The transition from cognitive The transition from cognitive impairment to dementiaimpairment to dementia

Older people’s experiences

Funded by the NHS Service Delivery and Organisation R&D Programme (2008 – 2010)

The ‘Transitions’ Project

• Aim: To understand the experiences, expectations and service needs of the person who is becoming the person with dementia, from the perspectives of the older person and their supporter.

• Qualitative interview methodology in 3 sites• Outputs:

– evidence about what people want at this transitional stage– a model of care for those newly diagnosed with dementia and

their supporters– inform the implementation of the Dementia Strategy

Funded by the NHS Service Delivery and Organisation R&D Programme (2008 – 2010)

Study Sites

Newcastle University and NT&W NHS Trustand Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust

John Bond, Louise Robinson and Clare Abley

University of Manchester and GMW Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

John Keady, Sue Watts and Sarah Campbell

King’s College London and CNWL NHS Trust

Jill Manthorpe, James Warner and Kritika Samsi

Additional grant-holdersClaire Goodman, Steve Iliffe, Vari Drennan

Literature Review – Method

• Update of systematic review on disclosing a diagnosis of dementia (Bamford et al 2004)

• 926 abstracts screened; majority failed inclusion criteria

• 129 full papers screened; 57 papers relevant to topic; 32 papers included in final review

Literature Review – Themes• Most people wish to know their diagnosis, although majority can

not accurately recall it • ‘Alzheimer’s Disease’ appeared to have more negative

connotations than ‘dementia’• Lack of information before and after diagnosis; but type and

nature of information preferred not identified• Triggers for help-seeking not identified• Short-term distress at diagnosis not always long-term• Most people with dementia come to terms with the condition• Family carers commonly become decision-maker and adjust to

responsibility• Implications of review: diagnosis should be a process with

follow-up; planning for future should be discussed

Interview Schedule Topics

• Triggers for help-seeking behaviour• Experience of assessment and support at pre-diagnosis stage• Experience of diagnostic process and support at post-diagnosis

stage• Experience of receiving a diagnosis• Expectations, feelings, experience of medication• Other support from services (medical, psychosocial, emotional)

and gaps in service provision

SampleTotal: 28 people with memory problems; 26 carers/ supportersNewcastle: 9 people with memory problems; 7 carers/supportersLondon: 6 people with memory problems; 3 carers/ supportersSalford: 13 people with memory problems; 16 carers/ supporters

Most interviews conducted before and after diagnosisIn some cases, single interview conducted within 2 months of receipt of a diagnosis

Emergent Findings• Living with uncertainty• Limited written information• Subjective experience of waiting between

assessment and diagnosis• Expectations from service support• Information needs and communication

Living with uncertainty

• Lack of clarity of assessment process• Uncertainty continues after diagnosis – people uncertain of

process and timing of deterioration• Fear of reduced autonomy, care, dependency and so on • Related anxiety perhaps mitigates some of the diagnostic relief

they may have otherwise felt?

I’m not getting better; I’m not getting worse, what does that mean? (Person with diagnosis of dementia)

Information• Limited written information received throughout assessment and

diagnosis • Reliance on other sources, (e.g. internet, friends) and experiences of

caregiving• Greater need for more information on clarity of assessment process,

what to expect, options and support at time of first encounter with services

I think probably the – it would help for some clarity at the beginning when the diagnosis is done and explanations and clarity and where you go from there you know what sort of course of actions should be taken and treatment I think that would help so that you see a chain of something progress through the business. (Carer of person with diagnosis of dementia)

Waiting time• Difficult process of waiting between assessment and

diagnosis• Little information offered about assessment process• Context of public perception of importance of early

intervention

We're still waiting for something to happen. Because they reckon early diagnosis don't they and then they can do something and try and hold it if that is the case. Give you something to slow it up a bit. But we're still waiting. (Carer of person with memory problems)

Expectations of services• Two outcomes generally expected from active help-seekers

(1) no memory problems, no diagnosis(2) presence of cognitive impairment & diagnosis given

• Possibility of ‘no prescription’ or no further support not considered• Scans seen as definitive indicators• Little understanding of complexity of making a dementia diagnosis

All we want is a diagnosis and either they say 'yay or nay' with some sort of a tablet or medicine. If it is Alzheimer's they do have things to slow it up don't they, slow the progress. (Carer of person with memory problems)

Information & communication• Distinction required between standardised information (e.g.

booklets about dementia) and individualised information (e.g. addressing unanswered questions)

• Examples of poor practice identified: better systems and processes need to be in place– Person receiving copy of a letter outlining an individual

clinician’s impression i.e. likely diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia

– Person receiving copy of letter to GP written in medical jargon. • Lack of clarity of where future queries can be directed – GP or old

age psychiatrist?

Early implications• Disclosure of the diagnosis should be a process, not a

one-off event• Need for people to be ‘held’ from time of first encounter• Explaining this in early encounters may help manage

expectations of services and medication• Need for information through all stages of diagnosis• Individualised information giving should be developed

and prioritized• Systems and processes for communicating key

information to individuals and their carers - to be clarified by clinical teams

AcknowledgementsThank you to all participants who willingly shared their stories with us. We are also grateful to our Local and National Advisory Groups for their valuable input and to all grant-holders for their support.

For further information, please contact Professor Jill Manthorpe: jill.manthorpe@kcl.ac.uk or Kritika Samsi: kritika.1.samsi@kcl.ac.uk

Disclaimer

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Service Delivery and Organisation programme (project number 08/1809/229). The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Health.