Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Dementia Care
• Rehabilitation

Background:

• Falls in people with dementia lead to significant physical, psychological, and economic consequences.
• Effective home-based fall prevention interventions for this population are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the Maintain home-based intervention for people with dementia.
• To assess the fidelity and potential effectiveness of the Maintain intervention.

Main Methods:

• A multiple-methods process evaluation was conducted alongside a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial.
• Data collection included fidelity assessments, routine data, and semi-structured interviews with participants, caregivers, and therapists.

Main Results:

• The Maintain intervention demonstrated high fidelity in delivery and implementation, with good participant attendance.
• Qualitative findings highlighted enhanced engagement through home visits and increased therapist confidence with multidisciplinary team (MDT) support.
• While participants reported meeting goals and improved confidence, challenges included service variability, falls anxiety, and inconsistent referrals.

Conclusions:

• The Maintain intervention is feasible and well-received, with potential to improve daily living and quality of life for people with dementia.
• Future research should focus on standardizing MDT support, managing falls-related anxiety, and developing maintenance plans.
• Adaptations like video consultations could improve accessibility and address workforce limitations.