Outcomes of Person-centered Care for Persons with Dementia in the Acute Care Setting: A Pilot Study

This pilot study assessed clinical outcomes and quality care for persons with dementia in an acute hospital with PCC, compared with usual care.

Forty-seven consented persons 60 years and over with dementia were assigned to PCC (n = 26) or usual care (control) (n = 21). Hospital nurses and allied health staff received 3 h of face-to-face education in PCC, and practice support by four PCC-trained nurse champions. Control group staff received 3 h of face-to-face education on dementia and delirium care clinical guidelines. Primary outcomes behavioral/neuropsychiatric symptoms and care quality were analyzed based on repeated measures at baseline (Time 1), 4-5 days after baseline (Time 2) and day 8-10 after baseline (Time 3) where available.

Compared with controls, at Time 2 PCC produced statistically significant improvements in behavioral/neuropsychiatric symptoms (adjusted p = .036) and care quality (adjusted p = .044). Where length of stay exceeded 8 days after baseline (Time 3), there was a sustained improvement in quality care (p = .007), but not in behavioral/neuropsychiatric symptoms (p = .27).

PCC can improve care quality for persons with dementia; nursing; agitation; paid caregivers with dementia and reduce behavioral/neuropsychiatric symptoms during short hospital stays.

Hospital systems need to support PCC to reduce behavioral/neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia during long hospital stays.