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[P2–494]: GENERAL PRACTITIONERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON THE MANAGEMENT OF BEHAVIOURAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF DEMENTIA
Author(s) -
Jennings Aisling A.,
Foley Tony,
Bradley Colin P.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2017.06.1151
Subject(s) - dementia , nursing , intervention (counseling) , qualitative research , psychology , medicine , sociology , disease , social science , pathology
PwD were on average 80 years old (SD1⁄47) and primarily male (61%). On average, PwD were moderately impaired (ACE-III; M1⁄452; SD1⁄421). The majority of carers were female (72%) and spouses (80%). Active management (M1⁄43.7; SD1⁄40.7) and criticism (M1⁄41.8; SD1⁄40.5) were the most and least prominent carer style, respectively. Active management was associated with reduced task performance (r1⁄4-.446, p<.05), while higher cognitive scores were associated with increased task performance (r1⁄4.362, p<.05). Multiple regression analysis revealed that in a model combining active management carer style (Beta1⁄4 -4.69, t(27)1⁄42.13, p<.05) and PwD cognition (Beta1⁄4.131, t(27)1⁄41.803, p1⁄4.084) and apathy (Beta1⁄4 -.367, t(27)1⁄4 -.879, p1⁄4.388), only active management was a significant predictor of functioning in dementia and explained 33% of the total variance of DAD scores. Conclusions: Findings suggest that an active management style may affect ADL performance negatively, and that ADL participation in dementia depends markedly on a supportive carer style, while cognitive scores may be less relevant. Our results also confirm that other factors not included in the study are important to function, given the unexplained 72% of variance on the DAD. Clinically, carer psychoeducation and focus on PwD remaining abilities may be key in maintaining function.