None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The aims of this study are as follows: 1. To determine whether an education program directed at nurses, pharmacists and professional care staff will reduce the use of sedative medications in older people with dementia living in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF). 2. To determine the effects of the education program and other factors on the number of sedative medications that older people with dementia regularly consume. The sub-project shares the same aims with the main project. The main project is aimed to reduce the use of antipsychotics and benzodiazepines among residents with dementia through the education program. These medications were associated with a significant increase in adverse events and an increased risk of mortality. Previous studies have suggested that these medications can also affect the cognitive state among older adults with dementia. Benzodiazepine use has been associated with accelerated cognitive decline and limited benefits. Antipsychotic medications have also been associated with considerable cognitive adverse effects in people with dementia. Degeneration of cognitive function and mood often reduces quality of life amongst people living with dementia. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effect of these medications on cognitive state and the quality of life of dementia residents .
Interventions
This sub study objectives :To investigate the effect of a psychotropic education program on the quality of life (QoL) of residents of Western Australian residential aged care facilities (RACFs), and to examine the association between psychotropic medications and QoL.
Design: before-after study. Medication management consultancy (MMC) intervention involves educating staff to initiate nonpharmacological interventions and person-centred care as first line treatment for the management of neuropsych
This sub study objectives :To investigate the effect of a psychotropic education program on the quality of life (QoL) of residents of Western Australian residential aged care facilities (RACFs), and to examine the association between psychotropic medications and QoL. Design: before-after study. Medication management consultancy (MMC) intervention involves educating staff to initiate nonpharmacological interventions and person-centred care as first line treatment for the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms expressed by residents. Setting and participants: 56 residents recruited from four Australian residential aged care facilities. Measures: QoL was assessed by the self-reported Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease (QoL-AD), neuropsychiatric symptoms and staff distress by Neuropsychiatric Inventory–Questionnaire version (NPI-Q), cognition by Standardised Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) and activity of daily living assessment by Bristol Activity of Daily Living Scale (BADLS). Medication data were obtained from residents’ medication charts. Repeated assessments of all the above variables were performed at 6 and 12 months. All participants are voluntary, and they can withdraw at any time without any reason. The researcher will first arrange consent with the residential aged care facility (RACF), then participants will be either consented to be part of the study or a proxy (a close family member) will provide consent on their behalf if the participant has moderate to severe cognitive impairment and is unable to provide consent.
Sponsors
Dementia Training Australia (WA)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
50 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Diagnosis of dementia/cognitive impairment in RACFs will be used to select participants for this substudy. Study participants will be identified based on a recorded medical dementia diagnosis, or a diagnosis that will be evaluated during the study. The participants will be selected from the recruited nursing homes (intervention groups) of ACTRN12620000268943 trial.
Exclusion criteria
Residents with severe dementia,unable to give verbal answers.
Outcome results
None listed