Dementia care. Part 1: guidance and the assessment process

This article outlines recent guidance on dementia care and provides information on dementia, its different subtypes, the assessment process and the utility of cognitive screening tools. As dementia progresses a person may gradually lose their ability to make decisions for themselves. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) is one of the most significant Acts to be passed in the United Kingdom, which protects people with dementia and stresses the need to advocate on behalf of this vulnerable group. The MCA is described in detail as practitioners working in the field of dementia care need to be aware of its clauses, as they are likely to require knowledge of it on a frequent basis. Dementia, delirium and depression are often mistaken for one another and useful ways to differentiate between the different conditions are given in addition to comprehensive advice about the management of people with dementia admitted to hospital with delirium.