Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Adults Living With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Neurocognitive Disorders.

Importance: There are currently 55 million adults living with declining functional cognition-altered perception, thoughts, mood, or behavior-as the result of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related neurocognitive disorders (NCDs). These changes affect functional performance and meaningful engagement in occupations. Given the growth in demand for services, occupational therapy practitioners benefit from consolidated evidence of effective interventions to support adults living with AD and related NCDs and their care partners.

Interventions Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy to Manage Pain in Individuals With Dementia (2018-2022).

Systematic review briefs provide a summary of the findings from systematic reviews evaluated in conjunction with the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Practice Program. Each systematic review brief summarizes the evidence on a theme related to a systematic review topic. This systematic review brief presents findings related to interventions within the scope of occupational therapy to manage pain in individuals with dementia.

Interventions Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy to Improve Cognitive Performance for Individuals with Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment (2018-2022).

Systematic review briefs provide a summary of the findings from systematic reviews evaluated in conjunction with the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Practice Program. Each systematic review brief summarizes the evidence on a theme related to a systematic review topic. This systematic review brief presents findings related to interventions to improve cognitive function for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and mild cognitive impairment.

Interventions for Care Partners of People With Alzheimer's Disease or Other Related Neurological Conditions to Address Depression (2018-2022).

Systematic review briefs provide a summary of the findings from systematic reviews evaluated in conjunction with the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Practice Program. Each systematic review brief summarizes the evidence on a theme related to a systematic review topic. This systematic review brief presents finding related to interventions for care partners for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

Interventions Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy Addressing Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (2018-2022).

Systematic review briefs provide a summary of the findings from systematic reviews evaluated in conjunction with the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Practice Program. Each systematic review brief summarizes the evidence on a theme related to a systematic review topic. This systematic review brief presents finding related to interventions within the scope of occupational therapy that address behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Feasibility of Telehealth Occupational Therapy for Behavioral Symptoms of Adults With Dementia: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Importance: Supporting community residency of adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a critical public health initiative. Occupational therapy can contribute to this goal.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of a novel telehealth intervention to support occupational engagement in community-residing people with AD.

Global rural health disparities in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: State of the science.

Introduction: Individuals living in rural communities are at heightened risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), which parallels other persistent place-based health disparities. Identifying multiple potentially modifiable risk factors specific to rural areas that contribute to ADRD is an essential first step in understanding the complex interplay between various barriers and facilitators.

Methods: An interdisciplinary, international group of ADRD researchers convened to address the overarching question of: "What can be done to begin minimizing the rural health disparities that contribute uniquely to ADRD?" In this state of the science appraisal, we explore what is known about the biological, behavioral, sociocultural, and environmental influences on ADRD disparities in rural settings.

Frontotemporal neurofibrillary tangles and cerebrovascular lesions are associated with autism spectrum behaviors in late-life dementia.

Background And Objectives: The pathologic substrates or neuroanatomic regions responsible for similarities in behavioral features seen in autism spectrum disorder and late-life dementia remain unknown. The present study examined the neuropathologic features of late-life dementia in research volunteers with and without antemortem behaviors characteristic of autism spectrum disorders.

Methods: Antemortem cross-sectional assessment of autistic spectrum behaviors proximal to death in persons with diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia was completed using the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, 2nd edition (GARS-2), followed by postmortem quantitative and semiquantitative neuropathologic assessment.

Being in Place: Toward a Situational Perspective on Care.

An optimum focus in any care situation is creating and sustaining environments that facilitate an ongoing sense of "being in place" for all involved. Using this rationale, we propose a Situational Model of Care for exploring dynamic relationships among aging persons receiving care, the convoy of persons offering this care and support, and the place where this occurs, as evolving situations throughout the course of a disease. The model is grounded in extant literature and illustrated through a case study derived from in-home observations and interviews.

Sensory Processing Abnormalities in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment: A Mixed Methods Study.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia often leads to behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Sensory processing abnormalities may be associated with BPSD. The purpose of this study was to explore relationships among sensory processing, behavior, and environmental features within the homes of people with MCI or dementia.

Interventions Within the Scope of Occupational Therapy to Address Preventable Adverse Events in Inpatient and Home Health Postacute Care Settings: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Practitioners need to be familiar with, and involved in, managing quality-related adverse events in postacute care.

Objective: To determine interventions within the scope of occupational therapy that address preventable adverse events in adult postacute inpatient and home health settings.

Data Sources: Articles published from January 1995 through 2019 identified through searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, OTseeker, and Cochrane databases.

Occupational Therapy Utilization in Veterans With Dementia: A Retrospective Review of Root Cause Analyses of Falls Leading to Adverse Events.

Introduction: Falls in persons with dementia are associated with increased mortality. Occupational therapy (OT) is a rehabilitation discipline, which has, among its goals, the promotion of safety and fall prevention in older adults and those with dementia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate root cause analysis (RCA) data to identify causes of falls with adverse events in patients with dementia who were referred to or receiving OT services within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Older Adults' Adaptations to the Call for Social Distancing and Use of Technology: Insights From Socioemotional Selectivity Theory and Lived Experiences.

Social distancing guidelines during COVID can be isolating, especially for older adults, with potential for poor health outcomes. Technology offers opportunities for remote connection, yet, older adults' use of and perspectives on technology during this time remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into older adults' technology use and preferences to inform the development of a technology training intervention to support older adult well-being.

Associations of Future Cognitive Decline with Sexual Satisfaction among Married Older Adults.

: This study sought to explore changes in longitudinal cognitive status in relation to baseline measures of intimacy and sexuality in cognitively intact, married older adults.: Baseline intimacy and sexuality survey data from 155, cognitively intact, married, older adults were collected using a novel survey instrument that explored the domains of: 1) romance with one's partner, 2) sexual satisfaction, 3) beliefs about sexuality, and 4) social support and emotional intimacy. These data were analyzed in relation to change in cognitive status over a 10-year follow-up period using binary logistic regression modeling.

Comparison of behaviors characteristic of autism spectrum disorder behaviors and behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia.

Background: Similarities exist in behavioral expression of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). The purpose of this study was to assess presence of behavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and ASD-like behaviors in adults with ADRD.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, data from University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Center participant cohort were used.

Will "social distancing" lead to future "research distancing": A reflection on COVID-19 impacts on Alzheimer's disease research.

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has dramatically altered everyday life, including the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD) research. This perspective article explores some of the ways in which COVID-19 has already impacted the field, anticipates some of the long-lasting effects, and explores strategies for addressing current and future needs. Areas of impact include study integrity, regulatory and industry issues, and participant engagement.

Behaviors Characteristic of Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Geriatric Cohort With Mild Cognitive Impairment or Early Dementia.

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) represents a heterogenous cluster of clinical phenotypes that are classically diagnosed by the time of adolescence. The possibility of late-life emergence of ASD has been poorly explored.

Methods: To more fully characterize the possibility of late-life emergence of behaviors characteristic of ASD in mild cognitive impairment and AD, we surveyed caregivers of 142 older persons with cognitive impairment from the University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Center Longitudinal Cohort using the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-2.