[The participation of patients with dementia in individualised intervention plan meetings: the impact on their well-being and the quality of life]

Abstract

Introduction: An individualised intervention plan (IIP) offers a new paradigm in the care of the elderly with dementia, with the aim of increasing their quality of life through personalisation, respect for their freedom, and their participation in the decisions that affect their lives.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the residential home patient with dementia and their quality of care when they take part in the interdisciplinary meeting in which their care plan is decided.

Material and methods: A total of 52 elderly patients with dementia took part in the study. They were distributed into two groups, one experimental (37 residents) and another control (15 residents). The Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) tool was used to assess the well-being and quality of care of the residents. This tool was used twice, before and after the intervention.

Results: The well-being of the resident, evaluated using the DCM, was similar before and after the intervention in the experimental group. No differences were observed either on comparing the control and experimental groups. However, some indicators of carer behaviour were different before and after the intervention, and when the control and experimental group were compared.

Conclusion: The inclusion of elderly persons with dementia in their IIP meeting had a positive effect in the interaction of the staff with the residents, but not on the well-being of the resident.

Keywords: Atención centrada en la persona; Calidad de vida; Demencia; Dementia; Dementia Care Mapping; Individualised health care; Quality of life; Residence; Residencia.