Stakeholder priorities for medication management information resources for people with dementia and carers: An...

BackgroundPeople with dementia and their carers have significant unmet information needs regarding medication management, placing them at higher risk of hospitalization due to medication-related harm and is often avoidable. There are currently no co-designed information resources to guide people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia in medication management across care settings.ObjectiveTo identify information priorities for inclusion in medication management resources for people with dementia and their informal carers in community and aged care settings.MethodsUsing community-based participatory research, four focus groups and four interviews were conducted with twenty-two stakeholders: people with dementia (n = 2), carers (n = 3), healthcare professionals (n = 8), and advocates and professional organization representatives (n = 9). Transcripts were examined using content analysis to identify common issues and categories for information priorities.ResultsFour priority areas were identified for inclusion in a medication management information resource: 1) question prompts to facilitate partnership between the individual, their carer and health professional, 2) informed consent and active participation in shared decision-making for prescribed medications 3) additional information on the benefits and risks of common medications, and 4) exploring solutions to address medication challenges that support adherence, progressive changes in behavior, transitions in care, and cultural considerations.ConclusionsPriorities for an information resource for medication management identified in our study will inform new co-designed resources for improving the quality and clarity of information provided to people with dementia and their informal carers.