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[P2–499]: HOW DOES UTILIZATION OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES CHANGE IN PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA SERVED BY DEMENTIA CARE NETWORKS IN GERMANY: RESULTS OF THE DEMNET‐D‐STUDY
Author(s) -
Thyrian Jochen René,
Michalowsky Bernhard,
Hertel Johannes,
Wübbeler Markus,
Holle Bernhard,
SchäferWalkmann Susanne,
WolfOstermann Karin,
Hoffmann Wolfgang
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.2017.06.1156
Subject(s) - dementia , observational study , population , logistic regression , gerontology , medicine , service (business) , psychology , environmental health , business , disease , pathology , marketing
Background:Over one third of older adults live alone in Western countries and many of them do so with cognitive impairment. For example, in the U.S. 1 out of 7 older adults with Alzheimer’s disease lives alone, a total of 800,000 individuals. Despite this demographic trend, studies of older adults with cognitive impairment tend to recruit study participants living with caregivers, often spouses or adult children. This lack of attention on participants living alone is due, in large part, to difficulties that may arise in recruitment of this group of individuals in research studies. Low levels of participation of older adults living alone constrains our ability to address the overall healthcare needs of people with cognitive impairment and is a public health issue. To address this problem, the purpose of this presentation is to discuss successful methods for recruiting older adults living alone with cognitive impairment. Methods: Lessons were drawn from a qualitative investigation of 27 older adults living alone with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease (2014-16). A detailed review of investigators’ experiences in recruiting these study participants is presented, including cost issues. Results: Participants were recruited with active strategies. Most participants were recruited through the assistance of administrative and medical staff at clinics. Sixteen participants were recruited after a social worker, an administrator, or a physician introduced the study to them and the investigator contacted them afterwards. Eleven participants were recruited after they received a letter signed by their primary care provider inviting them to join the research followed by a phone-call from the investigator. Remaining participants were recruited through social media and word mouth. Passive strategies such a posting flyers in waiting rooms were unsuccessful. To recruit a more ethnically/racially diverse sample, future strategies include presentations in senior centers and churches by research assistants well connected to their neighborhoods. Conclusions: Because older adults living alone tend to be isolated and wary of fraud, researchers should allocate extra time and resources to create partnerships with medical providers and persons (such as ministers, community leaders) that these elders are likely to trust.