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Why you should read this article: • To enhance your understanding of dementia • To appreciate that person-centred care can improve the experience of people with dementia • To learn some practical person-centred approaches to care for people with dementia admitted to general hospital wards Dementia is caused by conditions that result in a progressive loss of brain function. People with dementia often have complex multimorbidity which increases their risk of admission to hospital. However, care in acute hospitals is often not adapted to patients with dementia, who have reported negative experiences of their hospital stay from admission to discharge. Person-centred care has been shown to make a positive difference to how well people with dementia cope in hospital. This article discusses how nurses working on general hospital wards can enhance the experiences of people with dementia and improve their outcomes by providing person-centred care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To enhance your knowledge of the benefits of music therapy for people with dementia • To understand how music therapy can be provided in acute mental health settings • To learn about a new tool for measuring the effectiveness of music therapy in people with dementia As global figures for dementia are set to rise significantly, there has been a shift towards using non-pharmacological interventions such as music therapy to enhance the quality of life for people with the condition. Research into music therapy interventions for this patient group in acute mental health inpatient settings, however, is limited. This article describes a service evaluation that explored whether group music therapy was effective for people with dementia in such settings. Open group music therapy sessions were hosted weekly in two acute wards and the researchers examined the social and behavioural outcomes of participants pre and post-intervention. The results indicated that music therapy significantly improved patient outcomes following participation. The outcome measure developed for this service evaluation was found to be a reliable tool for measuring the effectiveness of music therapy on patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delirium is common in patients who are critically ill, often resulting in extended hospital stays and increased mortality and morbidity. There are several subtypes of delirium, which are often undiagnosed and untreated, resulting in suboptimal patient outcomes. This article examines delirium in patients in the intensive care unit, including its signs and symptoms, incidence, causes and subtypes. It outlines the assessment of delirium and the pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that can be used to manage the condition, as well as describing the optimal prevention measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a potentially debilitating and fatal condition that is caused by thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency in the brain. It can be treated effectively or prevented completely; however, the condition is often undiagnosed and inadequately managed. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is commonly considered to be specific to individuals who misuse alcohol; however, there are many other predisposing factors and causes associated with the condition. This article aims to raise awareness of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, to enable nurses in all practice settings to recognise the signs, symptoms and risk factors associated with the condition and be informed about available treatments. Increased awareness aims to improve early diagnosis of the condition, enabling effective treatment and improving patients' symptoms, such as cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarises and critiques various tools available for the assessment of pain in older people with cognitive impairment. Definitions of pain are numerous and are not always relevant to people with cognitive impairment because these individuals are often unable to describe or communicate their pain. This makes it difficult for healthcare professionals to assess the absence or presence of pain in these patients. The aim of this article is to establish which of the available pain assessment tools are most appropriate for use in older people with cognitive impairment. From a review of the literature, the authors conclude that pain assessment in older people with any degree of cognitive impairment is complex and there is no gold standard. INSET: Implications for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huntington's disease (HD) is a degenerative, neurological disorder that has physical, psychological and cognitive effects. A review of the nursing literature on HD suggests that the main focus has been on explaining and managing the physical and psychological symptoms that arise. Cognitive symptoms appear to be only briefly discussed in most articles, perhaps because they are often the most difficult to explain and understand. This article examines the link between cognition and behaviour in patients with HD and suggests strategies to manage some of these behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]