Health-related quality of life as a predictor of mortality in heterogeneous samples of older adults.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is associated with survival in older people with multimorbidities and disabilities. However, older people differ in their characteristics, and less is known about whether HRQoL predicts survival in heterogeneous older population samples differing in their functional, cognitive, psychological or social disabilities. The aim of this study was to explore HRQoL in heterogeneous samples of older men and women, and to explore its prognostic significance for mortality.

Nutritional Guidance Improves Nutrient Intake and Quality of Life, and May Prevent Falls in Aged Persons with Alzheimer Disease Living with a Spouse (NuAD Trial).

Objective: The aim was to examine the effect of tailored nutritional guidance on nutrition, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and falls in persons with Alzheimer disease (AD).

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Setting And Participants: Persons with AD living with a spouse.

Caregivers' male gender is associated with poor nutrient intake in AD families (NuAD-trial).

Objective: Alzheimer patients (AD) are known to be at risk for malnutrition and their older spouses may also have nutritional problems. The aim of our study was to clarify the association of caregivers' sex on the nutrient intake of AD couples.

Setting: Our study uses the baseline data of a randomized nutritional trial exploring the effectiveness of nutrition intervention among home-dwelling AD patients.

Affordances of the care environment for people with dementia-an assessment study.

Background: Evidence on the importance of the physical environment for the well-being of people with dementia has been growing steadily.

Objective: This article aims to (1) introduce an assessment tool for evaluating the physical care environment for people with dementia; (2) describe the method's initial results and the subsequent feedback provided to the 10 care units; and (3) describe the follow-up results 1 year later. The goal has been to provide care workers and managers with information that affects the well-being of people with dementia and to provide this information on the care environment in the context of their own work environment.

Gender differences in dementia spousal caregiving.

The proportion of male caregivers is rapidly increasing. However, there are few large scale studies exploring gender differences in the burden or coping with caregiving. We investigated this among caregivers of patients with dementia.