Supporting people living with dementia and faecal incontinence in care homes

There are approximately 17 500 care homes in the UK which are home to about 487 000 older people, the majority are women aged 80 years or older (Care Quality Commission, 2010). As many as 80% of care home residents may have dementia, though this is not always documented, (Gordon et al, 2014). In England the majority of care homes do not have on site nursing provision and rely on community nurse specialists for support when residents require nursing advice and care. The support of people living in care homes is a well-documented problem (Taunton et al, 2005; Heckenberg, 2008; Saga, 2014) and how well they are managed is often seen as a marker of the quality of care (Care Quality Commission, 2010). Faecal incontinence can be a source of distress, discomfort, lead to complications such as skin breakdown and infection and affect an individual’s sense of dignity and self-worth. It can also be a challenging aspect of care for those who work in care homes.