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Signs in People with Intellectual Disabilities : Interviews with Managers and Staff on the Identification Process of Dementia

Holst, Göran LU ; Johansson, Maria LU and Ahlström, Gerd LU orcid (2018) In Healthcare 6(3). p.1-15
Abstract

The life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) has steadily increased, which has been accompanied by an increased risk of dementia. Staff and managers are key resources for safety diagnosis since they deliver information about people with ID behavior every day. The aim of the present study was to explore the identification process employed by staff and managers to detect signs of suspected dementia in people with an ID within intellectual disability services (ID-services). Twenty managers and 24 staff within an ID-service were interviewed and qualitative latent content analysis was applied. A model consisting of three themes on three levels of resources for the identification process of signs of suspected dementia... (More)

The life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) has steadily increased, which has been accompanied by an increased risk of dementia. Staff and managers are key resources for safety diagnosis since they deliver information about people with ID behavior every day. The aim of the present study was to explore the identification process employed by staff and managers to detect signs of suspected dementia in people with an ID within intellectual disability services (ID-services). Twenty managers and 24 staff within an ID-service were interviewed and qualitative latent content analysis was applied. A model consisting of three themes on three levels of resources for the identification process of signs of suspected dementia emerged from the analysis. On the first level was the time and continuity in the care relationship, which is crucial for identifying and responding to changes in cognitive ability that indicate dementia. On the second level, the staff identify deficiencies in their own knowledge, seek support from colleagues and managers within their workplace and, on the third level, outside their workplace. Staff and managers expressed a need for early and continuous guidance and education from specialists in dementia and primary healthcare. This finding indicates an urgent need for intervention research and digital support for staff in dementia care.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Healthcare
volume
6
issue
3
article number
103
pages
1 - 15
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85066867347
  • pmid:30149606
ISSN
2227-9032
DOI
10.3390/healthcare6030103
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bd8ab1d4-bec0-4e52-be16-68a643d2ec07
date added to LUP
2018-09-13 15:14:15
date last changed
2024-04-05 16:17:31
@article{bd8ab1d4-bec0-4e52-be16-68a643d2ec07,
  abstract     = {{<p>The life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) has steadily increased, which has been accompanied by an increased risk of dementia. Staff and managers are key resources for safety diagnosis since they deliver information about people with ID behavior every day. The aim of the present study was to explore the identification process employed by staff and managers to detect signs of suspected dementia in people with an ID within intellectual disability services (ID-services). Twenty managers and 24 staff within an ID-service were interviewed and qualitative latent content analysis was applied. A model consisting of three themes on three levels of resources for the identification process of signs of suspected dementia emerged from the analysis. On the first level was the time and continuity in the care relationship, which is crucial for identifying and responding to changes in cognitive ability that indicate dementia. On the second level, the staff identify deficiencies in their own knowledge, seek support from colleagues and managers within their workplace and, on the third level, outside their workplace. Staff and managers expressed a need for early and continuous guidance and education from specialists in dementia and primary healthcare. This finding indicates an urgent need for intervention research and digital support for staff in dementia care.</p>}},
  author       = {{Holst, Göran and Johansson, Maria and Ahlström, Gerd}},
  issn         = {{2227-9032}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{1--15}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Healthcare}},
  title        = {{Signs in People with Intellectual Disabilities : Interviews with Managers and Staff on the Identification Process of Dementia}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare6030103}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/healthcare6030103}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}