Dementia

Jean Georges and Dianne Gove present Alzheimer Europe’s newly drafted position on the disclosure of the diagnosis to people with dementia and carers

Objectives: To describe the responses of family carers to the behavioural and psychological symptoms associated with dementia.

Objectives: To determine whether a social support intervention (access to an employed befriending facilitator in addition to usual care) is effective compared with usual care alone. Also to document direct and indirect costs, and establish incremental cost-effectiveness.

Design: The Befriending and Costs of Caring (BECCA) trial was a cost-effectiveness randomised controlled trial. Data on well-being and resource use were collected through interviews with participants at baseline and at 6, 15 and 24 months.

The author describes a mobile library service in North Bedfordshire, which takes equipment to older people with dementia and also provides support for them and their carers. The equipment provided includes the areas of hobbies and leisure, reminiscence; arts and craft and sensory resources activities.

Background: Most persons with dementia in the Netherlands live at home, where they are cared for by informal carers such as family members or friends, who offer this care unpaid. Their care-task poses a high burden on these informal carers, increasing the risk of health problems and social isolation. Many informal carers indicate they want more information on the behaviour of those they care for.

Objectives: To explore the perceptions of family carers, older people and health professionals in Australia about what constitutes elder abuse.

Methods: The Caregiving Scenario Questionnaire (CSQ) was disseminated to health professionals from two metropolitan hospitals, older volunteers and carers of older people with dementia recruited for other studies.

The Irish community is the oldest minority ethnic community in Britain. Despite an older age profile than general or minority ethnic populations, as well as excesses of mental and physical ill-health and socio-economic disadvantage, the age, poor health and social profile of the community is largely ignored by policy makers and providers. Several of these factors predispose the Irish community in England to a higher incidence of dementia. Unlike other minority ethnic groups with growing numbers of people with dementia, the incidence of dementia is already high.

Aim.  The aim of this was to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions provided by a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) in reducing stress in carers of individuals with dementia.

The title introduces care workers to dementia and aims to: Develop an understanding of the condition and how it affects the person; Explore myths and stereotypes and consider how these can influence the quality of care given; Introduce the person-centred qualities that a skilled carer would reflect in their day-to-day practice Show how person-centred values and modified techniques can improve carers’ ability to provide responsive and supportive dementia care.

Participants from 25 reminiscence projects involving people with dementia and their carers across Europe are to gather in Germany in June. They will bring with them some colourful luggage: wall hangings, embroidered cushions and major art works. Catherine Ross finds out why.