Giving Voice to People with Dementia and Perspectives Regarding a Dementia-Friendly Society: A Synthesis of Qualitative Studies

• Main Authors: Alteren J, Johannessen A, Lyberg AM, Magnussen IL
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2023
• Subjects: approachable society; user involvement; decision-making; systematic review; qualitative re-search; person-centered culture; Medicine (General); R5-920; Norway; New Zealand; Vestfold; Johannessen; Molde; Tønsberg; Horten; Stokmarknes; Alteren
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/543c97df69844b95a4416fbd0afce572

Johanne Alteren,1 Aud Johannessen,2,3 Anne Marit Lyberg,2 Inger-Lise Magnussen4 1Faculty of Health Sciences and Social Care, Molde University College, Molde, Norway; 2Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, Horten, Norway; 3Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway; 4Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord University, Stokmarknes, NorwayCorrespondence: Johanne Alteren, Tel [phone], Fax [phone], Email [e-mail]: The World Health Organization [WHO] and governments worldwide envision the development of dementia-friendly societies that are based on a person-centered culture. A limited number of studies have described the features of dementia-friendly societies based on the viewpoints of people with dementia.Purpose: To synthesize qualitative empirical research that expands the knowledge of what people with dementia consider to be essential for daily living in a dementia-friendly society.Methods: The authors searched phrases in the databases AgeLine, CINAHL, EMBASE, MedLine, PsycINFO, PubMed, ORIA, SveMed+, and Cochrane Library. Research articles that involved people with dementia and were conducted in Western countries, written in English, published in peer-reviewed academic journals using qualitative methods, and published within the past decade were included. The research included was critically and systematically appraised using the critical appraisal skills program checklist for qualitative research, and the findings were analyzed according to Graneheim and Lundman’s method of qualitative content analysis.Results: Overall, 1122 records— 561 from 2019 and 561 from 2021—were identified through the search, and nine studies were included in the final synthesis. The studies included were from the United Kingdom (five studies), Australia (three studies), and New Zealand (one study). Through the analysis process, the following main theme emerged: giving voice to people with dementia, ...