Patients with dementia are exposed to numerous additional stress factors in acute-care hospitals in addition to their acute illness. The noisy environment, the rigid structures and the unknown and frequently changing caregivers are perceived as stressful by individuals with dementia and their relatives. Those affected often communicate their stress through behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Furthermore, a stay in an acute-care hospital for people with dementia is associated with a high risk of complications, falls, delirium, permanent functional limitations and a longer length of stay.

A large number of interventions have already been developed and tested to address these challenges and risks. However, their sustainable implementation in an acute setting is very challenging in practice and often only succeeds to a limited extent.

The objective of this project is to develop recommendations for the implementation of quality care and support for individuals with dementia in acute-care hospitals. In doing so, we follow an existing framework concept for the care of individuals with dementia in acute-care hospitals and expand it to include strategies for implementation as well as possible barriers and facilitating factors. The project focuses on the German-speaking region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland – DACH) and thus on the structures in the acute setting of those health care systems .