Impaired Awareness in People with Severe Alcohol-Related Cognitive Deficits Including Korskoff's Syndrome: A Network Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Impaired awareness of one's own functioning is highly common in people with Korsakoff's syndrome (KS). However, it is currently unclear how awareness relates to impairments in daily functioning and quality of life (QoL). METHODS: We assessed how impaired awareness relates to cognitive, behavioral, physical, and social functioning and QoL by applying a network analysis. We used cross-sectional data from 215 patients with KS or other severe alcohol-related cognitive deficits living in Dutch long-term care facilities (LTCFs). RESULTS: Apathy has the most central position in the network. Higher apathy scores relate positively to reduced cognition and to a greater decline in activities of daily living and negatively to social participation and the use of antipsychotic drugs. Impaired awareness is also a central node. It is positively related to a higher perceived QoL, reduced cognition and apathy, and negatively to social participation and length of stay in the LTCF. Mediated through apathy and social participation, impaired awareness is indirectly related to other neuropsychiatric symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Impaired awareness is closely related to other domains of daily functioning and QoL of people with KS or other severe alcohol-related cognitive deficits living in LTCFs. Apathy plays a central role. Network analysis offers interesting insights to evaluate the interconnection of different symptoms and impairments in brain disorders such as KS.

Parkinson rehabilitation in nursing homes: a qualitative exploration of the experiences of patients and caregivers.

PURPOSE: Worldwide, an increasing number of people are diagnosed with atypical Parkinsonism or idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). Periods of acute functional decline, triggered by acute disease, are common. Rehabilitation is often necessary to restore functioning. Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) in the Netherlands have developed evidence-based geriatric rehabilitation for Parkinson (GR-P) programs. However, data on the experiences and needs of patients and their caregivers are lacking. This study aims to address these, in order to propose recommendations for improvement. METHODS: We performed a qualitative study, using semi-structured interviews in two Dutch SNFs offering GR-P. Nine patients with PD and six informal caregivers were included. We subjected verbatim transcripts of 15 interviews to qualitative analysis. RESULTS: Data saturation was reached after 15 interviews. Three overarching themes emerged: (1) autonomy, (2) sharing information and (3) contact with others. Loss of autonomy was linked to the underlying disease and the rehabilitation environment itself. Patients and caregivers felt overwhelmed by events before and during rehabilitation, expressing a need to receive information and discuss prior experiences. They considered communication between hospitals and SNFs to be poor. Patients did not always appreciate contact with peers. Both patients and caregivers appreciated empathic healthcare personnel with a firm knowledge on PD. CONCLUSIONS: Autonomy, sharing information and contact with others are central themes for patients and caregivers during GR-P in SNFs. We recommend actively exploring these three central themes with every patient and caregiver entering a GR-P program and offering staff continuing education on PD, in order to improve care.