IssuEs in Palliative Care for People in Advanced and Terminal Stages of Young-onset and Late-Onset Dementia in GErmany

From a scientific view, palliative care issues in dementia are neglected in Germany. Neither in Germany nor internationally research has been conducted on palliative care issues in young onset dementia (YOD), although significant differences compared to late onset dementia (LOD) are expected. Most international studies have focused on patients in long term care (LTC) facilities but have neglected patients that are cared for at home. We hypothesize that in advanced and terminal stages of YOD and LOD unmet care needs exist and that they differ between YOD and LOD. By prospectively assessing and surveying 200 patients with YOD and LOD in advanced stages who are cared for in LTC facilities and at home and investigating circumstances of death of 100 YOD- and LOD-patients, it is possible 1) to describe symptoms and management, health care utilization, palliative care provision, quality of life and death, elements of advance care planning, family caregivers' needs and satisfaction; 2) to compare YOD and LOD; 3) to develop expert-consensus recommendations derived from study results for the improvement and implementation of strategies and interventions for palliative care provision. 4) to communicate the recommendations nationally and internationally in order to improve and adapt guidelines, to implement the recommendations into daily practice and to give a basis and perspectives for future research projects; to communicate the results to patients and their families in order to counsel and support them in their decision making processes and their dialogue with professional caregivers and physicians.