The Dementia and Delirium Care with Volunteers Program: Acceptability and Feasibility Study

People with dementia (Alzheimer’s disease being the most common type) and/or delirium (D&D) are more likely to experience adverse events when in hospital (e.g. falls, infections, longer hospital stays). Nurses believe that one-on-one supervision is required to avoid these complications. However hospitals often lack resources to provide this level of care. The Dementia and Delirium Care with Volunteers (DDCV) program© provides one-on-one emotional support and practical assistance for patients with D&D. In this project we assess the prevalence of D&D and explore the acceptability of the program from the perspective of nurses, patients, caregivers and volunteers.