The quality of care received by over 200 people with dementia, living in 10 private sector and seven NHS care facilities, was rated using a recognised method known as dementia care mapping.
The dementia care index rated all seven NHS facilities and five of the private sector facilities as needing radical improvement. The remaining five private sector facilities were rated as needing much improvement. No home showed even a fair standard of care.
Over the six hour daytime period of observation, residents spent almost 50% of their time either asleep, socially withdrawn or not actively engaged in any form of basic or constructive activity. Only 50 minutes (14%) were spent communicating with staff or other residents, and less than 12 minutes (3%) were spent engaged in everyday constructive activities other than watching television.
These findings clearly show that current care provision for these vulnerable patients is inadequate and urgent action is required, say the authors. The proposed national standards for care in residential and nursing homes for elderly people describe interaction and daily activity as one of 11 key domains, and it is these aspects of care that require particular attention, they conclude.