Background: In the absence of cure for age-related neurodegenerative diseases, non-drug interventions (NDIs) represent useful options. Quality of life (QOL) is a multidimensional concept progressively affected by cognitive decline. How single or multiple NDIs impact QOL is unknown. Results: We found no significant effect of multiple over single NDI on QOL. Socio-demographic variables influenced patients' (age, gender, caregivers' occupational status, management of patients' financial affairs) and caregivers' (gender, occupational status, patients' severity of cognitive decline) QOL. When dyads interrupted interventions after 6 months, their QOL was lower and caregivers' anxiety, depression and physical symptoms were higher at the end of the study. Conclusions: While the type and number of interventions do not appear to be critical, the continuity of adapted interventions in the long-term might be important for maintaining QOL of patients and caregivers. Methods: This is a multicenter (7 Swiss Memory Clinics), quasi-experimental, one-year follow-up study including 148 subjects (mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia patients and their caregivers). Primary outcome was the effect of multiple vs single NDIs on QOL. Secondary outcome included NDIs effect on patients' cognitive impairment and functional autonomy, caregivers' burden, severity of patients' neuropsychiatric symptoms and dyads' anxiety and depression.
We present the multidisciplinary approach toward the diagnostic and treatment of patients with cognitive complaints adopted within the Leenaards Memory Centre at the University Hospital of Lausanne in Switzerland. Our strategy combines clinical evaluation using standardized neuropsychological, biological, imaging, and genetic biomarkers, together with an integrated approach to care of the patient and his/her caregiver(s) that takes into account the individual environmental and socioeconomic circumstances. Tightly integrated with the clinical process is a centralized electronic information system-called CLEMENS-that maintains a database of detailed records of assessment results, actions, care plans and biomarker and imaging data of consulting patients. The CLEMENS system provides the translational bridge between the clinical activity and its projection into and from clinical research, enabling the in-depth and multivariate evaluation of all clinically measured aspects. We discuss how research outcomes can feed back into the clinical activity, allowing for more accurate patient evaluation, diagnostic stratification, and care
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