Sammanfattning
Preventive nurses can play an important role in identifying memory impairment, symptoms of early dementia and dementia-like conditions, as well as providing relevant support and guidance. In connection with one major dementia-related quality development project - "Don't Forget" - in the former Ikast Municipality [Jutland] in 2003-2006, the focus was on tracing, exposition and treatment of early dementia.
A questionnaire-based survey was initiated in early 2005 with a view to examining the frequency of memory complaints among citizens aged over 75 who received preventive home visits.
The survey revealed that 36 per cent of the 213 elderly respondents complained of memory impairment. The nurses found evidence of memory impairment in 13 per cent of the participants and recommended that almost 20 per cent of participants contact their own doctor and dementia co-ordinator for further evaluation. After a three-day course and participation in the questionnaire-based survey, the preventive nurses expressed the opinion that they had considerably improved their competence when it came to identifying impaired memory and early signs of dementia symptoms.
The nurses found that citizens willingly talked about the state of their memory on preventive visits.