Comparison of the Adaptive Implementation and Evaluation of the Meeting Centers Support Program for People with Dementia and Their Family Carers in Europe; Study Protocol of the MEETINGDEM Project

Dröes, R.M., Meiland, F.J.M., Evans, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2919-8167, Brooker, Dawn ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8636-5147, Farina, E., Szcześniak, D., Van Mierlo, L.D., Orrell, M., Rymaszewska, J. and Chattat, R. (2017) Comparison of the Adaptive Implementation and Evaluation of the Meeting Centers Support Program for People with Dementia and Their Family Carers in Europe; Study Protocol of the MEETINGDEM Project. BMC Geriatrics, 17 (1). ISSN 1471-2318

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Abstract

Background
The MEETINGDEM study aims to implement and evaluate an innovative, inclusive, ap-proach to supporting community dwelling people with mild to moderate dementia and their family carers, called the Meeting Centers Support Program (MCSP), in three countries in the European Union (EU): Italy, Poland and United Kingdom. Demonstrated benefits of this person-centered approach, developed in The Netherlands, include high user satisfac-tion, reduced behavioral and mood problems, delayed admission to residential care, low-er levels of caregiving-related stress, higher carer competence, and improved collabora-tion between care and welfare organizations.

Methods
The project will be carried out over a 36 month period. Project partners in the three coun-tries will utilize, and adapt, strategies and tools developed in the Netherlands. In Phase One (month 1-18) activities will focus on establishing an initiative group of relevant organ-izations and user representatives in each country, exploring pathways to care and poten-tial facilitators and barriers to implementing the program, and developing country specific implementation plans and materials. In Phase Two (month 19-36) training will be provid-ed to organizations and staff, after which the meeting centers will be established and evaluated for impact on behavior, mood and quality of life of people with dementia and carers, cost-effectiveness, changes in service use, user satisfaction and implementation process.

Discussion
An overall evaluation will draw together findings from the three countries to develop rec-ommendations for successful implementation of MCSP across the EU. If the Meeting Cen-ters approach can be widely implemented, this could lead to major improvements in de-mentia care across Europe and beyond.

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