Psychology

Dr. Mara Gkioka - Psychologist
Greek Association of Alzheimer´s Disease and Related Disorders
Saint Helen Day Center
Petrou Syndika 13
54643 Thessaloniki/ Greece

Phone: +30 6949 733 344
gkioka(at)nar.uni-heidelberg.de
Fellows: Prof. Dr. Magda Tsolaki, Dr. rer. nat. Birgit Teichmann

Educational Aspects in Medicine and in Nursing Care – Training for the Promotion of Sensitisation and Enhanced Competency

There is a great percentage of people who have cognitive impairment as a secondary diagnosis during their admission to hospitals. As a matter of fact, this assumption of multimorbidity is usual more in people who suffer from dementia  than in other patients. There are special needs to hospitalize these patients not only because of their cognitive loss of capacity, but also because of behavioral disorders and their psychological symptoms. In addition, People suffering from dementia are more vulnerable to hospital’s new surrounding such as the hectic pace of the emergency room, the tight schedule as well as to stressful examinations. As a result to these they react often with anxiety, restlessness and aggressive behavior., Professionals in greek hospitals (physicians and nurses) are not at all specifically trained in dementia care, so as to react adequately to such behavior, which creates even more confusion and agitation among the patients.

The aim of this study is:

1. work on  Educational aspects in medicine-. measures for improving dementia care in acute-care hospitals. We are to find out what are the specific educational requirements with respect to the sensitization and competence-building of physicians. Furthermore another question is how to develop and implement a training concept that proves effective with particular attention to increased sensitization and competence-building as well. A) daily routines, b) biographical approach to care c) the participation of relatives to the specific conditions of hospital care d)spatial changes
2. work on Educational aspects in nursing care. Other professionals like nurses  have neither a specific knowledge of dementia nor have they ever been trained appropriately. Significant deficits exist in the field of person-centred care provided to patients in acute-care hospitals, apparent in inappropriate spatial environments, the lack of culture of a “caring” and problematic attitudes towards patients with dementia and dementia itself. This is one of the reasons why hospitalization often poses such a heavy burden for caring relatives instead of, as is frequently assumed, giving them a short break from their caring activities.

We are going to create an educational program for nurses in order to detect stress symptoms before and after the training for their sensitization and competence in these patient’s caring. Educational seminars will be take place once a month in every hospital.

Publications

• Makri, M., Despoti, A., Teichmann, B., Gkioka, M., Moraitou, D., Fidani, L., et al. (2024). Attitudes of Family Members and Caregivers Regarding Alzheimer’s Disease Pre-Symptomatic Screening. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 8, 723–735. https://doi.10.3233/ADR-230145
• Teichmann, B., Gkioka, M., Kruse, A., & Tsolaki, M. (2022). Informal Caregivers’ Attitude toward Dementia: The Impact of Dementia Knowledge, Confidence in Dementia Care and the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of the Person with Dementia – a cross-sectional study. Journal of Alzheimer`s Disease, 88(3), 971–984. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-215731.
• Γκιόκα, Μ., Teichmann, B., Μωραΐτου, Δέσποινα, Παπαγιαννόπουλος, Σ., & Τσολάκη, Μ. (2020). Ανάπτυξη, εφαρμογή και αξιολόγηση ενός προγράμματος εκπαίδευσης για την άνοια σε προσωπικό Νοσοκομείων – Η περίπτωση της Ελλάδας: Vol 13, Issue 1, 2020. PRIME, 13(1), 44–55. http://prime.uth.gr/papers/vol13_2020/Gkioka,%20Teichmann,%20Moraitou,%20Papagiannopoulos%20&%20Tsolaki.pdf
• Gkioka, M., Teichmann, B., Moraitou, D., Papagiannopoulos, S. & Tsolaki, M. (2020). Effects of a Person Centered Dementia Training Program in Greek Hospital Staff—Implementation and Evaluation. Brain Sci, 10(12), 976. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10120976.
• Gkioka, M., Schneider, J., Kruse, A., Tsolaki, M., Moraitou, D., & Teichmann, B. (2020). Evaluation and effectiveness of dementia staff training programs in general hospital settings – A narrative synthesis with Holton’s three-level model applied. Journal of Alzheimer`s Disease: JAD, 78(3), 1089-1108. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-200741.
• Gkioka, M., Tsolaki M., Papagianopoulos S., Teichmann B., Moraitou D. (2020). Psychometric properties of dementia attitudes scale, dementia knowledge assessment Tool 2 and confidence in dementia scale in a Greek sample. Nursing Open, 7(5),1623-1633. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.546.
• Zygouris, S., Gkioka, M., Moraitou, D., Teichmann, B., Tsiatsos, T., Papagianopoulos, S., & Tsolaki, M. (2019). Views of nursing staff on computerized dementia screening: A validation and pilot study in a general hospital [Einstellungen des Pflegepersonals zum computergestützten Demenz-Screening: Eine Validierung und Pilotstudie in einem Allgemeinkrankenhaus]. Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie, 52(Suppl 4), 258–263. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-019-01633-0.
• Schneider, J., Gkioka, M., Papagiannopoulos, S., Moraitou, D., Metz, B., Tsolaki, M., Kruse, A., & Teichmann, B. (2019). Expectations of nursing personnel and physicians on dementia training: A descriptive survey in general hospitals in Germany and Greece [Erwartungen von Pflegekräften und Ärzten an eine Demenzschulung: Eine deskriptive Studie in Krankenhäusern in Deutschland und Griechenland]. Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie, 52(Suppl 4), 249–257. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00391-019-01625-0
• Nielsen, T. R., Segers, K., Vanderaspoilden, V., Bekkhus-Wetterberg, P., Bjørkløf, G. H., Beinhoff, U., Minthon, L., Pissiota, A., Tsolaki, M., Gkioka, M., & Waldemar, G. (2019). Validation of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) in a multicultural sample across five Western European countries: Diagnostic accuracy and normative data. International Psychogeriatrics, 31(2), 287–296. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610218000832.
• Nielsen, T. R., Segers, K., Vanderaspoilden, V., Beinhoff, U., Minthon, L., Pissiota, A., Bekkhus-Wetterberg, P., Bjørkløf, G. H., Tsolaki, M., Gkioka, M., & Waldemar, G. (2019). Validation of a brief Multicultural Cognitive Examination (MCE) for evaluation of dementia. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 34(7), 982–989. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5099.
• Nielsen, T. R., Segers, K., Vanderaspoilden, V., Beinhoff, U., Minthon, L., Pissiota, A., Bekkhus-Wetterberg, P., Bjørkløf, G. H., Tsolaki, M., Gkioka, M., & Waldemar, G. (2019). Validation of a European Cross-Cultural Neuropsychological Test Battery (CNTB) for evaluation of dementia. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 34(1), 144–152. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5002.
• Kazmierski, J., Messini-Zachou, C., Gkioka, M., & Tsolaki, M. (2018). The Impact of a long-term Rivastigmine and Donepezil Treatment on all-cause mortality in patients with Alzheimer's disease. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, 33(6), 385–393. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317518775044
• Nielsen, T. R., Segers, K., Vanderaspoilden, V., Bekkhus-Wetterberg, P., Minthon, L., Pissiota, A., Bjørkløf, G. H., Beinhoff, U., Tsolaki, M., Gkioka, M., & Waldemar, G. (2018). Performance of middle-aged and elderly European minority and majority populations on a Cross-Cultural Neuropsychological Test Battery (CNTB). The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 32(8), 1411–1430. https://doi.org/10.1080/13854046.2018.1430256.
• Begcevic, I., Tsolaki, M., Brinc, D., Brown, M., Martinez-Morillo, E., Lazarou, I., Kozori, M., Tagaraki, F., Nenopoulou, S., Gkioka, M., Lazarou, E., Lim, B., Batruch, I., & Diamandis, E. P. (2018). Neuronal pentraxin receptor-1 is a new cerebrospinal fluid biomarker of Alzheimer's disease progression. F1000Research, 7, 1012. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.15095.1.
• Tsolaki, M., Gkioka, M., Verykouki, E., Galoutzi, N., Kavalou, E., & Pattakou-Parasyri, V. (2017). Prevalence of dementia, depression, and mild cognitive impairment in a rural area of the island of Crete, Greece. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, 32(5), 252–264. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317517698789.
• Lazarou, I., Parastatidis, T., Tsolaki, A., Gkioka, M., Karakostas, A., Douka, S., & Tsolaki, M. (2017). International ballroom dancing against neurodegeneration: A randomized controlled trial in Greek community-dwelling elders with mild cognitive impairment. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, 32(8), 489–499. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317517725813.
• Tsolaki, M., Gkioka, M., Verykouki, E., Galoutzi, N., Kavalou, E., & Pattakou-Parasyri, V. (2017). Prevalence of Dementia, Depression, and Mild Cognitive Impairment in a Rural Area of the Island of Crete, Greece. American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, 32(5), 252–264. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317517698789.
• Tata, D. A., Markostamou, I., Ioannidis, A., Gkioka, M., Simeonidou, C., Anogianakis, G., & Spandou, E. (2015). Effects of maternal separation on behavior and brain damage in adult rats exposed to neonatal hypoxia-ischemia. Behavioural brain research, 280, 51–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2014.11.033.
• https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mara_Gkioka/publications
• https://www.pubfacts.com/author/processPublications/Mara+Gkioka

Vita