Young-onset dementia: Investigating timelines of admission to aged residential care and health outcomes

Abstract

Objectives

There is limited research on entry to aged residential care (ARC) in people living with young-onset dementia (YOD). Most people with YOD eventually require ARC, often in facilities designed for older adults. This study aimed to investigate the time to ARC admission in a previously identified YOD cohort and their health outcomes before and after ARC admission.

Methods

60 YOD participants (diagnosed in Waikato, New Zealand between 2014 and 2016) were retrospectively followed over a median of 5.4 years, using routinely collected health data (interRAI and mortality data). Survival analysis assessed the ARC admissions time, considering age, gender, ethnicity, and dementia type. McNemar’s/McNemar-Bowker tests were conducted to compare health outcomes before and after ARC admission.

Results

32 participants required ARC, with a median admission time of 4.5 years post-diagnosis. No significant effects were detected for age at diagnosis, gender, ethnicity (Māori vs non-Māori), or dementia type (Alzheimer’s vs non-Alzheimer’s disease) on ARC admission time. Significant health improvements were observed post-admission regarding health stability (CHESS), smoking, physical activity, and hospitalisations.

Conclusions

Well-being improvements after ARC admission are encouraging and align with the New Zealand Aged Care Association (NZACA) report. However, the small sample size warrants further research to confirm these findings.