Search results for ‘Subject term:"alzheimers disease"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 18
Dementia with cardiac problems
- Authors:
- BUTE Jennifer, WALLER Derek
- Journal article citation:
- British Medical Journal, 18.7.11, 2011, pp.255-257.
- Publisher:
- British Medical Association
Jennifer Bute, a general practitioner, presents an account of her experiences after developing the first symptoms of dementia and cardiac problems around the age of 60. As well as describing her episodic memory loss, loss of consciousness and hallucinations, she also includes a list of some of the lessons learnt and things she found helpful. Derek Walker presents a doctors perspective
Learning lessons: how I live with my Alzheimer's disease
- Author:
- JOHNSON Ann
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice, 5(3), September 2010, pp.7-9.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This article is written by someone living with Alzheimer's disease. The author, Ann Johnson, was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 52, and now gives talks about living with Alzheimer’s disease. The article considers how education about dementia can be delivered in various settings and to various audiences. It highlights the different approaches required and the feedback received. Ann discusses her sense of achievement at being able to continue her educator role through her teaching position on the MSc in Dementia Care at the University of Manchester. The article emphasises the need to see the person with dementia as a whole person, and for healthcare professionals to listen to their views and support their attempts to attain their desired lifestyles.
How people come to recognise a problem and seek medical help for a person showing early signs of dementia: a systematic review and meta-ethnography
- Authors:
- PERRY-YOUNG Lucy, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 17(1), 2018, pp.34-60.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Evidence suggests that there is usually a long delay between noticing first signs of dementia and seeking medical help. The authors conducted a systematic review of what people experience and how they make decisions during this time, and used a meta-ethnographic approach to synthesise the findings. Screening and quality assessment resulted in nine studies eligible for inclusion. People with dementia mainly report experiencing memory lapses, while carers focus on more subtle changes in personality. People respond to these changes in one of three ways: 1) they discount them as normal; 2) they reserve judgement as to their cause and significance, or 3) they misattribute them. Pivotal events can finally trigger help seeking. Active reflection and seeking of further evidence may lead to earlier recognition of the possibility of dementia and the need to seek help; it also reduces the risk of a pivotal event. Public education should aim to improve recognition of more subtle signs and to encourage repeated evaluation and reflection. (Edited publisher abstract)
Dementia cafes: recommendations from interviews with informal carers
- Authors:
- AKHTAR Farrukh, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 21(4), 2017, pp.236-242.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Dementia cafes (also known as Alzheimer’s or memory cafes) have been running in the UK since 2000. The purpose of this paper is to report on the recommendations from recent research that interviewed family carers on their experiences of using the cafes. Design/methodology/approach: The research was carried out in cafes in and around London, and focussed on informal, unpaid carers’ experiences of using them. In total, 11 carers from five different dementia cafes were interviewed, using semi-structured questionnaires. The results were thematically analysed. Findings: The findings showed that carers had an overwhelming appreciation of the cafes and what they offered, but several of the findings led to the recommendations about the recruitment and training of cafe co-ordinators; how cafes present themselves and their services and how they can offer dedicated support to informal carers. Originality/value: These recommendations will be of use to cafe organisers and commissioners, especially considering the dearth of information currently available in this area. (Publisher abstract)
Involving people with dementia in the work of an organisation: Service User Review Panels
- Author:
- TOOKE Jane
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, 14(1), 2013, pp.56-65.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
A project was undertaken to explore ways to increase the involvement of people with dementia in the work of the Alzheimer's Society. It included the establishment of two Service User Review Panels: one consisting of 6 service users in an urban area and the other consisting of 8 members of an existing peer support group in a semi rural area. This article explains the development and underlying principles of the panels, which took account of the specific communication and other needs of service users, and provides examples of the processes involved and issues arising. It describes the evaluation of the pilot project using observation of meetings, focus groups with panel members, and semi-structured interviews with participating staff. It reports that the evaluation found that participants valued the experience, that the project reinforced the use of a relationship-based approach towards facilitating communication with people with dementia, and that the panels fed into the organisation's work in a number of ways, including helping to set organisational priorities and develop quality standards, reviewing the content of materials and policies, and contributing to learning through interactions between staff and panel members. The article concludes that the panels were a useful way to involve people with dementia and enhanced staff understanding about communicating with people with dementia. It notes that since the pilot Service User Review Panels have been rolled out across the organisation.
Why we're at home with the SPECAL method
- Author:
- ELKINS Zoe
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Dementia Care, 19(4), July 2011, pp.22-24.
- Publisher:
- Hawker
The Good Care Group is a professional provider of live-in care for elderly people in England. It uses the SPECAL method (Specialized Early Care for Alzheimer's) as the foundation of its care for people with dementia living in their own homes. In this article, the Group's Head of Care explains the method and how it is used. The article covers key elements of the SPECAL method (which uses intact memories to assist in creating a feeling of well-being and includes detailed observational tracking), training for staff, how the method works at different stages of dementia, and the role of family. It notes the importance of bridge building with a person living with dementia, and advocates that caregivers follow the SPECAL golden rules: do not contradict, avoid direct questions, look for cues from the expert (the person with dementia), welcome repetition, and defuse situations. It argues that despite the controversy associated with the SPECAL method approach, it can provide real benefits to individuals with dementia, including being able to remain at home.
Sharing meals with institutionalized people with dementia: a natural experiment
- Authors:
- CHARRAS Kevin, FREMONTIER Michele
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 53(5), July 2010, pp.436-448.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
A natural experiment was conducted in two French special care units located in nursing homes to study the impact of changed mealtime experiences for people with Alzheimer type dementia. One special care unit implemented shared meal times between residents and caregivers, and the other served as a comparison group. The weight of participants was measured at baseline and six months afterwards, and staff reports and observations were analysed. Participants in the study who had the benefit of shared meals gained weight in comparison to participants who did not, and observations indicated that in terms of autonomy residents were seen as more independent in feeding themselves and regulating their food intake, that quality of interactions was enhanced and that shared meals seem to have improved staff perception of work conditions. The article describes the intervention and discusses the findings and their implications.
Personalising dementia care in Scotland
- Author:
- SIMMONS Henry
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Care Services Management, 4(1), October 2009, pp.10-15.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The Scottish government has announced that it is to develop a national dementia strategy for Scotland, to be produced before the end of 2009, following a consultation period. This article looks at how personalisation could become a driving force for change, discussing a personalised approach, individual budgets, and the needs of people using the social care system. The author, Chief Executive of Alzheimer Scotland, also sets out Alzheimer Scotland's view on the national dementia strategy, the need for the strategy to be backed by a significant change fund, and the need to ensure that it supports Scotland's growing population of people with dementia and their families.
Contributions of patient and citizen researchers to ‘Am I the right way up?’ study of balance in posterior cortical atrophy and typical Alzheimer’s disease
- Authors:
- CRUTCH Sebastian J., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 17(8), 2018, pp.1011-1022.
- Publisher:
- Sage
The current report describes the journey from the sharing of a single, extraordinary experience during a support group conversation to the development of a novel scientific investigation of balance problems in a rarer form of dementia. The story centres around the involvement of people living with or caring for someone with posterior cortical atrophy (often referred to as the visual variant of Alzheimer’s disease) in highlighting hitherto under-appreciated consequences of their condition upon their ability to know ‘Am I the right way up?’. The authors describe how comments and descriptions of these balance symptoms were collated and communicated, and the involvement of people with posterior cortical atrophy in shaping a series of scientific hypotheses and developing and adapting appropriate experimental materials and procedures. The authors also reflect more broadly on how they might better recognise, acknowledge and encourage different forms of involvement, and describe several engagement-inspired extensions to the research involving people living with dementia, scientists and artists. (Edited publisher abstract)
‘It's definitely not Alzheimer's’: perceived benefits and drawbacks of a mild cognitive impairment diagnosis
- Authors:
- GOMERSALL Tim, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Health Psychology, 22(4), 2017, pp.786-804.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Objectives: To understand the perceived benefits and drawbacks of a mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis from the perspective of those living with the label. Methods: Participants were included if they had recently (within 6 months) received a MCI diagnosis. The authors also recruited close family members to gain their perspectives. Each was interviewed separately with a semi-structured topic guide covering three areas: (1) experience of cognitive impairments and changes in the individual; (2) impact of cognitive impairment(s) on daily activities and social relationships; and (3) experience of the diagnosis process and living with the label. Transcribed interviews were stored in Nvivo®. Grounded theory procedures of memo writing, open coding, constant comparison, and focused coding were used to derive conceptual themes. Results: Eighteen dyads were interviewed. The overarching themes surrounding diagnosis benefits and drawbacks were as follows: (1) emotional impact of the diagnosis; (2) practical benefits and limitations of the diagnosis, in terms of (a) understanding one's symptoms and (b) access to clinical support. Although participants were glad to have clinical support in place, they expressed frustration at the lack of clarity, and the lack of available treatments for MCI. Consequently, living with MCI can be characterized as an ambivalent experience. Conclusion: As a clinical label, MCI appears to have little explanatory power for people living with cognitive difficulties. Work is needed to clarify how clinicians and patients communicate about MCI, and how people can be helped to live well with the label. Despite an emerging body of prognostic studies, people with MCI are likely to continue living with significant uncertainty. (Publisher abstract)