MEETINGDEM REPORTING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION, EFFECTIVENESS AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DUTCH MEETING CENTRES SUPPORTS PROGRAMME FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA AND FAMILY CARERS IN THREE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

MEETINGDEM is a JPND project (2014–2017) focussed on the adaptive implementation and evaluation of the Meeting Centres Support Programme (MCSP) for community dwelling people with dementia and their carers. MCSP was developed in the Netherlands demonstrating benefits for people with dementia and their family carers and is now provided in 144 Dutch centres with a national help-desk and training available. MEETINGDEM took the learning from the Dutch experience to assess whether it would work in Italy, Poland and UK, and whether comparable benefits would be achieved. Researchers worked together across the three countries using the same methods and measures. Each country established at least two Meeting Centres. Implementation facilitators and barriers were inventoried. User satisfaction was ascertained utilising questionnaires and focus groups. Effectiveness of MC was compared to usual care (UC) and evaluated in a 7 months pre/post controlled trial. Cost-effectiveness was calculated based on health, social and unpaid care costs. 13 MC's were successfully implemented across all countries (Italy-8, Poland-3, UK-2). MCSP was well adopted. Users had high attendance levels and were highly satisfied. Pre/post data were contributed by 85 people with dementia and 93 carers attending MCs and 74 people/carers receiving UC. After six months MC participants showed significant positive effects on QoL (self-esteem, positive affect and feelings of belonging). No significant differences were found for depression or social inclusion although post-hoc analyses show depression decreased over time in the MC group and increased in UC. While at baseline the number and severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms was higher for the MC group, at follow-up these decreased for the MC group and increased for UC. MC carers reported significantly reduced loneliness. Overall costs in the MC group, including intervention costs, were higher than those in the UC group, showing that the benefits of MCSP are associated with additional costs. The implementation of MCSP in other countries is feasible and was highly rated by users showing significant health and wellbeing benefits compared to those receiving UC. The benefits are associated with additional costs. Further investigation is needed to assess potential longer term savings of MCSP.