Online Self-Management Support for Family Caregivers Dealing With Behavior Changes in Relatives With Dementia (Part 2): Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Online contacts with a health professional have the potential to support family caregivers of people with dementia.

Objective: The goal of the research was to study the effects of an online self-management support intervention in helping family caregivers deal with behavior changes of a relative with dementia. The intervention-involving among others personal email contacts with a dementia nurse-was compared with online interventions without these email contacts.

Process Evaluation of Nurse-Led Online Self-Management Support for Family Caregivers to Deal With Behavior Changes of a Relative With Dementia (Part 1): Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Coping with behavioral changes is a daily challenge for family caregivers in all phases of dementia, and assistance is needed for it. An online self-management support intervention was therefore developed and conducted involving the following elements: (1) email contact with a specialized dementia nurse, (2) online videos, and (3) e-bulletins containing information about behavior changes and how to manage them.

Objective: The aim of this study was to understand (1) family caregivers' actual use of various elements of the online self-management support, (2) family caregivers' evaluation and satisfaction with the various elements, and (3) nurses' usage and evaluations of the online support through the tailored email contacts.

Nursing home care for people with dementia: Update of the design of the Living Arrangements for people with Dementia (LAD)-study.

Aim: The aim of the current study is to describe the extended design of the Living Arrangements for people with Dementia (LAD)-study.

Background: The demand for long-term care in care homes increases with the growing number of people with dementia. However, quality of care in care homes needs improvement.

Differences in alcohol use between younger and older people: Results from a general population study.

Background: Prevention of problematic alcohol use is mainly focused on younger adults, while heavy drinking in middle-aged and older adults might be more frequent with more impact on functioning and health care use. Therefore, alcohol use and alcohol disorder in both age groups was compared. To facilitate age-specific prevention, it was examined whether risk factors of heavy drinking and impact on functioning and health care use differs across the life-span.

Life review therapy for older adults with depressive symptoms in general practice: results of a pilot evaluation.

Objective: General practices play an important role in the detection and treatment of depressive symptoms in older adults. An adapted version of the indicated preventive life review therapy group intervention called Looking for Meaning (LFM) was developed for general practice and a pilot evaluation was conducted.

Design: A pretest-posttest design was used.

Use and impact of the Alzheimer Experience: a free online media production to raise public awareness and enhance knowledge and understanding of dementia.

This study aims to evaluate an online media production called 'the Alzheimer Experience' (AlzExp), which was developed to raise public awareness and enhance knowledge and understanding of dementia. Before and after watching AlzExp, all visitors of AlzExp (February-June 2012) were asked to complete questionnaires on demographics, knowledge about dementia, attitude towards people with dementia (person-centeredness) and the use of AlzExp. McNemar's chi-squared test, multivariate linear regression analysis and paired t-tests were used to analyze change in knowledge, predictors for change in person-centered attitude and differences between subgroups in change in person-centered attitude.

The Physical Environment of Nursing Homes for People with Dementia: Traditional Nursing Homes, Small-Scale Living Facilities, and Green Care Farms.

It is well recognized that the physical environment is important for the well-being of people with dementia. This influences developments within the nursing home care sector where there is an increasing interest in supporting person-centered care by using the physical environment. Innovations in nursing home design often focus on small-scale and homelike care environments.

Online Self-Management Support for Family Caregivers to Help Them Manage Behavior Changes in Their Relative With Dementia: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial and a Process Evaluation.

Background: Online interventions are potentially effective ways to support family caregivers in the management of behavior changes in their relative with dementia.

Objective: The objective of this paper is to present the design of a study evaluating and comparing 3 intervention arms for online self-management support.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted with a total of 81 family caregivers of community-dwelling people with dementia in the Netherlands.

A virtual reality intervention to improve the understanding and empathy for people with dementia in informal caregivers: results of a pilot study.

Objective: Informal caregivers often experience psychological distress due to the changing functioning of the person with dementia they care for. Improved understanding of the person with dementia reduces psychological distress. To enhance understanding and empathy in caregivers, an innovative technology virtual reality intervention Through the D'mentia Lens (TDL) was developed to experience dementia, consisting of a virtual reality simulation movie and e-course.

Is an unhealthy work environment in nursing home care for people with dementia associated with the prescription of psychotropic drugs and physical restraints?

Background: Research showed that long-term care facilities differ widely in the use of psychotropic drugs and physical restraints. The aim of this study is to investigate whether characteristics of an unhealthy work environment in facilities for people with dementia are associated with more prescription of psychotropic drugs and physical restraints.

Methods: Data were derived from the first wave (2008-2009) of a national monitoring study in the Netherlands.

Acceptability of a guided self-help Internet intervention for family caregivers: mastery over dementia.

Background: The number of people with dementia is increasing rapidly. Providing care to a relative or friend with dementia may lead to serious mental health problems. Internet interventions may offer opportunities to improve the availability and accessibility of (cost)effective interventions to reduce family caregivers' psychological distress.

Staff's person-centredness in dementia care in relation to job characteristics and job-related well-being: a cross-sectional survey in nursing homes.

Aim: To explore the role of nursing staff's person-centredness caring for people with dementia in relation to their work environment and job-related well-being.

Background: Given the development towards person-centred care and labour force issues, research has recently focused on the effect of person-centredness on nursing staff's well-being. Findings from occupational stress research suggest that employees' personal characteristics, such as person-centredness, can moderate the impact particular job characteristics have on their job-related well-being.

Staff-resident interactions in long-term care for people with dementia: the role of meeting psychological needs in achieving residents' well-being.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore the extent to which staff-resident interactions address or undermine residents' psychological needs and how such interactions are associated with residents' well-being.

Method: Data on staff-resident interactions and residents' well-being were collected for 51 residents from nine long-term care settings using dementia care mapping (DCM). DCM yields a count and detailed description of staff-resident interactions that either address (personal enhancers - PEs) or undermine (personal detractions - PDs) residents' psychological needs, and every 5-minute scores for each resident's mood and engagement (ME-value).

The moderating role of decision authority and coworker- and supervisor support on the impact of job demands in nursing homes: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Healthcare workers in nursing homes are faced with high job demands that can have a detrimental impact on job-related outcomes, such as job satisfaction. Job resources may have a buffering role on this relationship. The Demand-Control-Support (DCS) Model offers a theoretical framework to study how specific job resources can buffer the adverse effects of high demands, and can even activate positive consequences of high demands.

A pilot study on the use of tracking technology: feasibility, acceptability, and benefits for people in early stages of dementia and their informal caregivers.

Objectives: Caregivers and clinicians may be confronted with the dilemma whether to allow people in early stages of dementia to go outside independently with the risk of getting lost, or to limit their autonomy and mobility. Newly available technology may offer a solution. This pilot study is focused on the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a three-month use of Global Positioning System (GPS) by care receivers and caregivers.

Nursing home care for people with dementia and residents' quality of life, quality of care and staff well-being: design of the Living Arrangements for people with Dementia (LAD)-study.

Background: There is limited information available on how characteristics of the organization of nursing home care and especially group living home care and staff ratio contribute to care staff well being, quality of care and residents' quality of life. Furthermore, it is unknown what the consequences of the increasingly small scale organization of care are for the amount of care staff required in 2030 when there will be much more older people with dementia.

Methods/design: This manuscript describes the design of the 'Living Arrangements for people with Dementia study' (LAD-study).

A creative reminiscence program for older adults with severe mental disorders: results of a pilot evaluation.

Objective: Older adults with severe mental disorders experience major dissatisfaction with conditions of life that are connected with aging. To assist them in developing a coherent, meaningful life-story and to improve their life satisfaction, we conducted a pilot evaluation of a creative reminiscence program called Searching for meaning in life.

Methods: One week before and one week after the intervention 36 participants from three psychiatric hospitals and one sheltered housing program were interviewed.