Comfort in Chaos: Emotional Support for Dementia Patients in Emergency Rooms
Emergency Aid for Dementia Patients - Assistance for Dementia Patients in Emergency Rooms - Assistance for Dementia Patients in Emergency Rooms: Aiding Those in Need
Emergency rooms can be chaotic and overwhelming, especially for the elderly, and those with dementia. But, volunteers like Kerstin Schneider in Göttingen, Mannheim, and Berlin are stepping in to change that.
These volunteers, under the guidance of hospital staff, provide an essential service: helping patients remain calm and keeping them grounded in reality during a stressful time. The key to their approach? Simple conversations that offer much-needed reassurance. Schneider recounts a story of a dementia patient who stopped screaming only when Schneider sat beside her, simply talking.
Schneider, a trained nurse, wears no lab coat and makes no medical claims, opting for an approachable, relatable appearance. By avoiding an association with the medical staff, she is better able to offer emotional support without causing further disorientation. Volunteers, like medical staff, are bound by confidentiality.
Göttingen's University Medical Center (UMG) is currently home to two emergency room guides, with eight more volunteers set to join the team soon. The program has been well-received, with medical staff reporting a decrease in stress and an improvement in overall patient care.
The potential for this program is vast, with statistics suggesting that up to ten percent of emergency room patients are affected by dementia or delirium. For Sabine Blaschke, the medical director of the Central Emergency Room at UMG, this is a clear indication that the need for such a program is significant.
The project in Göttingen builds on a pilot program conducted at Berlin's Charité in 2019, which aimed to improve patient outcomes and lower the risk of death associated with delirium. The program has been met with positive feedback from both guides and medical staff, and plans are underway to continue it beyond 2025.
While the project has yet to be widely adopted in Germany, Schneider is hopeful that similar initiatives may become available nationwide in the future. However, health insurance providers currently do not cover these programs, making it challenging for hospitals to implement them on a larger scale.
The German Foundation for Patient Protection acknowledges the program's potential benefits but believes that full-time specialists would provide a more effective solution. The foundation also advocates for health insurance coverage for relatives' hospital stays in emergency rooms if medically necessary.
Behind the Scenes: Enrichment Insights
Dementia patients can benefit significantly from emotional support and clear communication during hospital stays. Volunteer guides can offer companionship, help patients understand procedures, and facilitate navigation throughout the hospital.
Programs like these are often funded through hospital budgets, community grants, and donations. Training for volunteers typically includes understanding dementia care principles and collaborating with healthcare teams to ensure consistent support and effective care.
The effectiveness and continued success of these programs rely on coordination between hospital administration, volunteer services, and community organizations. Collaboration with healthcare teams is vital to ensure that volunteer support is integrated into the broader care plan for dementia patients.
- The Community policy could include provisions for the recruitment and training of volunteers like Kerstin Schneider, who provide emotional support to dementia patients in emergency rooms, as part of a health-and-wellness initiative.
- To further enhance the health-and-wellness of dementia patients in emergency rooms, the employment policy could be expanded to incorporate mental-health training as a mandatory component for all medical staff and volunteers, ensuring that they are better equipped to handle the unique emotional needs of these patients.
