Quality of Life Assessment in Dementia Care

Quality of life assessment in dementia care encompasses a multidimensional evaluation of an individual’s physical health, psychological state, level of independence, social relationships and environmental context. As cognitive decline progresses, self-report becomes increasingly challenging, prompting reliance on proxy assessments by caregivers or clinicians. Contemporary approaches integrate standardised instruments, such as preference-based measures, alongside dementia-specific tools to capture domains most relevant to those living with dementia. These assessments inform clinical decision-making, guide the tailoring of person-centred interventions and underpin economic evaluations of emerging therapies and care models. Advances in instrument development have sought to balance sensitivity to change with feasibility in routine settings, recognising variability in disease stage, cultural background and care environment. The integration of digital monitoring and ecological momentary assessment shows promise in capturing real-time fluctuations. Ultimately, robust quality of life measurement supports the optimisation of therapeutic strategies, resource allocation and policy frameworks, with the goal of preserving dignity, autonomy and well-being across the dementia trajectory.

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Quality of Life Assessment in Dementia Care publication trend

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Technical terms

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL): A multidimensional concept encompassing physical, mental and social well-being as perceived by individuals or proxies.

EQ-5D-5L: A standardised, preference-based instrument measuring five dimensions of health on five levels of severity, generating utility scores.

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD): Self-reported worsening of cognitive function without objective impairment on clinical testing.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI): A clinical stage between normal ageing and dementia characterised by measurable cognitive decline that does not markedly impair daily function.

Preference-based measure: A tool that attaches utility values to health states based on population or stakeholder preferences, facilitating economic evaluation.

Proxy assessment: Evaluation of an individual’s quality of life or health status by a caregiver or clinician when self-report is not feasible.

References

1. Health-related quality of life in subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment: a longitudinal cohort analysis. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy (2023).
2. Health Fluctuations in Dementia and its Impact on the Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life Using the EQ-5D-5L. Value in Health (2024).
3. Through Their Eyes: Defining ‘good life’ in dementia for health economics and outcomes research. Social Science & Medicine (2025).