Re: Cameron launches challenge to end “national crisis” of poor dementia care. Zosia Kmietowicz, BMJ.
Rapid-response, submitted by Dr Peter J. Gordon 13th May 2012
I was pleased to read Professor Burns’ considered reply[1] to comments made in response to the above report.
Two areas still concern me: firstly that policy makers, whilst well-intentioned, don’t necessarily know the views of those who are directly affected by the policy; and secondly that the detection of cognitive impairment whilst in hospital risks being treated as an end-point of diagnosis rather than one aspect of assessment.[2]
My film: They take along time to reach one another carries my worry that we risk seeing our elderly as somehow ‘other’ (defined by their cognitive abilities) and that we may not be properly including our older generations in “conversations” about them
They take along time to reach one another:
To play this short film please click here or on the image above
[1] Burns, A, National Clinical Director for Dementia, BMJ rapid-response, 11th May 2012, http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e2347/rr/584121
[2] Russ, T et al Dementia in acute hospital inpatients: the role of the geriatrician, Age and Ageing 2012; 0: 1–3