Providing care for people who are living with Dermatitis and Dementia

What is it about?

This article addresses the importance of conducting a holistic, person-centred assessment when caring for people with a skin condition, who are also living with a dementia. Health professionals need to ensure that symptoms expressed by people with dementia are not merely associated with impaired cognition. Conversely, it is important to acknowledge that some symptoms or behaviours can have neuropsychiatric origins. Certain actions can be an expression of unmet physical or emotional needs, or be due to neuropathological changes in the brain associated with dementia. It is important that each person is considered within the realms of their own unique set of physical, psychological and social dynamics. A holistic, person-centred assessment is required in order to ensure that the person is appropriately treated for their condition. This article addresses assessment aspects specifically.

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Why is it important?

There is scant information in the literature to address skin conditions in the context of dementia. The prevalence of people who live with dementia and a concurrent skin condition is uncertain. However, we know that there are approximately 850,000 people in the UK with dementia (Alzheimer’s society 2015). Allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis are more common in older people with dementia than we realise. This can impact negatively on a person's quality of life and health.

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