Successful case management—also referred to as care management—with needs-based care can delay the move of people with dementia into a nursing home. This is the conclusion reached by three of our colleagues at the Interdisciplinary Center for Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Public Health (IZPH) at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. The publication was published in June 2023 in the renowned journal “Das Gesundheitswesen.” We heartily congratulate them on their latest publication.
Most people with dementia wish to live at home in their familiar surroundings for as long as possible, where they are also usually cared for by family and loved ones. However, as dementia progresses, the caregiving task and thus the burden of care also increase. „The promotion of home care arrangements is therefore becoming increasingly important. Support services can help to preserve life at home for as long as possible,“ write the researchers.
Better quality of care
Case Management (CM) can play an important role in this. This means sustainably coordinating care services for people with dementia and tailoring them to individual needs. „In this way, there is not only the potential to improve the quality of care for people with dementia,“ the study states, "but also to relieve the burden on caregivers and relatives.".
In their study, the researchers analyzed data from six so-called randomized controlled trials from Germany, the USA, the Netherlands, France, and China. This type of study is considered the gold standard in clinical research. It is the only one that allows for reliable statements to be made about the effectiveness of treatments, measures, and new medications.
The study participants include people with a medical diagnosis of dementia, a suspected dementia condition, or with diagnostic criteria for a cognitive impairment not otherwise specified. The age of the study participants ranged from 68 to 84 years, and most surveys recorded a higher proportion of women.
Analysis of the effects of case management
The scientists compared the effects of case management on the timing of when people with dementia move into a nursing home. The result: CM approaches can extend the stay of people with dementia in their own homes and thus accommodate the desire of older people to live in their own homes for as long as possible. The extent to which residential care can be delayed can depend on various factors, such as the number of patients per professional and the qualifications of the „case managers.“.
The scientists at Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg therefore advocate for the further establishment and evaluation of case management approaches. They advise: „During the planning, implementation, and evaluation of CM approaches in care chains, barriers and opportunities for sustainable implementation should be considered from the outset.“
Tip for practice: When caring for a person with dementia, make use of the services offered by case managers in your municipality or region. Case management can help you navigate the wide variety of support services available, thereby achieving high care continuity throughout the course of the dementia illness.
Here is the link to the study:
