International psychogeriatrics
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People with dementia in care homes are at risk of having their views ignored and decisions are often made on their behalf by care home staff and family carers. The aim of this study was to compare the ratings of needs of older people with dementia living in care homes, as assessed by the older person themselves, a family caregiver, and the staff of the care home. ⋯ Users' views on their needs should be sought even when the person has dementia and lives in a care home. Reliance solely on assessment by staff or carers may lead to under recognition of unmet needs.
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Review
Screening for dementia in primary care: a review of the use, efficacy and quality of measures.
Despite evidence that early identification of dementia is of growing policy and practice significance in the U.K., limited work has been done on evaluating screening measures for use in primary care. The aim of this paper is to offer a clinically informed synthesis of research and practice-based evidence on the utility, efficacy and quality of dementia screening measures. ⋯ Although the MMSE is widely used in the U.K., this project identifies the GPCOG, MIS and Mini-Cog as clinically and psychometrically robust and more appropriate for routine use in primary care. A coherent review of evidence coupled with an indepth evaluation of screening instruments has the potential to enhance ability and commitment to early intervention in primary care and, as part of a wider educational strategy, improve the quality and consistency of dementia screening.
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Paratonia is one of the associated movement disorders characteristic of dementia. The aim of this study was to develop an assessment tool (the Paratonia Assessment Instrument, PAI), based on the new consensus definition of paratonia. An additional aim was to investigate the reliability and validity of the PAI. ⋯ The PAI is a reliable and valid assessment tool for diagnosing paratonia in elderly people with dementia that can be applied easily in daily practice.
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This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of an Arabic version of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). ⋯ The Arabic GDS is a useful measure to assess depression among community-dwelling older adults and primary care patients who do not have dementia. Because of the use of formal Arabic, GDS-15 can be widely used with all Arabic-speaking people.