Why you should read this article:

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To understand the acute hospital experiences of older people with cognitive impairment

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To learn about a toolkit that could improve the hospital experiences of older people with cognitive impairment

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To support staff to reflect on their care of older people with cognitive impairment

A recent review of the progress that has been made in meeting the government’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 detailed the variability, and in some cases suboptimal quality, of hospital care for people with dementia. The review also identified the need for improvements in assessing the individual needs of people with dementia while in hospital, including their emotional and social needs. This article focuses on the development and implementation of an evidence-based toolkit to improve the hospital care of older patients with cognitive impairment, including dementia and/or delirium. The toolkit’s focus is on optimising the patient experience of people with cognitive impairment who have been admitted to hospital. The toolkit also promotes the importance of person-centred care and communication skills.