Living Alone with Alzheimer’s Disease: Data from SveDem, the Swedish Dementia Registry

BackgroundThe association between mortality risk and use of antidepressants in people with dementia is unknown.ObjectiveTo describe the use of antidepressants in people with different dementia diagnoses and to explore mortality risk associated with use of antidepressants 3 years before a dementia diagnosis.MethodsStudy population included 20,050 memory clinic patients from Swedish Dementia Registry diagnosed with incident dementia. Data on antidepressants dispensed at the time of dementia diagnosis and during three-year period before dementia diagnosis was obtained from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Cox regression models were used.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 2 years from dementia diagnosis, 25.8% of dementia patients died. A quarter (25.0%) of patients were on antidepressants at the time of dementia diagnosis while 21.6% used antidepressants at some point during a three-year period before a dementia diagnosis. Use of antidepressant treatment for 3 consecutive years before a dementia diagnosis was associated with a lower mortality risk for all dementia disorders (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.72–0.94) and in Alzheimer's disease (HR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.45–0.83). There were no significant associations between use of antidepressant treatment and mortality risk in other dementia diagnoses.ConclusionAntidepressant treatment is common among patients with dementia. Use of antidepressants during prodromal stages may reduce mortality in dementia and specifically in Alzheimer's disease.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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The application of an information support robot to reduce agitation in an older adult with Alzheimer’s disease living alone in a community dwelling: a case study

Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy ◽

10.1177/15691861211005059 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 156918612110050

Author(s):

Jumpei Mizuno ◽

Ken Sadohara ◽

Misato Nihei ◽

Shinichi Onaka ◽

Yuko Nishiura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Older Adult ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Living Alone ◽

Information Support ◽

Healthcare Facilities ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Time Courses

Objective/background: Agitation is a common behaviour of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Although healing robots have previously been used for alleviating agitation for people with dementia in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, its effects remain unclear whether an information-support robot capable of disseminating information with user needs may have similar effects when it is applied in community dwellings. This study was to investigate the effects of information-support robots for reducing agitation in older people with AD residing alone in community-dwellings. Methods One participant with AD who lived alone in a community-dwelling was recruited. Participant’s frequencies, durations, and time courses of four patterns of agitation at home at baseline and during intervention were analysed. In this study, agitation was defined as: (a) restlessness going to the corridor (RLtoC), (b) restlessness going to the toilet (RLtoT), (c) restlessness going to the entrance (RLtoE), and (d) restlessness going to multiple places (RLtoMP). In the intervention phase, the information-support robot disseminated daily schedule or date information to the participant. Results RLtoC and RLtoMP were significantly reduced in frequency during the intervention. The durations of each episode of RLtoT and RLtoMP in the intervention were slightly reduced than those at the baseline. There were no differences in time courses of episodes of RLtoC and RLtoMP after the intervention. Conclusion This case study showed that information-support robot was useful to alleviate agitation of an older adult with AD living alone in a community-dwelling. Further study is warranted.

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Differences in Routine Clinical Practice between Early and Late Onset Alzheimer's Disease: Data from the Swedish Dementia Registry (SveDem)

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-132273 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

pp. 411-419 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Hanna Eriksson ◽

Seyed-Mohammad Fereshtehnejad ◽

Farshad Falahati ◽

Bahman Farahmand ◽

Dorota Religa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Late Onset ◽

Routine Clinical Practice ◽

Dementia Registry

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Specific Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Are Associated with Faster Progression in Alzheimer’s Disease: Results of the Prospective Dementia Registry (PRODEM-Austria)

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-190662 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 73 (1) ◽

pp. 125-133 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Michaela Defrancesco ◽

Josef Marksteiner ◽

Georg Kemmler ◽

Peter Dal-Bianco ◽

Gerhard Ransmayr ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽

Dementia Registry

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A VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP FOR PERSONS LIVING ALONE WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1431 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S389-S390

Author(s):

Allison Gibson

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Support Group ◽

Group Intervention ◽

Early Stage ◽

Living Alone ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Before And After ◽

Group Members ◽

Virtual Support

Abstract To date, early stage programming for the persons with the disease has been limited. The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges and opportunities of a virtual support group intervention for persons living alone with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Following recruitment, participants who were newly diagnosed (within 2 years of diagnosis) and residing alone in their own residence were included in a pilot study of a virtual support group intervention for a 3-month period. Data were collected before and after the intervention through the use of surveys and one-on-one interviews with all 12 participants (n=12). Data were analyzed using a mixed methods approach including thematic analysis. Results indicated that the virtual support group intervention increased group members’ education of the disease, knowledge regarding care planning, feelings of empowerment towards the diagnosis of the disease, and increased feelings of social support. Implications for such interventions will also be discussed.

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Living Alone With Alzheimer's Disease: Effects on Health and Social Service Utilization Patterns

The Gerontologist ◽

10.1093/geront/34.1.8 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 8-15 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

P. A. Webber ◽

P. Fox ◽

D. Burnette

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Service Utilization ◽

Social Service ◽

Living Alone ◽

Utilization Patterns

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Cognitive Health in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island: Findings From the Healthy Aging Data Reports

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.307 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 93-93

Author(s):

Richard Chunga ◽

Taylor Jansen ◽

Chae Man Lee ◽

Shuangshuang Wang ◽

Haowei Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Older Adults ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

New England ◽

Rhode Island ◽

Healthy Aging ◽

Living Alone ◽

Policy And Practice ◽

Cognitive Difficulties ◽

Cognitive Difficulty

Abstract Over time persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have impaired health, lower quality of life, and increased mortality compared to those without AD. This study describes state and community rates of Alzheimer’s disease, self-rated cognitive difficulty, and the % of the population age 85+ in three New England states (MA, NH, RI). Data sources were the American Community Survey (2009-2013 RI, 2012-2016 MA/NH) and the CMS Medicare Current Beneficiary Summary File (2012-2013 RI, 2015 MA/NH). Small area estimation techniques were used to calculate age-sex adjusted community rates for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), self-reported cognitive difficulties, percentage of older adults 85 years or older, and the percentage of adults age 65+ living alone. State rates (range) were: AD: RI 14.4% (8-23%), MA 13.6% (6-19.31%), and NH 12% (5.49-33.51%). Self-reported cognitive difficulty: MA 8.3% (0-25.16%), RI 7.8% (2-18%), and NH were 6.9% (0-34.21%). Adults 85 years and older: RI 17.6% (6-24%), MA 15.2% (0-32.23%), and NH 12.9% (0-27.91%). Living alone: RI 30.4% (12-45%), MA 30.2% (6.25-50%), and NH 26.1% (6.13-72.55%). While there was significant variation across states, Rhode Island had the highest state rate of ADRD, older adults 85 and older, and percentage of older adults living alone. Within-state disparities among AD rates, cognitive difficulties, and living alone was highest in NH, but MA had the largest variation for community rates of adults 85+. Understanding the prevalence of brain health is important to policy and practice efforts to promote age-friendly communities. This research was supported by the Tufts Health Plan Foundation.

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