SIGN 168 Assessment, diagnosis, care and support for people with dementia and their carers
Assessment, diagnosis, care and support for people with dementia and their carers
The guideline covers: the identification and diagnosis of dementia, investigative procedures, post-diagnostic support, non-pharmacological distressed behaviours, grief and dementia, the changing needs of people with dementia, and palliative approaches.
Who this guideline is for
This guideline will be of interest to:
- primary and secondary healthcare professionals
- social care professionals
- community, care home and care at home staff involved in the care of people at risk of, or diagnosed with, dementia
- people living with dementia and their families and carers
Recommendations
The guideline contains 67 evidence-based recommendations across six domains:
- Identification and diagnosis of dementia
- Further investigative procedures
- Postdiagnostic support
- Non-pharmacological approaches for distressed behaviours
- Grief and dementia
- Changing needs of people with dementia
Supporting material
A checklist for provision of information at diagnosis and after diagnosis has been developed by people with lived experience. This is included within the guideline and as a separate document.
A patient booklet, easy read version and an audio version of the patient booklet are also available for patients, family members and carers.
A quick reference guide, focusing on the recommendations, will be published in December.
How this guideline was developed
This guideline was developed using a standard methodology based on a systematic review of the evidence. Further details can be found in SIGN 50: A Guideline Developer’s Handbook.
Keeping up to date
This guideline was published in 2023 and will be considered for review in three years.
Current < 3 years
