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.