Activities outside of the care setting for people with dementia: a systematic review

Abstract

ObjectivesTo summarise the evidence from interventions investigating the effects of out of care setting activities on people with dementia living in residential aged care.DesignA systematic review.MethodsA systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library) was performed to identify intervention trials published from journal inception to January 2020. Controlled trials, or quasi-experimental trials, which measured pre-intervention, post-intervention or during-intervention outcomes, where the participants were required to leave the care setting to participate in an intervention, were eligible for inclusion. Quality appraisal of the studies was performed following the Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias or Newcastle-Ottawa Scale tools.ResultsOf the 4155 articles screened, 11 articles met the inclusion criteria from 9 different studies. The number of participants in the studies ranged from 6 to 70 people living with dementia and lasted for 3 weeks up to 5 months. The interventions were aquatic exercise, wheelchair cycling, art gallery discussion groups, an intergenerational mentorship programme, horse riding, walking and outdoor gardening. Overall, the studies indicated preliminary evidence of psychological (n=7), physical (n=4) and physiological (n=1) benefits, and all interventions were feasible to conduct away from the aged care facilities. However, the low number of participants in the included studies (n=177), the absence of a control group in all but three studies, and potential for selection bias, limits the generalisability of the findings.ConclusionsActivities outside of the residential aged care setting have the potential to be effective at providing a range of benefits for people living with dementia. Higher quality studies are required to encourage care providers to implement these type of activities in dementia care settings.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020166518.

A pilot study of an intergenerational program for people in residential aged care with cognitive impairment and children from a co-located early learning centre during COVID-19

“…For people living in residential aged care, including the large proportion living with dementia, there is a need for suitable interventions that offer opportunities for engagement in activities that are personally meaningful and promote cognitive stimulation, physical activity and social connection ( D'Cunha et al, 2020 ; O’Rourke et al, 2018 ; Tierney & Beattie, 2020 ). An increase in social isolation and restrictions in physical activity may increase neuropsychiatric symptoms, feelings of loneliness, poorer quality of life and cognitive function for older people with dementia living at home but particularly for older people living in residential aged care ( Curelaru et al, 2021 ; Lion et al, 2022 ).…”

Online gallery facilitated art activities for people with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: A narrative review

“…Over the past two decades, art galleries and museums around the world have developed access programs to provide art activities for people with dementia. Often developed in partnership with health, dementia support or aged care services, these access programs have the potential to enhance the psychosocial and psychophysiological wellbeing of people with dementia, providing an opportunity for intellectual stimulation, creative engagement, social interaction, and personal reflection (Camic et al, 2016; Cavalcanti Barroso et al, 2022; D'Cunha et al, 2020; Ullán et al, 2013). A taxonomy of arts interventions for people with dementia listed eight principles and features: transformation, possibility, connection, expression, involvement, selfhood, humanity, and engagement (Cousins et al, 2020).…”

Association between Participation Activities, Pain Severity, and Psychological Distress in Old Age: A Population-Based Study of Swedish Older Adults

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