Guidance on vaccination
With the Covid-19 vaccine rollout having started for priority groups, we are releasing guidance on supporting people with dementia before, during and after vaccination.
The advice has been created by our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses who recognise the need to support people with the condition at this time, particularly as people diagnosed can have communication challenges and reduced comprehension.
Many people living with dementia will be in these vaccine priority groups, with the condition more likely to affect older people with other long-term health conditions.
Admiral Nurses work alongside families with dementia, giving compassionate one-to-one support, expert guidance and practical solutions which can be hard to find elsewhere.
They are continually trained, developed and supported by us.
The advice applies to anyone who is close to the person with dementia, who may want to think about how they can prepare and support them to have the vaccine.
This can include a carer, relative or a registered Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) for Health and Welfare.
Getting prepared: Give yourself some time to find out more about the Covid-19 vaccine from trusted sources, such as the NHS.
Ask the care provider what their vaccination programme plans are; this will give you time to discuss and address any potential questions you or the person with dementia may have.
Consider what you already know about the person’s past wishes, choices or experiences of vaccinations; for example, do they usually have the annual flu vaccine or have
they had any side effects in the past?
Gaining consent for the vaccine: Before the vaccine is given, consent must be obtained from the person receiving it.
If they are unable to give consent, then consent must be obtained via a “best interest” decision; this is when someone is unable to make a decision for themselves.
If you or a family member has registered Lasting
Power of Attorney (LPA) for Health and Welfare for the person with dementia, you can make health decisions on their behalf.
If there is no LPA for Health and Welfare in place, then healthcare professionals must make a decision in the person’s “best interests”.
There are other guidelines which can be obtained from Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 and helpline@ dementiauk.org.
David Lindley-Pilley, Dementia UK.
“Consider what
you already know about the person’s past
wishes.”