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Objective: Some older individuals with dementia who have difficulties living independently relocate to a facility. During the relocation process, it is important that the individuals with dementia make their own decisions. However, the decision-making process in the individuals with dementia has rarely been studied. We aimed to examine the decision-making process of individuals with dementia regarding relocation to a group home (GH). Methods: We conducted two types of interview surveys: focus-group interviews for 15 care professionals (e.g., hospital nurses, community nurses, case managers) and individual semi-structured interviews for 2 GH residents and 4 case managers. Data was analyzed by focusing on how the individual’s personal, social, and environmental factors affect the decision-making process regarding relocation to a GH. Results: We found following patterns of decision-making process regarding GH admissions: “by the individual’s own independent decision” and “by the individual’s agreement with the given choice (ratification).” These processes were influenced by several factors, such as family relationships (particularly the relation with family caregivers), symptoms peripheral to dementia (behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia), type of dementia, strength of relationship with their community, and whether a given appropriate support was in place for the individuals with dementia and family caregivers. Conclusion: Our study revealed factors at play in the decision-making process for GH relocation among the individuals with dementia. Care professionals should take an interest in each particular case, in terms of their home situation and their needs, to provide timely and appropriate support to dementia affected individuals and their family caregivers. |
