A huge congratulations to Professor Dr Farooq Khan, who has recently published a chapter in the Handbook of Old Age Liaison Psychiatry surrounding dementia and related disorders.

Prof Dr Khan, who is our Consultant Psychiatrist co-authored the chapter entitled ‘Dementia and Related Disorders’ with his peer, Dr Ayesha Bagash. This specific section outlines the definition of dementia disorders, clinical presentation, various types of dementias and how they may present in acute care settings.

The handbook will be a significant benefit to many healthcare professionals working in acute hospitals or those caring for dementia patients presenting with physical health problems.

Dementia is a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of brain function; it is estimated that one in three people will develop dementia in their lifetime. It is most common among older in-patients aged 65 and over.

Many hospital admissions in this age category tend to be due to a variety of conditions rather than the dementia itself. Falls, infections, poor nutrition, and dehydration can affect the length of stay and the functioning of patients with dementia.

Without a timely diagnosis of the dementia and its associated clinical features, patients can experience adverse outcomes, which cause care home admissions instead of a discharge home.

Prof Dr Khan and Dr Bagash’s chapter breaks down the common patterns that appear in healthcare settings, risk factors, assessments, and treatments of dementia in a general hospital setting. It also emphasises how closely interlinked physical and mental health care is for older people.

The Handbook of Old Age Liaison Psychiatry by Cambridge University Press can be found on all reputable sites for purchase.

If you are concerned about a loved one developing dementia, please speak to your GP in the first instance. You can also visit our website for further information about our Memory Assessment Service.