Palliative Care for People with Moderate-Severe Dementia in the Community
Author Information
Author(s): Greg Sachs, Nina Johnson, Sujuan Gao, Minmin Pan, Alexia Torke, Susan Hickman, Kurt Kroenke
Primary Institution: Indiana University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Does integrating palliative care into dementia care management improve outcomes for people with moderate-severe dementia and their caregivers?
Conclusion
The study found that while there were no significant differences in symptoms or distress measures, the intervention significantly reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations for participants.
Supporting Evidence
- The intervention reduced the proportion of PLWD who had one or more ED/hospitalization events from 78.4% to 50.5%.
- The relative risk reduction for an event was 35.6%, with an absolute risk reduction of 27.9%.
Takeaway
This study shows that adding palliative care to dementia management can help people with dementia go to the hospital less often.
Methodology
201 PLWD-caregiver dyads were randomized to either a dementia care coordinator or usual care and followed for 24 months, with outcomes assessed quarterly.
Limitations
Limited numbers of people living with dementia from minoritized populations and lack of palliative care components.
Participant Demographics
Participants included people living with moderate-severe dementia and their caregivers, with subgroup analyses based on sex, race, income, and health system.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p < 0.007
Statistical Significance
p < 0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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