Dementia - relevant articles: patient assessment and diagnosis

This page contains a selection of article references on various aspects of dementia care. The selection is from a search made on the British Nursing Index database within the RCN e-library.

It is intended to illustrate the kinds of additional and supporting information that journal articles can provide, and to encourage you to carry out your own search in order to access a more comprehensive listing which will include abstracts.

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Selected articles on patient assessment, diagnosis and memory services

The list below combines a selection of articles on these topics found by a search done in February 2012 in British Nursing Index within the RCN e-Library. The search was for articles from 2009 onwards.
If you find these articles interesting and would like to search for more, the following points may be of help.

Article details

Andrews J (2012) How acute care managers can support patients with dementia. Nursing Management (UK) 19(2) pp.18-20.
Guidance for nurse managers on caring for patients with dementia in hospital.

Badsha K (2011) I think, therefore I am an expert on my dementia. Journal of Dementia Care. 19(1) pp.28-29.
It is important to allow people with dementia to participate in their own diagnosis and treatment.

Barnes C (2010) Working out at the memory gym. Journal of Dementia Care. 18(1) pp.18-19.
Development of memory groups for people with mild dementia-related memory impairment, focusing on the use of cognitive exercises in a group setting and practical exercises that can be used at home.

Bracegirdle L (2012) A tormented death: end-of-life care for people with dementia. British Journal of Nursing 21(12) pp. 723-727.
Presents a case study on  the impact of misdiagnosis in an elderly patients and makes recommendations on how correct diagnosis, treatment and symptom management may be achieved. 

Cullis V, Corner L and Vigurs S (2012) Introducing 'My Outcomes'. Journal of Dementia Care 20(2) pp.14-15.
Describes the development and use of an assessment tool for people with dementia developed by Mental Health Concern and Newcastle University for South of Tyne Primary Care Trusts.

Damianakis T and Smith K (2010) The psychosocial impacts of multimedia boundaries on persons with cognitive impairments. Gerontologist 50(1) pp.23-35.

Davis N, Hendrix C and Superville J (2011) Supportive approaches for Alzheimer disease. Nurse Practitioner 36(8) pp.22-30.
Drug therapies and non-pharmacological management strategies are reviewed. (FT)

Hampson C (2010) Cognitive rehabilitation: help to manage memory loss. Journal of Dementia Care 18(1) pp.16-17.

Hardy S (2011) Dementia in primary care. British Journal of Wellbeing 2(4) pp.18-21.
Looks at the role of practice nurses in identifying patients with possible dementia.

Hean S, Nojeed N and Warr J (2011) Developing an integrated Memory Assessment and Support Service for people with dementia. Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing 18(1) pp.81-88. (FT)

Hoe J and Thompson R (2010) Promoting positive approaches to dementia care in nursing. Nursing Standard 25(4) pp.47-56. (FT)

Jolley D, Greaves I and Greaves N (2010) Three tiers for a comprehensive regional memory service. Journal of Dementia Care 18(1) pp.26-29.

Keady, J (2012) Meeting the needs of people with dementia and their carers in primary care. Nursing in Practice no.65 Mar-Apr pp.63-64. 

Lithgow S, Jackson GA and Browne D (2012) Estimating the prevalence of dementia: cognitive screening in Glasgow nursing homes. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 27(8) August pp.785-791.
Research using the Standardised Mini Mental State Examination or the Functional Assessment Staging Tool to assess a random sample of residents.

Manthorpe J, Keady J and Abley C (2011) Placing the person at the centre in the diagnosis of dementia. Journal of Dementia Care 19(4) pp.37-39.

Martin N (2009) Reading the signs. World of Irish Nursing & Midwifery 17(9) pp.28-29.
Incidence, diagnosis and impact of early onset dementia. (FT)

Melis R, Meeuwsen E and Parker S (2009) Are memory clinics effective? The odds are in favour of their benefit, but conclusive evidence is not yet available. Royal Society of Medicine Journal 102(11) pp.546-547.

Milwain E (2010) The brain and person-centred care, part 4: memory, belief, emotion and behaviour. Journal of Dementia Care 18(3) pp.25-29.

Moniz-Cook E (2011) Psychosocial interventions through memory clinics. Nursing & Residential Care 13(4) pp.189-192. (FT)

Nazarko L (2011) Understanding dementia: diagnosis and development. British Journal of Healthcare Assistants 5(5) pp.216-220. (FT)

Page S et al  (2012) 'Doing things differently' - working towards distributed responsibility within memory assessment services. International journal of geriatric psychiatry 27 (3) pp. 280-285.
Looks at the impact of training provided for mental health nurses, social workers and occupational therapists in the use of assessment tools for diagnosis of early dementia.

Parke B, Beaith A. and Slater L (2011) Contextual factors influencing success or failure of emergency department interventions for cognitively impaired older people: a scoping and integrative review. Journal of advanced nursing 67(7) pp.1426-1448. (FT)

Pickens S, Ostwald S and Murphy-Pace K (2010) Systematic review of current executive function measures in adults with and without cognitive impairments. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare 8(3) pp.110-125.

Richards A et al (2012) Meeting a growing need. Journal of Dementia Care 20(2) pp.16-17.
Research evaluating The Woodspring Clinic in Wiltshire by exploring the individual experiences of people attending the memory clinic.

Ross C (2012)  Remembering Together. Journal of Dementia Care 20(3) pp.22-23.
Describes the purpose of the European Reminiscence Network, Remembering Together project in the 10 participating EU countries.

Stokes G (2012) The diagnosis gap. Journal of Dementia Care 20(3) pp.18-20.
Looks at some of the barriers to early diagnosis.

Szymczynska P,  Innes A and Stark C (2012) Diagnosing dementia in the Scottish Highlands: best practice. Journal of Dementia Care 20(2) pp.37-39.
Review of dementia services in the Scottish Highlands describing approaches to diagnosing dementia and post-diagnosis support.

Thompson R (2011) Using life story work to enhance care. Nursing Older People 23(8) pp.16-21. Life story tools include collages, memory boxes, life story books, slides, and dvds. (FT)

Thuathail A and Welford C (2011) Pain assessment tools for older people with cognitive impairment. Nursing Standard 26(6) pp.39-46. (FT)

Underwood F (2012) Frail older people and emergency care. Nursing Older People 24(1) p.13.
Case report of a frail elderly patient with dementia presenting in A&E with confusion.

Weatherhead I and Courtney C (2012) Assessing the signs of dementia. Practice Nursing 23 (3), pp.114-118.
Guidance for practice nurses on the incidence, assessment and diagnosis of dementia.

Webster J (2011) Improving care for people with dementia in acute hospital: the role of person-centred assessment. Quality in Ageing and Older Adults 12(2) pp.86-94.

Wilson C and Healey A (2012) Adapting group CST: building on strength. Journal of Dementia Care 20(1) pp.24-26.
Describes pilot study using group cognitive simulation therapy sessions (CST) for people with mild to moderate frontal lobe dementia.