Volunteering to help people in hospital with dementia

[nita]

I recently had a stay in hospital and there was a lady on the ward with mild dementia who the nurses weren't communicating with properly. I actually intervened and suggested what to say to the lady to encourage her to have her medication and it worked. If I hadn't intervened, I think the nurse would have given up and left her.

I'm not an expert on dealing with these communication problems but I looked after my mother for 6 years with Alzheimer's and, because I knew her, I was able to speak to her in a way that was helpful to her (not always successfully, depending on her fluctuating levels of understanding).

I am now thinking that maybe I could volunteer to help people with dementia who have to go into hospital. I am not sure I could deal with people in, for instance, a paranoid stage or with severe symptoms but I could perhaps help those with early dementia or mild cognitive problems.

This lady was not on the appropriate ward, due to a shortage of beds, I imagine which also happened to my mother several times. That is when their needs can go overlooked. Also, when people are confused I think they are not believed if they say, for instance, that they're in pain.

I know there is much talk of dementia awareness in hospitals and "champions" for people affected but I have seen scant evidence of this in practice.

Has anyone else taken on this type of voluntary work and what was their experience like?

 

[Pacucho]

Hello Nita,
I have no experience of volunteering in a hospital to help patients with dementia but I do know that the majority of Acute Hospitals (i.e. Hopsital with an A&E dept) in England have signed up to the Dementia Friendly Hospital Charter, which includes a section on Volunteering. Here is a link to the Charter and also the Poster (which should appear on all hospital wards summarising the charter): https://nationaldementiaaction.org....IENDLY-HOSPITAL-CHARTER-UPDATED-June-2019.pdf and https://nationaldementiaaction.org....entia-Friendly-Hospital-Charter-One-Pager.pdf.
Therefore, if you are thinking about volunteering a question you can ask the hospital is whether they are signed up to the Charter.
Hope this helps,
Paco

 

[nita]

Thank you for the link @Pacucho . I think my local hospital is signed up to this charter. I am not sure, though, whether there are volunteers specifically to help people with dementia or whether this is just part of the general training of all volunteers. I would like to help on the wards but I am not sure whether this would be welcome by the professional staff or whether you would be stepping on the toes of the dementia champions who are paid for this as part of their job.

I would really be interested in others' experience of volunteering in hospitals or maybe care homes.

 

[AliceA]

I admire your response, I hope you find somewhere. It is much needed, I have intervened several times when an inpatient myself. X

 

[Grannie G]

It's a wonderful idea @nita and I hope you will be accepted as a local volunteer.

 

[Lawson58]

Could I suggest that if no such service exists in your local hospital that perhaps you could be the hero that makes the approach to get one organized? Perhaps sketch out your ideas of what is needed, how it could be put in place and then contact hospital management. If you find it difficult to put forward your ideas to management, maybe the hospital has a chaplain who might be willing to listen.

Great idea! Would love to see it happen.

 

[Jessbow]

It would be a great idea, I wonder how , if it took on, things like CRB would be checked/candidates screened?

Its a fine balance where our PWD are so very vunerable

 

[Sarasa]

Both the local hospital and the one my brother is currently in have posters up looking for volunteers. The roles they have in mind are not the sort of thing you were thinking but contacting the volunteer co-ordinator could be a place to start.

 

[RosettaT]

My OH was in hospital for 12 weeks and it was apparent that 6 out of the 7 wards he was on (because there was no appropriate ward so was moved around when his bed was required) didn't have a clue how to respond to him.
Time and time again his tablets were left on his table along with his food and drink that quite frankly was out of his reach and he didn't have the where with all to ask for them.
I said then, if I had the time and lived nearer (20miles from the hospital) I would volunteer to go in and help dementia patients with their food and drink.

Well done for intervening.

 

[nae sporran]

A couple of people from my dementia carers group do it, and it's a great idea. Good luck @nita.

 

[Marnie63]

There were so many things wrong when my mum was hospitalised on a few occasions - it makes my head hurt just thinking back to those times! I'm not sure there's an easy answer. As we all know, you don't really get it unless you have close hand experience. That doesn't answer your questions @nita, but if even one person who 'get's it' can help out, then that's good. I hope it works out.

As I write this - one of the worst scenarios springs to mind - a nurse practically forcing tablets down my mum's throat, in the middle of a move from a side room to a main ward area, after I had been given a careful briefing on how she mustn't have any solids and how dangerous it was (just after she'd had a stroke!). I'm not a violent person, but that nurse really deserved a slap. All I could do at the time was shout at her to stop … but she didn't

 

[Sarasa]

You really have to be on the top of your game as a patient at times to get what you need in hospital, impossible if you have dementia. My brother has been in hospital most of the last six months and he is now very adept at knowing the best way to get help. Today it involved finding the best nurse on the ward for changing his canula.

 

[LynneMcV]

Hi @nita , it might be worth contacting the Alzheimer's Society about their Side by Side scheme. I remember reading an article in their Dementia Together magazine within the last year about a volunteer who works through this scheme at her local hospital.

There's a bit more information about the scheme and its different settings on the link below, which also takes you to a link where you can register an interest and find out more. I hope you find what you are looking for - it's a great idea!

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/ways-volunteer/volunteer-side-by-side

 

[kindred]

Thank you for the link @Pacucho . I think my local hospital is signed up to this charter. I am not sure, though, whether there are volunteers specifically to help people with dementia or whether this is just part of the general training of all volunteers. I would like to help on the wards but I am not sure whether this would be welcome by the professional staff or whether you would be stepping on the toes of the dementia champions who are paid for this as part of their job.

I would really be interested in others' experience of volunteering in hospitals or maybe care homes.

I volunteer in the nursing home where my beloved husband died. I love the work I do and on two days of the week I volunteer as an activity coordnator in a sister nursing home. I had a recent police check for my church work and this was accepted. I love being a fully involved member of the team. I also do family support there as I am a mental health professional. I cannot imagine a more interesting and rewarding form of voluntary work. Please keep us in touch with your progress.
Warmest, kindred