Clinician and caregiver perspectives on managing dementia behaviors in hospice

Clinician and caregiver perspectives on managing dementia behaviors in hospice
Medpage Today; by Elethia W. Tillman; 7/25
New research reveals a gap in training and resources for managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in hospice settings, impacting both patient well-being and caregiver burden. Key points include:

• The authors explored hospice clinician and caregiver perspectives on behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and their management.
• BPSD are common and challenging, impacting both patient quality of life and caregiver burden.
• Non-pharmacological interventions were prioritized, but clinicians and caregivers often felt ill-equipped to implement them effectively, indicating the need for improved training and resources to address BPSD and support both patients and caregivers.

In a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Karolina Sadowska and colleagues explored the perspectives of hospice clinicians and caregivers regarding the challenging behavioral symptoms of dementia observed in a hospice setting... “To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating perceived challenges in behavioral symptom management and treatment outcomes among patients with dementia receiving hospice care.”