Course of activities of daily living in nursing home residents with dementia from admission to 36-month follow-up

A pre and post evaluation of the communication and interaction training programme for professionals in dementia care

BACKGROUND

NICE guidelines advocate that healthcare professionals should aim to use non-pharmacological and person-centred approaches as primary strategies to reduce or prevent distress in people living with dementia who reside within care settings. However, despite these recommendations, recent studies have illustrated that there is still a requirement for healthcare professionals to have adequate opportunities to access training programmes and guidance on how to effectively use non-pharmacological approaches in dementia care settings. Communication and Interaction Training (CAIT) was developed to train healthcare professionals in dementia care on how to apply person-centred principles to effectively reduce or negate distress in people living with dementia in a non-invasive manner.

AIMS

This paper provides an overview of current debates regarding the use of non-pharmacological approaches in dementia care, as initial care strategies, to reduce the primary use of pharmacological interventions that may have deleterious side effects for people living with dementia. Furthermore, this paper provides a summary of an evaluation that assessed the extent to which a 2-day CAIT programme could enhance healthcare professionals in their perceived ability to communicate therapeutically with and provide care for people living with dementia.

MATERIALS & METHODS

In this evaluation, 35 healthcare professionals in dementia care engaged with the 2-day CAIT programme. The Confidence in Dementia Scale, Knowledge in Dementia Scale and Compassionate Competence Scale were administered for participants to complete pre and post training.

RESULTS

A series of parametric paired samples t-tests were completed, and the results indicated that the 2-day CAIT course was effective in enhancing healthcare professionals' perceived confidence, communication skills, sensitivity, and ability to meet the care needs of people living with dementia. However, staff' knowledge of dementia did not significantly increase following the CAIT course, which could be due to participants already having high levels of knowledge on dementia prior to training.

DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION

These results indicated that engaging in CAIT could be beneficial in enhancing healthcare professionals' perceived ability to use therapeutic communication strategies in their interactions with people living with dementia. Discussion is provided on how the delivery of training programmes, such as CAIT, may assist in re-enforcing guidelines that advocate for the use of non-pharmacological and non-invasive approaches in dementia care.

The Impact of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia on Individual's Autonomy: a Scoping Review

The purpose of this study was to identify, map, summarize, and clarify the existing literature on the effects of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) an individual's autonomy across all types of dementia diagnoses. The study aimed to determine whether there is a correlation between BPSD and a decrease in a person's autonomy, as this relationship is important for improving dementia care through effective interventions. To achieve this goal, a scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute's methodology for scoping reviews and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews checklist. The inclusion criteria were: (i) population: participants with a clinical diagnosis of any type of dementia; (ii) concept: examining the relationship between one or more neuropsychiatric symptoms or BPSD and the individual's autonomy; (iii) context: the progress of any type and any stage of dementia. The database search yielded 74 records, of which 41 fully met the pre-established eligibility criteria. Most studies in this review focused on participants with Alzheimer's disease and analysed their functional abilities. Most studies in this review showed significant outcomes regarding the impact of BPSD on a person's autonomy. The main BPSD investigated in the studies were depression, apathy, irritability, agitation, aggression, disinhibition, and lability. Apathy had a recurrent association with reduced autonomy in persons with dementia, while depression and psychosis were also found to have an impact on individuals' autonomy.

Relationships of change in Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) on patient outcomes and probability of progression: observational analysis

BACKGROUND

Understanding the relationship among changes in Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), patient outcomes, and probability of progression is crucial for evaluating the long-term benefits of disease-modifying treatments. We examined associations among changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) stages and outcomes that are important to patients and their care partners including activities of daily living (ADLs), geriatric depression, neuropsychiatric features, cognitive impairment, and the probabilities of being transitioned to a long-term care facility (i.e., institutionalization). We also estimated the total time spent at each stage and annual transition probabilities in AD.

METHODS

The study included participants with unimpaired cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD, and mild, moderate, and severe AD dementia in the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform Data Set (UDS) database. The associations among change in AD stages and change in relevant outcomes were estimated using linear mixed models with random intercepts. The probability of transitioning to long-term care facilities was modeled using generalized estimating equations. The total length of time spent at AD stages and annual transition probabilities were estimated with multistate Markov models.

RESULTS

The estimated average time spent in each stage was 3.2 years in MCI due to AD and 2.2, 2.0, and 2.8 years for mild, moderate, and severe AD dementia, respectively. The annual probabilities of progressing from MCI to mild, moderate, and severe AD dementia were 20, 4, and 0.7%, respectively. The incremental change to the next stage of participants with unimpaired cognition, MCI, and mild, moderate, and severe AD dementia (to death) was 3.2, 20, 26.6, 31, and 25.3%, respectively. Changes in ADLs, neuropsychiatric features, and cognitive measures were greatest among participants who transitioned from MCI and mild AD dementia to more advanced stages. Participants with MCI and mild and moderate AD dementia had increasing odds of being transitioned to long-term care facilities over time during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings demonstrated that participants with early stages AD (MCI or mild dementia) were associated with the largest changes in clinical scale scores. Early detection, diagnosis, and intervention by disease-modifying therapies are required for delaying AD progression. Additionally, estimates of transition probabilities can inform future studies and health economic modeling.

Association between clinical dementia rating and clinical outcomes in Alzheimer's disease

INTRODUCTION

We examined associations between the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR) and function (Functional Assessment Scale [FAS]), neuropsychiatric symptoms (Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire [NPI-Q]), and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS

We used data from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Uniform Data Set and defined cognitively unimpaired and AD stages using CDR-global.

RESULTS

Functional and neuropsychiatric symptoms occur as early as the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) phase. The adjusted lest square mean FAS (95% confidence interval [CI]) was lowest in cognitively unimpaired (3.88 [3.66, 4.11] to 5.01 [4.76, 5.26]) and higher with more advanced AD (MCI: 8.17 [6.92, 9.43] to 20.87 [19.53, 22.20]; mild: 18.54 [17.57, 19.50] to 28.13 [27.14, 29.12]; moderate: 26.01 [25.31, 26.70] to 29.42 [28.73, 30.10]). FAS and NPI-Q scores increased steeply with MCI (NPI-Q: 5.55 [4.89, 6.20] to 7.11 [6.43, 7.78]) and mild AD dementia (NPI-Q: 6.66 [5.72, 7.60] to 8.32 [7.32, 9.33]).

DISCUSSION

CDR-global staged AD by capturing differences in relevant outcomes along AD progression.

Highlights

There were strong associations among CDR and the various outcomes relevant to healthcare providers, patients, and their care givers, such as activities of daily living.Overall, activities of daily living, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive function outcomes deteriorated over time and can be observed in early stages of AD (MCI or mild dementia).Our findings directly inform the current understanding of AD progression and can aid in care planning and benefit assessments of early AD interventions to delay the progression of AD to more advanced stages.

Pain and quality of life in nursing home residents with dementia after admission - a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Pain in nursing home (NH) residents with dementia is commonly reported and may affect Quality of Life (QoL) negatively. Few longitudinal studies have explored how pain and QoL develop in NH residents with dementia starting from their admission to the NH.

AIM

The aim was to explore pain, QoL, and the association between pain and QoL over time in persons with dementia admitted to a NH.

METHODS

A convenience sample, drawn from 68 non-profit NHs, included a total of 996 Norwegian NH residents with dementia (mean age 84.5 years, SD 7.6, 36.1% men) at NH admission (A1), with annual follow-ups for two years (A2 and A3). Pain and QoL were assessed using the Mobilization-Observation-Behavior-Intensity-Dementia-2 (MOBID-2) Pain Scale and the Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia (QUALID) scale, respectively, at all assessments. Severity of dementia, personal level of activities of daily living, general medical health, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and the prescription of psychotropic drugs and analgesics (opioids and/or paracetamol) were also assessed at all assessments.

RESULTS

Mean (SD) MOBID-2 pain intensity scores were 2.1 (2.1), 2.2 (2.2), and 2.4 (2.1) at A1, A2, and A3, respectively. Participants who were prescribed analgesics had higher pain intensity scores at all assessments than participants not prescribed analgesics. The mean (SD) QUALID scores at each assessment were 19.8 (7.1), 20.8 (7.2), and 22.1 (7.5) at A1, A2, and A3, respectively. In the adjusted linear mixed model, higher pain intensity score, prescription of opioids, and prescription of paracetamol were associated with poorer QoL (higher QUALID total score and higher scores in the QoL dimensions of sadness and tension) when assessed simultaneously. No time trend in QoL was found in these adjusted analyses.

CONCLUSION

NH residents with dementia who have higher pain intensity scores or are prescribed analgesics are more likely to have poorer QoL. Clinicians, NH administrators, and national healthcare authorities need to look into strategies and actions for pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain treatment to reduce pain intensity while simultaneously avoiding negative side effects of pain treatment that hamper QoL.

Prefrontal Cerebral Oxygenated Hemoglobin Concentration during the Category Fluency and Finger-Tapping Tasks in Adults with and without Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered to be the limit between the cognitive changes of aging and early dementia; thus, discriminating between participants with and without MCI is important. In the present study, we aimed to examine the differences in the cerebral oxyhemoglobin signal between individuals with and without MCI. The cerebral oxyhemoglobin signal was measured when the participants (young and elderly controls as well as patients with MCI) performed category fluency, finger tapping, and dual tasks using head-mounted near-infrared spectroscopy; the results were compared between the groups. The cerebral oxyhemoglobin signal trended toward the highest values during the category fluency task in young participants and during the finger-tapping task in elderly participants regardless of the MCI status. The area under the curve was approximately 0.5, indicating a low discrimination ability between elderly participants with and without MCI. The measurement of the blood flow in the prefrontal cortex may not accurately quantify cognitive and motor performance to detect MCI. Finger tapping may increase cerebral blood flow in individuals with and without MCI during the task.

Efficacy of therapeutic exercise on activities of daily living and cognitive function among older residents in long-term care facilities: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to systematically analyze the efficacy of therapeutic exercise on activities of daily living (ADL) and cognitive function among older residents in long-term care facilities.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Cochrane Central of Register Trials, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, OTseeker, and Ichushi-Web were searched from inception until December 2018.

STUDY SELECTION

Databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of therapeutic exercise for long-term care facility residents aged 60 years and older, focusing on ADL and cognitive function as outcomes.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two independent reviewers extracted the key information from each eligible study. Two reviewers independently screened and assessed all studies for eligibility, extracting information on study participants, details of interventions, outcome characteristics, and significant outcomes. Any discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A total of 11 RCTs with 1,280 participants were eligible for analyses. Therapeutic exercise had a significant benefit on ADL (standard mean difference [SMD] = 0. 22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02, 0.42, p = 0.03)]. Subgroup analyses indicated that interventions were conducted ≥ 3 days per week [SMD = 0.42, 95% CI 0.02, 0.82, p = 0.04]. For cognitive function, group exercise and ≥ 3 days/week of intervention had a significant benefit (group exercise: mean difference [MD] = 3.36, 95% CI 0.91, 5.80, p = 0.007; ≥ 3 days/week of intervention: MD = 2.28, 95% CI 0.07, 4.49, p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Therapeutic exercise conducted 3 or more days per week may be effective for improving ADL and cognitive function among older residents in long-term care facilities. This meta-analysis suggested that group exercise for cognitive functions was effective. However, the effective method of intervention delivery for ADL was unclear.

Differences by cognitive impairment in detailed processes for basic activities of daily living in older adults with dementia

BACKGROUND

Impairment of activities of daily living in patients with dementia has a fundamental and lasting impact on their quality of life and requires a detailed assessment. This study investigated to clarify characteristic of basic activities of daily living (BADL) processes with the severity of cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults with dementia using the Process Analysis of Daily Activity for Dementia (PADA-D).

METHODS

Participants were recruited from outpatient departments of 24 hospitals, daycare centres, and home rehabilitation services in Japan. The severity of cognitive impairment was determined using the Mini-mental State Examination (mild: score ≥ 20; moderate: 10 ≤ score < 20; severe: score < 10). Patient's BADL were assessed according to the PADA-D by observation of the occupational therapist and interviews with family members. Basic information and the scores of BADL items of the PADA-D were compared between the three groups. Subsequently, we compared the percentage of independent or non-independent processes included in the sub-items of BADL in the PADA-D.

RESULTS

A total of 143 patients were included in the analysis. Performance on BADL was shown to decrease significantly with increasing severity of cognitive impairment. The percentage of all BADL processes performed ranged from 58% to 100% in mild, 38% to 97% in moderate, and 0% to 88% in severe. Some of the processes included in BADL of PADA-D showed no significant differences in independence between the three groups.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

Most BADL processes differed with respect to different independence rates depending on the severity of cognitive impairment of the older adults with dementia. However, some BADL processes were not associated with the severity of cognitive impairment. Our findings may suggest that a detailed BADL assessment of patients with dementia is useful in terms of caregiver education to avoid excessive caregiving and in predicting BADL impairment.

Pain in nursing home residents with dementia and its association to quality of life

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to describe pain, use of analgesics and quality of life (QoL) in people with dementia admitted to a Norwegian nursing home (NH), and to explore if and how pain was associated with their QoL when adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, other health conditions and use of analgesics.

METHOD

A total of 953 Norwegian NH residents with dementia (mean age 84.0, SD 7.5 years, 35.8% men) were included at admission to the NH. Pain and QoL were assessed using the Mobilization-Observation-Behavior-Intensity-Dementia-2 (MOBID-2) Pain Scale and the Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia (QUALID) scale, respectively. Severity of dementia, personal level of activities of daily living, general medical health, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and the use of psychotropic drugs and analgesics were assessed.

RESULTS

In total, 36% of the participants had clinically relevant pain intensity (MOBID-2 ≥ 3) and 52% received analgesics. Paracetamol was most frequently prescribed (45%). In an adjusted linear mixed model, more severe pain was associated with higher QUALID total scores, indicating poorer QoL (regression coefficient 0.52, 95% CI 0.36-0.69).

CONCLUSION

Pain prevalence at NH admission was high in residents with dementia; half used analgesics, particularly paracetamol. More severe pain was associated with poorer QoL when adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, other health conditions, and use of analgesics. The routine assessment of pain at NH admission can uncover undiagnosed and untreated pain and allow for adequate non-pharmacological and pharmacological pain management and likely increased QoL.

Effects of a 16-week multimodal exercise program on activities of daily living in institutionalized individuals with dementia

We aimed to examine the effects of a 16-week multimodal exercise program (MEP) on activities of daily living (ADL) in individuals with dementia (IWD). Furthermore, we investigated the participants’ individual response to the MEP and whether baseline cognitive and motor performance explain ADL performance. We conducted a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 319 participants aged ≥ 65 years with mild to moderate dementia. ADL were assessed at baseline and after the 16-week intervention using the Barthel Index (BI), the Erlangen Test of Activities of Daily Living (E-ADL) and the 7‑item Physical Performance Test (PPT-7). We additionally assessed cognitive and motor performance using standardized and validated assessments. Intervention effects were examined through two-factor analysis of variance with repeated measurements applying a per protocol and an intention-to-treat analysis. We compared baseline cognitive and motor performance between positive-responders (positive-R), non-responders (non-R), and negative-responders (negative-R) and examined cognitive and motor performance as potential cofounders of ADL by conducting multiple regression analyses. There were no significant time×group effects on ADL. Between 20 and 32% of participants responded positively to the intervention, i.e., improved ADL performance from baseline to follow-up. Positive-R had worse baseline motor performance compared to non-R. Cognitive and motor performance explained up to 51.4% of variance in ADL. The MEP had no significant overall effect on ADL in IWD. This may be related to insufficient exercise intensity. However, our results indicate that the response to the MEP depends on individual prerequisites which should thus be considered in further research on individual exercise approaches.