The role of the nurse in screening people with suspected dementia

Nurses working in the primary care or independent setting are uniquely positioned to be able to screen people with suspected dementia, they are often known to the person and engage with them in a relaxed setting which could be designed to be dementia friendly. This article offers a brief overview of the causes and types of dementia, suggests relevant tools, and illustrates the need to include carers. There is a need for screening people with suspected dementia (PWSD) as numbers are increasing, with the World Health Organisation identifying 55 million people already living with this condition and a prediction of this increasing to 75 million by 2030.¹