Move from ward to home-style unit benefits dementia patients

CREATING a home-from-home environment for hospitalised dementia patients can significantly improve quality of life, research has found.

Greater levels of relaxation, improved sleep patterns and less need for restraint were among the benefits noted in a study of the effects of moving dementia patients from the traditional hospital ward into a customised dementia unit modelled on an old-style Irish country home.

The research, the first of its kind in an Irish context, was conducted at Mount Carmel Community Hospital, Clonakilty, Co Cork, where a 14-bed special care dementia unit opened over two years ago. Existing hospital wards were transformed into bedrooms and living space redesigned to reflect a patient’s home rather than traditional hospital accommodation. Typical shop fronts in Clonakilty were painted on corridor walls in an effort to recreate the world patients were familiar with.

After studying the effects of the relocation, researchers noted residents were more relaxed; were free to roam about, go shopping, go to mass, eat their meals and engage in daily activities; sleeping patterns improved and there was less need for night medication or restraint to prevent rambling.

Elizabeth Myers, principal researcher, based at the Mercy University Hospital (MUH), said the results provided “compelling evidence about the positive effects the relocation has had”.

“For the resident, the move in some cases meant former skills were regained; functional independence increased.

“For healthcare staff, they now have more time to get to know their residents and their life stories, and more time to involve residents in recreational and individualised activities.

“For relatives, it meant that in some cases, numbers of weekly visits increased and family care-givers felt less strained since they knew their relatives were calmer, less lonely, had more autonomy and were less inclined to want to be taken home” said Ms Myers.

Professor Murna Downs, chair in dementia studies, Bradford University, who yesterday launched the report, said it would be “extremely useful for health service professionals working in the area of dementia care and for those contemplating refurbishing or designing new specialist care units”.

The study was completed by the HSE South and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

Doctors condemn bed closures

A NUMBER of doctors have condemned the closure of up to 18 hospital beds at Mount Carmel Community Hospital in Clonakilty, west Cork.

The four doctors, who are medical officers at the hospital, are calling on the Health Service Executive South to reinstate the hospital’s 198 beds.

“Patients who have completed their acute treatment in hospitals in Cork, Bantry and elsewhere are delayed in their discharge because of unavailability of beds in Clonakilty,” said GP, Dr Daniel J Burke.

Dr Burke, whose views are supported by Dr Colm Quirke, Dr Liam O’Brien and Dr Sean Murray, said they could be forced to refer patients to secondary and tertiary treatment centres where previously they could have been treated in the community hospital. The HSE has put the closures down to refurbishment.