Introduction

This RLO focuses on the care of frail older people who die on acute hospital wards, with particular reference to those who die with dementia.

It relates directly to the Common Core Competences of End of Life Care developed to support the End of Life Care strategy.

This is the second of two RLOs about hospital as a place of death. It is based on case studies and material derived directly from the findings of a research project funded by the Alzheimer’s Society. This study explored the care of older patients dying on acute hospital wards, and whether the care of patients with dementia differed from those without.

The first RLO, ‘Dying in Hospital‘ presents background information about the ageing of mortality and introduces some of the issues to be considered in ‘Every death is different’.

By the end of RLO2 you will have:

1. Gained an awareness of care interventions that can support a good death in hospital
2. Applied these insights to case studies based on recent research.