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Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Young‐onset dementia (YOD) refers to a phenomenon in which dementia symptoms appear under age 65. Diagnosing YOD is difficult and its progression is fast. Furthermore, it limits the socio‐economic careers of people living with YOD, regardless of their needs.People living with YOD and their carers have unstable occupational status and their dependents also have to face a high burden of care. They claim that existing social support for dementia is limited to the elderly and is not suitable for them. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: The characteristics of non‐pharmacological intervention studies for people living with YOD and/or their carers so far, and an analysis of the needs supported via the applied interventions.A theoretical basis and direction for the interventions to be studied in the future. What are the implications for practice?: Research and intervention development should focus more on the needs of people living with YOD. In addition, it is necessary to understand and reflect on carers who directly care for people living with YOD.A multidisciplinary programme that supports wide area of the needs should be developed. Introduction: Young‐onset dementia (YOD) is a highly influential disease that exerts force on the normal life of those who still have to continue social life. Research has been lacking in spite of its seriousness, which accounts for about 9% of all dementia cases. Aim: This study aimed to examine non‐pharmacological interventions for people living with YOD and/or their carers, and to analyse how those interventions support their needs. Method: A scoping review methodology was utilized to search the studies examining interventions for people living with YOD and/or their carers, and in English or Korean. The information was extracted, summarized and analysed in CANE categories. Results: Sixteen studies were included in the review. Five types of interventions were drawn. 'Memory' was the most covered part of the needs by the interventions. Discussion: This study found that interventions currently do not match the needs of people living with YOD and their carers. Multidisciplinary research would be eligible to cover the subjects' wide range of the needs as much as possible. Implications for Practice: We suggest the development of a specialized needs assessment tool and specialized interventions for people living with young‐onset dementia and their carers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are symptoms of dementia that family caregivers find difficult to manage. Competence in managing BPSD differs according to individual family caregiver. The current study investigated the competence in managing BPSD, focusing on family caregivers who were recognized as managing them well. Twenty-four Korean family caregivers (83% female, mean age = 67 years) living with persons with dementia (PWD) were interviewed. Four themes were derived from the content analysis: Entering and Looking into the World of PWD, Keeping Daily Life in Harmony With BPSD, Becoming an Expert in BPSD, and Balancing Between Caregiving and Myself. Family caregivers minimized the impact of BPSD and maintained life balance. As a result, they were able to continue a harmonious life with PWD. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 15(3), 141–150.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to identify the attributes of "family caregiver competence in managing behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia". Methods: Six electronic databases were searched for studies published between January 1990 and June 2017 with the key words "dementia", "behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia", "caregiver", "coping (managing)", and "competence". From the final fully reviewed 26 articles, descriptions related to family caregiver's dealing with behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia were extracted first. Then, based on Walker and Avant's concept synthesis, the concept of "family caregiver competence in managing behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia" was explored. Results: Four attributes, namely "Judging", "Empathizing", "Adjusting", and "Reflecting", comprised of ten categories were identified as constituting the concept of family caregiver competence in managing the behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia. As a meta competence, "reflecting" may play a significant role in improving family caregiver competence by interacting with the other dimensions of competence in managing symptoms. Conclusions: Based on the suggested conceptual model, education or training programs could be developed to improve family caregiver competence in managing behavioral psychological symptoms of dementia. To refine the attributes found in this study, field studies including observations of and interviews with family caregivers need to be conducted. Studies exploring the associations between these attributes are also of value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: This article aims to define the concept of maintenance of continuity in older adulthood (MCOA) and assist nurses to better understand the concept of MCOA. METHODS: The method by Walker and Avant was used for this concept analysis. FINDINGS: In the literature, MCOA is defined as a psychosocial adaptation strategy by searching for preference and familiarity, making a sense of connection, and creating coherence. CONCLUSIONS: MCOA has potential to improve psychosocial adjustment to difficult life transitions as a coping mechanism. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Insights about MCOA in nursing may contribute to improved patient care outcomes by assisting nurses to understand the elderly's experience during age‐related challenges from a life course perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: To evaluate the nutritional status of older adults with dementia who were living in long‐term care settings. Methods: As a secondary analysis, this study used the data from the Nationwide Survey on Dementia Care in Korea that was conducted between December 1, 2010, and August 31, 2011, which surveyed 3472 older adults with dementia, aged ≥60 years (mean age: 81.24 years), who were residing in 248 randomly selected long‐term care settings in South Korea. Twenty‐three different variables that related to the participants’ demographics, diseases, and functional and nutritional characteristics were selected. The nutritional status was assessed by using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Descriptive statistics, an ANOVA, and a chi‐squared test were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean MNA score of the participants was 17.90. The malnutrition rate was 38.4% (n = 1333), with 54.7% (n = 1900) of the participants at risk for malnutrition. The largest population with malnutrition resided in long‐term care hospitals (47.9%), followed by nursing homes (34.1%), and group homes (25.9%). Being older and female, while exhibiting higher cognitive impairment, more neuropsychiatric symptoms, higher functional dependency, and a higher number of disabilities, were associated with poor nutritional status. Conclusion: The nutritional status of older adults with dementia who were living in long‐term care settings in South Korea was poor and associated with multiple factors. Paying special attention to recognizing, assessing, preventing, and treating malnutrition in this population is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to identify family caregivers’ experiences in managing the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) with particular focus on their interpersonal interactions with patient with dementia. Data were collected through focus-group interviews with 15 family caregivers from three local dementia-support centers located in Seoul. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Three main themes were identified through data analysis: triggers of BPSD, family caregiver’s actions in response to BPSD and patient’s reactions, and the effect of BPSD on family caregivers. Findings demonstrated that BPSD depended on the complex interplay of family caregivers and patients, including their interaction style. This information could help nurses when counseling and educating family caregivers to improve or modify their attitudes and approaches to behavioral symptoms of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the predictors of agreement with writing advance directives (ADs) among older Korean adults. Design: This was a secondary analysis of a study that compared the differences in knowledge, experience, and preference about ADs between community and facility-dwelling older adults. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires. In this study, after 25 cases were excluded from the original sample (N = 181) for incomplete data, a sample of 156 was analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Older adults’ experiences with having thought about life-sustaining treatments, odds ratio (OR) = 4.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.56, 10.38], agreements with legalization of ADs, OR = 4.68, 95% CI [1.69, 12.96], and wishes to obtain information about medical status, OR = 3.78, 95% CI [1.66, 8.64], were identified as the predictors of agreement with writing ADs. Implications for Practice: Discussion channels and educational programs about ADs should be developed for older Korean adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To explore the degree of eating ability in people with dementia and identify what factors affect their eating ability. Background Appropriate food consumption is important to human life. Although eating difficulties are common among people with dementia, little is known about what factors might influence their eating ability. Design Descriptive, cross-sectional study. Methods A total of 149 people with dementia residing in nursing facilities in Seoul or the Gyeonggi area of Korea were evaluated using the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination, Korean Activities of Daily Living Scale and Eating Behaviour Scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. Results The participants showed a moderate level of dependency with respect to eating ability and were most dependent on the use of utensils. There were significant differences in eating ability according to general characteristics such as duration of residence, duration of illness, degree of visual impairment, eating place, and diet type. The eating ability of the participants was significantly correlated with cognitive function and physical function. Cognitive function, physical function, duration of illness, eating place (living room or dining room), and diet type (soft or liquid) significantly predicted eating ability in people with dementia. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that it is necessary to thoroughly assess the eating ability of people with dementia and to develop appropriate training programs to maintain or improve their remaining eating ability. The creation of a pleasurable physical and social environment for eating might also be helpful. Relevance to clinical practice These findings would be able to serve a useful basis in the development of materials for nursing intervention programs for people with dementia during mealtimes by improving the techniques and care qualities of nursing caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Despite being identified as a significant clinical phenomenon, wandering of persons with dementia (PWDs) has not been studied in Korea. As an initial trial, various factors chosen from the literature for their predictive relationships to wandering of Korean PWDs were evaluated in this study. Method: A total of 160 PWDs residing in 14 long-term care facilities participated in this study. The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), Physical Activities of Daily Living (PADL) and Korean-translated Revised Algase Wandering Scale (Nursing Home version) (KRAWS-NH) were used to assess participants' degree of cognitive impairment, functional ability and wandering behaviour on six dimensions: persistent walking (PW), specific patterns (SP), spatial disorientation (SD), escape behaviour (EB), attention shift (AS) and negative outcomes (NO). Demographic, personal and environmental data were also collected. Results: The MMSE score was a significant negative predictor for KRAWS-NH overall and subscales except for EB; while age, PADL and history of falls were positive predictors for SD and NO. Total number of residents in a room was a significant negative predictor for EB and AS. Conclusion: Different factors found in PWDs may contribute to different aspects of wandering behaviour. Further studies on factors influencing multiple facets of wandering in various cultural settings are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]