A pilot randomized controlled trial of a self-management group intervention for people with early-stage dementia (The SMART study)

Self-report instruments measuring aspects of self for people living with dementia: A systematic literature review of psychosocial interventions

OBJECTIVE

A positive sense of self may be a key domain of psychological well-being for people living with dementia and therefore a legitimate target for psychosocial interventions in dementia care. Determining the effectiveness of such interventions often requires valid self-report instruments. This review aimed to investigate what aspects of self have been measured using self-report instruments in evaluating psychosocial interventions for people living with dementia and to explore the effectiveness of these interventions in terms of positive outcomes related to aspects of self.

METHOD

A systematic search of the literature using five electronic databases and one register (CENTRAL) was conducted. A narrative synthesis and methodological quality assessment was completed for the included studies.

RESULTS

A total of 24 studies were included in the review. Seven aspects of self were measured using a range of self-report instruments, many of which have not been validated for dementia. Aspects of self were; self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-compassion, self-growth, self-acceptance, self-management, and self-identity. Studies included a variety of interventions; however, the effectiveness of these interventions for these aspects of self was mixed.

CONCLUSION

There is some evidence that psychosocial interventions improve specific aspects of self in dementia but further research to improve this evidence base is needed. Future research should also investigate and confirm the validity and reliability of existing self-report instruments that aim to measure aspects of self in dementia. Limitations and implications of the review are discussed.

Healthcare interventions for older people with dementia and family caregivers in Europe: A scoping review

AIM

This study aimed to examine the extent, range and variety of research in Europe describing healthcare interventions for older people with dementia (PwD) and family caregivers.

METHODS

This was a scoping review and followed the PRISMA Scoping Review guideline. MEDLINE, CINAHL and Cochrane library databases were searched for studies published between 2010 and 2020. Studies reporting healthcare interventions in Europe for PwD over 65 years and their family caregivers were included.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies from six European countries were included. The types of healthcare intervention identified were categorized as follows: (1) family unit intervention (interventions for both PwD and their family caregiver), (2) individual intervention (separate interventions for PwD or family caregivers) and (3) family caregiver only intervention (interventions for family caregivers only but with outcomes for both PwD and family caregivers).

CONCLUSIONS

This review provides insight into healthcare interventions for older PwD and family caregivers in Europe. More studies are needed that focus on the family as a unit of care in dementia.

The quality of family relationships in dementia: Mixed methods to unravel mixed feelings

Objective: Close relationships influence health and quality of life outcomes for people with dementia and their families. Yet, we know little on the role of different relationship domains with quantitative methods having proved to have limitations in this research field. We aimed to study these relationship domains over time, contrasting the views of people with dementia and their family carers, making use of both quantitative and qualitative approaches.Methods: A convergent mixed methods design was adopted, analysing longitudinal data (four time points over three years) from 66 dyads of Portuguese community-dwelling people with dementia and their primary carers, from the EU-Actifcare project sample. Quantitative assessments used sociodemographic and clinical variables, and Positive Affect Index scores, with descriptive and inferential analyses. Qualitative data, collected through individual and joint semi-structured interviews, were explored using thematic analysis.Results: Both quantitative and qualitative findings demonstrated that some domains of relationship quality are affected in different ways, with changes occurring at different stages. Some (e.g., 'communication') may even improve after initial decline. 'Closeness' was consistently altered over time, from carers' perspectives, and played an important protective role regarding institutionalisation. Overall, changes in the relationship quality were perceived differently by people with dementia and their carers, and these divergent perspectives often led to tension. Qualitative data revealed that 'mixed feelings' (ambivalence) involve complex experiences, arguably more difficult to manage than negative feelings alone. Furthermore, perceived informal support, particularly from the extended family, and receiving formal services' assistance, seemed to facilitate positive (re)appraisals of the relationship.Conclusions: A deeper understanding of relationship quality and its domains as dementia progresses may help tailoring interventions to tackle modifiable aspects of relationships, meeting the needs and cherishing the resources of dyads and families. Timely assessments could identify relationships at risk and need for support, including for alternative caring arrangements.

Health Promotion in Early-Stage Dementia: A Focused Ethnographic Study of a 12-Week Group-Based Educational Intervention

Introduction

Educational health promotion interventions for people with early-stage dementia have shown promising results, including empowering the person with dementia to live well and cope with their condition.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore how group interactions, course structure, and facilitation by healthcare professionals in a 12-week educational health promotion course promote coping, healthy behaviors, and empowerment in people with early-stage dementia.

Method

A focused ethnographic approach was employed, collecting data through moderate participant observations of people with early-stage dementia who attended the health promotion course and field conversations with the facilitators. Additionally, before and after the participants had completed the course, the participants and their care partners were interviewed individually.

Results

The findings showed that group discussions provided an opportunity for the facilitators to identify knowledge gaps, correct misinterpretations of symptoms, and tailor the information to the participants' specific needs, thereby promoting healthy behaviors and empowering the participants. The consistent and structured format of the course appeared to reduce stress and promote learning. Learning about dementia first-hand, reminiscing, using humor, receiving support from others facing similar challenges, and receiving support and validation from facilitators all contributed to participants coping with their condition, processing negative emotions, and reducing internalized stigma.

Conclusion

This study emphasized the importance of providing people living with early-stage dementia educational opportunities that combine first-hand information, peer and facilitator support, reminiscing, humor, recognition, and validation. These interventions can contribute to promote coping, healthy behaviors, and empowerment in people living with early-stage dementia.

Digital storytelling intervention to enhance social connections and participation for people with mild cognitive impairment: a research protocol

Introduction

Interventions utilizing the principles of digital storytelling can improve cognitive ability by cultivating positive emotions and framing a new way to enhance social participation among people with mild cognitive impairment. However, existing research has understudied group-based storytelling, focusing instead on building individual stories and connections with family and friends. In response to this research gap, this paper proposes co-designing a digital storytelling intervention for people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) to enhance their social participation and build meaningful connections.

Methods

We will conduct two co-design workshops with people with MCI (n = 12), their caregivers (n = 4-12), and therapists (n = 5) in Beijing, China, to facilitate the co-development of the digital storytelling application. During the first workshop, we will utilize card sorting and voting to define potential facilitators of social participation, identifying the abilities people with MCI want to improve through storytelling. During the second workshop, we will build on these findings to facilitate people with MCI and their caregivers to visualize the interfaces. After reflexive thematic analysis of the co-design workshops, we will develop a digital storytelling application and test its usability and efficacy among people with MCI and therapists, respectively. A single-blinded field test will be conducted with 20 community-dwelling adults with MCI (Age: 65+). The testing will consist of an intervention group of 10 participants who use the co-designed digital storytelling intervention and a control group of 10 participants who will not use the co-designed intervention on the waiting list. The intervention period will extend over 7 weeks, with individual intervention sessions lasting 30 min. We will evaluate its efficacy in terms of social participation, social connectedness, self-efficacy, subjective sense of happiness, and user experience of people with MCI.

Discussion

This study will examine an innovative digital storytelling intervention to enhance social participation among people with MCI. This study is expected to advance the concept of community-centric social groups in social health service contexts by integrating technological solutions with the self-identified needs and lived experiences of people with MCI, increasing the motivation of people with MCI to cultivate social participation.

Ethics and dissemination

Swinburne University of Technology's Human Research Ethics Committee gave ethics approval for this research (Approval Number: 20226525-11105; Date: 26/09/2022). Our findings shall be reported in peer-reviewed journal articles and at relevant conferences.

A pragmatic, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial to assess the safety, clinical and cost-effectiveness of mirtazapine and carbamazepine in people with Alzheimer's disease and agitated behaviours: the HTA-SYMBAD trial

Background

Agitation is common and impacts negatively on people with dementia and carers. Non-drug patient-centred care is first-line treatment, but we need other treatment when this fails. Current evidence is sparse on safer and effective alternatives to antipsychotics.

Objectives

To assess clinical and cost-effectiveness and safety of mirtazapine and carbamazepine in treating agitation in dementia.

Design

Pragmatic, phase III, multicentre, double-blind, superiority, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of the clinical effectiveness of mirtazapine over 12 weeks (carbamazepine arm discontinued).

Setting

Twenty-six UK secondary care centres.

Participants

Eligibility: probable or possible Alzheimer's disease, agitation unresponsive to non-drug treatment, Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory score ≥ 45.

Interventions

Mirtazapine (target 45 mg), carbamazepine (target 300 mg) and placebo.

Outcome measures

Primary: Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory score 12 weeks post randomisation. Main economic outcome evaluation: incremental cost per six-point difference in Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory score at 12 weeks, from health and social care system perspective. Data from participants and informants at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. Long-term follow-up Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory data collected by telephone from informants at 6 and 12 months.

Randomisation and blinding

Participants allocated 1 : 1 : 1 ratio (to discontinuation of the carbamazepine arm, 1 : 1 thereafter) to receive placebo or carbamazepine or mirtazapine, with treatment as usual. Random allocation was block stratified by centre and residence type with random block lengths of three or six (after discontinuation of carbamazepine, two or four). Double-blind, with drug and placebo identically encapsulated. Referring clinicians, participants, trial management team and research workers who did assessments were masked to group allocation.

Results

Two hundred and forty-four participants recruited and randomised (102 mirtazapine, 102 placebo, 40 carbamazepine). The carbamazepine arm was discontinued due to slow overall recruitment; carbamazepine/placebo analyses are therefore statistically underpowered and not detailed in the abstract. Mean difference placebo-mirtazapine (-1.74, 95% confidence interval -7.17 to 3.69; p = 0.53). Harms: The number of controls with adverse events (65/102, 64%) was similar to the mirtazapine group (67/102, 66%). However, there were more deaths in the mirtazapine group (n = 7) by week 16 than in the control group (n = 1). Post hoc analysis suggests this was of marginal statistical significance (p = 0.065); this difference did not persist at 6- and 12-month assessments. At 12 weeks, the costs of unpaid care by the dyadic carer were significantly higher in the mirtazapine than placebo group [difference: £1120 (95% confidence interval £56 to £2184)]. In the cost-effectiveness analyses, mean raw and adjusted outcome scores and costs of the complete cases samples showed no differences between groups.

Limitations

Our study has four important potential limitations: (1) we dropped the proposed carbamazepine group; (2) the trial was not powered to investigate a mortality difference between the groups; (3) recruitment beyond February 2020, was constrained by the COVID-19 pandemic; and (4) generalisability is limited by recruitment of participants from old-age psychiatry services and care homes.

Conclusions

The data suggest mirtazapine is not clinically or cost-effective (compared to placebo) for agitation in dementia. There is little reason to recommend mirtazapine for people with dementia with agitation.

Future work

Effective and cost-effective management strategies for agitation in dementia are needed where non-pharmacological approaches are unsuccessful.

Study registration

This trial is registered as ISRCTN17411897/NCT03031184.

Funding

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 27, No. 23. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

'I feel more part of the world': Participatory action research to develop post-diagnostic dementia support

Many people living with dementia are 'on the margins', not accessing services and support, despite policy and care advancements. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this, with the closure of face-to-face support during lockdowns in the UK and globally. The aim of the 'Beyond the Margins' project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a face-face programme of support with, by and for people with direct experience of dementia who are on the margins of existing services and support. In March 2020 the project was interrupted by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and it changed to an online format. The three-phase participatory action research project included 40 people living with dementia, 26 care partners and 31 health and social care practitioners. A seven-week online personal development programme called Getting On with Life (GO) was developed, delivered, and evaluated. This paper focuses on the participatory approaches used to develop and implement the GO programme, and the resulting aspects of its approach to facilitation and content. Key features include the GO Programme's principles of providing a safe and a respectful space, and the programme's values of: Everyone who comes already knows things, can learn things and can teach things; Doing things 'with' each other, rather than 'for' or 'to' each other; Personalised goals-led by the needs of participants rather than an imposed agenda. A key finding was the importance of developing post-diagnostic programmes as a 'sandwich', providing a safe space for learning that is preceded by understanding pathways to access the programme and followed by explicit consideration of the next steps in increasing social engagement.

How to manage comorbidities in people with dementia: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

People with dementia experience a high prevalence of comorbidities that seriously affect patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to map the evidence and components related to comorbidity management, including interventions to facilitate and support the practice of management.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted. In June 2022, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Open grey, and the Cochrane Library were searched to identify relevant literature. The inclusion criteria were outlined to identify studies on comorbidity management in people with dementia.

RESULTS

We found 43 items that met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies were published since 2010. Most research focused on medication management, health care service use and provision, and comorbidity-related monitoring and management; there were a small number of studies that involved decision-making. Only 6 studies developed interventions to support dementia care, which included comorbidity management. Studies involving the comorbidity management process were mainly based on qualitative methods, which make it difficult to quantify the impact of these processes on comorbidity management.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the serious impact of dementia on managing comorbidities, there is a need to develop systematic interventions targeting the management of comorbidities.

Ethical issues when using digital biomarkers and artificial intelligence for the early detection of dementia

Dementia poses a growing challenge for health services but remains stigmatized and under-recognized. Digital technologies to aid the earlier detection of dementia are approaching market. These include traditional cognitive screening tools presented on mobile devices, smartphone native applications, passive data collection from wearable, in-home and in-car sensors, as well as machine learning techniques applied to clinic and imaging data. It has been suggested that earlier detection and diagnosis may help patients plan for their future, achieve a better quality of life, and access clinical trials and possible future disease modifying treatments. In this review, we explore whether digital tools for the early detection of dementia can or should be deployed, by assessing them against the principles of ethical screening programs. We conclude that while the importance of dementia as a health problem is unquestionable, significant challenges remain. There is no available treatment which improves the prognosis of diagnosed disease. Progression from early-stage disease to dementia is neither given nor currently predictable. Available technologies are generally not both minimally invasive and highly accurate. Digital deployment risks exacerbating health inequalities due to biased training data and inequity in digital access. Finally, the acceptability of early dementia detection is not established, and resources would be needed to ensure follow-up and support for those flagged by any new system. We conclude that early dementia detection deployed at scale via digital technologies does not meet standards for a screening program and we offer recommendations for moving toward an ethical mode of implementation. This article is categorized under:Application Areas > Health CareCommercial, Legal, and Ethical Issues > Ethical ConsiderationsTechnologies > Artificial Intelligence.

Occupational Therapist Led Cognitive Stimulation Therapy: Feasibility of Implementation

Background. Despite local training opportunities for Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) for occupational therapists, there has been limited evaluation of the feasibility of implementation in Canada. Purpose. This study explored the feasibility of CST delivery by an occupational therapist in an Ontario health care setting and the impact it may have on self-efficacy and hope measures of individuals with dementia. Methods. A mixed-methods experimental pre/post design was used. Survey measures included hope, self-efficacy, feasibility, satisfaction, and individual session evaluation. Semistructured focus groups were held for participants and facilitators. Findings. Quantitative findings are summarized descriptively for the 10 participants. Qualitative findings were grouped into themes: social connectedness, knowledge gained and shared, tailored implementation adjustments, and need for long-term programing. Implications. Occupational therapists are well-positioned to implement CST and should be a part of further research to test the intervention rigorously for applicability within a range of Canadian health care settings.

Psychosocial modification of general self-efficacy in older adults: A restricted review

OBJECTIVES

In recent years, the concept of general self-efficacy has increased in popularity. General self-efficacy is positively associated with quality of life and has the potential to act as a psychological buffer against adverse events and circumstances. However, due to the long-term influences that are said to shape general self-efficacy beliefs, they may be resistant to intervention, particularly within the older population. This restricted review aimed to explore whether psychosocial interventions could improve the general self-efficacy of older adults. Aspects of intervention design associated with improvements were also investigated.

METHODS

A restricted review was undertaken. This included a keyword search of four major health databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and AgeLine). Search terms focused on general self-efficacy and the commonly used measures of this concept and were limited to the older adult population.

RESULTS

In total, 848 articles were screened, with 20 studies proceeding to data extraction. The modification of general self-efficacy in older adults appears possible, with 7 out of the 20 included studies reporting improvements postintervention. Despite issues relating to the quality of included studies and the generalisability of their results, several aspects of intervention design coincided with intervention success, including intervention duration, and employing sufficiently-qualified staff.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research must address the generalisability issues identified in this review. Studies comparing the effectiveness of individual- and group-based interventions, the efficacy of remote delivery platforms and the possibility for long-term transfer of any improvements are needed to contribute the high-quality data required for policy and practice decisions in this area.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Dyadic Psychological Interventions for BPSD, Quality of Life and/or Caregiver Burden in Dementia or MCI

Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses the effectiveness of psychological interventions that involve people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their informal caregivers, and target improvements in the management of the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD); quality of life; and/or burden reduction for people with either dementia or MCI and their informal caregivers.Methods: Studies were identified through database searches (Cochrane Library, CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsychINFO) and clinical trials registers (ClinicalTrials.gov and http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/). Data were pooled for meta-analysis.Results: Database and reference list searches identified 1,878 references, of which fourteen studies were included. Positive effects were found on the anxiety symptoms of people with dementia on the RAID scale; on the quality of life of people with dementia on the self-rated QoL-AD scale; and on informal caregiver burden on the Zarit Burden Interview.Conclusions: Psychological interventions involving whole dyads have some promise for both people with dementia and informal caregivers, but are still far from uniformly effective across BPSD, quality of life, and caregiver burden. Further research directions are discussed.Clinical Implications: The results suggest that clinicians should routinely involve both halves of the dyad when delivering psychological interventions targeting anxiety or quality of life for people with dementia, or burden for informal caregivers.

An intervention to promote self-management, independence and self-efficacy in people with early-stage dementia: the Journeying through Dementia RCT

BACKGROUND

There are few effective interventions for dementia.

AIM

To determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an intervention to promote self-management, independence and self-efficacy in people with early-stage dementia.

OBJECTIVES

To undertake a randomised controlled trial of the Journeying through Dementia intervention compared with usual care, conduct an internal pilot testing feasibility, assess intervention delivery fidelity and undertake a qualitative exploration of participants' experiences.

DESIGN

A pragmatic two-arm individually randomised trial analysed by intention to treat.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 480 people diagnosed with mild dementia, with capacity to make informed decisions, living in the community and not participating in other studies, and 350 supporters whom they identified, from 13 locations in England, took part.

INTERVENTION

Those randomised to the Journeying through Dementia intervention (n = 241) were invited to take part in 12 weekly facilitated groups and four one-to-one sessions delivered in the community by secondary care staff, in addition to their usual care. The control group (n = 239) received usual care. Usual care included drug treatment, needs assessment and referral to appropriate services. Usual care at each site was recorded.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was Dementia-Related Quality of Life score at 8 months post randomisation, with higher scores representing higher quality of life. Secondary outcomes included resource use, psychological well-being, self-management, instrumental activities of daily living and health-related quality of life.

RANDOMISATION AND BLINDING

Participants were randomised in a 1 : 1 ratio. Staff conducting outcome assessments were blinded.

DATA SOURCES

Outcome measures were administered in participants' homes at baseline and at 8 and 12 months post randomisation. Interviews were conducted with participants, participating carers and interventionalists.

RESULTS

The mean Dementia-Related Quality of Life score at 8 months was 93.3 (standard deviation 13.0) in the intervention arm (n = 191) and 91.9 (standard deviation 14.6) in the control arm (n = 197), with a difference in means of 0.9 (95% confidence interval -1.2 to 3.0; p = 0.380) after adjustment for covariates. This effect size (0.9) was less than the 4 points defined as clinically meaningful. For other outcomes, a difference was found only for Diener's Flourishing Scale (adjusted mean difference 1.2, 95% confidence interval 0.1 to 2.3), in favour of the intervention (i.e. in a positive direction). The Journeying through Dementia intervention cost £608 more than usual care (95% confidence interval £105 to £1179) and had negligible difference in quality-adjusted life-years (-0.003, 95% confidence interval -0.044 to 0.038). Therefore, the Journeying through Dementia intervention had a mean incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year of -£202,857 (95% confidence interval -£534,733 to £483,739); however, there is considerable uncertainty around this. Assessed fidelity was good. Interviewed participants described receiving some benefit and a minority benefited greatly. However, negative aspects were also raised by a minority. Seventeen per cent of participants in the intervention arm and 15% of participants in the control arm experienced at least one serious adverse event. None of the serious adverse events were classified as related to the intervention.

LIMITATIONS

Study limitations include recruitment of an active population, delivery challenges and limitations of existing outcome measures.

CONCLUSIONS

The Journeying through Dementia programme is not clinically effective, is unlikely to be cost-effective and cannot be recommended in its existing format.

FUTURE WORK

Research should focus on the creation of new outcome measures to assess well-being in dementia and on using elements of the intervention, such as enabling enactment in the community.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This trial is registered as ISRCTN17993825.

FUNDING

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 26, No. 24. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Interventions for self-management of medicines for community-dwelling people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their family carers: a systematic review

Background

people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their family carers face challenges in managing medicines. How medicine self-management could be supported for this population is unclear. This review identifies interventions to improve medicine self-management for people with dementia and MCI and their family carers, and the core components of medicine self-management that they address.

Methods

a database search was conducted for studies with all research designs and ongoing citation search from inception to December 2021. The selection criteria included community-dwelling people with dementia and MCI and their family carers, and interventions with a minimum of one medicine self-management component. The exclusion criteria were wrong population, not focusing on medicine management, incorrect medicine self-management components, not in English and wrong study design. The results are presented and analysed through narrative synthesis. The review is registered [PROSPERO (CRD42020213302)]. Quality assessment was carried out independently applying the QATSDD quality assessment tool.

Results

13 interventions were identified. Interventions primarily addressed adherence. A limited number focused on a wider range of medicine self-management components. Complex psychosocial interventions with frequent visits considered the person’s knowledge and understanding, supply management, monitoring effects and side effects and communicating with healthcare professionals, and addressed more resilience capabilities. However, these interventions were delivered to family carers alone. None of the interventions described patient and public involvement.

Conclusion

interventions, and measures to assess self-management, need to be developed which can address all components of medicine self-management to better meet the needs of people with dementia and MCI and their family carers.

Psychological treatments for depression and anxiety in dementia and mild cognitive impairment

BACKGROUND

Experiencing anxiety and depression is very common in people living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). There is uncertainty about the best treatment approach. Drug treatments may be ineffective and associated with adverse effects. Guidelines recommend psychological treatments. In this updated systematic review, we investigated the effectiveness of different psychological treatment approaches.

OBJECTIVES

Primary objective To assess the clinical effectiveness of psychological interventions in reducing depression and anxiety in people with dementia or MCI. Secondary objectives To determine whether psychological interventions improve individuals' quality of life, cognition, activities of daily living (ADL), and reduce behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, and whether they improve caregiver quality of life or reduce caregiver burden.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched ALOIS, the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group's register, MEDLINE, Embase, four other databases, and three trials registers on 18 February 2021.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared a psychological intervention for depression or anxiety with treatment as usual (TAU) or another control intervention in people with dementia or MCI.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

A minimum of two authors worked independently to select trials, extract data, and assess studies for risk of bias. We classified the included psychological interventions as cognitive behavioural therapies (cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), behavioural activation (BA), problem-solving therapy (PST)); 'third-wave' therapies (such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)); supportive and counselling therapies; and interpersonal therapies. We compared each class of intervention with control. We expressed treatment effects as standardised mean differences or risk ratios. Where possible, we pooled data using a fixed-effects model. We used GRADE methods to assess the certainty of the evidence behind each result.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 29 studies with 2599 participants. They were all published between 1997 and 2020. There were 15 trials of cognitive behavioural therapies (4 CBT, 8 BA, 3 PST), 11 trials of supportive and counselling therapies, three trials of MBCT, and one of interpersonal therapy. The comparison groups received either usual care, attention-control education, or enhanced usual care incorporating an active control condition that was not a specific psychological treatment. There were 24 trials of people with a diagnosis of dementia, and five trials of people with MCI. Most studies were conducted in community settings. We considered none of the studies to be at low risk of bias in all domains.  Cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT, BA, PST) Cognitive behavioural therapies are probably slightly better than treatment as usual or active control conditions for reducing depressive symptoms (standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.23, 95% CI -0.37 to -0.10; 13 trials, 893 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). They may also increase rates of depression remission at the end of treatment (risk ratio (RR) 1.84, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.88; 2 studies, with one study contributing 2 independent comparisons, 146 participants; low-certainty evidence). We were very uncertain about the effect of cognitive behavioural therapies on anxiety at the end of treatment (SMD -0.03, 95% CI -0.36 to 0.30; 3 trials, 143 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Cognitive behavioural therapies probably improve patient quality of life (SMD 0.31, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.50; 7 trials, 459 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and activities of daily living at end of treatment compared to treatment as usual or active control (SMD -0.25, 95% CI -0.40 to -0.09; 7 trials, 680 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Supportive and counselling interventions Meta-analysis showed that supportive and counselling interventions may have little or no effect on depressive symptoms in people with dementia compared to usual care at end of treatment (SMD -0.05, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.07; 9 trials, 994 participants; low-certainty evidence). We were very uncertain about the effects of these treatments on anxiety, which was assessed only in one small pilot study. Other interventions There were very few data and very low-certainty evidence on MBCT and interpersonal therapy, so we were unable to draw any conclusions about the effectiveness of these interventions.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

CBT-based treatments added to usual care probably slightly reduce symptoms of depression for people with dementia and MCI and may increase rates of remission of depression. There may be important effect modifiers (degree of baseline depression, cognitive diagnosis, or content of the intervention). CBT-based treatments probably also have a small positive effect on quality of life and activities of daily living. Supportive and counselling interventions may not improve symptoms of depression in people with dementia. Effects of both types of treatment on anxiety symptoms are very uncertain. We are also uncertain about the effects of other types of psychological treatments, and about persistence of effects over time. To inform clinical guidelines, future studies should assess detailed components of these interventions and their implementation in different patient populations and in different settings.

Control Beliefs among People with Dementia: A Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

Dementia diseases are still incurable, and in order to assist in living well with the disease, researchers are increasing their attention to the value of control beliefs. Control beliefs are associated with coping and psychological well-being; however, knowledge on how they relate to well-being outcomes in people with dementia is limited. This review aimed to synthesize knowledge about control beliefs in this group to guide future interventions and research.

METHOD

A systematic search of 6 databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, AgeLine, Embase, and the Cochrane Library) with broad search terms related to dementia, control, and coping was conducted. Studies that investigated people with a confirmed dementia diagnosis and that used a questionnaire to measure control beliefs quantitatively were included.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies were identified, examining self-efficacy, personal control/mastery, or locus of control. The studies varied in aim and design, with fair to good methodological quality. However, 10 studies included <50 participants with dementia, leaving findings unreliable due to low power. Participants with dementia in the mild to moderate stages were included, with average age in the seventies. Except for one validation study, the control belief questionnaires had not been validated for people with dementia.

CONCLUSION

There is a lack of knowledge about control beliefs among people with dementia, due to few and low-powered studies. Although we cannot conclude regarding control beliefs, our findings support the feasibility of quantitative research on control beliefs among people with dementia and we recommend that they be included in this type of research.

Locus of Control and Its Associations with Depressive Symptoms amongst People with Dementia

INTRODUCTION

Depression is common amongst people with dementia. This study examines whether locus of control (LoC), a perceived control construct influential in the coping process, is related to depressive symptoms in this population.

METHODS

In this prospective observational study, 257 community-dwelling older adults with a confirmed dementia diagnosis were included. At baseline, measures of depressive symptoms, LoC, cognition, independent functional ability, general health, dementia severity, and dementia disease insight were collected. At follow-up, measures of depressive symptoms and cognition were collected. Multiple linear regression using degree of depressive symptoms as measured with Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale as a dependent variable was applied to assess whether LoC was associated with depressive symptoms at baseline and follow-up while controlling for covariates.

RESULTS

LoC (p < 0.001), general health (p = 0.003), and insight (p = 0.010) were associated with severity of depressive symptoms at baseline, accounting for 28% of the variance. LoC (p = 0.025) and depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) at baseline were associated with severity of depressive symptoms at follow-up, accounting for 56.3% of the variance.

CONCLUSION

LoC was significantly associated with severity of depressive symptoms in people with dementia at baseline and at follow-up. Attention to LoC may be valuable for our understanding of depression in people with dementia, and interventions targeting depression could benefit from including a focus on internalizing perceived control. However, these findings are novel, and more research is needed.

One-Year Change in Locus of Control among People with Dementia

INTRODUCTION

Knowledge of how perceptions of personal control change over time may provide valuable insights into how people cope with having dementia. The present study aimed to examine change in locus of control over a 12-month period in persons with dementia.

METHOD

The study included 52 participants with dementia. Locus of control was measured with the Locus of Control of Behavior Scale (LoCB), with higher scores indicating a more external locus of control, interpreted as perceiving less personal control. A ≥5% change on the LoCB was considered clinically meaningful. We recorded sociodemographic characteristics and assessed dementia severity, cognition, ability to function independently in daily activities and physical self-maintenance, depressive symptomatology, and number of prescribed medications. Analyses were performed to examine differences between those with increases (more external) or decreases (less external) in the LoCB score after 12 months and to examine associations between baseline variables and change in the LoCB score.

RESULTS

The mean LoCB score for the total sample did not change after 12 months (baseline mean 29.33 vs. follow-up mean 30.33, p = 0.553); however, 2 subgroups emerged. Using the ≥5% cutoff revealed that the LoCB score changed for 92.3% of the sample, becoming less external (lower LoCB) for 21 participants and more external (higher LoCB) for 27 participants. At baseline, the mean LoBC score was higher in the group that became less external (33.81 vs. 24.56), p = 0.006, while this was reverse at follow-up (23.57 vs. 34.41), p = 0.001. Dementia severity and dependence in physical self-maintenance increased during the 12 months in both groups. Among those becoming more external, we also found a decline in cognition (p = 0.002), an increase in dependence in daily activities (p = 0.003), an increase in the use of prescribed medication, and a decrease in depressive symptomatology (p = 0.003). The baseline LoCB score was the only variable associated with 12-month change in LoCB scores (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Most participants showed a clinically meaningful change in locus of control after 12 months. Those with more signs of dementia progression reported a decrease in personal control but also a decrease in depressive symptoms. These findings are interesting for our understanding of coping but must be replicated with a larger sample.

A multicomponent psychosocial intervention among people with early-stage dementia involving physical exercise, cognitive stimulation therapy, psychoeducation and counselling: Results from a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

There is increasing awareness of the benefits of both physical and psychosocial interventions to empower and benefit people with dementia and their caregivers. However, the potential additional benefits of combining physical and psychosocial interventions have only been sparsely explored. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the acceptability and potential impact of a multicomponent intervention comprising physical exercise, cognitive stimulation therapy (CST), psychoeducation and counselling for people with early-stage dementia.

DESIGN

A 15-week multicomponent group-based intervention was offered to people with early-stage dementia in Denmark (N = 44). A mixed-methods design combining interviews, observations, tests of cognitive and physical functioning and an interviewer-assisted questionnaire on quality of life was applied to (1) investigate acceptability of the intervention, including whether people with dementia and their caregivers found the intervention meaningful and (2) to explore and assess changes in participants' physical and cognitive functioning and quality of life. The study was conducted between June 2018 and August 2019.

RESULTS

The pilot study demonstrated that the multicomponent intervention was acceptable for people with early-stage dementia and their caregivers. Test results did not show significant changes in measures of participants' physical and cognitive functioning or quality of life. However, qualitative data revealed that participants perceived the intervention as meaningful and found that it had a positive influence on their physical and social well-being. In addition, interaction and support from peers and staff members was considered important and rewarding.

CONCLUSION

This multicomponent intervention constitutes a meaningful and beneficial activity for people with early-stage dementia and their caregivers. It provides an opportunity to engage in social interactions with peers and experience professional support. The study also underlines the importance of providing prolonged and sustainable interventions for people with dementia to maintain personal and social benefits.

Health promotion initiative: A dementia-friendly local community in Sweden

Dementia is a great public health concern worldwide. Despite this, little is known from a health-promoting perspective about dementia in general as a public health issue, in dialog with people living with dementia, applicable at individual, group, and societal levels with regard to policies and practice. This study therefore aims to explore the experiences related to living with dementia in the local community by advancing a health-promoting perspective. Semi-structured individual and group interviews were conducted with participants (n = 22) with lived, professional, and personal experiences of dementia living in a medium-sized municipality in Sweden. Transcripts were analyzed by thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: health promotion through knowledge and public awareness, health promotion through opportunities to be active, health promotion through meaningful meeting places, and health promotion through improvements in the welfare system. We found that more knowledge and public awareness about dementia are needed to advance a health-promoting perspective and increase the prominence of dementia as a public health issue. Further research and policy need to focus more on how professionals in dementia care practice could be involved in promoting health and well-being for people with dementia.

What influences uptake of psychosocial interventions by people living with early dementia? A qualitative study

Background

Health policy promotes post-diagnostic support for people affected by dementia. Evidence suggests psychosocial interventions can effectively support people living with dementia after diagnosis. Yet, what influences uptake of psychosocial interventions by people with early dementia is poorly understood. This research aimed to identify influences on uptake of psychosocial interventions by people with early dementia.

Methods

Sixteen face-to-face semi-structured interviews with people with early dementia, either alone or with a family member(s), were completed. Twelve staff participated in semi-structured interviews or a focus group. Thematic analysis and triangulation enabled identification of overall themes across different participant groups and interview types.

Main Findings

Four overarching themes influencing uptake were identified: (1) adjusting to a diagnosis, (2) appeal of activities and perception of benefit, (3) service and societal context, and (4) relationships and communication. Individual responses to diagnosis, experiences of dementia and dementia services influenced uptake. Group interventions were discussed the most by all participants. Group interventions offering social contact, peer support, information, enjoyable activities and mental stimulation were valued. However, group interventions specifically aimed at people with dementia did not appeal to all. Ability to travel and convenience of locations were important. Continuing with community activities not focused on dementia was valued. Stigma around dementia appeared to discourage uptake. Emotional and practical support from family was key to facilitating uptake as were the relationships between people with dementia and staff.

Conclusion

A complex interplay of individual, service and societal influences affect uptake of psychosocial interventions by people with early dementia. How interventions and which services can enable people with early dementia remain engaged in their everyday lives needs consideration. Further research examining uptake of specific interventions commonly offered to people living with early dementia is needed. Involving people with early dementia in designing interventions aiming to support them is paramount.

The Dementia Early Stage Cognitive Aids New Trial (DESCANT) intervention: A goal attainment scaling approach to promote self-management

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated goals identified by people with dementia and their carers to promote the self-management of symptoms and abilities; measured achievement using goal attainment scaling (GAS); and explored the reflections of Dementia Support Practitioners (DSPs) facilitating it.

METHODS AND DESIGN

Within this pragmatic randomised trial, DSPs gave memory aids, training and support to people with mild to moderate dementia and their carers at home. Data were collected across seven NHS Trusts in England and Wales (2016-2018) and abstracted from intervention records and semi-structured interviews with DSPs delivering the intervention, supplemented by a subset of the trial dataset. Measures were created to permit quantification and descriptive analysis and interview data thematically analysed. A GAS measure for this intervention in this client group was derived.

RESULTS

Engagement was high across the 117 participants and 293 goals were identified. These reflected individual circumstances and needs and enabled classification and assessment of their attainment. Seventeen goal types were identified across six domains: self-care, household tasks, daily occupation, orientation, communication, and well-being and safety. On average participants achieved nominally significant improvement regarding the specified goals of 1.4 with standard deviation of 0.6. Five interviews suggested that DSPs' experiences of goal setting were also positive.

CONCLUSIONS

GAS is useful for assessing psychosocial interventions for people with early-stage dementia. It has a utility in identifying goals, promoting self-management and providing a personalised outcome measure. There is a strong case for exploring whether these clear benefits translate to other interventions in other populations in other places.

"Taking care of myself as long as I can": How People with Dementia Configure Self-Management Systems

Self-management research in HCI has addressed a variety of conditions. Yet, this literature has largely focused on neurotypical populations and chronic conditions that can be managed, leaving open questions of what self-management might look like for populations with progressive cognitive impairment. Grounded in interviews with seventeen technology savvy people with mild to moderate dementia, our analysis reveals their use of technological and social resources as part of the work of self-management. We detail how participants design self-management systems to enable desired futures, function well in their social world, and maintain control. Our discussion broadens the notion of self-management to include future-oriented, sociotechnical, self-determinate design. We advocate for expanding the way technologists, designers, and HCI scholars view people with mild to moderate dementia to recognize them as inventive creators and capable actors in self-management.

Interventions for improving self-direction in people with dementia: a systematic review

Background

Dementia is a progressive disease that affects people’s everyday functioning, including the ability to express values, needs and wishes, which can be considered key elements of self-direction.

For the purpose of this review, self-direction refers to the organization and/or coordination of your own life, including professional and other care, with the objective of having what you perceive to be a good life. The aim of this systematic review was to assess and describe interventions that aim to improve self-direction of people with dementia.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo and the Cochrane Library. Empirical studies up to April 2020 were included that used qualitative and/or quantitative methods and reported on interventions for people with dementia aimed at improving self-direction. Stepwise study selection and the assessment of methodological quality were conducted independently by two authors. Data on study and intervention characteristics, outcomes related to self-direction and well-being of people with dementia and factors influencing the feasibility were extracted systematically and described narratively.

Results

Ten studies were identified describing a total of nine interventions. Interventions varied in terms of goals, content, target population and duration. Overall, interventions consisted of multiple components focusing on identifying “Who am I?” (beliefs, strengths, values, goals), identifying “What is important to me?” (meaningful activities and goal setting) and/or communicating about preferences with professionals and/or caregivers. The review provides indications that people with dementia may benefit from the interventions included. Overall, positive effects were found in studies on outcomes related to self-direction and wellbeing. However, outcomes measured using quantitative methods showed inconsistent effects between the studies.

Conclusions

Although the methodological quality of all the studies included was ‘good’ or at least ‘fair’, the evidence base of interventions aiming to improve self-direction is still limited due to the low number of studies, the low number of participants and the frequent use of and their authors’ own non-standardized measures. Nevertheless, the review points towards positive effects on self-direction and well-being. Identifying individual beliefs, strengths, values, goals and meaningful activities can be essential components of these interventions, as well as communication about the desired care and support.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02133-w.

Health promotion intervention for people with early-stage dementia: A quasi-experimental study

INTRODUCTION

With the limited advancements in medical treatment, there is a growing need for supporting people with early-stage dementia adjust to their diagnosis and improve their quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a 12-week health promotion course for people with early-stage dementia.

METHODS

Quasi-experimental, single group, pretest-posttest design. A total of 108 persons with dementia participated in this study, and for each participant, a carer was interviewed. The 12-week health promotion intervention consisted of 2-hr sessions at weekly intervals. Outcome measures were cognition, measured by Mini-Mental State Examination, personal, and instrumental activities of daily living (P-ADL and I-ADL), measured by Lawton and Brody's Physical Self-Maintenance Scale and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, self-rated health, measured by the European Quality of life Visual Analogue Scale, depressive symptoms, measured by the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, and neuropsychiatric symptoms, measured by The Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Assessments were conducted at baseline and at follow-up 1-2 months postintervention.

RESULTS

The results demonstrate a small but statistically significant improvement in depressive symptoms (p = .015) and in self-rated health (p = .031). The results also demonstrated a small statistically significant decline in the participants' I-ADL (p = .007). The participants' cognitive function, P-ADL, and neuropsychiatric symptoms were stable during the 4-month follow-up.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates promising results with regard to the benefit of attending a 12-week health promotion intervention in promoting health and well-being in people with early-stage dementia. With the majority of participants with early-stage dementia living at home without any healthcare services in a vulnerable stage of the condition, this study makes an important contribution to highlighting the need for, and benefit of, educational approaches for this population.

Self-management and cognitive rehabilitation in early stage dementia - merging methods to promote coping and adoption of assistive technology. A pilot study

Objectives: It is essential to develop interventions that meet individual needs for coping and self-management of people with dementia. This study explored the feasibility and applicability of an intervention merging methods of cognitive rehabilitation and self-management groups for people with early stage dementia. The potential of this intervention to promote adoption of assistive technology was also explored.Method: People with early stage Alzheimer's disease (N = 19) participated in the programme comprising both individual and group sessions. Caregivers were involved in the individual session and a separate group meeting. The intervention both addressed individual goals and more general self-management approaches. In addition, both participants and caregivers were introduced to the ReACT app, a holistic solution tailormade to meet self-management needs of people with early stage dementia.Results: There was significant improvement in the participants' attainment of individual goals and satisfaction with goal attainment from pre- to post-intervention. Participants and caregivers generally reported a positive attitude towards the intervention, attendance rate was high, and all participants completed the intervention. Qualitative results also indicated that the intervention promoted awareness, acceptance and coping among participants. The specific benefits of using the ReACT app for self-management were also emphasised. Forty-two percent of the participants adopted the app and continued using it after completing the intervention.Conclusion: Results from this pilot study indicated that the intervention is both feasible and applicable and can be an effective method to promote coping and adoption of assistive technology among people with early stage dementia.

Self-management and HeAlth Promotion in Early-stage dementia with e-learning for carers (SHAPE): study protocol for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

With an increasing number of people with dementia worldwide and limited advancement in medical treatments, the call for new and cost-effective approaches is crucial. The utility of self-management has been proven in certain chronic conditions. However, very little work has been undertaken regarding self-management in people with dementia.

METHODS

The SHAPE trial will include 372 people with mild to moderate dementia to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an educational programme combining approaches of self-management, health promotion, and e-learning for care partners. The study is a multi-site, single-randomised, controlled, single-blinded trial with parallel arms. The intervention arm is compared with treatment as usual. The intervention comprises a 10-week course delivered as group sessions for the participants with dementia. The sessions are designed to develop self-management skills and to provide information on the nature of the condition and the development of healthy behaviours in a supportive learning environment. An e-learning course will be provided for care partners which covers similar and complementary material to that discussed in the group sessions for the participant with dementia.

DISCUSSION

This trial will explore the effect of the SHAPE group intervention on people with mild to moderate dementia in terms of self-efficacy and improvement in key health and mental health outcomes and cost-effectiveness, along with carer stress and knowledge of dementia.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04286139, registered prospectively February 26, 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04286139.

Goal-oriented cognitive rehabilitation for early-stage Alzheimer's and related dementias: the GREAT RCT

BACKGROUND

Cognitive rehabilitation (CR) is an individualised, person-centred intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia that addresses the impact of cognitive impairment on everyday functioning.

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether or not CR is a clinically effective and cost-effective intervention for people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease or vascular or mixed dementia, and their carers.

DESIGN

This multicentre randomised controlled trial compared CR with treatment as usual (TAU). Following a baseline assessment and goal-setting to identify areas of everyday functioning that could be improved or better managed, participants were randomised (1 : 1) via secure web access to an independent randomisation centre to receive either TAU or CR and followed up at 3 and 9 months post randomisation.

SETTING

Community.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants had an International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition, diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or vascular or mixed dementia, had mild to moderate cognitive impairment (Mini Mental State Examination score of ≥ 18 points), were stable on medication if prescribed, and had a family carer who was willing to contribute. The exclusion criteria were people with a history of brain injury or other neurological disorder and an inability to speak English. To achieve adequate power, we needed 350 people to complete the trial, with 175 people in each trial arm.

INTERVENTION

Cognitive rehabilitation consisted of 10 therapy sessions over 3 months, followed by four maintenance sessions over 6 months, delivered in participants' homes. The therapists were nine occupational therapists and one nurse.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was self-reported goal attainment at 3 months. Goal attainment was also assessed at 9 months. Carers provided independent ratings of goal attainment at both time points. The secondary outcomes were participant quality of life, mood, self-efficacy and cognition, and carer stress, health status and quality of life. The assessments at 3 and 9 months were conducted by researchers who were blind to the participants' group allocation.

RESULTS

A total of 475 participants were randomised (CR arm, n = 239; TAU arm, n = 236), 427 participants (90%) completed the trial and 426 participants were analysed (CR arm, n = 208, TAU arm, n = 218). At 3 months, there were statistically significant large positive effects for participant-rated goal attainment [mean change in the CR arm: 2.57; mean change in the TAU arm: 0.86; Cohen'sd = 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.75 to 1.19], corroborated by carer ratings (Cohen'sd = 1.11, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.34). These effects were maintained at 9 months for both the participant ratings (Cohen's d = 0.94, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.17) and the carer ratings (Cohen's d = 0.96, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.20). There were no significant differences in the secondary outcomes. In the cost-utility analyses, there was no evidence of cost-effectiveness in terms of gains in the quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of the person with dementia (measured using the DEMentia Quality Of Life questionnaire utility score) or the QALYs of the carer (measured using the EuroQol-5 Dimensions, three-level version) from either cost perspective. In the cost-effectiveness analyses, by reference to the primary outcome of participant-rated goal attainment, CR was cost-effective from both the health and social care perspective and the societal perspective at willingness-to-pay values of £2500 and above for improvement in the goal attainment measure. There was no evidence on the cost-effectiveness of the self-efficacy measure (the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale) from either cost perspective.

LIMITATIONS

Possible limitations arose from the non-feasibility of using observational outcome measures, the lack of a general measure of functional ability and the exclusion of people without a carer or with rarer forms of dementia.

CONCLUSIONS

Cognitive rehabilitation is clinically effective in enabling people with early-stage dementia to improve their everyday functioning in relation to individual goals targeted in the therapy sessions.

FUTURE WORK

Next steps will focus on the implementation of CR into NHS and social care services and on extending the approach to people with rarer forms of dementia.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN21027481.

FUNDING

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 23, No. 10. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Measuring the well-being of people with dementia: a conceptual scoping review

BACKGROUND

Enabling people with dementia to 'live well' is a policy and research priority in many countries. However, instruments for measuring outcomes of psychosocial interventions designed to promote well-being in dementia are often derived from a symptom-focused, loss/deficit approach, or from broad quality of life concepts. A pan-European dementia working group called for research on the development of an alternative asset/strengths-based conceptual framework of well-being in dementia. This paper takes forward this recommendation by developing such a framework and using this to map relevant self-report outcome measures.

METHODS

Three scoping reviews of published studies were conducted iteratively. First, we examined the literature on lived experiences of well-being and quality of life in people with dementia and then the wider dementia literature for application of well-being constructs. The synthesised findings generated conceptual domains of well-being in people with dementia. Corresponding self-report instruments used in dementia research were scoped, categorised within the conceptual framework and their potential value in measuring outcomes for people with dementia was examined.

FINDINGS

Six conceptual domains for the measurement of well-being and 35 self-report instruments that have been used with people with dementia were identified. Six instruments were developed specifically for people with dementia, five were derived from the gerontological literature and 24 from the well-being literature. Fifteen instruments and one sub-scale have been examined for psychometric properties amongst people with dementia. To date, 20 have been used as outcome measures, with seven measuring change over time. A number of identified instruments utilise traditional retrospective Likert-scaling response formats, limiting their potential for use with some groups of people with dementia.

CONCLUSION

An assets/strengths-based framework is presented, outlining structural domains for selecting self-report measures of well-being in people with dementia. It provides a foundation for enhancing research into processes and outcomes of psychosocial interventions, including instrument development, more precise matching of intervention aims with outcome measurement, and newer technology-based 'in-the-moment' measurement.

The use of everyday technologies to enhance well-being and enjoyment for people living with dementia: A systematic literature review and narrative synthesis

BACKGROUND

Everyday technologies, such as laptops and tablets, are often used for enjoyment, pleasure, leisure and social participation. Despite this, whilst considerable research has investigated exploring people's experiences of using assistive technologies, it is not clear how everyday technologies are experienced by individuals living with dementia. The aims of this review were to explore the experiences and views of people living with dementia and carers about using everyday technology to enhance their well-being and enjoyment, social engagement, participation and leisure as well as understand their views about the usability of everyday technology in dementia.

METHODS

A systematic search of the literature was conducted using the electronic databases: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, CINAHL Complete and EThOS. Five qualitative studies and five mixed-method studies were included and synthesised using a narrative approach. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Qualitative Quality Appraisal, which uncovered key variation in the quality of the included, synthesised studies.

FINDINGS

The review suggests that everyday technologies can help support well-being, particularly when technology is used in a group setting and when individuals received the right amount of support to help engage in the technology. Four major themes relating to experiences and views were derived from the findings of the 10 included studies: 'Technology use maintaining a sense of identity', 'Assumptions held by the self and others', 'The importance of others' and 'The usability of technology influencing effective engagement'.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, everyday technologies appear to have a positive impact on different aspects of the well-being of people living with dementia. Clinical implications of these findings include supporting opportunities for people living with dementia to use everyday technology for enjoyment and making these technologies more widely available and accessible.

Psychological predictors of 'living well' with dementia: findings from the IDEAL study

Objectives: Increasingly, research has explored how psychological resources enable adaptation to illness. However, it is unclear whether psychological resources protect against the potential negative effects on living well with a progressive and life-limiting condition such as dementia. This paper examines the association between psychological resources and the ability to 'live well' with dementia.Method: Data from 1547 people with mild-to-moderate dementia in the Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life (IDEAL) cohort were used. Multivariate linear regression was employed to examine the association between self-reported measures of psychological resources (self-efficacy, optimism and self-esteem) and indices of capability to 'live well' (quality of life, well-being and life satisfaction).Results: All three measures of psychological resources had positive and independent associations with indices of living well and the effect sizes were similar. Effect sizes reduced when accounting for shared variance between psychological resources, showing some overlap in these constructs.Conclusion: Self-efficacy, optimism and self-esteem were each associated with capability to 'live well'. Overlap between these three resources is evident and when combined they may provide greater resilience when dealing with the challenges of living with dementia. Interventions for people with dementia could seek to improve levels of these potentially-modifiable psychological resources.

Screening for Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: Updated Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force

IMPORTANCE

Early identification of cognitive impairment may improve patient and caregiver health outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the test accuracy of cognitive screening instruments and benefits and harms of interventions to treat cognitive impairment in older adults (≥65 years) to inform the US Preventive Services Task Force.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials through January 2019, with literature surveillance through November 22, 2019.

STUDY SELECTION

Fair- to good-quality English-language studies of cognitive impairment screening instruments, and pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments aimed at persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), mild to moderate dementia, or their caregivers.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Independent critical appraisal and data abstraction; random-effects meta-analyses and qualitative synthesis.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Sensitivity, specificity; patient, caregiver, and clinician decision-making; patient function, quality of life, and neuropsychiatric symptoms; caregiver burden and well-being.

RESULTS

The review included 287 studies with more than 280 000 older adults. One randomized clinical trial (RCT) (n = 4005) examined the direct effect of screening for cognitive impairment on patient outcomes, including potential harms, finding no significant differences in health-related quality of life at 12 months (effect size, 0.009 [95% CI, -0.063 to 0.080]). Fifty-nine studies (n = 38 531) addressed the accuracy of 49 screening instruments to detect cognitive impairment. The Mini-Mental State Examination was the most-studied instrument, with a pooled sensitivity of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.85 to 0.92) and specificity of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.85 to 0.93) to detect dementia using a cutoff of 23 or less or 24 or less (15 studies, n = 12 796). Two hundred twenty-four RCTs and 3 observational studies including more than 240 000 patients or caregivers addressed the treatment of MCI or mild to moderate dementia. None of the treatment trials were linked with a screening program; in all cases, participants were persons with known cognitive impairment. Medications approved to treat Alzheimer disease (donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, and memantine) improved scores on the ADAS-Cog 11 by 1 to 2.5 points over 3 months to 3 years. Psychoeducation interventions for caregivers resulted in a small benefit for caregiver burden (standardized mean difference, -0.24 [95% CI, -0.36 to -0.13) over 3 to 12 months. Intervention benefits were small and of uncertain clinical importance.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Screening instruments can adequately detect cognitive impairment. There is no empirical evidence, however, that screening for cognitive impairment improves patient or caregiver outcomes or causes harm. It remains unclear whether interventions for patients or caregivers provide clinically important benefits for older adults with earlier detected cognitive impairment or their caregivers.

Effect of Self-Efficacy on Quality of Life in People With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia: The Mediating Roles of Depression and Anxiety

OBJECTIVES

To examine the mediating effects of depression and anxiety in the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life among people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia.

METHOD

A total of 196 patients diagnosed with MCI or dementia due to Alzheimer disease completed structured measures of self-efficacy, quality of life, and depressive and anxiety symptoms. We examined direct and mediated effects by fitting structural equation models to data.

RESULTS

Our analyses supported that the effects of self-efficacy on quality of life may be partially mediated by depression and anxiety. Both anxiety and depression had significant mediating effects, with depression showing a stronger effect.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that increased self-efficacy may have a positive effect on quality of life in people with MCI or dementia-partly by reducing depression and anxiety. These findings may have important practical implications for tailoring therapeutic interventions.

Promoting Independence in Dementia (PRIDE): protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Memory services often see people with early stage dementia who are largely independent and able to participate in community activities but who run the risk of reducing activities and social networks. PRIDE is a self-management intervention designed to promote living well and enhance independence for people with mild dementia. This study aims to examine the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised trial comparing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the PRIDE intervention offered in addition to usual care or with usual care alone.

METHODS/DESIGN

PRIDE is a parallel, two-arm, multicentre, feasibility, randomised controlled trial (RCT). Eligible participants aged 18 or over who have mild dementia (defined as a score of 0.5 or 1 on the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale) who can participate in the intervention and provide informed consent will be randomised (1:1) to treatment with the PRIDE intervention delivered in addition to usual care, or usual care only. Participants will be followed-up at 3 and 6 month's post-randomisation. There will be an option for a supporter to join each participant. Each supporter will be provided with questionnaires at baseline and follow-ups at 3 to 6 months. Embedded qualitative research with both participants and supporters will explore their perspectives on the intervention investigating a range of themes including acceptability and barriers and facilitators to delivery and participation. The feasibility of conducting a full RCT associated with participant recruitment and follow-up of both conditions, intervention delivery including the recruitment, training, retention of PRIDE trained facilitators, clinical outcomes, intervention and resource use costs and the acceptability of the intervention and study related procedures will be examined.

DISCUSSION

This study will assess whether a definitive randomised trial comparing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of whether the PRIDE intervention offered in addition to usual care is feasible in comparison to usual care alone, and if so, will provide data to inform the design and conduct of a future trial.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN, ISRCTN11288961, registered on 23 October 2019, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN12345678 Protocol V2.1 dated 19 June 2019.

Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial assessing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the Journeying through Dementia (JtD) intervention compared to usual care

INTRODUCTION

Services are being encouraged to provide postdiagnostic treatment to those with dementia but the availability of evidence-based interventions following diagnosis has not kept pace with increase in demand. To address this need, the Journeying through Dementia (JtD) intervention was created. A randomised controlled trial (RCT), based on a pilot study, is in progress.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The RCT is a pragmatic, two-arm, parallel group trial designed to test the clinical and cost-effectiveness of JtD compared with usual care. Recruitment will be through NHS services, third sector organisations and Join Dementia Research. The sample size is 486 randomised (243 to usual care and 243 to the intervention usual care). Participants can choose to ask a friend or relative (supporter) to become involved in the study. The primary outcome measure for participants is Dementia-Related Quality of Life (DEMQOL), collected at baseline and at 8 months' postrandomisation. Secondary outcome measures will be collected from participants and supporters at those visits. Participants will also be followed up at 12 months' postrandomisation with a reduced set of measures. A process evaluation will be conducted through qualitative and fidelity substudies. Analyses will compare the two arms of the trial on an intention to treat as allocated basis. The primary analyses will compare the mean DEMQOL scores of the participants at 8 months between the two study arms. A cost-effectiveness analysis will consider the incremental cost per Quality Adjusted Life Years of the intervention compared with usual care. Qualitative and fidelity substudies will be analysed through framework analysis and fidelity assessment tools respectively.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

REC and HRA approval were obtained. A Data Monitoring and Ethics Committee has been constituted. Dissemination will be via publications, conferences and social media. Intervention materials will be made open access.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN17993825.

ICECAP-O, the current state of play: a systematic review of studies reporting the psychometric properties and use of the instrument over the decade since its publication

PURPOSE

A paper reporting the development of the ICECAP-O was published in 2006. Since then, there has been increasing interest in the use of capability-based measures within health economics and the ICECAP-O has been suggested for use in economic evaluation by decision-making bodies in the Netherlands and UK.

METHODS

A systematic review of studies published between January 2006 and October 2018 which have assessed the psychometric properties of ICECAP-O or utilised the measure within economic evaluation.

RESULTS

Twenty-four studies explored the psychometric properties of ICECAP-O and 21 have utilised the measure within economic evaluation; one study reported psychometric properties as well as utilising the measure within economic evaluation. The ICECAP-O has good construct validity and responsiveness, but there is evidence of some issues relating to content validity. In the context of economic evaluation, the ICECAP-O has, to date, mainly been included as a secondary economic measure and the reporting of results is brief with minimal detail and often no discussion. Five of the economic evaluation studies combined scores from ICECAP-O with time, but each used different terminology to describe this result.

CONCLUSION

Focus, in terms of publications, appears to have shifted now from assessment of psychometric properties to the utilisation of the ICECAP-O within economic evaluation. Further research is needed with respect to a decision-rule for the ICECAP measures. This additional research should also guide users in terms of appropriate analysis, terminology and presentation of results, which are in-keeping with the conceptual framework underpinning the ICECAP-O.

Psychosocial Interventions for Community-Dwelling People Following Diagnosis of Mild to Moderate Dementia: Findings of a Systematic Scoping Review

National policies and evidence reviews recommend psychosocial interventions (PIs) as an essential support, particularly in the period following dementia diagnosis. However, availability and uptake of these interventions are comparatively low. One of the reasons for this is that clinicians lack information about what might be provided and the potential benefits of different interventions. This article identifies and describes PIs for community-dwelling people following diagnosis of mild to moderate dementia and presents the available evidence to inform practice decisions. A systematic scoping review was employed to map the evidence relating to PIs for this group. This identified 63 relevant studies, testing 69 interventions, which could be grouped into 6 intervention categories: 20 cognition-oriented, 11 behavior-oriented, 11 stimulation-oriented, 13 emotion-oriented, 5 social-oriented, and 9 multimodal. There were three targets for outcome measurement of these PIs: the person with dementia, the family caregiver, and the person-caregiver dyad. Over 154 outcome measures were identified in the studies, with outcomes measured across 11 main domains. The lack of a classification framework for PIs means it is difficult to create a meaningful synthesis of the breadth of relevant evidence to guide clinical practice. Possible dimensions of a classification framework are proposed to begin to address this gap.

Avoiding hospital readmission of a person with dementia

People with dementia can be confused or distressed by hospital admission, which can then impact on their physical health. Aysha Mendes considers ways to reduce distress and enhance wellbeing.

Living Life and Doing Things Together: Collaborative Research With Couples Where One Partner Has a Diagnosis of Dementia

The aim of this study is to identify relevant content for a self-management guide by using the outcomes of previous research in combination with knowledge and experiences from couples where one partner has a diagnosis of dementia. The study was carried out in three phases: (a) literature search of previous research related to well-being and couplehood in dementia; (b) interviews with couples with dementia based on the findings of the literature search; and (c) further authentication of the findings within expert groups of people with dementia and carers. For analysis of data, we used a hybrid approach of thematic analysis with combined deductive and inductive approaches. The findings of this study indicated that the four main themes "Home and Neighborhood," "Meaningful Activities and Relationships," "Approach and Empowerment," and "Couplehood" with related subthemes could be appropriate targets for a self-management guide for couples where one partner has a diagnosis of dementia.

Managing diabetes in people with dementia: a realist review

BACKGROUND

Dementia and diabetes mellitus are common long-term conditions that coexist in a large number of older people. People living with dementia and diabetes may be at increased risk of complications such as hypoglycaemic episodes because they are less able to manage their diabetes.

OBJECTIVES

To identify the key features or mechanisms of programmes that aim to improve the management of diabetes in people with dementia and to identify areas needing further research.

DESIGN

Realist review, using an iterative, stakeholder-driven, four-stage approach. This involved scoping the literature and conducting stakeholder interviews to develop initial programme theories, systematic searches of the evidence to test and develop the theories, and the validation of programme theories with a purposive sample of stakeholders.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-six stakeholders (user/patient representatives, dementia care providers, clinicians specialising in dementia or diabetes and researchers) took part in interviews and 24 participated in a consensus conference.

DATA SOURCES

The following databases were searched from 1990 to March 2016: MEDLINE (PubMed), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, The Cochrane Library (including the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews), Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) database, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, AgeInfo (Centre for Policy on Ageing - UK), Social Care Online, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) portfolio database, NHS Evidence, Google (Google Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA) and Google Scholar (Google Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA).

RESULTS

We included 89 papers. Ten papers focused directly on people living with dementia and diabetes, and the rest related to people with dementia or diabetes or other long-term conditions. We identified six context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations that provide an explanatory account of how interventions might work to improve the management of diabetes in people living with dementia. This includes embedding positive attitudes towards people living with dementia, person-centred approaches to care planning, developing skills to provide tailored and flexible care, regular contact, family engagement and usability of assistive devices. A general metamechanism that emerges concerns the synergy between an intervention strategy, the dementia trajectory and social and environmental factors, especially family involvement. A flexible service model for people with dementia and diabetes would enable this synergy in a way that would lead to the improved management of diabetes in people living with dementia.

LIMITATIONS

There is little evidence relating to the management of diabetes in people living with dementia, although including a wider literature provided opportunities for transferable learning. The outcomes in our CMOs are largely experiential rather than clinical. This reflects the evidence available. Outcomes such as increased engagement in self-management are potential surrogates for better clinical management of diabetes, but this is not proven.

CONCLUSIONS

This review suggests that there is a need to prioritise quality of life, independence and patient and carer priorities over a more biomedical, target-driven approach. Much current research, particularly that specific to people living with dementia and diabetes, identifies deficiencies in, and problems with, current systems. Although we have highlighted the need for personalised care, continuity and family-centred approaches, there is much evidence to suggest that this is not currently happening. Future research on the management of diabetes in older people with complex health needs, including those with dementia, needs to look at how organisational structures and workforce development can be better aligned to the needs of people living with dementia and diabetes.

STUDY REGISTRATION

This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42015020625.

FUNDING

The NIHR HTA programme.

Beliefs About Dementia: Development and Validation of the Representations and Adjustment to Dementia Index (RADIX)

OBJECTIVES

The Self-Regulation Model (SRM) identifies that the beliefs people hold about an illness can influence their responses to that illness. Although there are generic measures of illness representations, there is a need for a brief tailored measure to use with people with dementia. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a brief measure called the Representations and Adjustment to Dementia Index (RADIX). The RADIX contains questions on the SRM elements: Identity, Cause, Timeline, Control, and Consequences.

METHODS

The RADIX validation was conducted with a sample of 385 community-dwelling people with mild to moderate dementia who were taking part in the IDEAL cohort study. Test-retest reliability was conducted over a 4-week period with a separate sample of 20 people with dementia.

RESULTS

The validation process resulted in a reduction in the number of items in the Timeline, Control, and Consequences items. The resulting RADIX demonstrated good acceptability, internal reliability, and test-retest reliability. All the RADIX items had low missing data, indicating good acceptability. The factor analysis confirmed that the Consequences items formed two subscales (practical and emotional consequences) that had Cronbach's α of 8 and 0.91 respectively. Test-retest reliability indicated that the Identity, Timeline, and Control items had moderate reliability and the practical and emotional consequences scales had good reliability.

CONCLUSIONS

The RADIX demonstrates acceptable psychometric properties, proves to be a useful measure for exploring people's beliefs about dementia, and could aid the provision of tailored information and support to people with dementia.

An extended review of couple-centred interventions in dementia: Exploring the what and why - Part B

This scoping review is an extended version of a narrative review of couple-centred interventions in dementia shared in part A and the previous publication in this edition. The rationale for expanding study A emerged through the fact that most dyadic interventions have samples consisting of a majority of couples. The exclusion of interventions with samples of mixed relationships in part A therefore contributed to a narrow picture of joint dyadic interventions for couples in which one partner has a dementia. The aim of this second review is to explore the ‘what’ (types of interventions) and the ‘why’ (objectives and outcome measures) of dyadic interventions in which sample consists of a majority of couples/spouses and in which people with dementia and caregivers jointly participate.

Method

A five-step framework for scoping reviews guided the procedure. Searches were performed in Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science.

Results

Twenty-one studies with various types of psychosocial interventions were included. The main outcome measure for people with dementia was related to cognitive function, respectively caregiver burden and depression for caregivers.

Conclusions

The findings of this extended review of joint dyadic interventions in dementia are in line with the findings of part A regarding the negative approach of outcomes, lack of a genuine dyadic approach, lack of tailored support, neglect of interpersonal issues and the overlook of the views of people with dementia. This review also recognises that measures of caregiver burden, as well as relationship quality should be considered in samples of mixed relationships due to the different significance of burden and relationship quality for a spouse as opposed to an adult child or friend.

What works for whom in the management of diabetes in people living with dementia: a realist review

BACKGROUND

Dementia and diabetes mellitus are common long-term conditions and co-exist in a large number of older people. People living with dementia (PLWD) may be less able to manage their diabetes, putting them at increased risk of complications such as hypoglycaemia. The aim of this review was to identify key mechanisms within different interventions that are likely to improve diabetes outcomes in PLWD.

METHODS

This is a realist review involving scoping of the literature and stakeholder interviews to develop theoretical explanations of how interventions might work, systematic searches of the evidence to test and develop the theories and their validation with a purposive sample of stakeholders. Twenty-six stakeholders - user/patient representatives, dementia care providers, clinicians specialising in diabetes or dementia and researchers - took part in interviews, and 24 participated in a consensus conference.

RESULTS

We included 89 papers. Ten focused on PLWD and diabetes, and the remainder related to people with either dementia, diabetes or other long-term conditions. We identified six context-mechanism-outcome configurations which provide an explanatory account of how interventions might work to improve the management of diabetes in PLWD. This includes embedding positive attitudes towards PLWD, person-centred approaches to care planning, developing skills to provide tailored and flexible care, regular contact, family engagement and usability of assistive devices. An overarching contingency emerged concerning the synergy between an intervention strategy, the dementia trajectory and social and environmental factors, especially family involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence highlighted the need for personalised care, continuity and family-centred approaches, although there was limited evidence that this happens routinely. This review suggests there is a need for a flexible service model that prioritises quality of life, independence and patient and carer priorities. Future research on the management of diabetes in older people with complex health needs, including those with dementia, needs to look at how organisational structures and workforce development can be better aligned to their needs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO, CRD42015020625. Registered on 18 May 2015.