Content of Home-Based Dementia Care: Adverse Consequences of Unmet Toileting Needs

Abstract

Despite high-intensity caregiving support, those with dementia may experience adverse consequences because the care they receive does not match their care needs. This study evaluates the relationship between content of care (i.e., specific assistance with toileting) and adverse consequences (i.e., toileting accidents because no one was there to help) in a population of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries with dementia and impairment in toileting enrolled in the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Only two thirds of individuals received specific assistance with toileting, which was associated with a reduced risk of adverse consequences related to toileting in a multivariable model adjusted for key variables including high-intensity caregiving (odds ratio [OR] = 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.23, 0.58]). To ensure care meets the needs of those with dementia living in the community, it is important to consider not only the quantity but also the content of care received.