Improving Quality of Life in Caregivers of Alzheimer Dementia Patients- A Stepwise Approach

ABSTRACTBackground: Care management providing a high quality of life (QoL) is a crucial issue in dealing with increasing numbers of dementia patients. Although the transition from informal (home-based) care to formal (institutional) care is often a function of dementia stage, for those with early dementia there is currently no definitive evidence showing that informal or formal care provides a higher QoL, particularly where informal care is favored for local cultural reasons. This paper outlines the research protocol for a study comparing formal and informal care in Malaysia. It seeks to provide evidence regarding which is more appropriate and results in higher QoL in early dementia.Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study design involving 224 early dementia patients from both nursing home and community settings. Participants will be assessed for cognitive severity, QoL, needs, activities of daily living, depression and social isolation/connectedness by using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Cognitive Impairment Scale – 4 items (CIS-4), EUROPE Health Interview Survey-Quality of Life (WHO8), Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL8), Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly – Short Version (CANE-S), Barthel Index (BI), Cornell Scale for Depression (CSDD), Geriatric Depression Scale – 15 items (GDS-15), and Friendship Scale (FS) respectively.Conclusion: This study aims to provide a better understanding of care needs in early dementia. Given population aging, the study findings will provide evidence assisting decision-making for policies aimed at reducing the burden of caregiving and preserving the QoL of dementia patients.

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Decision letter for "Path Analysis from Physical Activity to Quality of Life among Dementia Patients: A Dual‐Path Mediating Model"

10.1111/jan.14260/v1/decision1 ◽

2019 ◽

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Path Analysis ◽

Dementia Patients

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A Checklist for Assessing Dementia-friendly Design: Architecture as Non-pharmacological Mean in Assistance of Patients with Dementia

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1136 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. S667-S667 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M.V. Zamfir ◽

M. Zamfir Grigorescu

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Day Care ◽

Check List ◽

Day Care Centers ◽

Alzheimer Dementia ◽

Promising Tool ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Competing Interest ◽

Checklist Implementation

IntroductionAlthough there are recommendations regarding dementia-friendly architecture, studies on design features and their impact on quality of life of patients with dementia are quasi-nonexistent. The design of the environment is one of the non-pharmacological methods in the assistance of patients with dementia.ObjectivesSetting a checklist of design principles in order to assess centers for elderly with dementia; identifying the types of centers where will be applied the checklist; implementation of the checklist and determining results of assessment.AimsOur aim is to challenge the contemporary architecture of centers for elderly to be friendly with dementia patients.MethodsAfter studying literature we built a check-list of 8 principles: providing a comfortable space and also a therapeutically environment; functionality and efficiency; flexibility and accessibility; optimal design of circulation routes in order to avoid disorientation and to reduce agitation; security and safe; aesthetics; sanitation; sustainability. We then performed a case-study on two types of settings, day care centers and respite centers, and we applied the check list on three examples: two urban Day Care Centers for patients with Alzheimer Dementia (2006, Pontevedra, Spain and 2011, Alicante, Spain) and a Respite Center (2009, Dublin, Ireland).ResultsIn general, the centers are verifying the proposed checklist. Four architectural tools were identified: light, form, colour and texture. Form is more recognizable than colour and colour more recognizable than function.ConclusionsArchitecture contributes to increase quality of life in people with dementia. The proposed checklist is a promising tool for assessing dementia-friendly design.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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