Julie Ayres
I was very excited to be asked to contribute to “Let’s Respect”. It was great meeting like-minded professionals who all have a passion for trying to improve care for older people with mental health needs in acute hospital settings.
The toolkit that we have produced gives lots of factual information about depression, delirium and dementia often undiagnosed in older people in a format that is easy to understand but also very thought provoking. It covers not only signs and symptoms of each illness but also how professionals can recognise that an older person on their ward may have mental health needs. It gives practical advice about what can be done to improve the care for that person during their hospital stay. Let’s Respect also gives advice about the management of common challenges faced by professionals in caring for the older person with mental health needs and looks at practical advice when discharge planning.
I am very involved in teaching of health professionals within the acute general hospitals where I work; this toolkit already forms the basis of many of my sessions. I am looking forward to being able to utilise it further in its finished format raising its profile and making professionals aware of its usefulness within their wards. I have already shown many professionals this toolkit and it has been received with great enthusiasm. I hope to build on this enthusiasm over the next few months using “Let’s Respect” to help educate staff but mainly to improve the care that older people with mental health needs receive in acute general hospitals.
