Assessing Communicative Quality of Life and Participation in Dementia: a Scoping Review

The increasing number of people suffering from dementia is a major challenge for professionals and relatives. The assessment of communication-related quality of life and participation should be an integral part of the care of people with dementia. To obtain an overview of the available methods for this purpose, a database search was conducted in PSYNDEX, ScienceDirect and Web of Science Core Collection according to PRISMA criteria from March to May 2020. A total of 22 methods were justifiably included in the analysis. Of these, only seven assess communication skills and social interaction, while nine are available in German. Seventeen of the instruments represent third-party assessment instruments. In the assessment of quality of life, the ability to communicate plays a subordinate role, and the assessment is often one-sided. Of practical use are: DCI, CODEM, ISEKAD and Z-CADA.