Models Of Peer Support For LEWY-Body Dementia: A Systematic Scoping Review

Abstract Background Despite Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) being prevalent and challenging for families to navigate, models of support for people living with LBD and/or their family caregivers are not always available, accessible or acceptable. Peer support is known to be effective, however models of peer support specific to LBD are not well understood. The aim of this study is to systematically scope the body of existing literature to better understand models of peer support for people living with LBD and their families. Methods We conducted a systematic scoping review of the literature searching six electronic databases for eligible studies; PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, SCOPUS, CINAHL and PsycINFO. Two reviewers independently screened and appraised studies and extracted data. Results Five studies were eligible for inclusion. The findings highlighted that existing peer support models for LBD are largely heterogeneous in intervention format, design and characteristics. Interventions include individual and group-based formats, delivered both in-person and online, with duration ranging from 4-16 weeks and frequency from 15-150 minutes. Population sample included both people with LBD and their care partners (n=2) or care partners only (n=3). Interventions varied in facilitator background and training. Some positive themes were identified across the literature; psychoeducational support, informational support and sense of community/shared experiences. Only one standardised peer support intervention for LBD was identified (PERSEVERE). Conclusion Few exemplars of peer support for LBD have been reported in the literature, and those that do exhibit high heterogeneity, presenting challenges for replication and development of the evidence base. Further research is needed to develop and evaluate well-defined models of LBD-specific peer support.