Dementia (London, England)
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In 2011, the U. S. National Institute on Aging published guidelines for clinical diagnostics for Alzheimer's disease dementia. ⋯ No studies exist showing the progression of these biomarkers to Alzheimer's disease. There is also a lack of empirical evidence showing how biomarkers determine mild cognitive impairment, which has multiple etiologies. The guidelines fail to explain anomalies where there are biomarkers but no expression of Alzheimer's disease.
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Reminiscence therapy has the potential to improve quality of life for people with dementia. In recent years reminiscence groups have extended to include family members, but carers' experience of attending joint sessions is undocumented. This qualitative study explored the experience of 18 family carers attending 'Remembering Yesterday Caring Today' groups. ⋯ Negative aspects included the lack of respite from their relative, the lack of emphasis on their own needs, and experiencing additional stress and guilt through not being able to implement newly acquired skills. These findings may explain the failure of a recent trial of joint reminiscence groups to replicate previous findings of positive benefit. More targeted research within subgroups of carers is required to justify the continued use of joint reminiscence groups in dementia care.
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Comparative Study
The development and evaluation of an educational intervention for primary care promoting person-centred responses to dementia.
Early diagnosis of dementia within primary care is important to allow access to support. However, dementia remains under-detected in general practice. ⋯ A dementia education intervention for primary care which fosters person-centred attitudes can involve all members of a primary care team. Further research is needed to ascertain if improvements in knowledge and attitudes translate into improved practice.
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The study objective was to understand providers' perceptions regarding identifying and treating older adults with delirium, a common complication of acute illness in persons with dementia, in the pre-hospital and emergency department environments. ⋯ Emergency medical services providers, emergency nurses, and emergency physicians frequently encounter delirious patients, but do not employ clear diagnostic strategies for identifying the condition and have varying levels of comfort in managing the condition. Clear steps should be taken to improve delirium care in the emergency department including the development of mechanisms to communicate patients' baseline mental status, the adoption of a systematized approach to recognizing delirium, and the institution of a standardized method to treat the condition when identified.
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Biography Historical Article
Interview with Dr Carol Brayne, 5 April 2013.