| |
Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
 | |
|
The transition to dementia - individual and family experiences of receiving a diagnosis
— a review | | Author(s) | Louise Robinson, Alan Gemski, Clare Abley |
| Journal title | International Psychogeriatrics, vol 23, no 7, September 2011 |
| Pages | pp 1026-1043 |
| Source | http://www.journals.cambridge.org/ipg |
| Keywords | Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Attitude ; Research Reviews. |
| Annotation | The aim of this review was to review research on patient and carer experiences of receiving a diagnosis of dementia. Only papers published after 2003 were included. Of the 35 papers included in the review, only one study observed the process of disclosure and only two papers explored the effects on the person with dementia's health. The vast majority of people with dementia wished to know their diagnosis. The key challenges for the person with dementia were coming to terms with losses on multiple levels. Apart from experiencing short-term distress, the majority of people receiving a dementia diagnosis did not appear to experience long-term negative effects on their psychological health. For family carers, becoming the main decision-maker and adjusting to increased responsibility were common concerns. The authors conclude that there is still little empirical research observing the process of diagnostic disclosure in dementia. Studies exploring the views of patients and their families suggest this should be an ongoing process with the provision of support and information tailored to individual needs. The term `Alzheimer's disease' appears to have more negative connotations than the word `dementia'. (JL). |
| Accession Number | CPA-110913014 A |
| Classmark | EA: LK7: DP: 3A:6KC |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
|
| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
| |
|