LAUSR

In this issue we feature reviews and research focusing on psychosocial treatment approaches for improving the quality of life of individuals living with dementia and their care partners. We begin with a thoughtful ethnographic review about the experiences and needs of children with a parent with young onset dementia (Poole & Patterson, 2020), summarizing the findings 16 studies describing the psychological and practical impacts on children. The next papers present metaanalyses on specific treatment approaches for individuals living with dementia. The first of these examines 10 randomized trials of mindfulness-based interventions for older adults with dementia or mild cognitive impairment, finding no significant effect of mindfulness on psychological outcomes (Han, 2021). The authors conclude there is insufficient evidence to support the use of mindfulness in this population. The second meta-analysis examines 14 trials using dyadic approaches, noting these have some promise for individuals with dementia as well as their caregivers, but they are not uniformly effective for addressing behavioral and psychological symptoms, quality of life, and caregiver burden (Poon, 2019). Two research papers in this issue examine dementia in special populations. Building on scientific evidence of the relationship between PTSD and dementia (Pless Kaiser, Cook, Glick, & Moye, 2019), a new qualitative study examines the impact of war and resettlement on Vietnamese individuals and families facing dementia in a sensitive qualitative study (Sun et al., 2022). A second study describes town hall meetings across 10 frontier communities describing the needs of individuals with dementia and their care partners living in rural and remote areas (Longstreth, McKibbin, Steinman, Slosser Worth, & Carrico, 2020). Both of these studies extend our knowledge about diverse populations and represent our journal’s commitment to understanding geriatric mental health in diverse populations. A next group of papers considers special issues confronting individuals living with dementia and their care partners. Driving cessation is often an issue that individuals living with dementia must confront (Barco et al., 2021). A cross-sectional cluster analysis finds that older adults who stop driving can have positive well-being, particularly when provided supports for social and activity interests (Bennetts & Taylor, 2021). Three qualitative studies use interviews with long-term care staff to describe care practices for those living with dementia in a long-term care facility. The first examines dementia and sexual expression (Waterschoot, Roelofs, van Boekel, & Luijkx, 2021), the next examines dementia and hearing loss (Bott, Meyer, Hickson, & Pachana, 2020), while a third study explores resistance to eating (Villar, Chacur, Serrat, & Celdrán, 2021). Complementing these papers is an important study describing evaluation of 193 persons with moderate to severe dementia with the Montessori Assessment System (MAS), finding it is useful in identifying preserved abilities which can inform person-centered care (Erkes, Camp, & Bayard, 2021). What treatment approaches and format are most effective for providing dementia care? This issue includes 13 studies describing interventions for persons with dementia and/or their care partners, beginning with cognitive stimulation. In a randomized trial from investigators in Spain, those receiving personalized cognitive stimulation demonstrate higher global cognition, global orientation, and special orientation