title: Quality of life in dementia: do professional caregivers focus on the significant domains?
abstract: The domains of quality of life that are considered important by people with dementia and professional caregivers are not in agreement. This explorative study addresses the question, "To what degree do professional caregivers, in their daily working routine, focus on the quality-of-life domains that people with dementia consider essential?" Study participants were nursing assistants who work in 24-hour nursing home care and professionals who offer daytime activities. Three hundred and seventy-four caregivers working on 29 units and 3 day care facilities of 13 nursing homes and in 12 meeting centers filled out a questionnaire. The caregivers reported to focus at least to some degree on most domains considered important by people with dementia. However, relatively little attention was paid to "financial situation" and "being useful/giving meaning to life." Professionals who offer daytime activities focused more than 24-hour care staff on "attachment," "enjoyment of activities," "sense of aesthetics," and "being useful/giving meaning to life."
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaal Institute, Nijmegen, The Netherlans. d.gerritsen@hin.ru.nl
authors.forename: Debby L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Gerritsen
authors.forename: Teake P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Ettema
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boelens
authors.forename: Joke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: Frans
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hoogeveen
authors.forename: Jacomine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Lange
authors.forename: Lucinda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meihuizen
authors.forename: Carla J M
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Schölzel-Dorenbos
authors.forename: Rose-Marie
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Dröes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017028:Caregivers; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000523:psychology*; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires