A research agenda for promoting continence for people living with dementia in the community: Recommendations based on a critical review and expert-by-experience opinion

Epidemiology of Faecal Incontinence for People with Dementia Living in the Community in New Zealand: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using interRAI Home Care Assessment Data

INTRODUCTION

Globally, there are few studies but wide variation in the epidemiology of faecal incontinence (FI) for people living with dementia in the community. Our objectives are to identify 1-year period prevalence, 5-year incidence, and risks for FI for people living with dementia.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study comprising the International Residential Assessment Instrument Home Care version (interRAI-HC) assessments in a 5-year period in New Zealand (N = 109,964). For prevalence analysis, we selected a dementia cohort for a 1-year period from August 1, 2020, to July 31, 2021 (n = 7,775). For the incidence analysis, participants in the dementia cohort were followed up from the day of the first dementia diagnosis during the period August 1, 2016, and July 31, 2021. Dementia was identified by combining diagnosis of "Alzheimer's disease" and "Dementia other than Alzheimer's disease." Participants were coded with faecal incontinence if they were continent with a stoma, seldom incontinent, occasionally incontinent, often incontinent and incontinent.

RESULTS

One year period (1 August 2020-31 July 2021) prevalence of FI was 26.7% (2,082/7,775) of people with dementia. 5-Year incident FI rate was 19.0 per 100 person-years for people with dementia and 12.3 per 100 person-years for people without dementia. Controlling for risk factors for FI in both groups the hazard ratio for FI was 1.7 for people with dementia.

CONCLUSION

FI affects a significant proportion of people with dementia in New Zealand. interRAI-HC data could facilitate global epidemiological studies to estimate service or intervention needs for people with dementia to redress or manage FI.

Healthcare professionals' experiences and views of providing continence support and advice to people living at home with dementia: "That's a carer's job"

BACKGROUND

People living with dementia at home and their family carers often feel unsupported by healthcare professionals in managing continence problems. In turn, primary and community-based healthcare professionals have reported lacking specific knowledge on dementia-continence. This study aimed to understand more about healthcare professionals' experiences and views of supporting people living with dementia experiencing continence problems, as part of developing acceptable resources. Having a nuanced understanding of unmet need would facilitate the design of engaging resources that enable healthcare professionals to provide more effective continence support to people living with dementia at home.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of healthcare professionals (n = 31) working in primary and community care in the South of England in 2023. Transcribed interviews were uploaded to NVivo 12, then analysed inductively and deductively using a thematic framework.

RESULTS

Continence-related conversations were avoided by many healthcare professionals due to lack of dementia-continence specific knowledge. Many considered that continence problems of people living with dementia were largely outside their remit once a physical cause had been ruled out. This contributed to a lack of priority and proactivity in raising the subject of continence in their consultations. Challenges to providing support included limited consultation time and lack of access to specialist services with availability to support individuals.

CONCLUSION

There is substantial scope to support primary and community-based healthcare professionals in their provision of continence-related support and advice to people living at home with dementia. This includes addressing knowledge deficits, enhancing confidence and instilling a sense of accomplishment.

Perceptions of primary health care nurses and general practitioners in the care of older people with urinary incontinence

AIMS

To identify the challenges and opportunities among primary health care nurses and general practitioners (GPs) in the care of older people with urinary incontinence (UI) and other chronic conditions in China.

BACKGROUND

UI is highly prevalent among community-dwelling older people with chronic conditions but is underreported and poorly managed. Understanding the factors that affect primary health care professionals' practices in their care for this population is imperative to foster nurse-led UI care services.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive study.

METHODS

Four focus groups were held with 24 primary health care nurses and GPs in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, between July and September 2021. A reflective thematic analysis was used to identify themes.

RESULTS

This study revealed misconceptions regarding older people living with UI and other chronic conditions in primary care health professional participants. Moreover, primary health care nurses had very limited autonomy in UI diagnosis and initiating care interventions for this patient population. By reflecting on practices, participants recognized various practical solutions to improve the detection and management of UI. Participants also identified barriers to accessing care services in older people with UI. They suggested changes in the health care system to achieve universal access to UI care services for older people.

CONCLUSION

Nurse-led UI care services in primary health care for community-dwelling older people with chronic conditions are in high demand but are underdeveloped due to professional and health care system factors.

IMPACT

Findings from this study provide new insights into challenges faced by primary health care professionals and illuminate practical solutions to address these challenges.

REPORTING METHODS

Adherence to COREQ guidelines was maintained.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution.

Exploring older care recipients' sleep status as a predictor for informal carer distress: evidence from New Zealand's interRAI home care assessment data

OBJECTIVES

Understanding factors affecting informal carers' well-being is important to support healthy ageing at home. Sleep disturbances of care recipients are increasingly recognised as affecting the well-being of both parties. This research assesses the relationship between indicators of care recipients' sleep status and carer distress, as well as carer distress with subsequent admission to residential aged care, using prospectively collected Home Care International Residential Assessment Instrument (interRAI-HC) assessment data.

PARTICIPANTS

Data were sourced from 127 832 assessments conducted between 2012 and 2019 for people aged 55 years or older who had support from at least one informal carer. The majority (59.4%) of care recipients were female and 59.1% were defined as having cognitive impairment or dementia (CIoD).

SETTING

New Zealand.

DESIGN

Logistic regression modelling was used to assess the independent relationships between indicators of care recipients' sleep status (difficulty sleeping and fatigue) and primary caregivers' distress (feeling overwhelmed or distressed). Kaplan meier curves illustrated the subsequent relationship between caregiver distress and care recipients' transitions to aged residential care.

RESULTS

Care recipients' sleeping difficulty (32.4%) and moderate-severe fatigue (46.6%) were independently associated with caregiver distress after controlling for key demographic and health factors included in the assessment. Distress was reported by 39.9% of informal caregivers and was three times more likely among those supporting someone with a CIoD. Caregiver distress was significantly associated with care recipients' earlier admission into aged residential care.

CONCLUSIONS

Indicators of sleep disturbance among care recipients are associated with increased likelihood of carer distress. This has implications for managing the overall home-care situation and long-term care needs, as well as the well-being of both parties. Findings will inform research and development of measures, services and interventions to improve the sleep and waking health of older people, including those with CIoD and family caregivers.