Mental Health Services for Elderly Dementia: A UK Study Analysis

This report examines the effectiveness of mental health services for elderly individuals suffering from dementia, focusing on the UK context. It begins with an introduction that defines dementia, highlights its impact, and outlines the research aim, objectives, and questions. The literature review explores dementia understanding, the roles of mental healthcare professionals in prevention and treatment, and the best approaches for improving mental health, including cognitive stimulation therapy and patient-centered care. The research methodology section details the qualitative research type, inductive approach, interpretivism philosophy, and data collection and analysis methods, including ethical considerations. The conclusion summarizes the findings, emphasizing the importance of cognitive stimulation therapy and the vital role of mental healthcare professionals in improving the lives of dementia patients. The report underscores the significance of appropriate therapies and treatments and highlights the research methodology elements that contribute to a successful study. It also includes a comprehensive list of references.

Mental Health Services
for the Elderly
Suffering from
Dementia

Table of Contents
Title: To identify effectiveness of mental health services which can help elders suffering from
dementia. A study on the UK...........................................................................................................1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................1
1 Background information...........................................................................................................1
2. Overview of the research.........................................................................................................1
3. Aim and objectives..................................................................................................................1
4. Research questions...................................................................................................................2
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................2
Theme 1: Understanding about dementia....................................................................................2
Theme 2: Roles of mental healthcare professionals in prevention of elderly, suffering from
dementia.......................................................................................................................................2
Theme 3: The best approach for improving mental health of elderly with dementia..................3
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.............................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

Title: To identify effectiveness of mental health services which can help elders
suffering from dementia. A study on the UK.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1 Background information
Dementia is a syndrome for loss of memory, thinking, behaviour and ability to perform
daily activities independently (Livingston and et.al., 2017). It describes all main symptoms that
are impairment in memory, communication and thinking as well. When nerve cells in the brain
stop working and lose connection with other brain cells then it happens. In this context, it can be
said that it is the common with ageing as up to half of all people age from 85 or older have some
form of dementia. It is one of the reasons of disability and dependability among older people
worldwide. Losing track of the time, forgetfulness, difficulties in recognizing friends and
families are main signs of mental health or dementia.
2. Overview of the research.
There are several forms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common
form. Around 50 million people worldwide have been affected from it. This present study is
going to show main causes, symptoms, early signs and treatments of dementia. It will also
discuss roles which mental health care professionals play in preventing elder people with
dementia (Egan and et.al., 2018). Dementia is associated with mental health which affect overall
health of people and their families as well so, it is important to make an effective use of
appropriate mental health services. Mental health services like cognitive stimulation therapy,
patient centre care approach and others help people in improving their health. Lastly, it will
discuss all important elements of research methodology which help scholar in gathering as well
as analysing appropriate informations.
3. Aim and objectives.
Aim: The aim behind developing current study is to identify mental health services for
elderly who are suffering from dementia.
Objectives
 To outline understanding about dementia.

 To evaluate role that mental health professionals play in preventing elder people with
dementia
 To explore the best approach which can improve health of elderly with dementia.
4. Research questions
1. What is dementia and what are its causes?
2. What is the role of healthcare professionals in prevention of elderly, suffering from
dementia?
3. What is the best approach used by healthcare professionals for improving mental health
of elderly with dementia?
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Theme 1: Understanding about dementia
Dementia is a term or syndromes that is caused by damage to or loss of nerve cells and
their connection in the brain. Overall it can be said that it is a disorder which is caused by
abnormal brain changes. According to the view of Olney, Spina and Miller (2017) causes of
dementia varies and one of the main cause is damage to brain cells. In addition, Matioli and
et.al., (2017) stated that there are some factors which leads to dementia such as: depression,
excessive use of alcohol, side effects of medication, thyroid problem and vitamin deficiencies.
On the contrary side, Scales, Zimmerman and Miller, (2018) stated that dementia is not a
single disease as it is an overall term like heart disease, which covers wide range of medical
conditions. They also discussed some symptoms and cognitive changes which happens in this
such as: memory loss, difficulties in handling tasks, confusion and others.
Theme 2: Roles of mental healthcare professionals in prevention of elderly, suffering from
dementia
According to the Sathianathan and Kantipudi (2018) mental healthcare professionals play
a vital role in improving mental health of elderly with dementia as they have active listening and
empathy skills by which they try to understand needs of patients. With communication and
active listening they try to make patients feel comfortable, valued and make them independent.
Ooms and Ju, (2016) Said that healthcare professionals try to engage elders in physical activities
and other mind games which helps them out in improving memory.

El-Saifi and et.al., (2018) argued and said that medication is one of the best way and
thing on which healthcare professionals focus by identifying the type of dementia.
Cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine are the best medicines for treating elderly with
dementia. In addition, Ricci and et.al., (2018) stated that dementia cannot e cured completely but
negative impacts can be reduced by with proper diet, exercise and other skills used by mental
health care professionals such as communication, relationship building and others.
Theme 3: The best approach for improving mental health of elderly with dementia
As per the view of Orrell and et.al., (2017) cognitive stimulation therapy is one of the
best strategy and model for treating elderly with dementia. As per this therapy, nurses and metal
healthcare professionals try to engage elderly with dementia in exercise and group activities
which helps them out in improving memory and language ability. Hindle and et.al., (2018)
cognitive rehabilitation also an effective ways in which patients try to work with trained
professionals for improving their learning and making themselves able to perform daily activities
independently.
On the other hand, Fazio and et.al., (2018) said that patient centre care is an effective
approach in which healthcare professionals focus on patients and try to understand their needs.
This approach makes people with dementia feel valued and increase willingness of living.
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research type: Qualitative and quantitative are 2 types of research which refers a form
in which data are being gathered relevant to the study. In qualitative research, scholars gather
non-numerical data and in the form of words and feelings they collect information. In
quantitative, scholars gather numerical form of data (Connelly, 2016). For this study researcher
will use qualitative research because data collected in feelings form can help them out in
knowing about the best mental health service for dementia.
Research approach: It is a procedure that consists of several steps of broad assumptions
to detailed methods of data collection and analysis. Inductive and deductive are 2 main
approaches which are associated with theory. In inductive research, scholar generates a brand-
new theory and in deductive they develop an existing theory which has already been generated.

For this, scholar will use inductive approach because generation of new theory can increase
knowledge and skills of scholar relevant to the topic.
Research philosophy: It is other main element which helps scholar in understanding the
way in which data should be gathered, analysed and used. Interpretivism and positivism are 2
main philosophies. In interpretivism, researcher plays an important role in observing the social
world and it is based on assumptions that social reality is shaped by human experience
(Žukauskas, Vveinhardt and Andriukaitienė, 2018). Whereas, positivism believes that researcher
can understand social world in an objective way. Researcher will use interpretivism because it is
associated with inductive approach and also allow researcher in knowing that what people think
and why they think so.
Data collection: Data collection is an important element in which scholar collects
different types of data. In primary data collection, scholar collects brand new or primary data
which never being used before by making use of questionnaire, interview, survey and others.
Whereas, in secondary type of data collection, researcher gather second hand data and by
moulding them they make use. Some sources of secondary data collection are: books and
journals, literature, articles and others. Researcher will make use of both data collection for
making this study successful and effective.
Data analysis: After collecting primary and secondary data, researcher require analysing
or moulding them in order to make them accurate. Qualitative and qualitative are 2 data analysis
tools whose selection is mainly dependent on research type. If research conduct qualitative
researcher then he will use qualitative data analysis tool and if he uses quantitative research then
he will use quantitative data analysis tools (Elliott, 2018). As this study is qualitative so,
researcher will focus on thematic analysis as qualitative analysis tool.
Ethical consideration: Ethics in research also plays an important role as it helps
researcher in knowing the difference between the right and the wrong. In research study, scholar
has to consider some ethics moral principles as it can improve his image and can also make him
able to conduct effective research in the future. Some ethical considerations include: not
pressurizing anyone for participating in research study, to maintain confidentiality, to give fair
and equal chance to all participants for sharing their views and giving answers relevant to the

study. To maintain all data safe and secure or not sharing personal and professional data with
anyone else.
CONCLUSION
It has been summarized from the above study that cognitive stimulation therapy plays an
important role in improving health of people with dementia. It has also discussed basic
understanding of dementia including their causes, symptoms and treatments. Dementia is one of
the main mental disorder which impacts people in a negative manner and make them dependable
on others. Mental healthcare professionals also play a vital role in improving health of elder with
dementia as they make use of appropriate therapies and treatments. Lastly, it has shown,
importance of data collection, research types and all elements of research methodology in
making study successful.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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Egan, K.J. and et.al., 2018. Online training and support programs designed to improve mental
health and reduce burden among caregivers of people with dementia: a systematic
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El-Saifi, N. and et.al., 2018. Medication adherence in older patients with dementia: a systematic
literature review. Journal of pharmacy practice. 31(3). pp.322-334.
Elliott, V., 2018. Thinking about the coding process in qualitative data analysis. The Qualitative
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Fazio, S. and et.al., 2018. The fundamentals of person-centered care for individuals with
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Olney, N.T., Spina, S. and Miller, B.L., 2017. Frontotemporal dementia. Neurologic
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