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Identification of community‐residing individuals with dementia and their unmet needs for care
Author(s) -
Johnston D.,
Samus Q.M.,
Morrison A.,
Leoutsakos J.S.,
Hicks K.,
Handel S.,
Rye R.,
Robbins B.,
Rabins P.V.,
Lyketsos C.G.,
Black B.S.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.2527
Subject(s) - dementia , psychological intervention , medicine , gerontology , needs assessment , psychiatry , disease , social science , pathology , sociology
Abstract Background Innovative approaches to the widespread delivery of evidence‐based dementia care are needed. The aims of this study were to determine whether a telephone screening method could efficiently identify individuals in the community in need of care for dementia and to develop a multidimensional needs assessment tool for identifying the type and frequency of unmet needs related to memory disorders in the home setting. Methods This was a cross‐sectional evaluation of 292 community‐residing individuals aged 70 and older in Maryland. Participants were given a brief cognitive telephone screen. A subsample ( n = 43) received a comprehensive in‐home assessment for dementia and dementia‐related needs. Cognitive, functional, behavioral, and clinical factors were assessed. The Johns Hopkins Dementia Care Needs Assessment (JHDCNA) was used to identify unmet needs related to dementia. Results Telephone screening for the sample took 350 h, and 27% screened positive for dementia. Virtually all participants with dementia who received an in‐home assessment had at least one unmet need, with the most frequent unmet needs being for a dementia workup, general medical care, environmental safety, assistance with ADL impairments, and access to meaningful activities. Caregivers, when present, also had a number of unmet needs, with the most common being caregiver education about dementia, knowledge of community resources, and caregiver mental health care. Conclusions Effective and efficient means for identifying community‐residing individuals with dementia are needed so that dementia care interventions can be provided to address unmet care needs of patients and their caregivers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.