Photo Credit: Makhbubakhon Ismatova
The following is a summary of “Care for older adults living with dementia in the emergency department: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of care partner roles and perspectives,” published in the January 2025 issue of Emergency Medicine by Jelinski et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to explore care partner perspectives on emergency department (ED) care for persons living with dementia (PLWD) and healthcare provider views on care partner roles to identify care gaps and facilitators within the ED continuum.
They searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase databases from inception to 8 May 2023, along with grey literature. Articles were included if they focused on care partner roles or experiences in delivering care to PLWD in the ED from care partner or HCPs perspectives. A charting exercise categorized the primary focus and outcomes of the selected studies, followed by another exercise to identify themes related to care partner roles, barriers, and facilitators in ED care for PLWD.
The results showed 16 articles highlighting barriers and facilitators to care for PLWD based on the visit timeline (pre- ED), during the visit, and post-ED. Identified care gaps included limited primary care access and planning, issues with the ED environment and processes, poor communication on care, minimal care partner involvement in clinical decisions, and challenges in discharge transitions and follow-up. Facilitators included clinical details shared by care partners, improved care coordination, and active care partner support and engagement.
Investigators concluded that these findings could inform the development of dementia-friendly emergency departments by guiding policy, practices, and environmental modifications, with future research focusing on the feasibility and effectiveness of interventions targeted towards ED and primary care settings, with the critical engagement of care partners.
Source: emj.bmj.com/content/early/2025/01/09/emermed-2023-213869
