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To optimize care and interventions to improve care, and to reduce staff burden, it is important to have knowledge of the relation between individual neuropsychiatric symptoms and distress of care staff. We therefore explored the relation between frequency and severity of individual neuropsychiatric symptoms and distress of care staff.This is an explorative study with a cross-sectional design.Care staff was interviewed regarding 432 residents of 17 nursing homes for people with dementia.Behavioural problems were assessed using the Nursing Home version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-NH) questionnaire. The distress scale of the NPI-NH was used to determine the distress of care staff.Agitation/aggression had the highest mean distress score and was also the most prevalent symptom. Disinhibition and irritability/lability also had high mean distress scores, whereas euphoria/elation, hallucinations and apathy had the lowest mean distress score. The symptom severity of each symptom strongly predicted the distress score, whereas the frequency of the symptoms was a less important factor.Although some of these findings are in accordance with studies among informal caregivers, there are also notable differences. Apathy caused little distress among care staff. Therefore, care staff might not feel the urgency to explore the causes of this symptom. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of supporting care staff in the management of behavioural problems, especially aggression and apathy.

This qualitative explorative survey aimed at investigating the personal experiences of elderly people with early-stage dementia with regard to their illness and the extent to which they experience their situation as 'suffering'. In the Netherlands insight in this suffering is relevant with regard to ongoing debate on euthanasia and physician assisted death in early dementia. Participants in the study were 24 elderly (mean age 76.3 years) diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. The semi-structured interviews were transcribed verbatim, and qualitatively analyzed. The elderly were found to be very capable of sharing experiences about their disease. They indicated not to experience their situation 'as a whole' as one of dreadful suffering. The gradual progression, which is distinctive of Alzheimer's disease, also allows people to adapt and adjust to their changing situation. As a result, the actual experiences of the disease can, in a positive manner, deviate from their anticipatory beliefs. The experiences of the participants appeared less negative than the ideas 'healthy' elderly often have about a life with dementia. The results from this study emphasize the importance of listening to the voices of people with dementia. Communication with elderly with Alzheimer's disease, is in the early stages quite possible and essential for advance care planning to be adjusted to their actual wishes and needs.

The objective of this study was to examine service utilization figures among a representative sample of demented patients and to determine whether sociodemographic and health-related variables are associated with care utilization.The study population was derived from a population-based, two-stage cross-sectional study in The Netherlands and consisted of 102 demented subjects. Four levels of care intensity were used: level 1, no use of professional care; level 2, use of one or more types of professional care by community-dwelling subjects; level 3, residential living in homes for the aged; level 4, long-term care in specialized nursing homes. Sociodemographic variables and variables related to mental and physical health, functional dependency and severity of dementia were studied as determinants of levels of care.Eighty-two per cent of the study subjects used one or more types of formal care and 55% were institutionalized. Multivariate analysis yielded age, severity of dementia, somatic disorders, dependency in terms of ADL and martial status as predictors of higher levels of care. Sets of predictors differed across different care levels.The findings point to the importance of the social network and the relevance of general medical treatment and an active approach towards decreasing the impact of ADL dependency in demented subjects.

In the Netherlands both nursing homes and homes for the aged serve as a residence for demented elderly. Although these institutions differ considerably regarding financing and care facilities, specific functions of each institute concerning demented elderly have not been clearly defined. In order to know to what extent residential facilities serve demented elderly, the prevalence and severity of dementia among residents aged 65 and over was studied as part of a prevalence study among elderly people in a rural area of the Netherlands. The target population existed of all persons aged 65 and over who were registered in eight general practices. Patients who had to leave the practice on account of ill-health and were admitted to nursing homes were included in the study. In a two stage study the MMSE was applied as a screening instrument. Based on MMSE-score a non-proportional stratified random sample was drawn for the second, diagnostic stage, which existed of the CAMDEX. Prevalence estimates for DSM-III-R-dementia were 21% among residents of homes for the aged, 48% among residents of somatic wards of nursing homes and 100% among those admitted to psychogeriatric wards of nursing homes. Severity of dementia was highest among residents of psychogeriatric wards of nursing homes and lowest among those living in homes for the aged. Prevalence of dementia among residents of homes for the aged can be fully attributed to the age-distribution. The high frequency of dementia among residents of somatic nursing home wards can be explained in several ways: First, admission can be necessary due to a combination of dementia and somatic illness.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A pilot investigation among 15 general practitioners in the region of Zwolle has been carried out in order to obtain an indication as to the prevalence of the dementia syndrome among noninstitutionalized elderly people. According to the general practitioner--on the basis of the Clinical Dementia Rating--4.4% of the population of people of 65 years and older display the symptoms of dementia, a percentage that is low compared with foreign studies. There is a striking difference in the prevalence rate between urban (2.8%) and rural (5.7%) populations. The most obvious explanation for this difference is that in rural areas there is more informal care and a larger degree of tolerance of demented elderly people, which helps prevent institutionalization. This assumption is supported by an identical difference in the admission rate to nursing homes. As a person becomes older, the chance that he/she will suffer from the dementia syndrome increases, although the increase is not a steady one. Despite the well-recognized necessity for thorough medical examination of demented elderly people, it is only carried out to a small degree. The authors argue in favour of more extensive research into the prevalence rate of the dementia syndrome, which will promote policy making with regard to medical practice and the planning of care facilities.