The impact of dementia on care transitions during the last two years of life

Background: dementia is one of the main challenges to our health and social care. This study compares the number and timing of transitions between care settings in the last 2 years of life among older people with and without dementia. Methods: data were derived from Finnish national registers, and i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Age and ageing 2012-01, Vol.41 (1), p.52-57
Main Authors: Aaltonen, Mari, Rissanen, Pekka, Forma, Leena, Raitanen, Jani, Jylhä, Marja
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Care and treatment
Company business management
Continuity of Patient Care
Dementia
Dementia - epidemiology
Dementia - therapy
Female
Finland - epidemiology
Hospitals
Humans
Male
Management
Mentally ill aged
Mentally ill elderly
National registers
Older people
Palliative care
Patient care
Residential Facilities - statistics & numerical data
Risk factors
Timing
Transitional care
Transitions
Year before death
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Summary:Background: dementia is one of the main challenges to our health and social care. This study compares the number and timing of transitions between care settings in the last 2 years of life among older people with and without dementia. Methods: data were derived from Finnish national registers, and include all those who died in 2002 and 2003 at the age of 70 or older (n = 70,366). Negative binomial regression analyses were used to analyse the impact of dementia on number of transitions among people with and without dementia and to adjust the number for age, gender and other diagnoses. Results: in the group that lived at home 2 years before death people with a dementia diagnosis had 32% more care transitions than people without dementia, while the group that was in residential care facility 2 years before death people with dementia had 12% fewer moves than those without dementia The average number of transition was highest in last 3 months of life. People with dementia had their last move more often between care facilities and hospitals offering basic health care than people without dementia. Conclusion: dementia has a significant impact on the number and type of transitions. As the number of people with dementia increases, the quality and equity of care of these patients in their last years constitute a special challenge.
ISSN:0002-0729
1468-2834
DOI:10.1093/ageing/afr133