Case Study

Linda is a paid advocate and meets Doris on the hospital ward for the first time. Doris has severe dementia and little is known about her. She has no visitors and has very limited communication. Linda talks to her, but also contacts her GP service and her neighbours to try and build up a picture of Doris. She finds out that before she became ill Doris was a keen gardener. Linda uses this information when talking to the care team about the benefits of one care home over another; one has better facilities and on-site nursing and medical care, but the other has a garden that residents are able to go into easily although the home is not near healthcare services. Linda raises these points with the professionals when they are thinking about Doris going to a home. 1. What risks need to be considered when weighing up which care home might be better for Doris? 2. What keys things should you remember when assisting someone with dementia? 3. What rights does Doris have that the care team need to remember? It is rare that there is just one way to respond to a scenario or situation, so do not consider that the response you have chosen to this scenario will be judged as right or wrong. Share your scenario with a work colleague and ask them to tell you if they think you have responded appropriately. Ask them to challenge your response if necessary. You do not need to submit this task for assessment unless asked to do so by your tutor.