We cannot care alone: volunteers in dementia care at Nürnberg General Hospital

People with dementia have specific care needs especially in an acute care setting. Professionals in clinical routine have limited capacities in meeting the needs of dementia patients as far as communication, interaction and orientation are concerned. For 2 years, the Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at Nürnberg General Hospital has hosted volunteers in dementia care who accompany and visit people with dementia during their acute care stay. We present the organization of the volunteer training program, training content, and preliminary evaluation results. We chose a mixed methods approach for research and evaluation. Baseline data, motivational profile of volunteers, paper and pencil data on attitudes, skills and knowledge before and after training were assessed. Preliminary results show a positive effect on attitudes, skills, and knowledge after volunteer training. Volunteers and professionals need continual support and education to enable volunteers to act as an integrative part of the acute geriatric care team. The admission to an acute care setting is often frightening and confusing for dementia patients. Trained volunteers have the potential to make the hospital stay more pleasant for people with dementia.