Systematic review of the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions to improve quality of life of people with dementia

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 856-870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Cooper ◽  
Naaheed Mukadam ◽  
Cornelius Katona ◽  
Constantine G. Lyketsos ◽  
David Ames ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Coping Strategy ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Improve Quality ◽  
Family Carer ◽  
Pharmacological Interventions ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
At Home

ABSTRACTBackground: People with dementia report lower quality of life, but we know little about what interventions might improve it.Methods: We systematically reviewed 20 randomized controlled trials reporting the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in improving quality of life or well-being of people with dementia meeting predetermined criteria. We rated study validity with a checklist. We contacted authors for additional data. We calculated standardized mean differences (SMD) and, for studies reporting similar interventions, pooled standardized effect sizes (SES).Results: Pooled analyses found that family carer coping strategy-based interventions (four studies, which did not individually achieve significance; n = 420; SES 0.24 (range 0.03–0.45)) and combined patient activity and family carer coping interventions (two studies, not individually significant; n = 191; SES 0.84 (range 0.54–1.14)) might improve quality of life. In one high-quality study, a care management system improved quality of life of people with dementia living at home. Group Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (GCST) improved quality of life of people with dementia in care homes.Conclusion: Preliminary evidence indicated that coping strategy-based family carer therapy with or without a patient activity intervention improved quality of life of people with dementia living at home. GCST was the only effective intervention in a higher quality trial for those in care homes, but we did not find such evidence in the community. Few studies explored whether effects continued after the intervention stopped. Future research should explore the longer-term impact of interventions on, and devise strategies to increase, life quality of people with dementia living in care homes or at home without a family carer.

scholarly journals Education in times of covid-19: are students learning in ergonomic conditions?

2021 ◽  
Vol 342 ◽  
pp. 01016
Author(s):  
Maria-Elena Boatca ◽  
Diana Robescu ◽  
Romulus Corlan ◽  
Nicoleta Mirea
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Improve Quality ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ergonomic Intervention ◽  
The Way ◽  
At Home

For more than a year, the way people work and learn witnessed dramatic changes on the back of the Covid-19 pandemic. While workers were supported and provided with trainings and a variety of sources of information, students did not benefit from the same ‘privilege’. In Romania, students had to adapt to online learning system since March 2020. To properly assess the impact of online learning on students’ health (both physical and mental), the authors conducted a study on students at Politehnica University of Timisoara. As part of this study, subjects were assessed using ‘Rapid Office Strain Assessment’ (ROSA). While some of them learn in ergonomic conditions, there are others exposed to high postural risk (primarily generated by use of inappropriate furniture). This assessment is part of a larger ergonomic intervention focused on educating students on the importance of creating ergonomic conditions at home with the aim to improve quality of life.

Norway

2019 ◽  
pp. 211-218
Author(s):  
Knut Engedal
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Welfare State ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Tax System ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
At Home

Norway has 5 million inhabitants, of whom 200,000 are aged above 80 years. The country is a welfare state, with a tax system covering most health services for its citizens. It is estimated that 78,000 people in Norway suffer from dementia, of whom 60% live at home and the remainder in residential care. In 2007, the first National Dementia Plan was launched (2007–2015), and the second in 2016 (2016–2020). The main goals of the two Plans are to develop services across the country to improve the care and quality of life for all people with dementia and their family caregivers, as well as increase the knowledge of dementia among healthcare professionals. In addition, the Plans also aim to improve awareness of dementia in society as a whole and to develop and implement measures to help create a more dementia-friendly society.

scholarly journals An evaluation of community-based cognitive stimulation therapy: a pilot study with an Irish population of people with dementia

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. Kelly ◽  
S. Finan ◽  
M. Lawless ◽  
N. Scully ◽  
J. Fitzpatrick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Community Based ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Moderate Dementia ◽  
Subjective Cognitive Function

ObjectivesResearch shows that cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) improves cognitive function, quality of life, and well-being of people with mild–moderate dementia. Despite consistent evidence and recommendations, CST is not routinely available in Ireland post-diagnosis. The aim of the current research was to develop and evaluate community-based CST for people with mild–moderate dementia, run by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland across four pilot sites in Ireland.MethodsParticipants with mild–moderate dementia attended once weekly CST sessions for 14 weeks. Baseline and post-intervention assessments were completed by CST participants, carers, and CST facilitators. Primary outcomes of interest for CST participants included quality of life (Quality of Life in Alzheimer Disease Scale), cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), and subjective cognitive function (Memory Awareness Rating Scale-Functioning Subscale). Secondary outcomes included well-being, cognitive ability, satisfaction with cognitive performance, and engagement and confidence of CST participants; well-being of carers; and job satisfaction of facilitators. Post-intervention interviews supplemented quantitative analyses.ResultsIn total, 20 CST participants, 17 carers, and six CST facilitators completed evaluation assessments. Results showed that CST improved participants’ satisfaction with cognitive performance (p=0.002), level of engagement (p=0.046), level of confidence (p=0.026). Improvements on subjective cognitive function just fell short of significance (p=0.055). Qualitative analysis of interview data identified consistent themes of cognitive and overall benefits of CST; and provided support for quantitative data.ConclusionsCommunity-based CST positively impacted the lives of people with dementia and their families. This study supports prior recommendations that CST should be made routinely available to people with mild–moderate dementia, particularly in light of the lack of post-diagnostic interventions currently offered in Ireland.

scholarly journals Comparing proxy rated quality of life of people living with dementia in care homes

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Robertson ◽  
C. Cooper ◽  
J. Hoe ◽  
K. Lord ◽  
P. Rapaport ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Multilevel Modelling ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Home Placement

AbstractBackgroundImproving quality of life (QOL) for people with dementia is a priority. In care homes, we often rely on proxy ratings from staff and family but we do not know if, or how, they differ in care homes.MethodsWe compared 1056 pairs of staff and family DEMQOL-Proxy ratings from 86 care homes across England. We explored factors associated with ratings quantitatively using multilevel modelling and, qualitatively, through thematic analysis of 12 staff and 12 relative interviews.ResultsStaff and family ratings were weakly correlated (ρs = 0.35). Median staff scores were higher than family's (104 v. 101; p < 0.001). Family were more likely than staff to rate resident QOL as ‘Poor’ (χ2 = 55.91, p < 0.001). Staff and family rated QOL higher when residents had fewer neuropsychiatric symptoms and severe dementia. Staff rated QOL higher in homes with lower staff:resident ratios and when staff were native English speakers. Family rated QOL higher when the resident had spent longer living in the care home and was a native English. Spouses rated residents’ QOL higher than other relatives. Qualitative results suggest differences arise because staff felt good care provided high QOL but families compared the present to the past. Family judgements centre on loss and are complicated by decisions about care home placement and their understandings of dementia.ConclusionProxy reports differ systematically between staff and family. Reports are influenced by the rater:staff and family may conceptualise QOL differently.

scholarly journals An evaluation of group reminiscence arts sessions for people with dementia living in care homes

Dementia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 805-821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Keating ◽  
Laura Cole ◽  
Robert Grant
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Evaluation Team ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Group Reminiscence

Dementia has been identified as one of the major challenges in the 21st Century. The detrimental effects of dementia can jeopardise personhood, thus person-centred interventions including reminiscence and arts practice have been recommended as tools to promote social inclusion and improve the quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of group reminiscence arts sessions for people living with dementia in care homes (residential and nursing homes) using a comparative and time series design to collect data on quality of life. The intervention was conducted in six care homes in London over a period of 24 weeks and compared with six care homes not receiving the intervention (control). Dementia Care Mapping was used as the primary data collection instrument to measure positive behaviours and rate quality of life before, during and after group reminiscence arts sessions. The evaluation team observed the sessions at three-weekly intervals. Statistical modelling found that positive behaviours and quality of life of care home residents participating in group reminiscence arts sessions increased over the 24-week period. Well-being increased sharply during each session and plateaued at 50 minutes with a sustained positive effect after the sessions. On a longer timescale, well-being and quality of life increased slowly and steadily from one session to the next. The findings were statistically significant ( p < 0.001). The study concludes that group reminiscence arts sessions can have a positive and sustained impact on the quality of life of people with dementia. However, the evidence on the sustainability of the effect over time remains unknown. More research is needed to assess in much greater depth the association between quality of life and group reminiscence arts sessions.

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