Effect of Continuity of Care Combined With Family Supportive Care on Cognitive Function and Self-Care Ability in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a combined approach of continuity of care and family supportive care on cognitive function and self-care ability in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: The clinical data of 135 patients with AD, who presented to China-Japan Friendship Hospital from April 2021 to April 2023, were retrospectively analysed. On the basis of the sequential introduction of different care protocols at China-Japan Friendship Hospital, the patients were categorised into three groups: the conventional group (n = 42, receiving conventional care), the continuity group (n = 49, receiving conventional care plus continuity of care) and the family group (n = 44, receiving conventional care, continuity of care, and family supportive care). Cognitive function (assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment), self-care ability measured using the Barthel Index (BI), family support evaluated using the Perceived Social Support from Family Scale (PSS-Fa), and quality of life assessed via the Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease scale (QOL-AD) were compared across the three groups before and 3 months after the implementation of the respective care protocols. RESULTS: At the 3-month mark, the family group demonstrated significantly higher BI, PSS-Fa and QOL-AD scores than the continuity and conventional groups, and the continuity group's scores on these measures were significantly higher than those of the conventional group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The application of continuity of care combined with family supportive care in patients with AD is associated with positive effects on cognitive function, self-care ability, family support and quality of life. This finding suggests that this integrated care model may represent a superior option for the management of patients with AD. However, given the inherent limitations of retrospective designs in fully controlling for confounding variables, further validation through prospective, large-sample studies is warranted to confirm its efficacy and generalisability.