Background: There has been insufficient study of the care of persons with diagnosed dementia and the contemporary presence of asthma and/or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Inhalation treatment requires active patient participation, which is more difficult for a person who has dementia. A consequence of incorrect inhalation technique will be a lack of benefit of medicine affecting dyspnea, fatigue, sleeping problems, cognitive capability and respiratory infections such as pneumonia. Pneumonia is the most common symptom affecting health and well-being among elderly. Improved care and treatment for asthma and COPD may be of importance to these people’s health, quality of life and to community medical costs. The aim is to describe inhalation treatment among persons with dementia who also have asthma and/or COPD. The aim is also to examine the effects of training in inhalation technique and inhalation aids for nursing staff working in dementia care.
Research questions:
Method: The project will be planned in two parts: firstly, a descriptive epidemiological mapping, scrutinizing register and journal data of the diagnoses asthma and COPD among persons with dementia: secondly, an observation of inhalation techniques and a control of inhalation strength among patients in dementia care with asthma and/or COPD. This will be carried out before and after a randomized controlled training intervention in inhalation technique and inhalation aids given to nursing staff in dementia care.