Service organisation for people with dementia after an injurious fall: challenges and opportunities

Wheatley, Alison, Bamford, Claire, Shaw, Caroline, Boyles, Miriam, Fox, Chris ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9480-5704 and Allan, Louise (2019) Service organisation for people with dementia after an injurious fall: challenges and opportunities. Age and Ageing, 48 (3). 454–458. ISSN 0002-0729

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Abstract

Introduction: People with dementia are more likely to fall and less likely to recover well after a fall than cognitively intact older people. Little is known about how best to deliver services to this patient group. This paper explored current service provision to help inform the development of a new intervention. Methods: Qualitative approaches were used to explore the views and experiences of people with dementia, family carers and professionals providing services to people with dementia following an injurious fall. These data were analysed using a thematic, iterative analysis. Findings: While a wide range of services potentially relevant to people with dementia was identified, there were no dedicated services for people with dementia with fall related injuries in our three geographical areas. Factors influencing service uptake included a lack of knowledge of local provision amongst professionals and underdeveloped information sharing systems. Some aspects of current service organization were incompatible with the needs of people with dementia. These include an emphasis on time-limited interventions; lack of longer-term follow-up; and service delivery in environments that could be challenging for people with dementia. Conclusions: Care pathways for people with dementia who fall are fragmented and unclear. This is likely to preclude people with dementia from receiving all appropriate support and contribute to poor recovery following a fall. The findings highlight the need for new approaches to service organisation and delivery which address the specific needs of people with dementia who fall.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	dementia,falls,care pathways
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Mental Health Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Norwich Epidemiology Centre Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Norwich Epidemiology Centre Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Institute for Volunteering Research
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	21 Jan 2019 14:30
Last Modified:	20 Apr 2023 23:56
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/69636
DOI:	10.1093/ageing/afz010

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