Overview of systematic reviews. Effective home support in dementia care: Components and impacts, Stage 1, psychosocial interventions for dementia.

Aim: To synthesise evidence to identify the components of effective psychosocial interventions in dementia care to inform clinical practice, policy and research. Background: With population ageing dementia represents a significant care challenge with 60% of people with dementia living at home. Design: Overview of systematic reviews with narrative summary. Data sources: Electronic searches of published systematic reviews in English using Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, DARE, EPPI-Centre, between September 2013 - April 2014. Review methods: Systematic reviews were appraised against Cochrane Collaboration levels of effectiveness. Components of psychosocial interventions were identified with their theoretical rationale. Findings were explored with a Patient, Public and Carer Involvement group. Results: 36 systematic reviews were included. From interventions, 14 components were identified, nine for people with dementia and five for carers, mostly undertaken in nursing/care homes. For people with dementia, there was evidence of effectiveness for cognitive stimulation and cognitive training; but less evidence for sensory stimulation, reminiscence, staff education, behavioural therapy and ADL training. For carers, there was evidence of effectiveness for education and training, psychotherapy and counselling. Conclusion: There was a lack of definitive evidence of effectiveness for most psychosocial interventions. Further studies with stronger methodology or replication of existing studies would strengthen the evidence base. Few interventions were undertaken with people with dementia and their carers living at home. Further work will investigate the extent to which components identified here are present in models of home support for people with dementia and carers and their effectiveness

Municipal health expectancy in Japan: decreased healthy longevity of older people in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas

BACKGROUND: Little is known about small-area variation in healthy longevity of older people and its socioeconomic correlates. This study aimed to estimate health expectancy at 65 years (HE65) at the municipal level in Japan, and to examine its relation to area socio-demographic conditions. METHODS: HE65 of municipalities (N = 3361) across Japan was estimated by a linear regression formula with life expectancy at 65 years and the prevalence of those certificated as needing nursing care. The relation between HE65 and area socio-demographic indicators was examined using correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The estimated HE65 (years) ranged from 13.13 to 17.39 for men and from 14.84 to 20.53 for women. HE65 was significantly positively correlated with the proportion of elderly and per capita income, and negatively correlated with the percentage of households of a single elderly person, divorce rate, and unemployment rate. These relations were stronger in large municipalities (with a population of more than 100,000) than in small and medium-size municipalities. CONCLUSION: A decrease in healthy longevity of older people was associated with a higher percentage of households of a single elderly person and divorce rate, and lower socioeconomic conditions. This study suggests that older people in urban areas are susceptible to socio-demographic factors, and a social support network for older people living in socioeconomically disadvantaged conditions should be encouraged

Auxiliary data in CU6 processing

2012, GAIA-C6-TN-OPM-DK-01

This project has drawn on the advice of many generous friends and colleagues, including Richard

Policy conference, the Australian Conference of Economists, and at meetings organized by the Econometric Society, Eastern Economic Association, the American Law and Economics Association, and the Societ

The Economic Dynamics Of Software: Three Competing Business Models Exemplified Through Microsoft, Netscape And Linux

This article proposes three ideal business models to analyze innovation in knowledge-intensive goods and services. The three models are 1) Firm-based control. 2) Hybrid, and 3) Network-based. Each is defined in relation to the two sides of innovation, e.g. creation of novelty and of economic value. Defining the models this way leads to a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each model for organizing the development of different types of software and for appropriating economic benefits. Each business model is .also exemplified through the economic history of one example. The examples are, respectively. Microsoft, Netscape and Linux. The concluding section relates software development to the broader forms of economic dynamics in knowledge-intensive sectors.Innovation, Evolutionary Economics, Micmsoft, Netscape, Linux, Software, IEL CIassification L86; 031; 032; 033,