Abstract
The United Kingdom’s (UK) older population is higher than the global average. Over the next 20 years, England will see an increase in the number of older people who have higher levels of dependency, dementia, and comorbidity many of whom may require 24-hour care. Currently it is estimated that 70% of residents in nursing and residential care homes either have dementia on admission or develop it whilst residing in the care home. The provision of high-quality care for this population is a challenge with a lack of consistency in the provision of primary care and specialist services and a known gap in knowledge and skills. The NHS Long Term Plan aims to move care closer to home and improve out of hospital care which includes people who live in care homes by introducing Enhanced Health in Care Homes (EHCH). However, such services need to be equipped with the correct skill mix to meet the needs of the care home population. Admiral Nurses are specialists in dementia care and are well placed to support the delivery of EHCH and improve access to specialist support to care home residents, their families, care home staff and the wider health and social care system. This paper discusses current gaps in service provision and how both the EHCH framework, and the inclusion of Admiral Nurses, might redress these and improve outcomes.
Highlights
1.1 Ageing PopulationPeople aged over 80 years old equate to 15% of the world’s total population [1]
The United Kingdom’s (UK) older population is higher than the global average, in 2017 approximately 18% of the UK population were aged 65 years or over and this figure is projected to grow to almost 21% by 2027 [2]
There is currently no consistent model of specialist support for care homes in the UK and it has been identified that as a consequence of the increasing multimorbidity of the care home population, the expertise that is required may be beyond that of some GPs [26]. Such complexity can result in people with dementia requiring different levels of care which may require them to move to a different care setting if their needs cannot be met within their current care home, the Admiral Nurse may offer support that minimises the need to move the person with dementia or support a transition to a more appropriate setting should it be required [56]
Summary
People aged over 80 years old equate to 15% of the world’s total population [1]. This increase in the proportion of older people has major health, social care and economic implications [1]. It is predicted that the number of people aged over 85 will increase to 3.5 million by 2043 equating to 5% of the total UK population. Older people often have complex health and social care needs and have an increased risk of developing dementia [4]. Over the 20 years, England will see an increase in the number of older people who have higher levels of dependency, dementia, and comorbidity [12]. Whilst dementia is not a normal nor inevitable part of ageing [13], age is the greatest risk factor of developing dementia as the population ages the number of people living with dementia is set to rise [4]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
