Article of the month: April 2021

The website committee selected for publication of the month April:

Chirico, I., Ottoboni, G., Valente, M. and Chattat, R. (2021), Children and young people’s experience of parental dementia: A systematic review. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry.  https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5542

Increasing numbers of  young people have a parent with dementia (young onset dementia). While there is extensive literature on the experiences and needs of spouses/partners and adult children of people with dementia, no systematic review has been conducted on the psychosocial impact of parental dementia on young people’s development. Young people living and/or caring for a parent with dementia are likely to experience significant changes in family relationships in terms of providing significant support to both parents and keeping family together. Parental dementia is likely to affect young people’s choices, time perspectives and life planning in relation to education/career, mobility and personal lives. Appropriate support and care services are urgently needed to suit the needs of this population within a ‘whole family’ approach.