Effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention in dementia: The meeting centre support programme for people with dementia and their carers in Poland, Italy and the UK

Introduction.– The Meeting Centre Support Programme (MCSP) for people with dementia and carers was adapted and implemented in Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom within the JPND-funded MEETINGDEM project (2014–2017). Objectives.– To study the effectiveness of MCSP compared to care as usual on various outcome measures. Methods.– A pretest-post test multicentre controlled study was conducted. 9 Meeting Centres (MCs) participated (Italy-5, Poland2, UK-2). Outcomes measures assessed after 7 months were: behaviour (NPI), depression (CSDD) and quality of life (DQoL, QOL-AD). Data were analysed by ANCOVAs. Additionally, a mixed methods explanatory design was used to measure satisfaction of MCSP participation. Results.– 85 people with dementia and 93 carers using MCSP as well as 74 dyads getting UC were included in this study. QoL aspects of people with dementia in MCSP, compared to UC, raised (DQoL: Self-esteem; F = 4.80, P = 0.03; Positive Affect; F = 14.93, P < 0.00; Feelings of Belonging; F = 7.77, P = 0.01). Number of neuropsychiatric symptoms decreased more in MCSP compared to UC. Higher attendance levels correlated with a neuropsychiatric symptom reduction (rho = 0.24, P = 0.03) and an increase of obtained social support (rho = 0.36, P = 0.001). Moreover, the percentage of satisfied users increased significantly over time (P = 0.05) and the majority of carers (91%) reported a decrease in burden after 7 months. Focus group analysis showed that people with dementia and carers improved their ability to maintain an emotional balance in all countries. Conclusions.– The MCSP successful implementation and its effectiveness observed in all countries encourages to disseminate this type of support world-wide.