What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine the frequency and impact of getting lost in community-dwelling dementia patients over time and evaluate its relationship with institutionalization.

September 1, 1998International PsychogeriatricsOpen Access

Getting Lost in Dementia: A Longitudinal Study of a Behavioral Symptom

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

RMRupert McShaneOxford Health NHS Foundation Trust KGKathy GedlingWarneford Hospital JKJ. KeeneUniversity of East Anglia

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Longitudinal study reveals getting lost sharply increases institutionalization in dementia, indicating topographical memory tests can help identify patient risk.

Key Points

To examine the frequency and impact of getting lost in community-dwelling dementia patients over time and evaluate its relationship with institutionalization.
Prospective longitudinal study following N=104 subjects with dementia initially living at home with informative caregivers.
Conducted assessments every 4 months over 5 years, including caregiver reports of wandering and a behavioral test of topographical memory.
A total of 43 subjects required assistance returning home at least once, 5 repeatedly got lost, and 46 were managed behind locked doors.
Episodes of getting lost were strongly associated with permanent admission to care facilities (odds ratio = 7.3; 95% CI: 3.0 to 17.8).
Better baseline performance on a topographical memory test identified subjects unlikely to get lost over 5 years (negative predictive value: 90%).

Cite This Study

McShane et al. (1998) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a1bc2a227b545b111a8f5a3 https://doi.org/10.1017/s1041610298005365

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Implication

Longitudinal study reveals getting lost sharply increases institutionalization in dementia, indicating topographical memory tests can help identify patient risk.

Getting Lost in Dementia: A Longitudinal Study of a Behavioral Symptom

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Getting Lost in Dementia: A Longitudinal Study of a Behavioral Symptom

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider