Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Social Sciences

Background:

• Life history and past trauma can influence dementia experiences and care relationships.
• A gap exists in understanding the social context of trauma within dementia care.
• Trauma-informed dementia care requires insight into the origins and social embedding of trauma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the phenomenology of trauma in individuals with dementia.
• To analyze the social context and origins of documented trauma.
• To discuss the impact of social trauma aspects on dementia care relationships.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study using reflexive thematic analysis.
• Sampled 113 individuals with younger onset dementia from clinical discharge summaries.
• Identified trauma history from clinician's psychosocial and life history descriptions.

Main Results:

• Forty-four individuals (39%) had a documented trauma history.
• Ten themes identified, reflecting personal, interpersonal, familial, historical, and societal trauma dynamics.
• Trauma themes highlighted social origins and context.

Conclusions:

• Trauma experiences are embedded in social life history and worldview for people with dementia.
• Findings inform the potential influence of trauma on current and future dementia care relationships.
• Results provide a basis for planning and implementing trauma-informed dementia care.