Dementia Guidelines

Recommendations for each clinical question are being developed considering equity and access for diverse populations. This is an essential element of the guideline development process (ie, GRADE methodology) and we will be working with interest holder organisations to help us connect directly with representatives of those populations.

These guidelines focus on recommendations on clinical practice, such as effective prevention strategies, rather than identifying and assessing the impact of risk factors themselves.

This has been identified as an important issue and is being considered for the guidelines.

Yes, we have included the Lancet Commission recommendations in our evidence synthesis.

Hearing has been added as a risk factor for dementia by the Lancet Commission

Implementation resources will be made available to healthcare professionals to support their learning and understanding of the guidelines. While training of healthcare professionals and healthcare providers is not within the scope of the current guideline and this review, we recognise this as an important topic to include in a list of topics to be considered for future updates to the Clinical Guidelines.

Recent international guidelines have discussed which tools are most appropriate, especially for different populations and we are considering how to address this in these guidelines.

Yes, driving will be included in the guidelines. We have experts in this area both nationally and internationally whom we are consulting.

Assistive technology has been identified as an important issue and the guidelines will include evidence to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia in the guidelines.

This has been identified as an important issue and is being considered for the guidelines.

This has been identified as an important issue and is being considered for the guidelines.

This has been identified as an important issue and is being considered for the guidelines.

There is potential for some of the questions to become a living guideline, meaning the guidelines can continue to be updated into the future.

This has been identified as an important issue and is being considered for the guidelines.

While this has been identified as an important issue it is not within the scope of the current guideline and this review however we recognise this as an important topic to include in a list of topics to be considered for future updates to the Clinical Guidelines.

Speech pathology is being considered under the post diagnostic care stream.

We intend to include recommendations about person centred care, which will capture concepts such as shared decision making and autonomy.

Guidelines are recommendations or best practices that offer guidance on how to achieve a desired outcome. They are not mandatory, allowing clinicians to adapt them based on the specific needs or circumstances of their patient.

Young onset dementia will be considered for each question during the update of the clinical dementia guidelines.

We have identified 12 areas that encompass a number of aspects within risk reduction, diagnosis and therapies, and post-diagnostic care of dementia.

By embedding a co-design approach into the guideline update, we ensure that the needs, values, and preferences of individuals impacted by dementia remain central to our process. This has been achieved through the formation of our Living/Lived Experience Advisory Group, active collaboration with external interest holder organisations, and public consultations via webinars and surveys.

While urinary incontinence is not included in the guidelines at this time, it remains an important consideration. We’re committed to ensuring the guidelines are as comprehensive as possible, and this topic could certainly be explored in future updates or discussions.