Research in hospital discharge procedures addresses gaps in care continuity in the community, but leaves gaping holes for people with dementia: a review of the literature.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the literature on the impact of the discharge experience of patients with dementia and their continuity of care.


METHODS
Peer-reviewed and grey literature published in the English language between 1995 and 2014 were systematically searched using Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO and Cochrane library databases, using a combination of the search terms Dementia, Caregivers, Integrated Health Care Systems, Managed Care, Patient Discharge. Also reviewed were Department of Health and Ageing and Alzheimer's Australia research reports between 2000 and 2014.


RESULTS
The review found a wide range of studies that raise concerns in relation to the quality of care provided to people with dementia during hospital discharge and in transitional care.


CONCLUSIONS
Discharge planning and transitional care for patients with dementia are not adequate and are likely to lead to readmission and other poor health outcomes.
Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Lynn
L
Chenoweth
Ashley
A
Kable
Dimity
D
Pond
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000592:standards; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000592:standards; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000592:standards; D010359:Patient Readmission; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D000069341:Transitional Care / Q000592:standards
caregivers; dementia; integrated health-care systems; managed care; patient discharge