Integrated health and social care for people with dementia and their informal caregivers, research results

Abstract

Background: The Deltaplan for Dementia is a nationwide public-private initiative that aims to tackle and manage the growing problem of dementia by utilising innovative strengths in science, product innovation and healthcare including healthcare policy. The EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research JPND aims to increase investment between countries in research on the subject of neurodegenerative diseases. Nationally and Internationally, clients, health-care professionals and researchers work together in networks to establish integrated care. MEETINGDEM, aimed to adaptively implement and validate the, inclusive Dutch Meeting Centres Support Programme MCSP for community dwelling people with dementia and their family carers in three EU countries Italy, Poland, UK. MCSP provides people with dementia a social club, and carers information, practical, social and emotional support. It is concluded that MCSP is transferable across countries and has quality of life and mental health benefits for people with dementia and carers against reasonable additional costs. Decidem aimed to improve advance care planning ACP in general practice. A training for GPs is developed in initiating ACP with persons with dementia. A single blind cluster randomized controlled trail was conducted to study its effects. The ACP training leads to a significant increase in ACP conversation and medical and psychosocial topics. These findings also indicate that people with dementia PWD are able to engage in a shared decision making process. Thereby this study contributes to the evidence on capabilities of PWD. Moreover, the ACP conversation contributes to the empowerment of PWD. We advocate implementation of this ACP training. Three projects related to network-based covering formal care and informal care services, and integration of the variety of these services available in dementia care: i- DementiaNet - Evaluation of Sustainability and self-organisation of network-based primary care. DementiaNet is a network-based approach to improve primary care for community-dwelling dementia patients. Initial evaluation has showed merits of this approach, and important insights in factors of successful delivery of network-based care; ii- The “GOUDMantel-project” aims to use the valuable experiences and knowledge of former informal caregivers to better support current informal careers; ii- Dementia-Friendly Society - improving and sustaining positive health of people with dementia and their carers by creating dementia-friendly societies. D. Opportunities and challenges to enhance the social network of home dwelling people with dementia and their family carers. Aims and Objectives: This workshop gives insight in results and ongoing research, including and policy on more integrated care on people with dementia. Format timing, speakers, discussion, group work, etc: Three presentations will be given. One on the network-level and two on the project level. We will discuss the results with the target audience.