Medication management in dementia: Key issues
2012 Conference
Abstract:
Medication management is a critical issue in dementia; the inappropriate use of antipsychotics is associated with 1,800 deaths per year. However, this may be a symptom of a wider issue and carers have raised the need to adopt a holistic approach to medication management in dementia. Carers have been critical in raising the profile of the issue with clinicians and academics demonstrating the importance of involving carers in developing research proposals. Indeed the topic was first raised at a DeNDRoN Clinical Studies Group (CSG) meeting when two carer members of the CSG highlighted that this was a problem area for them. We have used various mechanisms to involve carers in developing the proposal including a focus group at the Alzheimer’s Society and a survey of Alzheimer’s Society carers; some of the results from the focus group and survey will be reported during the presentation.
We hope that people will learn the need to involve service users / carers in developing research proposals from the initial point of concept. Issues for discussion will include how to engage carers from under-represented groups including “hidden” carers, and people with dementia living in the community, who do not have a primary carer.
Authors
Maidment ~ Ian
Ian Maidment is Senior Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy at Aston University. He is an academic clinical pharmacist and previously worked, as an NHS pharmacist for over 20 years mainly within the fields of dementia / mental health. He has published over 40 papers in peer-reviewed journals and his main research interest is medication management in dementia.
View all articles by this authorNurock ~ Shirley
Research Network Volunteer, Alzheimer's Society. Shirley Nurock cared for her husband for over 15 years after he development Alzheimer's disease in his 50s when their three children were in their teens. Since joining the Alzheimer's Society Research Network she has been involved with a number of major research projects, as co-applicant and on Trial Management Groups. She was the first carer to be awarded project grant funding by Alzheimer's Society and is involved in educating medical students and clinical psychologists about the impact of dementia on families. She is now a carer again for her mother.
View all articles by this authorWoodward-Carlton ~ Barbara
Research Network Volunteer, Alzheimer's Society. Barbara Woodward-Carlton cared for her mother who had Alzheimer's disease. A member of the Research Network since its inception, she has been involved in patient and public involvement (PPI) work both with that group and others and firmly believes that those affected by dementia have a vital role to play in research into its cause, cure, care and prevention. She has been involved in dementia research projects as a co-applicant and a member of steering groups funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
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