Effects of person-centered care at the organizational-level for people with dementia. A systematic review

The aim of the systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of organizational-level person-centered care for people living with dementia in relation to their quality of life, mood, neuropsychiatric symptoms and function. ALOIS, the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group Specialised Register databases, were searched up to June 2018 using the terms dementia OR cognitive impairment OR Alzheimer AND non-pharmacological AND personhood OR person-centered care. Reviewed studies included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cluster-randomized trials (CRTs) and quasi-experimental studies that compared outcomes of person-centered care and usual (non-person-centered) care, for people with a diagnosis of dementia. The search yielded 12 eligible studies with a total of 2599 people living with dementia in long-term care homes, 600 receiving hospital care and 293 living in extra-care community housing. Random-effects models were used to pool adjusted risk ratios and standard mean differences from all studies; the findings were assessed followed the PRISMA guidelines and GRADE criteria. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 method and Chi2 P value; studies with low statistical heterogeneity were analyzed using a random-effects model with restricted maximum likelihood estimation in R. Analyses of pre/post data within 12 months identified: a significant effect for quality of life (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.16 and 95% CI 0.03 to 0.28; studies = 6; I2 = 22%); non-significant effects for neuropsychiatric symptoms (SMD 0.06, 95% CI -0.08 to 0.19; studies = 4; I2 = 0%) and well-being (SMD 0.15, 95% CI -0.15 to 0.45; studies = 4; I2 = 77%); and no effects for agitation (SMD -0.05 (95% CI -0.17 to -0.07; studies 5; I2 = 0%) and depression (SMD -0.06 and 95% CI -0.27 to 0.15, studies = 5; I2 = 53%). The evidence from this review recommends implementation of person-centered care at the organizational-level to support the quality of life of people with living with dementia

Perceptions of Care Quality during an Acute Hospital Stay for Persons with Dementia and Family/Carers

Objectives: to report on acute hospital care experiences for persons with dementia and family/carers in a pilot study (PiP) of person-centred care compared with usual care. Methods: participants were recruited from one acute aged care ward and one mixed medical/surgical ward. One-on-one interviews occurred soon after discharge using a semi-structured interview guide framed by person-centred principles whereby the person is: V—valued; I—treated as an individual; P—perceived as having a unique identity; and S—supported socially and psychologically. Data were analysed deductively with reference to these a priori principles. Results: 11 consented persons with dementia and 36 family/carers participated. A total of eight core VIPS concepts were derived from the data. While many occasions of person-centred care occurred, there was variability in staff expertise, interest and aptitude for dementia care work. Neglect of person-centred principles more frequently occurred for the usual care group, where staff failed to place the person and their family/carer at the centre of service. Conclusions: person-centred services for persons with dementia requires that hospital executive equip staff with the relevant knowledge, skills and support to adhere to person-centred care guidelines. Hospitals must address workplace cultures and procedures that favour organisational systems over person-centred services

Perceptions of care quality during an acute hospital stay for persons with dementia and family/carers

Objectives: to report on acute hospital care experiences for persons with dementia and family/carers in a pilot study (PiP) of person-centred care compared with usual care. Methods: participants were recruited from one acute aged care ward and one mixed medical/surgical ward. One-on-one interviews occurred soon after discharge using a semi-structured interview guide framed by person-centred principles whereby the person is: V—valued; I—treated as an individual; P— perceived as having a unique identity; and S—supported socially and psychologically. Data were analysed deductively with reference to these a priori principles. Results: 11 consented persons with dementia and 36 family/carers participated. A total of eight core VIPS concepts were derived from the data. While many occasions of person-centred care occurred, there was variability in staff expertise, interest and aptitude for dementia care work. Neglect of person-centred principles more frequently occurred for the usual care group, where staff failed to place the person and their family/carer at the centre of service. Conclusions: person-centred services for persons with dementia requires that hospital executive equip staff with the relevant knowledge, skills and support to adhere to person-centred care guidelines. Hospitals must address workplace cultures and procedures that favour organisational systems over person-centred services

The clinical utility of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia as a routine assessment in nursing homes

Objective To examine the clinical utility of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) in nursing homes. Setting 14 nursing homes in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia. Participants 92 residents with a mean age of 85 years. Measurements Consenting residents were assessed by care staff for depression using the CSDD as part of their routine assessment. Specialist clinicians conducted assessment of depression using the Semi-structured Clinical Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders for residents without dementia or the Provisional Diagnostic Criteria for Depression in Alzheimer Disease for residents with dementia to establish expert clinical diagnoses of depression. The diagnostic performance of the staff completed CSDD was analyzed against expert diagnosis using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results The CSDD showed low diagnostic accuracy, with areas under the ROC curve being 0.69, 0.68 and 0.70 for the total sample, residents with dementia and residents without dementia, respectively. At the standard CSDD cutoff score, the sensitivity and specificity were 71% and 59% for the total sample, 69% and 57% for residents with dementia, and 75% and 61% for residents without dementia. The Youden index (for optimizing cut-points) suggested different depression cutoff scores for residents with and without dementia. Conclusion When administered by nursing home staff the clinical utility of the CSDD is highly questionable in identifying depression. The complexity of the scale, the time required for collecting relevant information, and staff skills and knowledge of assessing depression in older people must be considered when using the CSDD in nursing homes

Facilitated case conferences on end-of-life care for persons with advanced dementia - A qualitative study of interactions between long-term care clinicians and family members

Background: Prognostic uncertainty and the need for proxy decision-making owing to cognitive impairment in advanced dementia, adds complexity to end-of-life care planning within the long-term care setting. Case conferences provide a structure to facilitate difficult conversations and an opportunity for family and clinicians to engage in prospective planning, and reach agreement on goals of end-of-life care. Objective: To explore interactions between multidisciplinary healthcare clinicians and families during facilitated case conferences on end-of-life care for residents with advanced dementia. Methods: A qualitative approach was used. Transcripts of audio-recorded case conferences facilitated by a trained registered nurse were coded by two independent researchers and analysed inductively. Transcripts were selected from an available pool until thematic saturation was reached. Emerging themes were confirmed with the wider research group. Results: Thematic saturation was reached after 25 transcripts. An overarching theme concerned the ways in which clinicians and families bridged medical and person-centred perspectives. Subthemes included: details of day-to-day care versus establishing overall goals of care; expression of emotion versus retreat from emotion; and missed opportunities versus expressed cues. Successful facilitation served to 'bridge the gap' between family and clinicians. Conclusion: Facilitation of case conferences for residents with advanced dementia should focus on ensuring that: clinicians do not miss opportunities to discuss end-of-life care; discussions on the minutiae of care regularly return to the resident's broader goals of care; and information on dementia and treatments provided by clinicians is integrated with advice by family members regarding the resident's premorbid values and likely preferences. </p