Empowering interventions for people living with dementia: A European survey

Abstract

Aims: We aim to identify existing empowerment interventions for people living with dementia and to explore which used interventions and projects are considered empowering and why. Design: This was an online survey. Methods: We conducted an online survey between May 2018 and July 2018 amongst professionals interested in dementia care in Europe. Interventions were clustered within the ecological model for health promotion. Reasons from respondents as to why they considered interventions to be empowering were analysed and structured according to a recently developed conceptual framework of empowerment for people living with dementia. Results: Seventy-three respondents from 23 countries together mentioned 98 interventions or projects, of which 90 were unique. Interventions focused on the (inter) personal (n = 54), organizational (n = 15), communal (n = 6) and societal (n = 15) levels. A broad range of interventions were considered empowering, but no interventions were specifically developed for, nor aimed at, empowerment. Reasons as to why respondents considered these interventions as empowering fitted the framework's domains. Conclusion: This European survey provides insights into interventions considered empowering for people living with dementia. An important step that needs to be taken is to develop and test interventions that specifically aim to promote empowerment for people living with dementia. Impact: Empowerment may encourage people with dementia to live the life they choose, and focus on what is possible, instead of what is no longer possible. Many interventions are considered as empowering for people living with dementia, however no interventions could be identified that were specifically developed for or aimed at empowerment. This study shows that for promoting empowerment, it is necessary to develop and test interventions that specifically aim for empowerment, do this in | 4105 VAN CORVEN et al.

Promoting empowerment for people living with dementia in nursing homes: Development and feasibility evaluation of an empowerment program

“…Moreover, an extensive systematic literature review showed that empowerment is a dynamic process, with it taking place within the interaction of the person living with dementia and their environment ( van Corven et al, 2021b ). The European survey showed that stakeholders considered a broad range of interventions empowering in dementia care and research ( van Corven et al, 2022 ). However, none of the available interventions in this survey were specifically developed for or aimed at empowerment.…”

“…Phase 1 of the MRC framework: Intervention development. Between May 2018 and November 2020, we performed a needs assessment, using focus group discussions and interviews with stakeholders (van Corven et al, 2021a), an integrative literature review (van Corven et al, 2021b), and a European survey to identify existing empowerment interventions (van Corven et al, 2022). Between April and December 2019, regular meetings were held with the project team to discuss and interpret the results of the needs assessment, determine program objectives, and select behaviour change techniques that could be applied in nursing homes.…”

“…Therefore, in nursing homes, the concept of empowerment has received growing attention (Carpenter et al, 2002; Hung & Chaudhury, 2011; Martin & Younger, 2000; Swall et al, 2017; Watt et al, 2019). Nevertheless, interventions that specifically aim at empowering people living with dementia in a nursing home are lacking (van Corven et al, 2022). Such interventions could be valuable as they may help to focus on what is possible, instead of what is no longer possible, by striving to achieve the four themes of empowerment (a sense of identity, usefulness, control and self-worth) in the interaction between people living with dementia and their environment (van Corven et al, 2021b).…”

Living Well with Dementia: Feeling Empowered through Interaction with Their Social Environment

“…It is worth noting that the PwD in this study expressed similar views on usefulness and empowerment to those described in other studies by elderly people and centenarians without dementia [ 3 , 22 , 23 ], clearly emphasizing the importance of sustaining social contacts and providing the possibility of interacting with the environment for PwD and old people in general. Recently, concepts for supporting PwD have undergone a shift from task-oriented support to a person-centered approach, explicitly focusing on strengthening personal competencies, decision-making and self-worth, reframing the dementia diagnosis from one of ‘disabled’ to ‘enabled’ [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. The European research group (INTERDEM) explicitly emphasizes that psychosocial interventions should focus on promoting the autonomy, dignity and rights of PwD, and communities should make themselves available to PwD from early diagnosis onwards [ 28 , 29 , 30 ].…”

“…The European research group (INTERDEM) explicitly emphasizes that psychosocial interventions should focus on promoting the autonomy, dignity and rights of PwD, and communities should make themselves available to PwD from early diagnosis onwards [ 28 , 29 , 30 ]. However, the process is very slow, as a recent survey revealed for Europe [ 26 ]. The challenge of an increased life expectancy at birth and a demographic shift towards older age also necessitates programmes that promote healthy ageing in the population, as well as programmes that support PwD as one of the major medical concerns in old age.…”