Non‐Pharmacological Interventions in the Management of Dementia‐Related Psychosis: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis.

Objective: As populations age globally, there is an increasing prevalence of dementia, with an estimated 153 million living with dementia by 2050. Up to 70% of people with dementia experience dementia‐related psychosis (D‐RP). Antipsychotic medications are associated with many adverse effects in older people. This review aims to evaluate the evidence of non‐pharmacological interventions in managing D‐RP. Method: The search of Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane included randomised controlled trials that evaluated non‐pharmacological interventions. Data extraction and assessment of quality were assessed independently by two researchers. Heterogenous interventions were pooled using meta‐analysis. Results: A total of 18 articles (n = 2040 participants) were included and categorised into: sensory‐, activity‐, cognitive‐ and multi‐component‐orientated. Meta‐analyses showed no significant impact in reducing hallucinations or delusions but person‐centred care, cognitive rehabilitation, music therapy, and robot pets showed promise in single studies. Conclusions and Implications: Future interventions should be developed and evaluated with a specific focus on D‐RP as this was not the aim for many of the included articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]