Volunteer-supported Care Transition Interventions for People Living with Dementia: A Secondary Analysis of a Scoping Review
Introduction: Rising dementia rates can worsen the strain on the healthcare system and increase hospital admissions. Hospitals decondition persons living with dementia (PLWD), for which volunteers can offer support. We reviewed existing literature on volunteer-led/supported care transition services...
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Ubiquity Press
2025-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Integrated Care |
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| Online Access: | https://account.ijic.org/index.php/up-j-ijic/article/view/9056 |
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| author | Sidra Bharmal Michelle Nelson Marianne Saragosa |
| author_facet | Sidra Bharmal Michelle Nelson Marianne Saragosa |
| author_sort | Sidra Bharmal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Rising dementia rates can worsen the strain on the healthcare system and increase hospital admissions. Hospitals decondition persons living with dementia (PLWD), for which volunteers can offer support. We reviewed existing literature on volunteer-led/supported care transition services available to PLWD, assessing PLWD representation and the extent to which their needs are addressed. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of a scoping review examining volunteer and third-sector personnel providing post-discharge support. Of the review’s 49 articles, we considered services offered to PLWD and persons with cognitive impairment (PWCI). The Camberwell Assessment of Needs for the Elderly (CANE) guided the thematic analysis. Results: Four of our nine selected articles highlighted services supporting PLWD, though only one was developed explicitly for them. The most common themes of needs targeted or met were physical health (n = 7), company (n = 7), food (n = 6), medications (n = 6), and psychological distress (n = 6). Discussion: We described the characteristics and outcomes of these volunteer-led/supported care transition interventions. Comparing the leading PLWD needs against those the interventions primarily addressed revealed potential oversight of their most critical needs. However, volunteers remain valuable in supporting discharged community-dwelling PLWD. Conclusion: In hospital-to-home care transitions, volunteer-led/supported transitional care models benefit PLWD and their caregivers. However, few available interventions explicitly focus on this patient population. Therefore, this is an opportunity to understand better how volunteers and third-sector organizations could optimally support those living during care transitions through an integrated care approach. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b816086b421949af9c5f3d2ca4d8397a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1568-4156 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
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| series | International Journal of Integrated Care |
| spelling | doaj-art-b816086b421949af9c5f3d2ca4d8397a2025-08-20T02:33:24ZengUbiquity PressInternational Journal of Integrated Care1568-41562025-05-0125161610.5334/ijic.90568952Volunteer-supported Care Transition Interventions for People Living with Dementia: A Secondary Analysis of a Scoping ReviewSidra Bharmal0Michelle Nelson1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2002-0298Marianne Saragosa2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9261-5971Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario; Science of Care Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, OntarioLunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, OntarioLunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario; Science of Care Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, Ontario; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, OntarioIntroduction: Rising dementia rates can worsen the strain on the healthcare system and increase hospital admissions. Hospitals decondition persons living with dementia (PLWD), for which volunteers can offer support. We reviewed existing literature on volunteer-led/supported care transition services available to PLWD, assessing PLWD representation and the extent to which their needs are addressed. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of a scoping review examining volunteer and third-sector personnel providing post-discharge support. Of the review’s 49 articles, we considered services offered to PLWD and persons with cognitive impairment (PWCI). The Camberwell Assessment of Needs for the Elderly (CANE) guided the thematic analysis. Results: Four of our nine selected articles highlighted services supporting PLWD, though only one was developed explicitly for them. The most common themes of needs targeted or met were physical health (n = 7), company (n = 7), food (n = 6), medications (n = 6), and psychological distress (n = 6). Discussion: We described the characteristics and outcomes of these volunteer-led/supported care transition interventions. Comparing the leading PLWD needs against those the interventions primarily addressed revealed potential oversight of their most critical needs. However, volunteers remain valuable in supporting discharged community-dwelling PLWD. Conclusion: In hospital-to-home care transitions, volunteer-led/supported transitional care models benefit PLWD and their caregivers. However, few available interventions explicitly focus on this patient population. Therefore, this is an opportunity to understand better how volunteers and third-sector organizations could optimally support those living during care transitions through an integrated care approach.https://account.ijic.org/index.php/up-j-ijic/article/view/9056dementiaunmet needsvolunteertransitional carecommunityolder adults |
| spellingShingle | Sidra Bharmal Michelle Nelson Marianne Saragosa Volunteer-supported Care Transition Interventions for People Living with Dementia: A Secondary Analysis of a Scoping Review International Journal of Integrated Care dementia unmet needs volunteer transitional care community older adults |
| title | Volunteer-supported Care Transition Interventions for People Living with Dementia: A Secondary Analysis of a Scoping Review |
| title_full | Volunteer-supported Care Transition Interventions for People Living with Dementia: A Secondary Analysis of a Scoping Review |
| title_fullStr | Volunteer-supported Care Transition Interventions for People Living with Dementia: A Secondary Analysis of a Scoping Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Volunteer-supported Care Transition Interventions for People Living with Dementia: A Secondary Analysis of a Scoping Review |
| title_short | Volunteer-supported Care Transition Interventions for People Living with Dementia: A Secondary Analysis of a Scoping Review |
| title_sort | volunteer supported care transition interventions for people living with dementia a secondary analysis of a scoping review |
| topic | dementia unmet needs volunteer transitional care community older adults |
| url | https://account.ijic.org/index.php/up-j-ijic/article/view/9056 |
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