Abstract
Since 2006, the Alzheimer’s Society of Lower Saxony, Germany, has been working to improve care and medical treatment for people with cognitive impairment or dementia in general hospitals. An interdisciplinary team systematically worked on the topic for several years and presented results at various symposia. In 2011, a two-stage curriculum was completed and sent in combination with additional training documents to all hospitals and nursing training colleges in Lower Saxony, Germany. The manual comprised a two-step approach with a 14-h training for hospital staff and a 160-h training for qualification of trainers and dementia appointees/chaperones. In addition, the manual included a list of 13 essential points for “dealing with demented people in a general hospital,” the information sheet of the German Alzheimer’s Society on aspects requiring special attention when a demented person is admitted to a hospital, short descriptions of best practice models, a list of established speakers in the field, and a 30-min film. In 2012, the project won the “Preis für Engagement und Selbsthilfe” of the Hertie Foundation and the “Niedersächsischen Gesundheitspreis” awarded by the Lower Saxon Ministry for Social, Women, Family, and Health Affairs.
Zusammenfassung
Seit 2006 befasst sich die Alzheimer Gesellschaft Niedersachsen mit der Problematik von Menschen mit Demenz im Krankenhaus. In mehreren Fachtagungen und einer bis heute mehrmals jährlich tagenden Arbeitsgruppe wurden Erfahrungen und Ideen zusammengetragen und ein zweigestuftes Fortbildungscurriculum für Mitarbeitende im Krankenhaus entwickelt. Ziel dieses Maßnahmenbündels, das in einem Ordner an die niedersächsischen Krankenhäuser und Kranken- und Altenpflegeschulen verteilt wurde, ist die Verbesserung der medizinischen und pflegerischen Versorgung von demenziell Erkrankten im Krankenhaus. Es besteht aus einem 14-stündigen Programm für alle Mitarbeitenden und einem 160-h-Programm für die Qualifizierung von Multiplikatoren und Demenzbeauftragten. Ferner enthält der Ordner eine Aufstellung mit Kurzbeschreibungen von Best-practice-Beispielen, einem 13-Punkte-Katalog mit den Essentials für den Umgang mit Demenzpatienten, den Überleitungsbogen der Deutschen Alzheimer Gesellschaft für die Krankenhausaufnahme sowie einen 30-minütigen Lehrfilm. Das Projekt wurde 2012 ausgezeichnet mit dem Preis für Engagement und Selbsthilfe der gemeinnützigen Hertie-Stiftung und dem Niedersächsischen Gesundheitspreis des Niedersächsischen Ministeriums für Soziales, Frauen, Familie, Gesundheit und Integration.
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Conflict of interest
On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states the following: The authors have no conflicts of interest. The corresponding author is Vice Chairman of the Alzheimer’s Society of Hameln–Pyrmont and the Alzheimer’s Society of Lower Saxony, Germany.
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Gurlit, S., Thiesemann, R., Wolff, B. et al. Caring for people with dementia in general hospitals. Z Gerontol Geriat 46, 222–225 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-013-0479-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-013-0479-7