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Palliative Care for People With Very Severe to Extreme Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia ( BPSD ): A Scoping Review
Maree Gallop, Jenny Ford, Alexandra Bowman, Antony Mullen, Debbie Schwebel, Amanda Johnson, Ritin Santiago Fernandez. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2025-05-07
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
This review included six articles, and nine categories emerged from the findings. Symptom assessment and management, pain assessment challenges, atypical presentation of end-stage dementia, complex prescribing and treatment practices, principles of person-centred care, collaboration; training for health care professionals; emotional impact on staff; and family and caregivers. This scoping review highlighted a significant gap in the literature regarding palliative care for people living with very severe to extreme BPSD in hospital settings. This review highlighted key differences in the presentation of people with BPSD needing palliative care. There is a need for tailored models of care, specialised training and education for health professionals, families, and carers, and recognition of dementia as a terminal illness. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: The results of this review provide valuable insights into the level of understanding about the unique palliative care needs for people experiencing very severe to extreme BPSD, making an important contribution to the planning and development of future models of care. IMPACT: Mapping the available literature highlights a paucity of research in palliative care for people with very severe to extreme BPSD in hospital settings. There is a need for rigorous research studies and models of care developed and informed by the evidence for this small population necessitating unique care needs. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Gallop, M., Ford, J., Bowman, A., Mullen, A., Schwebel, D., Johnson, A., et al. (2025). Palliative Care for People With Very Severe to Extreme Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia ( BPSD ): A Scoping Review. Journal of Advanced Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.17011
Vancouver
Gallop M, Ford J, Bowman A, Mullen A, Schwebel D, Johnson A, et al. Palliative Care for People With Very Severe to Extreme Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia ( BPSD ): A Scoping Review. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2025. doi:10.1111/jan.17011. PMID: 40331734.
BibTeX
@article{gallop2025-40331734,
author = {Gallop, Maree and Ford, Jenny and Bowman, Alexandra and Mullen, Antony and Schwebel, Debbie and Johnson, Amanda and Fernandez, Ritin Santiago},
title = {{Palliative Care for People With Very Severe to Extreme Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia ( BPSD ): A Scoping Review}},
journal = {Journal of Advanced Nursing},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1111/jan.17011},
pmid = {40331734},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.17011}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- This review included six articles, and nine categories emerged from the findings.
- Symptom assessment and management, pain assessment challenges, atypical presentation of end-stage dementia, complex prescribing and treatment practices, principles of person-centred care, collaboration; training for health care professionals; emotional impact on staff; and family and caregivers.
- This scoping review highlighted a significant gap in the literature regarding palliative care for people living with very severe to extreme BPSD in hospital settings.
- This review highlighted key differences in the presentation of people with BPSD needing palliative care.
- There is a need for tailored models of care, specialised training and education for health professionals, families, and carers, and recognition of dementia as a terminal illness.
Why it matters
This review of six articles found a significant gap in research on palliative care for people with very severe to extreme behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in hospital settings. It does not test any treatment, cure or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Advanced Nursing) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of Advanced Nursing: journal h-index 262 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 3 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Ritin Santiago Fernandez: h-index 37 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of Newcastle Australia: institution h-index 673 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40331734) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1111/jan.17011
- PubMed: 40331734
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Advanced Nursing →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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