A Systematic Review of the Evidence for the Value of Functional Assessment of Older People with Dementia

Abstract

There exists concern within the occupational therapy profession to demonstrate the efficacy of treatment through evidence-based practice (Bannigan 1997, Lloyd-Smith 1997, Taylor 1997). This is in keeping with other health care professionals who, equally, are addressing this issue (Muir Gray 1997). The clinical experience of the authors of this article suggests that occupational therapists are in a significant and powerful position when making decisions about the ability of someone with dementia to return to his or her own home. It is often the observations from a predischarge home assessment that are the determining factors for the discharge decision. A systematic review of the current available evidence was carried out. This review highlighted that there was remarkably little evidence from the current occupational therapy literature in relation to people with dementia either to support or to refute the home assessment visit as the optimum method of assessing their ability to return home. The review demonstrated the need to undertake further evaluation and research into this key occupational therapy activity.