Effective for Whom? A Review of Psychological and Social Intervention Recommendations in European Dementia Care Guidelines Through the Lenses of Social Health and Intersectionality.

In dementia care, access to effective psychosocial interventions is often addressed by evidence-based guidelines for care providers. However, it is unclear if current guidelines consider personal characteristics that may impact intervention effectiveness. This study investigates if, and within what framing, dementia care guidelines in Europe address what is effective and for whom.

Engaging the next generation of psychiatrists for geriatric psychiatry: call for action on behalf of the European Association of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Geriatric (old age) psychiatry faces growing challenges amid Europe's ageing population. This editorial emphasises the need for specialised training, mentorship and subspecialty recognition to attract young psychiatrists. By addressing structural gaps and fostering innovation, the field offers a rewarding career in enhancing older adults' mental healthcare and quality of life.

Predictive Modeling of Hospital Readmission of Schizophrenic Patients in a Spanish Region Combining Particle Swarm Optimization and Machine Learning Algorithms.

Readmissions are an indicator of hospital care quality; a high readmission rate is associated with adverse outcomes. This leads to an increase in healthcare costs and quality of life for patients. Developing predictive models for hospital readmissions provides opportunities to select treatments and implement preventive measures.

Evaluating the User Experience and Usability of the MINI Robot for Elderly Adults with Mild Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment: Insights and Recommendations.

: In recent years, the integration of robotic systems into various aspects of daily life has become increasingly common. As these technologies continue to advance, ensuring user-friendly interfaces and seamless interactions becomes more essential. For social robots to genuinely provide lasting value to humans, a favourable user experience (UX) emerges as an essential prerequisite.

Usability and user experience impressions of older adults with cognitive impairment and people with schizophrenia towards GRADIOR, a cognitive rehabilitation program: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the impressions of older adults with mild dementia/MCI (mild cognitive impairment) and people with schizophrenia towards the usability of GRADIOR (version 4.5) and their user experience (UX) with this computerized cognitive rehabilitation program.

Methods: The impressions towards the usability of GRADIOR and the UX of 41 older adults with mild dementia/MCI and 41 people with schizophrenia were obtained using the User Experience Questionnaire.

Determinants of Successful Implementation of Assistive Technologies for Dementia: Exploratory Survey.

Background: Despite positive results for the use of assistive technologies (ATs) in dementia, the uptake of ATs lags behind. It is considered important to assess determinants of successful or unsuccessful implementation of ATs.

Objective: We explored factors that influence the implementation of ATs for community-dwelling people with dementia, with the aim to better understand potentially effective implementation strategies.

A systematic review of pharmacogenetic testing to guide antipsychotic treatment.

Pharmacogenomics could optimize antipsychotic treatment by preventing adverse drug reactions, improving treatment efficacy or relieving the cost burden on the healthcare system. Here we conducted a systematic review to investigate whether pharmacogenetic testing in individuals undergoing antipsychotic treatment influences clinical or economic outcomes. On 12 January 2024, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Cochrane Centrale Register of Controlled Trials.

Potential Facilitators of and Barriers to Implementing the MINI Robot in Community-Based Meeting Centers for People With Dementia and Their Carers in the Netherlands and Spain: Explorative Qualitative Study.

Background: Social robots, as a form of digital health technologies, are used to support emotional, cognitive, and physical care and have shown promising outcomes in enhancing social well-being in people with dementia (PwD) by boosting emotions, social interactions, and activity participation.

Objective: The goal is to investigate the attitude of stakeholders and potential facilitators and the barriers to implementing the social robot MINI in community-based meeting centers (MCs) for PwD and carers in the Netherlands and Spain.

Methods: Based on the British Medical Research Council guidance for process evaluation of the implementation of complex interventions and the model for tracing the facilitators of and barriers to the adaptive implementation of innovations in dementia care, an explorative qualitative study was conducted.

Digital health technologies supporting the application of comprehensive geriatric assessments in long-term care settings or community care: A systematic review.

Objective: To provide high-quality elderly care, digital health technologies (DHTs) can potentially assist in reaching the full capacity of comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGAs) to improve communication and data transfer on patients' medical and treatment plan information and health decision-making. This systematic review aimed to describe the evidence on the feasibility and usability, efficacy and effectiveness, and implementation outcomes of DHTs developed to facilitate the administration of CGAs for long-term care settings or community care and to describe their technical features and components.

Methods: A search strategy was conducted in three databases, targeting studies evaluating the DHTs facilitating the administration of CGAs used in long-term care settings or community care.

Executive functions in daily living skills: A study in adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Introduction: Adults with autism and adults with schizophrenia show difficulties in adaptive skills, especially those related to daily functioning. Some studies suggest that adaptive skills are associated with deficits in executive functions (EF), while others indicate that intelligence quotient (IQ) might also play a role. Literature suggests that autistic symptoms further affect adaptive skills.

Cultural adaptation of the iSupport online training and support programme for caregivers of people with dementia in Castilla y León, Spain.

Background: E-learning has shown to be an effective intervention in helping informal caregivers of people living with dementia. It has the potential to reach people living in remote areas, increasing service coverage. As a response to the demographic context in Spain associated with a higher percentage of ageing, depopulation, and the complexities of health service delivery in rural areas, this paper describes the cultural adaptation and co-design of the iSupport online training and support programme for Castilla y León, Spain, as a potential e-health intervention to mitigate these constraints.

Proposed Recommendations for the Management of Depression in Adults with Epilepsy: An Expert Consensus.

Introduction: Experts agree that there is a need for protocols to guide health professionals on how to best manage psychiatric comorbidities in patients with epilepsy (PWE). We aimed to develop practical recommendations for key issues in the management of depression in PWE.

Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted in four steps: (1) development of a questionnaire on the management of depression in PWE to be answered; (2) literature review and, if evidence from guidelines/consensus or systematic reviews was available, drafting initial recommendations; (3) a nominal group methodology for reviewing initial recommendations and formulating new recommendations on those issues without available evidence; and (4) drafting and approving the final recommendations.

The usability and feasibility validation of the social robot MINI in people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment; a study protocol.

Background: Social robots have demonstrated promising outcomes in terms of increasing the social health and well-being of people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. According to the World Health Organization's Monitoring and assessing digital health interventions framework, usability and feasibility studies are crucial before implementing prototype social robots and proving their efficacy and effectiveness. This protocol paper aims to detail the plan for conducting the usability and feasibility study of the MINI robot based on evidence-based recommended methodology.

Psychometric characteristics of comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGAs) for long-term care facilities and community care: A systematic review.

Background: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessments (CGAs) have been incorporated as an integrated care approach effective to face the challenges associated to uncoordinated care, risk of hospitalization, unmet needs, and care planning experienced in older adult care. As they assessed different dimensions, is important to inform about the content and psychometric properties to guide the decisions when selecting and implementing them in practice. This systematic review provides a comprehensive insight on the strengths and weaknesses of the CGAs used in long-term care settings and community care.

The attitudes of mental health professionals on the employability of people with mental illness: A different view limiting employment rehabilitation.

Objectives: Mental health professionals are becoming increasingly involved in the process of employment rehabilitation of persons with psychiatric disabilities. However, few studies address the attitudes of these professionals toward the employability of those with mental illness. The aim of this research was to identify differences in the attitudes of medical and non-medical mental health professionals, as well as to detect any association between attitude scores and the type of professional.

Neuropsychological profile of executive functions in autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a comparative group study in adults.

As assessed by numerous neuropsychological tasks, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) have similar impairments related to executive functions (EFs). The neuropsychological profile of these two conditions was examined using the three-component EFs' framework of Miyake and Friedman (Cogn Psychol 41(1):49-100, 2000). This approach assesses Inhibition (suppression of unwanted and irrelevant information/responses), Updating (use and control of contents of working memory), and Shifting (disengagement between activities or mental tasks) using nine different tasks.

Methodologies Used to Study the Feasibility, Usability, Efficacy, and Effectiveness of Social Robots For Elderly Adults: Scoping Review.

Background: New research fields to design social robots for older people are emerging. By providing support with communication and social interaction, these robots aim to increase quality of life. Because of the decline in functioning due to cognitive impairment in older people, social robots are regarded as promising, especially for people with dementia.

Insights on conducting digital patient and public involvement in dementia research during the COVID-19 pandemic: supporting the development of an "E-nabling digital co-production" framework.

Background: The rapid transition to digital working, accelerated due to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has impacted the involvement of patients and public in research. This paper presents experiences of engaging in digital Patient and Public Involvement (e-PPI) in dementia research since the lockdowns, offering recommendations regarding future digital and hybrid working. Furthermore, it introduces a co-produced framework for researchers, PPI coordinators and public contributors to identify and discuss challenges and opportunities provided by e-PPI.

Perceptions of Older People with Cognitive Impairment, Caregivers, and Professionals about ehcoBUTLER (Tablet Health Care Platform): A Qualitative Focus Group Study.

EhcoBUTLER is a tablet platform mainly aimed at the elderly with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to promote their well-being and health. The main objective of this study was to explore the perceptions and feedback level of the ehcoBUTLER potential users and stakeholders to improve its development. Through this exploration, the secondary objective was to contribute to the development of software/apps that promote their integral health.

Mood Disturbances Across the Continuum of Care Based on Self-Report and Clinician Rated Measures in the interRAI Suite of Assessment Instruments.

Background: Mood disturbance is a pervasive problem affecting persons of all ages in the general population and the subset of those receiving services from different health care providers. interRAI assessment instruments comprise an integrated health information system providing a common approach to comprehensive assessment of the strengths, preferences and needs of persons with complex needs across the continuum of care.

Objective: Our objective was to create new mood scales for use with the full suite of interRAI assessments including a composite version with both clinician-rated and self-reported items as well as a self-report only version.

Differences in daily life executive functioning between people with autism and people with schizophrenia.

This is a comparative analysis of everyday executive functioning between individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD) and controls using Dysexecutive Questionnaire-Spanish (DEX-Sp), to identify patterns of difficulties. Also we assessed the relationship between EF and adaptive behavior as measured by the Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scale-II. Common areas of everyday executive functions were established as problematic in individuals with ASD and SSD related to Disinhibition and Apathy, while Disorganization and Impulsivity was gravely affected in ASD group only.

Comparison of Machine Learning Algorithms in the Prediction of Hospitalized Patients with Schizophrenia.

New computational methods have emerged through science and technology to support the diagnosis of mental health disorders. Predictive models developed from machine learning algorithms can identify disorders such as schizophrenia and support clinical decision making. This research aims to compare the performance of machine learning algorithms: Decision Tree, AdaBoost, Random Forest, Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machine, and k-Nearest Neighbor in the prediction of hospitalized patients with schizophrenia.

Determinants of Adherence to a "GRADIOR" Computer-Based Cognitive Training Program in People with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Mild Dementia.

Background: Computer-based programs have been implemented from a psychosocial approach for the care of people with dementia (PwD). However, several factors may determine adherence of older PwD to this type of treatment. The aim of this paper was to identify the sociodemographic, cognitive, psychological, and physical-health determinants that helped predict adherence or not to a "GRADIOR" computerized cognitive training (CCT) program in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia.