Marie Barnes
The growing numbers of older people with mental health problems in an acute care setting often create anxiety and concern for those nurses involved in their care. There is a need to examine the training and development needs of these nurses who are increasingly being asked and expected to provide good quality care to this vulnerable group.The Lets Respect toolkit provides a brief but practical overview and explains how best to care for older people with dementia, delirium and or depression.
The toolkit can be used as a basic everyday aid, explaining the most common mental health needs. It provides information to help qualified nurses or for teaching health care assistants and student nurses to recognise and respond with, practical interventions, therapeutic approaches and in helping to develop knowledge and skills. Moreover this tool challenges stereotypical views of older people with mental health needs.
