Summary
Dementia Early Stage Cognitive Aids New Trial (DESCANT)
Funder: NIHR
Background and study aims
Dementia is a common condition in the aging population. People with dementia have difficulties with mental processes such as memory, language, reasoning and identifying people and objects, which become progressively worst over time. People are now living longer, meaning that dementia represents a significant public health and care challenge. About 60% of people with dementia live in their own homes but finding the best ways of helping them to live well at home and supporting their carers is a challenge. Although more innovative home support services, from the NHS, social care and voluntary organisations exist in some areas, they are often underdeveloped. The study will be for those in early stage dementia, receiving care through memory clinics. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of memory aids (a tool used to trigger memory), delivered by Dementia Support Practitioners (DSPs).
Who can participate?
Adults aged 50 years and over with early stage dementia who are under the care of a participating memory clinic or equivalent.
What does the study involve?
Practices are randomly allocated to one of two groups. Those in the first group receive specialist advice, information and memory aids from DSPs, as well as usual care from the memory clinic or equivalent that they attend. The memory aids pack includes a calendar or clock, whiteboard with electric time, and ‘post-it’ note dispenser. Those in the second group receive usual care from memory clinics with a general guide to dementia for patients and carers. Participants and their carers are visited at the start of the study and then three and 12 months later to be interviewed about their opinions, quality of life and use of services in order to establish the effectiveness of the DSP program.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants may or may not benefit from participating in the treatment from the DSP. If participants are not chosen to take part in the treatment, there may be no direct benefits from taking part in the study. However, the information participants provide will help to strengthen the evidence for developing more appropriate support at home for those in early stage dementia. There are no notable risks involved with participating in this study.
Where is the study run from?
Nine Memory clinics or Older Adult Services in England (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
July 2015 to September 2018
Results
See below for a link to the published protocol paper published as Chester, H., Clarkson, P., Davies, L. et al. Cognitive aids for people with early stage dementia versus treatment as usual (Dementia Early Stage Cognitive Aids New Trial (DESCANT)): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 19, 546 (2018) doi:10.1186/s13063-018-2933-8
Contact Details
Trial Manager / Lead Contact: Dr Paul Clarkson
Email: paul.clarkson@manchester.ac.uk
Website: https://trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13063-018-2933-8
ISCRTN Number: 12591717 ;