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This research project investigated how family carers in Norway experienced delivering iCST, their need for supervision and the potential for co-occupation. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to understand the experiences of 11 carers using iCST for 8 wk. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant, including a pre-assessment of caregiver burden and a rating of dementia severity. Most carers described the manual as self-instructive. Some felt overwhelmed when starting iCST. It was important to plan and individualise the sessions to the specific needs of the person with dementia. After delivering iCST the carers described new insights into the person with dementia's resources and challenges. Obstacles to doing iCST were related to the context, the manual or to specific challenges linked to the person with dementia or to the carer. Most participants described positive experiences, in which shared interaction, engagement and mastery were common. When the carer understands the iCST programme as a tool and adapts it to the specific needs of the person with dementia then co-occupation and positive interactions happen. However, some carers would benefit from supervision and the iCST programme did not address all persons with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of the study were (a) to compare self‐reported Quality of Life (QoL) in a 24‐month follow‐up of people with dementia attending day care designed for people with dementia (day‐care group, DC) with people with dementia who did not attend day care (control group, CG) and (b) to explore factors associated with QoL. A quasi‐experimental design with a 24‐month follow‐up period was used. The DC group included 181 participants recruited from 53 day‐care services. The CG included 76 participants recruited from 19 municipalities with no available day care designed for people with dementia. The sample covered the four health regions of Norway and inclusion period lasted from December 2013 to July 2015. The Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QoL‐AD) scale was used as the outcome measure. The differences in QoL between groups and the associations between participant characteristics and QoL, such as depressive symptoms and functional dependency, were examined using a linear mixed model. In the multiple model, the overall trend in QoL did not differ significantly between the DC and CG. However, the DC group exhibited significantly higher self‐reported QoL than the CG at all time points (p < 0.001 at T0, p = 0.018 at T12, and p = 0.006 at T24). Participants with shallow or no awareness who attended day care had significantly higher scores on QoL‐AD than persons with full awareness (p = 0.017). More depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) and higher functional dependency (p < 0.001) were associated with lower self‐reported QoL. The study revealed higher scores of self‐reported QoL among people attending day care compared with those who did not attend, showing that day care might have positive impact on the lives of people with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The increasing number of people with dementia will place a considerable challenge on the health care system and will necessitate innovation and new solutions. Day care services aim to provide meaningful activities and coping experiences for the target group. The aim of the present study is to explore the experience and potential health benefits for people with dementia attending farm-based day care services in Norway and their next of kin. Methods and design: The present study is a prospective study organized into several qualitative and quantitative sub-studies. Study period will last from 2016–2020. We use a multi-method approach and both an empirical and a constructivist view on knowledge to explore this multi-facetted phenomenon. Discussion: Several challenges are expected, for instance, the ability to include participants with dementia and keep them within the study for the whole study period. The functioning level of participants regarding language and understanding could challenge their ability to answer. Despite having several limitations, we believe that this study with its different approaches and methods will add important knowledge to the field. Knowledge from our study could be essential for creating day care services of good quality for people with dementia and such services could reduce the burden of care for their next of kin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore two research questions: how do people with concurrent substance abuse and mental health disorders (concurrent conditions) experience and describe meaningful activities? And how do meaningful activities influence the recovery process?Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study uses an explorative and interpretive design in a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Transcribed interviews are analysed using a phenomenological-hermeneutic method for researching lived experience. The study was submitted to the Norwegian Center for Research Data where it was approved (Case No. 54661).Findings Structural analysis resulted in three overarching themes: achieving a positive identity through actions and feeling worthwhile; physically outside but inside the norms of society, and idleness, isolation, and obstacles on the road to recovery. Meaningful activities, considered a cornerstone in the recovery process, vary widely and are primarily described in social contexts, thereby confirming the significance of social aspects of recovery in addition to recovery as an individual journey. The findings also show that experiencing meaningful activities contributes to recovery capital and the development of recovery-promotive identities.Research limitations/implications The study consisted of a small sample size, recruited at one location which served as a primary research limitation.Practical implications This paper provides insights for health care practitioners and health care decision makers regarding the importance of meaningful activities viewed through a recovery perspective.Originality/value Few studies to date have used a comprehensive approach to describe the influence of experiencing meaningful activities on the recovery process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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