Care in the crisis: How can we better support people with dementia?

Care in the crisis: How can we better support people with dementia?

In the coming years there is a risk of a decline in professional care for people with dementia, and this is a topic that concerns us all. Dr. Jürgen Hein, the 1st Chairman of the Dementia Network in Uckermark, expresses in a report by Nordkurier To do justice, but postpone important changes in the care. This often leads to a difficult burden for caring relatives, who are more than twice as stressed as non -caring persons.

dr. Hein, who works daily with dementia and their families, emphasizes in conversation with Deutscher Ethikrat that the self-determination of the affected and the care of the relatives are often in the conflict. In order to maintain the quality of care, the own health of relatives is of central importance. There is also a lack of inpatient offers for dementia patients, while outpatient help is increasingly in demand.

ethical basic principles and challenges

What is the key to successful care? Dr. Hein sees the need for a social discussion about the challenges in nursing and criticizes that responsibility is often delegated to nursing services. The ethical basic principles of medicine-self-determination, care obligation, damage defense and justice-should be in the foreground here, as well as on Demenzwiki

In Germany, around 1.2 million people live with medium to severe dementia, and the Ethics Council has developed remarkable recommendations. These include, among other things, the development of a national action plan dementia, improving care and greater financial recognition for caring relatives. The recommendation of involving relatives in hospital stays could especially benefit those affected whose self -determination is often restricted.

conference on self -determination

In order to further illuminate these aspects, a public conference entitled "Self -determination of people with dementia - and their limits" will take place on July 23. Dr. Hein will keep an impulse lecture on ethical decisions in dealing with dementia. The event begins at 3 p.m. in the seminar house of the Prenzlauer "Uckerwelle". It is an opportunity to promote the urgently needed conversations on self -determination and support from dementia patients.

The challenges are diverse; It is important that we always keep an eye on the quality of life of those affected and make the right ethical considerations when deciding between care and autonomy. A good knack for the design of decent care could help to improve the lives of people with dementia.