Prodromal or mild Alzheimer's disease: Influence of neuropsychiatric symptoms and premordid personality on caregivers' burden.

OBJECTIVE: In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the burden on caregivers is influenced by various factors, including the stage of disease progression and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). To date, there has been limited research examining how patient's premorbid personality could affect this burden. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of both premorbid personality and NPS in individuals with prodromal to mild AD on their caregivers' burden. METHOD: One hundred eighty participants with prodromal or mild AD drown from the PACO (in French: Personnalité Alzheimer COmportement) cohort were included. Personality was assessed by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R). Neuropsychiatric symptoms were measured with the short version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI-Q), and caregiver burden was evaluated with the Zarit burden scale. Relationships between personality, Neuro-Psychiatric Inventory (NPI) scores, and caregiver burden were determined using multivariate linear regressions controlled for age, sex, educational level, and Mini Mental State Examination. RESULTS: The total NPI score was related to increased burden (beta = 0.45; p < 0.001). High level of neuroticism (beta = 0.254; p = 0.003) et low level of conscientiousness (beta = - 0.233; p = 0.005) were associated higher burden. Extraversion (beta = -0.185; p = 0.027) and conscientiousness (beta = -0.35; p = 0.006) were negatively associated with burden. In contrast, neuroticism, openness and agreeableness were not correlated with burden. When adjusted on total NPI score, the relationship between extraversion and conscientiousness didn't persist. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that premorbid personality of patients with prodromal to mild Alzheimer influence caregivers's burden, with a protective effect of a high level of extraversion and conscientiousness.

Potential Impact of Slowing Disease Progression in Early Symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease on Patient Quality of Life, Caregiver Time, and Total Societal Costs: Estimates Based on Findings from GERAS-US Study.

Background: Impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression on patient health-related quality of life (HRQoL), caregiver time, and societal costs is not well characterized in early AD. Objective: To assess the association of change in cognition with HRQoL, caregiver time, and societal costs over 36 months, and estimate the impact of slowing disease progression on these outcomes. Methods: This post-hoc analysis included patients with amyloid-positive mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild AD dementia (MILD AD) from the 36-month GERAS-US study. Disease progression was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination score. Change in outcomes associated with slowing AD progression was estimated using coefficients from generalized linear models. Results: At baseline, 300 patients had MCI and 317 had MILD AD. Observed natural progression over 36 months was associated with: 5.1 point decline in the Bath Assessment of Subjective Quality of Life in Dementia (BASQID) score (for HRQoL), increase in 1,050 hours of total caregiver time, and $8,504 total societal costs for MCI; 6.6 point decline in the BASQID score, increase in 1,929 hours of total caregiver time, and $12,795 total societal costs for MILD AD per person. Slowing AD progression by 30% could result in per person savings in HRQoL decline, total caregiver time, and total societal costs: for MCI: 1.5 points, 315 hours, and $2,638; for MILD AD: 2.0 points, 579 hours, and $3,974. Conclusions: Slowing AD progression over 36 months could slow decline in HRQoL and save caregiver time and societal cost in patients with MCI and MILD AD.

Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scores Do Not Associate With Communication Challenges Reported by Adults With Alzheimer's Disease or Parkinson's Disease.

PURPOSES: Screening for cognitive-communication challenges in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or Parkinson's disease (PD) may benefit from multiple kinds of information about the client (e.g., patient-reported, performance-based). The purposes of this report are (a) to describe, using recently published score range descriptors (e.g., "mild," "moderate"), the patient-reported communication challenges of people with AD or PD using the Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB) and the Aphasia Communication Outcome Measure (ACOM); and (b) to examine the relationships between the performance-based Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a cognitive screener, and patient-reported CPIB and ACOM scores. METHOD: Participants were a convenience sample of 49 community-dwelling adults with AD or PD. Participants completed the measures in person as part of a larger assessment battery. RESULTS: MoCA total scores ranged from 7 to 28. CPIB T-scores fell in the following ranges: 31% were "within normal limits," 57% reflected "mildly" restricted participation, and 12% reflected "moderately" restricted participation. ACOM T-scores fell in the following ranges: 50% were either "within normal limits" or reflected "mild" impairment, 29% reflected "mild-moderately" impaired functional communication, and 21% reflected "moderately" impaired functional communication. There were only weak and nonsignificant correlations between T-scores on the ACOM or CPIB and scores on the MoCA, and there were no group differences on the ACOM or CPIB between individuals who screened positive versus negative on the MoCA. CONCLUSION: When screening individuals with AD or PD, patient-reported communication challenges seem to be complementary to information provided by the MoCA and perhaps most useful in screening for mild communication challenges.

Assessing Quality of Life, Economic Burden, and Independence Across the Alzheimer's Disease Continuum Using Patient-Caregiver Dyad Surveys.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have negative quality of life (QoL) and economic impacts on patients and their caregivers and may increase along the disease continuum from MCI to mild, moderate, and severe AD. Objective: To assess how patient and caregiver QoL, indirect and intangible costs are associated with MCI and AD severity. Methods: An on-line survey of physician-identified patient-caregiver dyads living in the United States was conducted from June-October 2022 and included questions to both patients and their caregivers. Dementia Quality of Life Proxy, the Care-related Quality of Life, Work Productivity and Activity Impairment, and Dependence scale were incorporated into the survey. Regression analyses investigated the association between disease severity and QoL and cost outcomes with adjustment for baseline characteristics. Results: One-hundred patient-caregiver dyads were assessed with the survey (MCI, n = 27; mild AD, n = 27; moderate AD, n = 25; severe AD, n = 21). Decreased QoL was found with worsening severity in patients (p < 0.01) and in unpaid (informal) caregivers (n = 79; p = 0.02). Dependence increased with disease severity (p < 0.01). Advanced disease severity was associated with higher costs to employers (p = 0.04), but not with indirect costs to caregivers. Patient and unpaid caregiver intangible costs increased with disease severity (p < 0.01). A significant trend of higher summed costs (indirect costs to caregivers, costs to employers, intangible costs to patients and caregivers) in more severe AD was observed (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Patient QoL and functional independence and unpaid caregiver QoL decrease as AD severity increases. Intangible costs to patients and summed costs increase with disease severity and are highest in severe AD.

Real World Financial Mismanagement in Alzheimer's Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Primary Progressive Aphasia.

Background: Whereas clinical experience in dementia indicates high risk for financial mismanagement, there has been little formal study of real world financial errors in dementia. Objective: We aimed to compare caregiver-reported financial mistakes among people with Alzheimer's disease, behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), and primary progressive aphasia (PPA). Methods: Caregivers reported whether participants with dementia had made financial mistakes within the last year; and if so, categorized these as resulting from: (a) being too trusting or gullible, (b) being wasteful or careless with money, or (c) trouble with memory. In a pre-registered analysis https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-vupj7-v1), we examined the hypotheses that (1) financial mistakes due to impaired socioemotional function and diminished sensitivity to negative outcomes are more prevalent in bvFTD than in Alzheimer's disease, and (2) financial mistakes due to memory are more prevalent in Alzheimer's disease than in bvFTD. Exploratory analyses addressed vulnerability in PPA and brain-behavior relationships using voxel-based morphometry. Results: Concordant with our first hypothesis, bvFTD was more strongly associated than Alzheimer's disease with mistakes due to being too trusting/gullible or wasteful/careless; contrary to our second hypothesis, both groups were similarly likely to make mistakes due to memory. No differences were found between Alzheimer's disease and PPA. Exploratory analyses indicated associations between financial errors and atrophy in right prefrontal and insular cortex. Conclusions: Our findings cohere with documented socioemotional and valuation impairments in bvFTD, and with research indicating comparable memory impairment between bvFTD and Alzheimer's disease.

Effects of home-based and telerehabilitation exercise on mental and physical health, and disease cost in people with Alzheimer's disease: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a very disabling long-term disease that requires continuous regular care. A cost-effective and sustainable means of such care may be physical activity or exercise delivered at home or through telerehabilitation. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of home-based or telerehabilitation exercise in people with AD. METHOD: PubMED, Embase, Web of Science (WoS), PEDro, and CENTRAL were searched for randomized controlled trials until January 2024. The data extracted include the characteristics of the participants, the interventions used for both experimental and the control groups, the baseline, post-intervention and follow-up mean and standard deviation values on the outcomes assessed and the findings of the included studies. Cochrane risks of bias assessment tool and PEDro scale were used to assess the risks of bias and methodological quality of the studies. The results were analyzed using narrative and quantitative syntheses. RESULT: Eleven articles from nine studies (n=550) were included in the study. The results showed that, only global cognitive function (SMD = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.19-1.25, p=0.007), neuropsychiatric symptom (MD = -5.28, 95% CI =-6.22 to -4.34, p<0.0001) and ADL (SMD =3.12, 95% CI =0.11-6.13, p=0.04) improved significantly higher in the experimental group post-intervention. At follow-up, the significant difference was maintained only in neuropsychiatric symptoms (MD =-6.20, 95% CI =-7.17 to -5.23, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: There is a low evidence on the effects of home-based physical activity or exercise on global cognitive function, neuropsychiatric symptoms and ADL.

[Process Approach in Memory Assessment of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment:A Review].

The process approach,a set of analytical methods used in neuropsychology,quantifies the word-list learning tests and conventional analytical methods and fully reflects the memory profile of the subject.Therefore,it is widely used in the memory assessment of patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD)and mild cognitive impairment(MCI).The common indices of process approach,such as learning slope,semantic clustering,serial position effects,discriminability,and response bias,are key components of memory assessment.This article reviews the application of common indices of process approach in memory assessment of AD and MCI patients and discusses the shortcomings and future research directions of process approach.

Cumulative Anticholinergic Burden and its Predictors among Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease Initiating Cholinesterase Inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Cumulative anticholinergic burden refers to the cumulative effect of multiple medications with anticholinergic properties. However, concomitant use of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) and anticholinergic burden can nullify the benefit of the treatment and worsen Alzheimer's disease (AD). A literature gap exists regarding the extent of the cumulative anticholinergic burden and associated risk factors in AD. Therefore, this study evaluated the prevalence and predictors of cumulative anticholinergic burden among patients with AD initiating ChEIs. METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted using the Medicare claims data involving parts A, B, and D from 2013 to 2017. The study sample included older adults (65 years and older) diagnosed with AD and initiating ChEIs (donepezil, rivastigmine, or galantamine). The cumulative anticholinergic burden was calculated based on the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden scale and patient-specific dosing using the defined daily dose over the 1 year follow-up period after ChEI initiation. Incremental anticholinergic burden levels were dichotomized into moderate-high (sum of standardized daily anticholinergic exposure over a year (TSDD) score ≥ 90) versus low-no (score 0-89). The Andersen Behavioral Model was used as the conceptual framework for selecting the predictors under the predisposing, enabling, and need categories. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to evaluate the predictors of high-moderate versus low-no cumulative anticholinergic burden. A multinomial logistic regression model was also used to determine the factors associated with patients having moderate and high burdens compared to low/no burdens. RESULTS: The study included 222,064 older adults with AD with incident ChEI use (mean age 82.24 ± 7.29, 68.9% females, 83.6% White). Overall, 80.48% had some anticholinergic burden during the follow-up, with 36.26% patients with moderate (TSDD scores 90-499), followed by 24.76% high (TSDD score > 500), and 19.46% with low (TSDD score 1-89) burden categories. Predisposing factors such as age; African American, Asian, or Hispanic race; and need factors included comorbidities such as dyslipidemia, syncope, delirium, fracture, pneumonia, epilepsy, and claims-based frailty index were less likely to be associated with the moderate-high anticholinergic burden. The factors that increased the odds of moderate-high burden were predisposing factors such as female sex; enabling factors such as dual eligibility and diagnosis year; and need factors such as baseline burden, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, depression, insomnia, urinary incontinence, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, muscle spasm, gastroesophageal reflux disease, heart failure, and dysrhythmia. Most of these findings remained consistent with multinomial logistic regression.  CONCLUSION: Four out of five older adults with AD had some level of anticholinergic burden, with over 60% having moderate-high anticholinergic burden. Several predisposing, enabling, and need factors were associated with the cumulative anticholinergic burden. The study findings suggest a critical need to minimize the cumulative anticholinergic burden to improve AD care.

Burden and quality of life of family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients: the role of forgiveness as a coping strategy.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the variables that  were associated, contributed and moderated quality of life (QoL) and burden in family caregivers. METHODS: A total of 130 participants were evaluated using the following instruments: Depression, Anxiety and Distress Scale; Index of Family Relations; Heartland Forgiveness Scale; Burden Interview Scale; Short Form Health Survey. RESULTS: Being a younger caregiver, less distress, better family relationships and greater use of forgiveness were associated with more QoL. Also, family caregivers who chosethe caregiving role, less distress, better family relationships and greater use of forgiveness showed lower levels of burden. Age, distress and forgiveness contributed to QoL. In turn, the choice to become a family caregiver, distress, and forgiveness contributed to burden. Forgiveness played a moderating role in the relationship between family relationships and burden. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, there is a need to intervene in older family caregivers, particularly those who did not choose to become a caregiver, who report greater distress, have worse family relationships, and display less use of forgiveness, in order to decrease their burden and promote QoL.

Shortening the Alzheimer's disease assessment scale cognitive subscale.

BACKGROUND: A short yet reliable cognitive measure is needed that separates treatment and placebo for treatment trials for Alzheimer's disease. Hence, we aimed to shorten the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) and test its use as an efficacy measure. METHODS: Secondary data analysis of participant-level data from five pivotal clinical trials of donepezil compared with placebo for Alzheimer's disease (N = 2,198). Across all five trials, cognition was appraised using the original 11-item ADAS-Cog. Statistical analysis consisted of sample characterization, item response theory (IRT) to identify an ADAS-Cog short version, and mixed models for repeated-measures analysis to examine the effect sizes of ADAS-Cog change on the original and short versions in the placebo versus donepezil groups. RESULTS: Based on IRT, a short ADAS-Cog was developed with seven items and two response options. The original and short ADAS-Cog correlated at baseline and at weeks 12 and 24 at 0.7. Effect sizes based on mixed modeling showed that the short and original ADAS-Cog separated placebo and donepezil comparably (ADAS-Cog original ES = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.29, 0.40, ADAS-Cog short ES = 0.25, 95% CI =0.23, 0.34). CONCLUSIONS: IRT identified a short ADAS-cog version that separated donepezil and placebo, suggesting its clinical potential for assessment and treatment monitoring.

Assessment of Efficacy and Safety of Zagotenemab: Results From PERISCOPE-ALZ, a Phase 2 Study in Early Symptomatic Alzheimer Disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Zagotenemab (LY3303560), a monoclonal antibody that preferentially targets misfolded, extracellular, aggregated tau, was assessed in the PERISCOPE-ALZ phase 2 study to determine its ability to slow cognitive and functional decline relative to placebo in early symptomatic Alzheimer disease (AD). METHODS: Participants were enrolled across 56 sites in North America and Japan. Key eligibility criteria included age of 60-85 years, Mini-Mental State Examination score of 20-28, and intermediate levels of brain tau on PET imaging. In this double-blind study, participants were equally randomized to 1,400 mg or 5,600 mg of zagotenemab, or placebo (IV infusion every 4 weeks for 100 weeks). The primary outcome was change on the Integrated AD Rating Scale (iADRS) assessed by a Bayesian Disease Progression model. Secondary measures include mixed model repeated measures analysis of additional cognitive and functional endpoints as well as biomarkers of AD pathology. RESULTS: A total of 360 participants (mean age = 75.4 years; female = 52.8%) were randomized, and 218 completed the treatment period. Demographics and baseline characteristics were reasonably balanced among arms. The mean disease progression ratio (proportional decline in the treated vs placebo group) with 95% credible intervals for the iADRS was 1.10 (0.959-1.265) for the zagotenemab low-dose group and 1.05 (0.907-1.209) for the high-dose, where a ratio less than 1 favors the treatment group. Secondary clinical endpoint measures failed to show a drug-placebo difference in favor of zagotenemab. No treatment effect was demonstrated by flortaucipir PET, volumetric MRI, or neurofilament light chain (NfL) analyses. A dose-related increase in plasma phosphorylated tau181 and total tau was demonstrated. Zagotenemab treatment groups reported a higher incidence of adverse events (AEs) (85.1%) compared with the placebo group (74.6%). This difference was not attributable to any specific AE or category of AEs. DISCUSSION: In participants with early symptomatic AD, zagotenemab failed to achieve significant slowing of clinical disease progression compared with placebo. Imaging biomarker and plasma NfL findings did not show evidence of pharmacodynamic activity or disease modification. TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03518073. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that for patients with early symptomatic AD, zagotenemab does not slow clinical disease progression.

Assessment of Language Function in Older Mandarin-Speaking Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment using Multifaceted Language Tests.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), especially for those with multidomain cognitive deficits, should be clinically examined for determining risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. English-speakers with aMCI exhibit language impairments mostly at the lexical-semantic level. Given that the language processing of Mandarin Chinese is different from that of alphabetic languages, whether previous findings for English-speakers with aMCI can be generalized to Mandarin Chinese speakers with aMCI remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the multifaceted language functions of Mandarin Chinese speakers with aMCI and compared them with those without cognitive impairment by using a newly developed language test battery. METHODS: Twenty-three individuals with aMCI and 29 individuals without cognitive impairment were recruited. The new language test battery comprises five language domains (oral production, auditory and reading comprehension, reading aloud, repetition, and writing). RESULTS: Compared with the controls, the individuals with aMCI exhibited poorer performance in the oral production and auditory and reading comprehension domains, especially on tests involving effortful lexical and semantic processing. Moreover, the aMCI group made more semantic naming errors compared with their counterparts and tended to experience difficulty in processing items belonging to the categories of living objects. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern identified in the present study is similar to that of English-speaking individuals with aMCI across multiple language domains. Incorporating language tests involving lexical and semantic processing into clinical practice is essential and can help identify early language dysfunction in Mandarin Chinese speakers with aMCI.

Successful Discharge to Community From Home Health Less Likely for People in Late Stages of Dementia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Several studies have established the efficacy of home health in meeting the health care needs of people with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) and helping them to remain at home. However, transitioning to the community after discharge from home health presents challenges to patient safety and quality of life. The severity of an individual's functional impairments, cognitive limitations, and behavioral and psychological symptoms may compound these challenges. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between dementia severity and successful discharge to community (DTC) from home health. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 142 376 Medicare beneficiaries with ADRD. Successful DTC was defined as having no unplanned hospitalization or death within 30 days of DTC from home health. Successful DTC rates were calculated, and multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate the relative risk (RR) of successful DTC, by dementia severity category, adjusted for patient and clinical characteristics. Six dementia severity categories were identified using a crosswalk between items on the Outcome and Assessment Information Set and the Functional Assessment Staging Tool. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Successful DTC occurred in 71.2% of beneficiaries. Beneficiaries in the 2 most severe dementia categories had significantly lower risk of successful DTC (category 6: RR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.889-0.910; category 7: RR = 0.737, 95% CI = 0.704-0.770) than those in the least severe dementia category. The RR of successful DTC for people with ADRD decreased as the level of independence with oral medication management decreased and when there was an overall greater need for caregiver assistance. CONCLUSIONS: Patient status at the time of admission to home health is associated with outcomes after discharge from home health. Early identification of people in advanced stages of ADRD provides an opportunity to implement strategies to facilitate successful DTC while people are still receiving home care services. The severity of ADRD and availability of caregiver assistance should be key considerations in planning for successful DTC for people with ADRD.

Modos de cuidar negociados no encontro da enfermeira com familiares cuidadores de idosos com Alzheimer / Ways of caring negotiated on the meeting between the nurse and family caretakers of elderly with Alzheimer disease

O objeto de estudo centra-se na re(construção) de modos de cuidar do idoso com doença de Alzheimer negociados com familiares-cuidadores inseridos em um Centro Dia. Teve como objetivos: desvelar saberes de experiência feitas construídos por familiares-cuidadores no cotidiano de cuidar de idosos com doença de Alzheimer em casa e no Centro Dia; discutir necessidades e demandas de cuidado a estes idosos; negociar modos de cuidar de idosos com doença de Alzheimer fundamentados nos saberes de experiências feitas, necessidades e demandas trazidas pelos cuidadores-familiares e nas evidências e práticas científicas. A perspectiva teórica foi orientada na educação libertária freiriana, aplicada à pedagogia em saúde; no conceito semiótico de cultura amparado na antropologia crítica de Geertz; e na tipologia de cuidados para promover a vida, segundo Collière. Pesquisa do tipo qualitativo, na modalidade Pesquisa-Ação, desenvolvida no Centro de Atendimento para pessoas Idosas com Alzheimer e Familiares ­ Centro Dia Synval Santos, localizado no município de Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro, com a participação de vinte familiares-cuidadores de usuários desta instituição. Os dados foram produzidos através de entrevista estruturada individual, com uso de formulário de caracterização dos participantes; emprego dos métodos criativo-sensível, rodas de conversa e observação participante; organizados e analisados com base na Análise Crítica do Discurso. Os aspectos éticos foram atendidos de acordo com o previsto na Resolução 466/2012. Os resultados revelaram que as práticas discursivas dos familiares- cuidadores se sustentam em saberes e experiências de cuidado no contexto domiciliar, comunitário e institucional, e se fundam na significação cultural da doença, em saberes comuns e em práticas científicas. Os participantes assumem diferentes tipos de cuidado, sendo por eles tipologizados como: missão, cotidianos e habituais de manutenção da vida, afetivos, com base na fé, como ato de reciprocidade. As necessidades e demandas trazidas pelos familiares, como redes de apoio e solidariedade; acesso às informações; elaboração de políticas públicas alusivas às especificidades do idoso com Alzheimer carece de respostas e resolutividade imediatas. O impacto da falta de resolutividade das políticas públicas existentes no campo da saúde do idoso, particularmente o que apresenta algum grau de demência, que possam garantir oportunidades e estratégias que o representem, afeta a qualidade de vida dos idosos e de seus familiares-cuidadores, com repercussões à saúde de ambos. A ausência de espaços, onde estes familiares possam trocar experiências e discutir aspectos relacionados à convivência com a doença e o doente, exacerba situações de conflito diante o cuidado requerido; afeta física, psicológica, social e espiritualmente os envolvidos neste processo. Assim, a Tese defendida sustenta que o diálogo intercultural possibilitado pela criação de um espaço participativo de investigação e ação, tecido na interação e na negociação coletivas, é capaz de deslocar o poder da cultura científica, trazendo o poder dos cuidadores-familiares na re(construção) de modos de cuidar do idoso com doença de Alzheimer. Recomenda-se ações intersetoriais e participativas entre usuários e seus familiares, equipe interdisciplinar, pesquisadores, gestores e membros da sociedade civil.

The study object is the re(construction) of ways of caring the elderly with Alzheimer disease negotiated with family caretakers inserted in a Day Center. It aimed: to unveil experience knowledge constructed by family caretakers in the daily life of caring for the elderly with Alzheimer disease at home and at the Day Center; to discuss needs and care demands of this elderly; to negotiate ways of caring of the elderly with Alzheimer disease based on experience knowledge, needs and demands brought by family caretakers and in scientific evidence and practice. Theoretical perspective was oriented by Freire's libertarian education, applied to health's pedagogy; and in the semiotic concept of culture protected by Geertz critical antropology; and in care typology to promote life, according Collière. Qualitative research, in the Action-Research modality, developed in the Care Center for Elderly with Alzheimer and their Family Members - Day Center Synval Santos, located in the city of Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro, with the participation of twenty family caretakers of this institution's users. Data were produced through individual semistructured interview with the use of participant's characterization form; employment of the creative-sensitive methods, conversation circles and participant observation; organized and analyzed based on Critical Discourse Analysis. Ethical Aspects were met according the Resolution 466/2012. Results revealed that discoursive practices of family caretakers were sustained in care knolwedge and experiences in the contexts of home, community and institutional, and merge themselves on the disease's cultural meaning, in common sense and scientific practices. Participants take on different types of care, being typologized as: mission, quotidian and usual maintenance of life, affective, based on faith, as an act of reciprocity. Needs and demands brought by family members, such as support and solidarity network; access to information; and elaboration of public policies alusive to especificidades of the elderly with Alzheimer disease, lack immediate answers and resolveness. The impact of lack of resolutiveness of existing public policies in the elderly's health field, particularly those who present a degree of dementia, that can guarantee opportunities and strategies that represent them, affects the quality of the elderly and the family caretakers, with repercussions to the health of both. The absense of spaces where family members can exchange experiences and discuss aspects related to coexisting with the illness and the ill, exacerbates conflict situations before the required care; affects physical, psychological, social and spiritually those involved in the process. Thus, the Theses defended sustains that the intercultural dialogue enabled by the creation of a participative investigation and action space, weaved in collective interaction and negotiation, is capable of displace the power of scientific culture, bringing family caretaker's power on re(construction) of ways of caring for the elderly with Alzheimer disease. Intersectoral and participatory actions among users and their families, interdisciplinary team, researchers, managers and members of civil society are recommended.

L'objet de l'étude est centré sur la construction des soignants de personnes âgées atteints de la maladie d'Alzheimer négociés avec les aidants familiaux insérés dans un centre de soins de jour. Il avait pour objectifs: de dévoiler les connaissances acquises par les aidants familiaux dans la prise en charge quotidienne des personnes âgées atteintes de la maladie d'Alzheimer à domicile et au centre de jour; discuter des besoins et des demandes de soins de ces personnes âgées; négocier des façons de prendre soin des personnes âgées atteintes de la maladie d'Alzheimer en se fondant sur la connaissance des expériences faites, des besoins et des demandes des aidants naturels et sur les preuves et les pratiques scientifiques. La perspective théorique était orientée vers l'éducation libertaire freirienne, appliqué à la pédagogie de la santé; dans le concept sémiotique de la culture basé sur l'anthropologie critique de Geertz et dans la typologie des soins pour promouvoir la vie, selon Collière. Recherche de type qualitatif, dans la modalité Recherche-Action, développée dans le Centre d'Attention aux Personnes Agées atteintes d'Alzheimer et de leurs proches - Centre Jour Synval Santos, situé dans la ville de Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro, avec la participation de vingt proches aidants des usagers de cette institution. Les données ont été produites à travers une interview structurée individuelle, en utilisant le formulaire de caractérisation du participant; l'emploi de méthodes créatives sensibles, rondes de discussion et observation participante; organisé et analysé en fonction de l'Analyse Critique du Discours. Les aspects éthiques ont été respectés conformément aux dispositions de la Résolution 466/2012. Les résultats ont révélé que les pratiques discursives des aidants familiaux sont fondées sur les connaissances et les expériences de soins dans le contexte familial, communautaire et institutionnel, et sont basés sur l'importance culturelle de la maladie, du savoir commun et des pratiques scientifiques. Les participants prennent différents types de soins, étant typologisé par eux comme: mission, habituel et quotidien de maintien de la vie, affectif, basé sur la foi, comme acte de réciprocité. Les besoins et les demandes des membres de la famille, réseaux de soutien et de solidarité, accès à l'information; et l'élaboration de politiques publiques concernant les spécificités des personnes âgées atteintes d'Alzheimer, elles manquent de réponses et de résolution immédiates. L'impact du manque de rationalité des politiques publiques dans le domaine de la santé des personnes âgées, en particulier ceux qui ont un certain degré de démence, qui peut garantir des opportunités et des stratégies qui leurs représentent, affecte la qualité de leurs aînés et de leurs proches aidants, avec des répercussions sur la santé des deux. L'absence d'espaces où ces proches peuvent échanger des expériences et discuter des aspects liés à la vie avec la maladie et le patient, elle exacerbe les situations de conflit avec les soins requis; affecte physiquement, psychologiquement, socialement et spirituellement les personnes impliquées dans ce processus. Ainsi, la thèse défendue soutient que le dialogue interculturel rendu possible par la création d'un espace participatif d'investigation et d'action, tissé dans l'interaction collective et la négociation, est capable de déplacer la puissance de la culture scientifique, en train d'amener le pouvoir des aidants familiaux dans la (re)construction des soins des personnes âgées atteintes de la maladie d'Alzheimer. Des actions intersectorielles et participatives sont recommandées parmi les utilisateurs et leurs familles, équipe interdisciplinaire, chercheurs, gestionnaires et membres de la société civile.

Complex educational and care (geron)technology for elderly individuals/families experiencing Alzheimer's disease / (Geronto)tecnología cuidadora-educacional compleja para personas ancianas/familias con la enfermedad de Alzheimer / (Geronto)tecnologia cuidativo-educacional complexa para pessoas idosas/famílias com a doença de Alzheimer

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the contributions of the Integrated Multidisciplinary Care Group for Caregivers of Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease as an educational and care (geron)technology in the context of Alzheimer's disease in elderly individuals from the perspective of family members/caregivers. Method: Exploratory, descriptive study with a qualitative approach conducted with 13 family members/caregivers of elderly people participating in the support group of a university institution of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Data collected between January and April 2016 through a semi-structured interview were submitted to discursive textual analysis. Results: Family members/caregivers pointed out education and care as contributions of the group; education for care and for the future; exchange, socialization, and development of knowledge through the range of knowledge existing in the Group. Conclusion: The Group contributes as a (geron)technology of care and education for care in which knowledge is built and applied in practice, supporting the experienced disorders and improving the quality of care provided for elderly individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Describir las contribuciones del Grupo de Atención Multidisciplinaria Integrada a Cuidadores de Personas con Enfermedad de Alzheimer como (geronto)tecnología cuidadora-educacional en el contexto de la Enfermedad de Alzheimer en ancianos, en la visión de familiares/cuidadores. Método: Investigación exploratorio-descriptiva, cualitativa, realizada con 13 familiares/cuidadores de ancianos, participantes del grupo de apoyo de una institución universitaria de Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Datos recolectados de enero a abril/2016, mediante entrevista semiestructurada, sometidos a análisis textual discursivo. Resultados: Los familiares/cuidadores mencionaron como contribuciones de Grupo la educación y el cuidado; la educación para el cuidado y para el futuro; el intercambio, socialización y construcción del conocimiento mediante los diversos saberes existentes en el Grupo. Conclusión: El Grupo contribuye como (geronto)tecnología de cuidado y educación para el cuidado; en él se construyen conocimientos que, aplicados en la práctica, colabora en los desórdenes experimentados, mejorando el cuidado al anciano con Enfermedad de Alzheimer.

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever as contribuições do Grupo de Assistência Multidisciplinar Integrada aos Cuidadores de Pessoas com a Doença de Alzheimer como (geronto)tecnologia cuidativo-educacional no contexto da doença de Alzheimer em pessoas idosas, na perspectiva de familiares/cuidadores. Método: Pesquisa exploratório-descritiva, qualitativa, realizada com 13 familiares/cuidadores de pessoas idosas, participantes do grupo de apoio de uma instituição universitária do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Os dados coletados entre janeiro a abril/2016, com uma entrevista semiestruturada, foram submetidos à análise textual discursiva. Resultados: Os familiares/cuidadores referiram como contribuições do Grupo a educação e o cuidado; a educação para o cuidado e para o futuro; a troca, socialização e construção do conhecimento por meio dos diversos saberes existentes no Grupo. Conclusão: O Grupo contribui como (geronto)tecnologia de cuidado e educação para o cuidado; nele, são construídos conhecimentos que, aplicados na prática, auxiliam nas desordens vivenciadas, melhorando o cuidado à pessoa idosa com doença de Alzheimer.

Idosos com doença de Alzheimer: como vivem e percebem a atenção na estratégia saúde da família / Ancianos con la enfermedad de Alzheimer: cómo vivir y como darse cuenta de atención en la estrategia salud de la família / Elderly with alzheimer’s disease: how they live and notice the attentionin the health strategy of the family

Objective: Understand how seniors live with Alzheimer’s and their perceptions about the actions of the health strategy of the family (FHS). Methods: Exploratory and descriptive study, conducted with ten seniors who agreed to give information. Two forms were used for the evaluation, the index of Katz and the Mini Mental State Examination. Approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the grape with the opinion nº 608,721. Results: The elderly were mostly female, married and illiterate. Had cognitive impairment and some were independent in practice of daily life activities. There are weaknesses in the adaptation of households, but they notice the efforts of their relatives in the space adjustment. The elderly demonstrated satisfaction regarding the attention on ESF. Conclusion: Infer the importance of improving the condition of life, independence and autonomy of the elderly.

Objetivo: Compreender como vivem os idosos com Alzheimer e as suas percepções sobre as ações da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF). Métodos: Estudo exploratório-descritivo realizado com dez idosos que concordaram em dar informações. Utilizou-se dois formulários para a avaliação, o Índice de Katz e Mini Exame do Estado Mental. Aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da UVA com o parecer nº 608.721. Resultados: Os idosos eram, em sua maioria, do sexo feminino, casados e analfabetos. Apresentavam comprometimento cognitivo e alguns eram independentes na prática das atividades da vida diária. Existem fragilidades na adaptação dos domicílios, porém percebem-se esforços dos familiares no ajuste do espaço. Os idosos demonstraram relativa satisfação quanto à atenção dispensada na ESF. Conclusão: Infere-se a importância de um cuidado que potencialize a melhoria da condição de vida, independência e autonomia do idoso.

Objetivo: Comprender cómo viven los ancianos Alzheimer y sus percepciones sobre las acciones de la Estrategia de Salud de la Familia (ESF). Métodos: Estudio exploratorio descriptivo, realizado con diez ancianos que accedió a dar información. Utiliza dos formas para la evaluación, el Índice de Katz y el Mini Examen del Estado Mental. Aprobado en Comité de Ética con la opinión n° 608.721. Resultados: Los ancianos eran en su mayoría mujeres, casadas y analfabetos. Tenían deterioro cognitivo y eran independientes en la práctica de actividades diarias. Existen deficiencias en la adaptación de los hogares, pero se da cuenta de los esfuerzos de los familiares en el ajuste de espacio. Los ancianos demostraron satisfacción con respecto a la atención en ESF. Conclusión: Inferir la importancia de un cuidado es a influencia para mejorar las condiciones de vida, la independencia y autonomía de las personas mayores.

Avaliação neuropsicológica na doença Alzheimer e demência frontotemporal: critérios nosológicos / Neuropsychological assessment in Alzheimer disease and frontotemporal dementia: nosological criteria

A Doença de Alzheimer (DA) e a Demência Frontotemporal (DFT) são manifestações frequentemente observadas na prática clínica em avaliação neuropsicológica no idoso. Contudo, a similaridade dessas manifestações impõe uma dificuldade para estabelecer quais são os critérios diagnósticos diferenciais. O objetivo deste artigo é descrever os principais critérios nosológicos para a DA e para a DFT. A neurofisiopatologia é um marcador evidente nessa distinção. Uma plena compreensão nosológica nos distintos quadros demências é importante para a avaliação neuropsicológica

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) are clinical symptoms often observed in practice in neuropsychological assessment in the elderly. However, the similarity of these events represents a difficulty to establish which would be the differential diagnostic criteria. The purpose of this article is to describe the main nosologic criteria for AD and FTD. The neuropathophysiology is a clear marker of this distinction. The nosological understanding of the different characteristics of dementia subtypes is important for neuropsychological assessment

Ensino de habilidades no uso de dinheiro a idoso com perda de memória por meio de relações condicionais e equivalência / Teaching money skills to an elderly with memory loss through conditional relations and equivalence

Objetivou-se avaliar e ensinar habilidades no uso de dinheiro a uma participante de 86 anos, com Alzheimer. Os estímulos foram numerais ditados (A), valor monetário ditado (A’), numerais impressos (B), figuras das notas (C), notas (C’), composições (D), nomeação (E), figuras das moedas (F), moedas (F’). Testaram-se BB, AB, A’C, CB, BC, DB, BD, BE, CE, CC’, A’C’, C’E, A’F, A’F’, FF’, BF, FB, FE e F’E. A participante apresentou de 80% a 100% de acertos, excetuando-se FE e F’E com 20%, que foram ensinadas. Testes finais documentaram relações simétricas e transitivas e generalização para tarefas de compra em ambiente social. Ainda, contribuiu para a formulação de um conjunto de testes que verificam a capacidade financeira de idosos com Alzheimer

The objective was to assess and teach monetary skills to an elderly woman of 86 years with Alzheimer. The stimuli were dictated numerals (A), dictated monetary value (A '), printed numerals (B), figures of notes (C), notes (C’), combinations (D), naming (E), pictures of coins (F), coins (F). Relations BB, AB, A’C, CB, BC, DB, BD, BE, CE, CC’, A’C, C’E, A’F, FF’, BF, FB, FE, F’E were tested. The participant showed 80% to 100% correct responses, except for FE and F'E with 20% which have been taught. Final tests documented transitive and symmetrical relations and generalization for purchasing tasks in a social environment. Also contributes to the formulation of a set of tests that verify the financial capacity of Alzheimer patients

The assessment and management of pain in the demented and non-demented elderly patient / Avaliação e manejo da dor em pacientes idosos com e sem demência

Persistent pain is a frequent health problem in the elderly. Its prevalence ranges from 45 percent to 80 percent. Chronic diseases, such as depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis have a higher prevalence in aged individuals and increase the risk of developing chronic pain. The presence of pain is known to be associated with sleep disorders in these patients, as well as functional impairment, decreased sociability and greater use of the health system, with consequent increase in costs. Alzheimer's disease patients seem to have a normal pain discriminative capacity and they may probably have weaker emotional and affective experience of pain when compared to other types of dementia. Many patients have language deficits and thus cannot properly describe its characteristics. In more advanced cases, it becomes even difficult to determine whether pain is present or not. Therefore, the evaluation of these patients should be performed in a systematic way. There are three ways to measure the presence of pain: by direct questioning (self-report), by direct behavioral observation and by interviews with caregivers or informants. In recent years, many pain scales and questionnaires have been published and validated specifically for the elderly population. Some are specific to patients with cognitive decline, allowing pain evaluation to be conducted in a structured and reproducible way. The next step is to determine the type of painful syndrome and discuss the bases of the pharmacological management, the use of multiple medications and the presence of comorbidities demand the use of smaller doses and impose contra-indications against some drug classes. A multiprofessional approach is the rule in the management of these patients.

Dor persistente é um problema de saúde frequente no idoso e sua prevalência varia de 45 a 80 por cento. Doenças crônicas, como depressão, distúrbios cardiovasculares, câncer e osteoporose tem alta prevalência em indivíduos idosos e aumentam o risco de desenvolver dor crônica. Nestes indivíduos, a presença de dor está associada a distúrbios do sono, prejuízo funcional, diminuição da sociabilidade e maior procura dos serviços de saúde, com o consequente aumento dos custos de saúde. Pacientes com Alzheimer têm uma capacidade discriminativa dolorosa normal e uma experiência afetiva e emocional da dor mais atenuada quando comparados com outros tipos de demência. Muitos pacientes têm déficits de linguagem e não podem descrever adequadamente as características de sua dor. Em casos avançados, torna-se difícil determinar se a dor está realmente presente ou não. Desta forma, a avaliação destes doentes deve ser realizada de forma sistemática. Há três formas de se avaliar a dor: questionários diretos, observação direta do comportamento ou entrevistas diretas com os cuidadores ou informantes. Nos últimos anos muitas escalas e questionários para dor foram publicados e validados especificamente para a população idosa. Alguns são específicos para pacientes com declínio cognitivo, permitindo que a evolução da dor possa ser conduzida de uma forma estruturada e reprodutível. O passo seguinte é se determinar o tipo de síndrome dolorosa e se discutir as bases do manejo farmacológico. O uso de múltiplas medicações e a presença de comorbidades exige o uso de pequenas doses e impõem contra-indicações para algumas classes de drogas. A abordagem multidisciplinar é a regra no seguimento a longo prazo destes doentes.

Estudos de adaptação do montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) para a população portuguesa / Adaptation studies of the montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) to the portuguese population

O Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) é um instrumento de rastreio cognitivo mais sensivel que o Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) aos estádios mais ligeiros de declínio, nomeadamente ao Défice Cognitivo Ligeiro (DCL), que frequentemente progride para Demência. Este trabalho descreve as etapas do processo de adaptação transcultural do MoCA para a população portuguesa e analisa a equivalência entre a versão original e a versão final portuguesa. O processo envolveu a tradução, retroversão, aperfeiçoamento linguístico do instrumento e manual, estudos com a versão experimental, revisão e ajustamento necessários para finalizar a versão portuguesa, e análise da equivalência com a original. Os estudos realizados evidenciaram as boas proriedades psicométricas dos resultados com a versão portuguesa do MoCA, a sua validade, utilidade clínica e equivalência com a prova original, nos diversos níveis considerados. O MoCA é um instrumento privilegiado na detecção precoce do declínio cognitivo e está convenientemente adaptado para a população portuguesa.

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a cognitive screening instrument with greater sensitivity than the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) to milder stages of cognitive decline, especially to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), which often progress do Dementia. This paper describes the stages of cultural adaptation of MoCA to the Portuguese population and analyzes the equivalence between the original and the Portuguese final version. The process involved translation, linguistic improvement of the instrument and manual, studies with the experimental version, revision and adjustments required to finalize the Portuguese version, and analysis of equivalence to the original version. Studies corroborate MoCA's good psychometric properties, its validity, clinical utility, and equivalence to the original instrument in various levels considered. The MoCA is a privileged instrument for early detection of cognitive decline that is properley adapted to the Portuguese population.