital for the same sorts of things non-dementia patients do. They might be more prone to illnesses for various reasons, but those illnesses are mainly treated in the same way as people with no dementia

[barry1010]

bednobs, I'd expect such patients to be on the geriatric wards

[bednobs]

even if they had cancer? or had had a heart attack that was being treated? or had a broken leg?
what if they had pre-senile dementia?

[Smowball]

Theyve literally just this second come in and said they are moving the dementia/schizophrenic patient to the ‘appropriate’ ward, whatever that is. She’s 86 and her husband has apparently been looking after her at home all on his own.

[barry1010]

Patients with dementia in hospital for pain management, pneumonia, UTI, post surgery care, stroke, recovery, even fractures are often treated on the geriatric wards

[tonyav]

I remember hospitals having geriatric wards ( well my local hospital used to have one ), I wonder what happened to them.

[barry1010]

My local hospital has geriatric wards

[Smowball]

Are the geriatric wards simply wards for anyone sick over a certain age??