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Chapter 9 - Dementia and Related Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 April 2024

By
Ayesha Bangash  and
Farooq Khan
Edited by
George Tadros  and
George Crowther
George Tadros
Affiliation:
Aston University, Birmingham
George Crowther
Affiliation:
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds
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Summary

Dementia is a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of brain function. It is common among older in-patients. Hospital admissions tend to be due to comorbid conditions rather than the dementia itself. Falls, infections, poor nutrition, dehydration, and delirium affect the length of stay and the functioning of patients with dementia. Without a timely diagnosis of the dementia and its associated clinical features, patients can experience adverse outcomes, which cause care home admissions instead of a discharge home. This chapter discusses the epidemiology, risk factors, assessment, and treatment of dementia in a general hospital setting.

Keywords

dementiaolder peoplehospitalacute hospital careassessmentmanagementtreatmentin-patientliaison
Type
Chapter
Information
Handbook of Old Age Liaison Psychiatry , pp. 110 - 123
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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