Hospitals Reveal Dementia Patient Restraints

0:00On March 15, a new study from the University of West London reveals that hospitals in England routinely use restraints and sedation on patients with dementia. Researchers observed this over 225 days across 9 National Health Service Awards and conducted more than 1,000 interviews with staff. Common practices include raising bedside rails, blocking doors and paths with furniture, issuing verbal commands, and even non-consensual sedation, too. Keep patients in place. Up to 50% of acute hospital admissions involve people living with dementia, often after falls or other illnesses. Staff describe these methods as, every day care to ensure safety and avoid harm to patients or themselves, viewing them as essential since alternatives. Feel limited under pressure. These restrictions often leave patients agitated, upset, or desperate to leave the ward, worsening confusion about their surroundings. One patient's share of feeling confined to bed, unable to use the bathroom independently, and treat it like a nuisance.

1:03The report urges shifting to less restrictive options, like supported walking, help with personal care, and engaging in conversations. Experts note that hospital care for dementia patients varies due to staff shortages and lack of specialized training. Meanwhile, National Health Service England stresses treating patients with dignity using restraints only as a last resort for safety and offers. Guidance in training to minimize such practices moving forward.