Novel Approaches to Dementia Research and Care

A Special Issue of Geriatrics (ISSN 2308-3417) belonging to the section "Geriatric Psychiatry and Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 1520

Editors


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Guest Editor
Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory, School of Medicine and Biosciences, University of West London, London, UK
Interests: development, evaluation, and implementation of innovative psychosocial interventions for people living with dementia and their families; innovative approaches; multisensory-based interventions; olfactory stimulation/training; co-production; creative methodological approaches

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Guest Editor
Centre for Research in Public Health and Community Care, School of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
Interests: development, evaluation, and implementation of dementia psychosocial interventions; health, wellbeing, and care transitions; unpaid carers; interdisciplinary research; realist methodology; systems thinking; co-production

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, UK
Interests: positive behaviour support for people with dementia who challenge others; caregiver support/coaching/training; positive psychology applied to dementia care; outcome measurement; person/family centered dementia care; care coordination

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Psychosocial interventions are essential to support people with dementia and caregivers. As the field continues to evolve, there is an increasing emphasis on creative, novel approaches to research and practice in dementia care, including for older people with multiple health conditions. The emerging literature highlights the value of drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives for developing innovative interventions that are effective at enhancing the experiences of people with dementia and caregivers. Insights from the arts, humanities, social sciences, and health research can be combined to build a better understanding of what is needed and how interventions can be designed to be useful. For example, art-based methodologies can demonstrate how creative expression can foster communication, agency, and social connection, while also facilitating the development of relevant ‘novel’ approaches to measuring the outcome and effectiveness of an intervention. This Special Issue invites contributions across four key areas, focusing on (1) the development, feasibility/piloting, evaluation, and implementation of innovative interventions; (2) methodological and measurement advances; (3) co-produced work to improve equity/inclusivity; and (4) revisiting psychosocial outcomes. We welcome reviews and original research articles focusing on these topics that target the full dementia trajectory, including any dementia type or context (e.g., own home/community, care settings, and specialist units).

Dr. Federica D'Andrea
Dr. Melanie Handley
Prof. Esmé D. Moniz-Cook
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • dementia
  • psychosocial intervention
  • co-production
  • methodology
  • outcomes measurement

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 562 KB  
Article
Changes in Caregiver Burden Following Cataract Surgery in Older Adults with Moderate-to-Severe Dementia: A Prospective Pilot Study
by Reiko Umeya, Koichi Ono and Yuto Yoshida
Geriatrics 2026, 11(4), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/geriatrics11040086 - 14 Jul 2026
Viewed by 428
Abstract
Background: Dementia is a global public health priority, and visual impairment has been identified as a modifiable risk factor. While cataract surgery improves quality of life in mild cognitive impairment, its impact on the burden of caregivers supporting patients with moderate-to-severe dementia remains [...] Read more.
Background: Dementia is a global public health priority, and visual impairment has been identified as a modifiable risk factor. While cataract surgery improves quality of life in mild cognitive impairment, its impact on the burden of caregivers supporting patients with moderate-to-severe dementia remains underexplored. Objectives: To explore changes in caregiver burden following cataract surgery in older adults with dementia. Methods: This prospective, single-center, observational pilot study included 28 patient–caregiver pairs aged ≥ 75 years with dementia who underwent cataract surgery. Caregiver burden was assessed using the Japanese version of the Zarit Burden Interview (J-ZBI) at baseline and 3 months postoperatively. Patient outcomes included best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Barthel Index (BI). Pre- and postoperative values were compared using paired t-tests, with exploratory analyses to identify factors associated with postoperative burden. Results: Visual acuity significantly improved after surgery (p < 0.001). The retention rate was 84.8%, indicating feasibility of postoperative follow-up. No detectable short-term changes were observed in J-ZBI (p = 0.48), BI (p = 0.15), or MMSE (p = 0.89). In exploratory analyses, higher preoperative burden and younger caregiver age were associated with higher postoperative burden. Conclusions: Cataract surgery significantly improved visual acuity in older adults with moderate-to-severe dementia. However, no detectable short-term changes were observed in caregiver burden, cognitive function, or activities of daily living during the 3-month follow-up period. In exploratory analyses, potentially hypothesis-generating associations were suggested between higher baseline J-ZBI scores, younger caregiver age, and higher postoperative burden. The study nevertheless demonstrated the feasibility of conducting prospective research in this population and provides preliminary data for future studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Approaches to Dementia Research and Care)
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