Quality of life of people with dementia in nursing homes

Abstract

This chapter summarizes the theoretical knowledge on quality of life (QoL) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people with dementia and its development. Based on this information, the principles of the measurement of dementia-specific QoL will be explained. The chapter will describe the following measurements which can be applied for the assessment of QoL or HRQoL of people with dementia in nursing homes: Activity and Affect Indicator Quality of Life (AAIQOL), Cornell-Brown Scale for Quality of Life in Dementia (CBS-QoL), Dementia Quality of Life questionnaire (DEMQOL & DEMQOL-proxy), Heidelberg instrument for the assessment of quality of life in dementia (H.I.L.DE), Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QoL-AD), Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease Nursing Home version (QoL-AD-NH), Quality of Life Assessment Schedule (QOLAS), Alzheimer Disease-Related Quality of Life (ADRQL), Dementia Care Mapping (DCM), Observing Quality of Life in Dementia (OQOLD), Observed Quality of Life in Dementia Advanced (OQOLDA), Quality of Life for Dementia (QoL-D), Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia Scale (QUALID), QUALIDEM, and Vienna List. Moreover, questions for the selection of the appropriate measurement will be recommended and associated factors with QoL of people with dementia are described. Finally, we summarize the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions targeting the maintenance or promotion of dementia-specific QoL.