The PET@home Toolkit: A Process Evaluation Study.

The Dutch PET@home Toolkit was developed to mitigate challenges, foster conversations, and support planning concerning pets in long-term care at home. This process evaluation study aimed to evaluate the practical application of the toolkit on four topics: (1) satisfaction; (2) relevance; (3) feasibility; and (4) integration of the PET@home Toolkit materials in home care. Outcomes may be used to improve the toolkit materials to better align with the long-term care at home setting.

A bayesian network meta-analysis to explore modifying factors in randomized controlled trials: what works for whom to reduce depression in nursing home residents?

Background: Reviews of depression interventions in nursing home residents resulted in positive findings. However, because of the heterogeneity of the studies, it remains unclear what works for whom. Considering moderator effects may contribute to a comprehensive understanding of depression treatment in residents.

Personality assessment in nursing home residents with mental and physical multimorbidity: two informant perspectives.

Objectives: In older patients with mental and physical multimorbidity (MPM), personality assessment is highly complex. Our aim was to examine personality traits in this population using the Hetero-Anamnestic Personality questionnaire (HAP), and to compare the premorbid perspective of patients' relatives (HAP) with the present-time perspective of nursing staff (HAP-t).

Design: Cross-sectional.

Identifying and managing apathy in people with dementia living in nursing homes: a qualitative study.

Background: Although apathy is common in people with dementia and has profound negative effects, it is rarely diagnosed nor specifically treated in nursing homes. The aim of this study is to explore experiences in identifying and managing apathy from the perspectives of people with dementia and apathy (PwA), family caregivers (FCs) and professional caregivers (PCs).

Methods: Descriptive qualitative study with purposive sampling, comprising eleven semi-structured in-depth interviews with PwA, FCs or PCs and focus groups with twelve PCs in Dutch nursing homes.

Evaluation of the SPAN intervention for people living with young-onset dementia in the community and their family caregivers: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of the SPAN-intervention, a psychosocial intervention aiming at improving a sense of usefulness and engaging in meaningful activities, for community-dwelling people living with young-onset dementia (YOD) and their family caregivers.

Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled trial with two parallel groups (SPAN-intervention vs. care as usual) with assessments at baseline and five-month follow-up was performed.

Psychometric Validation of the Portuguese Version of the Sexual Self-Consciousness Scale (SSCS).

The Sexual Self-Consciousness Scale (SSCS) is an instrument for assessing dispositional propensities for self-consciousness experienced in a sexual context, with wide application in both clinical and research settings. The objective of the current study was to test some psychometric characteristics of the Portuguese version of the SSCS using a convenience sample of 210 men and 210 women. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Portuguese version of the SSCS.

The development and feasibility evaluation of a program to identify and manage apathy in people with dementia: the SABA program.

Objectives: To develop and evaluate feasibility of a program for family and professional caregivers to identify and manage apathy in people with dementia: the Shared Action for Breaking through Apathy program (SABA).

Methods: A theory- and practice-based intervention was developed and tested among ten persons with apathy and dementia in two Dutch nursing homes from 2019 to 2021. Feasibility was evaluated with interviews with family caregivers ( = 7) and professional caregivers ( = 4) and two multidisciplinary focus groups with professional caregivers ( = 5 and  = 6).

Sample size for partially nested designs and other nested or crossed designs with a continuous outcome when adjusted for baseline.

In a randomized controlled trial, outcomes of different subjects may be independent at baseline, but correlated at a follow-up measurement due to treatment. This treatment-related clustering at follow-up can arise for instance because the treatment is given in a group or because subjects are treated individually but by the same therapist (therapist effect). There is substantial literature on the design and analysis of such trials when estimation of the intervention effect is based on a follow-up measurement (eg, directly after treatment or at a later time point).

The Significance of Pets for Vulnerable Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Explorative Qualitative Study.

Older adults receiving long-term care at home (LTCH-clients) were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and its countermeasures. Previous research suggests that pets can mitigate some of the pandemic's impacts for older adults but results are contradictory. Our aim was to investigate experiences of LTCH-clients and the significance of their pets during the pandemic.

Promoting empowerment for people living with dementia in nursing homes: Development and feasibility evaluation of an empowerment program.

Objectives: This article describes the development and feasibility evaluation of an empowerment program for people living with dementia in nursing homes.

Methods: Development and feasibility evaluation of the empowerment program was guided by the British Medical Research Council's (MRC) framework. In the developmental phase, we used intervention mapping to develop the theory- and evidence-based intervention.

Informal antidepressant strategies for nursing home residents: two group concept mapping studies.

Objectives: To identify and structure potential informal antidepressant strategies that can be used in daily practice for nursing home residents alongside formal treatments.

Methods: In a first Group Concept Mapping study, residents, relatives, and professional caregivers ( = 124) brainstormed on strategies residents could use to prevent or alleviate depression. In a second study, the same participants ( = 110) reported strategies for use by others.

Stimuli changes and challenging behavior in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: COVID-19 restrictions in nursing homes resulted in a reduction in stimuli for residents. This study aimed to explore observed effects of changes in stimuli, both targeted (e.g.

Empowerment for people living with dementia: An integrative literature review.

Background And Objectives: Although the concept of empowerment seems useful for good care and support for people living with dementia, there is a lack of understanding of the process of empowerment. Therefore, more insight is needed into the concept of empowerment, and the environment's role in the empowerment process.

Research Design And Methods: We performed an integrative literature review (PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO), including studies that addressed empowerment for people living with dementia in their title or abstract.

The effects of Animal Assisted Therapy on autonomic and endocrine activity in adults with autism spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Stress and its sequelae are very common in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without an intellectual disability (ID). Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has shown physiological stress-reductive effects in children with ASD. The aim of the current study was to examine the acute psychophysiological response to an AAT session, and to examine the longer-term stress-physiological effects of the intervention, up until 10 weeks post-treatment, in comparison to waiting-list controls.

Challenging behavior of nursing home residents during COVID-19 measures in the Netherlands.

Objectives: From the perspective of the nursing home (NH) practitioners, to gain understanding of (1) whether challenging behavior in NH residents changed during the COVID-19 measures, (2) whether the practitioners' involvement in the treatment of challenging behavior changed, (3) what can be learned from the experience of NH staff.

Methods: A mixed methods study with a survey in 323 NH practitioners (psychologists, elderly care physicians, nurse practitioners) in the Netherlands, and in-depth interviews in 16 NH practitioners. Nonparametric analyses were used to compare estimated proportions of residents with increased and with decreased challenging behavior.

Defining empowerment for older people living with dementia from multiple perspectives: A qualitative study.

Background And Objectives: The concept of empowerment seems promising for people living with dementia to live their life as they want to for as long as possible. Therefore, this study aimed to explore what the concept of empowerment means and includes for people living with dementia from the perspectives of people living with dementia themselves, their informal caregivers, and healthcare professionals.

Research Design And Methods: Qualitative research using focus group discussions and individual interviews with people living with dementia (n = 15), informal caregivers (n = 16) and healthcare professionals (n = 46) to explore perspectives on empowerment.

Three Diagnoses for Problematic Hypersexuality; Which Criteria Predict Help-Seeking Behavior?

This study aimed to assess the best combination of indicators of problematic hypersexuality (PH), in a survey ( = 58,158) targeting individuals wondering if they were sex addicted. The survey allowed for testing of criteria from three theoretical models used to conceptualize PH. Factor analyses for women and men yielded an interpretable grouping of indicators consisting of four factors.

Social Development of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder During Dog-Assisted Therapy: A Detailed Observational Analysis.

Social communication and self-esteem are often affected in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Implementation and evaluation of interventions targeting social skills are challenged due to specific characteristics of autism. Intensive, valid evaluation of social skills programs is needed.

Specific components of a complex depression care program can affect staff outcomes differently: analyses of a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial in nursing homes.

Objective: The Act in case of Depression program showed effects on the quality of life and depression in nursing home (NH) residents. We aimed to explore the effects of this complex multidisciplinary program on job satisfaction, job demands, and autonomy in nursing home staff.

Design: Four data points from a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial on patient outcomes were used for secondary analyses on staff outcomes.

Applying Intervention Mapping to Improve the Applicability of Precious Memories, an Intervention for Depressive Symptoms in Nursing Home Residents.

Precious memories (PM) is a life review intervention for depression in older adults with no to mild cognitive decline that has been implemented in multiple nursing homes (NHs) in the Netherlands. Previous research suggested its relevance but questioned its applicability. Therefore, this research aimed to (1) investigate the applicability of PM, and (2) increase its applicability, if necessary.

Process Evaluation of Animal-Assisted Therapy: Feasibility and Relevance of a Dog-Assisted Therapy Program in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

(1) Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the gold standard for evaluating a treatment. However, the results of an RCT may remain meaningless for clinical practice in cases of poor intervention feasibility or fidelity (the extent to which the protocol was executed), or when health care professionals or patients experience the intervention as irrelevant or unpleasant. Feasibility and relevance of psychosocial interventions are highly understudied in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The association between specific activity components and depression in nursing home residents: the importance of the social component.

Objectives: To longitudinally explore the association between activities and depressive symptoms of nursing home (NH) residents, taking into account that each activity may contain multiple components (physical, creative, social, cognitive, and musical).

Method: Study with a baseline and two follow-ups (four and eight months). Participants were forty physically frail residents of four NHs in the Netherlands.