Page 6 - Ageing and Dementia: A compendium of New Zealand research literature

The rising number of people living with dementia poses a significant challenge for health and support
services in this country and internationally. The New Zealand Ministry of Health has for some time
advocated for improvement in services and recently identified target actions for the next three years
(2014). A commitment was also made to support District Health Boards to develop and implement their
own regional dementia care pathways by 2014. The New Zealand Framework for Dementia Care was
therefore published by the Ministry of Health (2013) and was intended as a guide for all services in
development of comprehensive dementia care pathways. The Framework was developed after New
Zealand wide consultation and consideration of local resources but also relied extensively on
international evidence for best practice in dementia care. Many of those involved in the recent
development of dementia care pathways have been struck by the enormous volume of literature from
overseas and by the relative paucity of local evidenced based literature. It is widely agreed that
pathways also need to be clearly relevant in local contexts and not simply extrapolated from overseas
perspectives. To achieve this there needs to be development of a broad literature base drawn from the
New Zealand context blending evidence from research, local experience and local information.
It is apparent, however, that much local information did in fact exist and this compendium of New
Zealand research literature goes a long way toward development of a local evidence base, which can be
blended with international evidence to ensure that local dementia pathways are designed to meet with
the specific needs of local population groups. This review will also provide valuable insights into where
the local knowledge gaps are and therefore inform the direction of further studies. This will provide a
national data base for access to information about evidence based practice in dementia care in New
Zealand and help to encourage establishment of consistent and comprehensive locally suited care
pathways.
I congratulate the authors on their efforts to collect the most comprehensive compendium of New
Zealand research literature to date.
Dr Colin Patrick, FRANZCP
Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Director
Mental Health for Older People
Waikato DHB, Hamilton