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Users may use the search function to find links to journals, books, policy papers and surveys and databases related to dementia in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Users can search by keyword or theme and then use filters to refine results by content type, year and themes.

Cost-effectiveness of prion filtration of red blood cells to reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the Republic of Ireland

TELJEUR, C., FLATTERY, M., HARRINGTON, P., O’NEILL, M., MORAN, P.S., MURPHY, L., RYAN, M.

Transfusion, 52(November)

2012

This study by Telijeur et al.

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(2012) evaluated the cost-effectiveness of implementing a policy of prion filtration of red blood cells in ROI, based on a literature review on efficacy and safety of prion filters, a cost effectiveness analysis and analysis of two models of prion filtration. It concluded that the introduction of prion filtration for all transfusion recipients was not cost-effective by traditional standards of cost-effectiveness, whilst acknowledging that factors other than cost-effectiveness may influence the decision on whether or not to implement a policy of prion filtration of red blood cells in ROI.

Correlates of frailty In Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

NI MHAOLAIN, A., GALLAGHER, D., CROSBY, L., RYAN, D., LACEY, L., COEN, R., BRUCE, I., WALSH, J.B., CUNNINGHAM, C., LAWLOR, B.A.

Age and Ageing, 40(5)

2011

Ni Mhaolain et al. (2011) examine the relationship between frailty and a range of domains including age, comorbidity, course of illness, cognitive impairment, functional limitations and abnormalities of behaviour in a group of patients with AD and MCI.

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The study found that 51% of the patients were robust or not-frail, with 49% at an intermediate or complete stage of frailty. It suggests that escalating frailty is positively associated with increasing number of medical comorbidities and advancing age rather than being a marker of cognitive decline and severity of illness. The study suggests that optimising the management of co-morbid illness in people with dementia may play a role in minimizing the health impact of frailty in this group.

An exploration of nursing home managers' knowledge of and attitudes towards the management of pain in residents with dementia

BARRY, H.E., PARSONS, C., PASSMORE, A.P., HUGHES, C.M.

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27(12)

2012

Barry et al. (2012) explore the levels of knowledge and attitudes of nursing home managers towards the management of pain in residents with dementia.

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While most respondents evidenced a good knowledge of pain experience in residents with dementia, there was little indication that recognised pain assessment or management tools are used, and surprisingly few respondents had received recent training on pain management. The authors identify the need for further research to identify the factors affecting the prescribing of analgesics for people with dementia in care settings.

Community pharmacists and people with dementia: a cross-sectional survey exploring experiences, attitudes, and knowledge of pain and its management

BARRY, H.E., PARSONS, C., PASSMORE, A.P., HUGHES, C.M

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(10)

2013

Barry et al. (2013) examine the knowledge and experience of community pharmacists in managing pain in people with dementia.

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They found that community pharmacists had a positive person-centred attitude towards people with dementia, a good knowledge of the use of anti-psychotic medications but were uncertain about the difficulties people in the later stages of dementia may have with swallowing and were unsure about pain assessment and management.

Dementia knowledge and attitudes of the general public in Northern Ireland: an analysis of national survey data

MCPARLAND, P., DEVINE, P., INNES, A., GAYLE, V.

International Psychogeriatrics, 24(10)

2012

Mc Parland et al. (2012) explored the knowledge and attitudes of the general public to dementia.

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They found that while there is a reasonable level of knowledge about dementia, the general public hold overwhelmingly negative attitudes towards dementia and that stereotypical, stigmatising views of people with dementia dominate understandings.

Occupational therapists' experiences and interventions when working with people with early stage dementia

CUMMINS, C., WARREN, A.

The Irish Journal of Occupational Therapy

2010

Cummins and Warren (2010) report on a qualitative study of six occupational therapists working in Ireland with people with early stage dementia. They investigated their experiences and the type of interventions they used with this client group.

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Five themes emerged: reaffirming peoples’ right to be independent; looking beyond the diagnosis; facilitating occupational performance; enabling occupational identity; inaccessible and inadequate resources. The authors suggest that the scope of work for occupational therapists in this area is vast and is taking place in a service landscape that is fragmented, inadequate and slow to respond.

Occupational therapy and dementia care: A survey of practice in the Republic of Ireland

CGRATH, M., O’CALLAGHAN, C.

Australian Occupational Therapy Journal

2014

McGrath and O’Callaghan (2014) used an online survey to consider practice among Occupational Therapists (OTs) in ROI working with people who have dementia, or carers of someone with dementia.

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They examine the reported practices in the context of a growing body of research in this area. The authors report a gap between practice in Ireland and the research, for example, most therapists assess performance components rather than occupational participation; non standardised functional assessments were used; interventions to address behavioural and psychological symptoms were generally not used. They recommend a global occupational therapy strategy for knowledge translation in dementia care and that future research should focus on developing and evaluating interventions to support translation of research to practice for people with dementia.

Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in primary care: a survey of general practitioners in Ireland

BUHAGIAR, K., AFZAL, N., COSGRAVE, M.

Mental Health in Family Medicine

2011

Using an anonymous questionnaire issued to GPs in North Dublin, Buhagiar et al. (2011) explored how GPs self-evaluate their confidence and knowledge on the detection and management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).

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GP confidence in diagnosing and managing BPSD was found to be low; all GPs reported having diagnosed and managed patients presenting with new-onset BPSD during the previous year but they were somewhat critical of their perceived skills in these areas, despite showing a high level of knowledge about management of BPSD. The authors conclude that GP confidence is likely to be compromised by a lack of guidance and support, limited resources and a health service framework that does not necessarily promote support from specialist services. The study argues that GPs need to be better supported by educational programmes on dementia care, and by a structured shared care approach between primary and specialist services, which would potentially lead to better patient and caregiver outcomes.

A multicentre survey of acute hospital nursing staff training in dementia care

COFFEY, A., TYRRELL, M., BUCKLEY, M., MANNING, E., BROWNE, V., BARRETT, A., TIMMONS, S.

Clinical Nursing Studies

2014

This paper by Coffey et al.

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(2014) reports the findings of a survey of 150 nurses in six acute hospitals in the southern region of ROI, and was conducted as part of a multicentre study of prevalence of dementia, course of dementia and long-term outcomes for people with dementia in acute hospitals. The survey found that 83% of nursing staff in the acute hospitals perceived that they had insufficient training in dementia care. This was despite the availability of a national dementia education programme across all care services and reflects poor uptake of dementia education offered in acute hospitals. However, the survey clearly indicated that nurses at ward level are aware of their poor dementia knowledge and are open to dementia training and the authors recommend strengthened awareness and management support for enhanced and specialist skills in dementia care for nurses practicing in acute care settings

Psychological trauma and fear for personal safety as a result of behaviours that challenge in dementia: The experiences of healthcare workers

SCOTT, A., RYAN, A., JAMES, I.A., MITCHELL, E.A.

Dementia: The International Journal of Dementia Research and Practice

2011

Scott et al. (2011) use a questionnaire to explore the psychological effects of exposure to aggression among healthcare workers in care homes in NI. The evidence suggests that staff often fear for their safety and that experience did not impact on risk of assault.

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Workers were injured in just over half of the incidents and most assaults took place during care interventions. Almost a quarter of the respondents met the criteria for ‘avoidance’, a characteristic of depersonalisation and the authors suggest care home staff may avoid ‘aggressive’ residents, thus risking compromised care. They recommend education that focuses on the skills of communication, empathy, compassion and understanding, and the introduction of infrastructures and guidelines to support staff.

Education in geriatric medicine for community hospital staff

O’HANLON. S., LISTON, R.

British Journal of Community Nursing

2010

O’Hanlon and Liston (2010) used a questionnaire to assess the provision of education in geriatric medicine among community hospital staff.

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While not specific to dementia, the results indicated that staff found dementia and challenging behaviour to be one of the most difficult areas of their practice. The authors conclude that geriatricians have little input to education in community hospitals and that staff would value regular, structured input.

Ageing, cognitive disorders and professional practice

FITZGERALD, D., KEANE, R., REID, A., O’NEILL, D.

Age and Ageing

2013

Fitzgerald et al. (2013) point to the increasing number of people over 65 years remaining in the workplace and the potential impact of cognitive decline, particularly among those in the liberal professions.

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They distributed a questionnaire to 22 regulatory and professional bodies to assess whether their policies and practices were ‘age attuned’. None of the respondents had supports in place for older workers with chronic conditions such as dementia to continue to work safely and effectively, with over half stating that professionals were responsible for their own health and safety. The authors suggest that a joint initiative between occupational health, geriatric medicine and old age could assist professional and regulatory bodies, and protect the public, pointing to a current independent model of support in the UK; The National Clinical Assessment Service.

Diagnosis and disclosure of dementia – A comparative qualitative study of Irish and Swedish General Practitioners

MOORE, V., CAHILL, S.

Aging and Mental Health

2013

A cross-country study by Moore and Cahill (2013) explored the attitudes of a convenience sample of nine GPs in ROI and Sweden to dementia diagnosis and disclosure.

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It found that GPs largely relied on patients or their families to bring memory problems to their attention, with some GPs expressing reluctance at broaching the subject with them. GPs in both countries reported avoiding using the word ‘dementia’ in conversations with their patients. GPs in ROI were less likely than their counterparts in Sweden to have received specialist training in dementia. There was a marked difference between GPs in ROI and Sweden with regard to their satisfaction with the quantity and quality of community care services. In both countries, GPs believed that societal misunderstandings of dementia are still widespread, so much so that dementia continues to be a stigmatised condition.

Prevalence of frailty-related risk factors in older adults seen by community nurses

BALLARD, J., MOONEY, M., DEMPSEY, O.

Journal of Advanced Nursing

2013

This study by Ballard et al. (2013) describes the frequency of four frailty-related risk factors in a cohort of older adults visited by public health nurses in Dublin, ROI. Suspected cognitive impairment was one of the frailty risk factors.

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The other three were risk of malnutrition, falling, and dependence in ADL. The prevalence of suspected cognitive impairment, measured using the Hodkinson’s Abbreviated Mental Test, was found to be 16.4%, comparable to similar international studies. The study suggests that there is a need to implement a valid and standardised screening tool for use by public health nurses to help them identify older people with suspected cognitive impairment with a view to referral for further assessment for dementia or to rule out other causes negatively affecting memory such as vitamin B deficiency, thyroid disorders, depression, and delirium.

Preferences of older people for early diagnosis and disclosure of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) before and after considering potential risks and benefits

ROBINSON, S., CANAVAN, M., O’KEEFFE, S.T.

Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics

2014

Robinson et al. (2014) examined the preferences of older people for early diagnosis, disclosure and screening for Alzheimer’s disease.

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Participants responded to one question each on diagnosis, disclosure and screening, which was followed by a brief discussion of the positive and negative factors that might be considered when deciding whether or not they would want investigation to see if they had AD or would want to be told that they have the condition. Participants were then asked to respond to the three initial questions again. The study findings support previous research suggesting that most people want to ‘know’ if they have dementia. However, the study reveals important differences in preferences for diagnosis, disclosure and screening. The main conclusion is that preferences differ depending on the question asked and preferences change when people are given the opportunity to consider the consequences.

Uptake of Huntington disease predictive testing in a complete population

MORRISSON, P.J., HARDING-LESTER, S., BRADLEY, A

Clinical Genetics: An International Journal of Genetics, Molecular and Personalized Medicine

2014

Predictive or pre-symptomatic testing for Huntington disease, an inherited disease and one of the rarer causers of dementia, was the subject of an article by Morrison.

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et al (2014), which using the Northern Ireland Huntington disease register estimated that the uptake of pre-symptomatic HD testing in a total population ranged from 12.3% to 14.6%, 10 years into a population testing protocol, and at 14.7% after 20 years of running a predictive testing programme.

The personal impact of disclosure of a dementia diagnosis: a thematic review of the literature

MITCHELL, G., MCCOLLUM, P., MONAGHAN, C.

British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing

2013

The effects of disclosing the diagnosis to a person with dementia was the subject matter of a literature review conducted by Mitchell et al. (2013).

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Only studies from the perspective of the persons with dementia were included and the majority (11/12) were framed within a naturalistic paradigm. The review findings show that feelings experienced by people recently given a diagnosis of dementia ranged from anxiety or fear to relief or the enablement of future planning. The perceived stigma surrounding a diagnosis of dementia was evident in the majority of studies in the review, as was the impact of losing the freedom to drive.

A national survey of memory clinics in the Republic of Ireland

CAHILL, S., PIERCE, M., MOORE, V.

International Psychogeriatrics

2014

Cahill et al. (2014) provided information at a national level on the organization, location, resourcing, staff composition, treatments, waiting time, and numbers of patients attending 14 memory clinics in ROI for the year 2011.

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They raised several questions about the goals and outcomes of memory clinics services, questions that are relevant to many countries around the world currently developing and expanding diagnostic and post-diagnostic services to address the increasing prevalence of dementia.

Screening for Alzheimer’s disease in Downs Syndrome

O’CAOIMH, R., CLUNE, Y., MOLLEY, W.D.

Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinsonism

2013

O’Caoimh, Clune and Molloy (2013) review instruments that are commonly used to screen for Alzheimer’s disease and explore the unique challenges of screening for the presence of Alzheimer’s disease in persons with Down syndrome.

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The paper concludes that single, one-dimensional screening tools and opportunistic evaluations are insufficient for detecting dementia in persons with Down syndrome. The paper argues that a better approach is to use batteries of tests, incorporating informant questionnaires, direct neuropsychological testing, assessment of activities of daily living and behaviours, measured at baseline and reassessed at intervals.

A prospective 14-year longitudinal follow-up of dementia in persons with Down syndrome

MCCARRON, M., NCCAILLON, P., REILLY, E., MULRYAN, N.

Journal of Intellectual Disability Research

2014

McCarron et al. (2014) report on a prospective longitudinal study of a convenience sample of people with Down syndrome (DS) attending a memory clinic within an Intellectual Disability service in Dublin.

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Seventy-seven women with DS over the age of 35 were enrolled and assessed in a specialist memory clinic service for symptoms of dementia on an annual basis until death. Over a 14 year follow-up period it was found that almost 90% of the women had developed dementia. The mean age at which they developed dementia was 55 years. The study also assessed for co-morbidities and found that epilepsy was significantly more common in those with DS and dementia.

The under-detection of cognitive impairment in Nursing Homes in the Dublin Area: The need for on-going cognitive assessment.

CAHILL, S., DIAZ-PONCE, A., COEN, R.F., WALSH, C.

Age and Ageing

2010

While it is known that the majority of people residing in long-stay care settings are likely to have dementia, it is not known how many actually receive a formal diagnosis of dementia. Cahill et al.

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(2010) sought to address this gap, and at the same time test a methodology for detecting dementia among residents in long-stay care settings. A sample of 100 residents drawn from across four different nursing homes in Dublin was screened for cognitive impairment using MMSE and MoCA. One-third of the sample (32) had already received a diagnosis of dementia. However, a large proportion was first identified during the screening as having either a mild, moderate or severe cognitive impairment. Given that some of these residents are likely to have dementia, the study points to the under-detection of dementia in long-stay care settings in ROI and highlights the need for on-going assessment.

Which part of the Quick mild cognitive impairment screen (Qmci) discriminates between normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment and dementia?

O’CAOIMH, R., GAO, Y., GALLAGHER, P.F., EUSTACE, J., MCGLADE, C., MOLLOY, D. W.

Age and Ageing

2013

Differentiating MCI from normal cognition and dementia was the topic of an article by O’Caoimh et al. (2013) who tested the assessment tool, Qmci.

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They were interested in comparing the sensitivity and specificity of the subtests of the Qmci to determine which were best in differentiating MCI from normal cognition and dementia. They were also keen to refine and shorten the instrument.

Detecting prodromal Alzheimer’s disease in mild cognitive impairment: utility of the CAMGOG and other neuropsychological predictors

GALLAGHER, D., MHAOLAIN, A., COEN, R., WALSH, C., KILROY, D., BELINSKI, K., BRUCE, I., COAKLEY, D., WALSH, J.B., CUNNINGHAM, C., LAWLOR, B.A

International journal of geriatric psychiatry

2010

Gallagher et al.

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(2010) tested the usefulness of the Cambridge cognitive examination (CAMCOG), a well-established and widely used mini-neuropsychological battery, in detecting prodromal Alzheimer’s disease, and in particular which subtests of CAMCOG are predictive of conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer’s disease. The study compared CAMCOG and its subtests with an extended version of the delayed word recall (DWR) test. They followed 182 patients with MCI over a mean duration of 26 months, during which 75 (41%) converted to Alzheimer’s disease. The study found that tests of episodic memory were most predictive of conversion to Alzheimer’s disease and the composite memory score contained within CAMCOG was superior to tests of other cognitive domains assessed in CAMCOG. While the DWR test achieved the best predictive accuracy of conversion from MCI to Alzheimer’s disease, the CAMCOG composite memory score perfomed similarly well.

Anxiety and behavioural disturbances as markers of prodromal Alzheimer’s disease in patients with mild cognitive impairment

GALLAGHER, D., COEN, R., KILROY, D., BELINSKI, K., BRUCE, I., COAKLEY, D., WALSH, J.B., CUNNINGHAM, C., LAWLOR, B.A.

International journal of geriatric psychiatry

2011

In another article concerned with predicting conversion of MCI to Alzheimer’s disease, Gallagher et al. (2011) followed 169 patients with MCI over 27 months, 69 (43%) of whom converted to Alzheimer’s disease.

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Neuropsychiatric symptoms were assessed with the Behavioural Pathology in Alzheimer’s disease (BEHAVE-AD) rating scale. Survival analysis revealed that patients with MCI who had symptoms of anticipated anxiety and purposeless activity were approximately twice as likely to have earlier conversion to Alzheimer’s disease than patients with MCI who did not have these symptoms. This finding was independent of age, gender and education. However, since this finding was not independent of cognitive status at baseline, it may be, as the authors conclude, that the neuropsychiatric symptoms of anticipated anxiety and purposeless activity are markers of severity of disease rather than independent predictors of disease progression.

Orientation to time as a guide to the presence and severity of cognitive impairment in older hospital patients

O’KEEFE, E., MUKHTAR, O., O’KEEFE, S.T.

Neurosurgery and Psychiatry

2011

Given the poor recognition of dementia and delirium in acute hospital setting and that disorientation to time is a very common feature of dementia and delirium, O’Keefe, Mukhtar and O’Keefe (2011) examined temporal orientation and its usefulness as a guide to the presence of deme

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ntia or delirium among older in-patients and out-patents of an acute hospital in ROI. Of the 262 patients assessed on the same day by two different doctors, almost one-quarter were found to have dementia or delirium. The authors conclude that temporal orientation, properly recorded and interpreted, may provide a useful screening test for dementia or delirium in older hospital patients.