Advance care planning and palliative medicine in advanced dementia: a literature review

Aims and method To assess the factors that affect the clinical use of advanced care planning and palliative care interventions in patients with dementia. A literature search of Medline, Embase and PsycINFO was performed to identify themes in advanced care planning and palliative care in dementia. Results In total, 64 articles were found, including 12 reviews, and three key areas emerged: barriers to advanced care planning, raising awareness and fostering communication between professionals and patients, and disease-specific interventions. Clinical implications Most of the studies analysed were carried out in the USA or Continental Europe. This narrative review aims to help guide future primary research, systematic reviews and service development in the UK.