Table 1

Characteristics of included reviews

Review	Date of search	Population included in the review	Intervention addressed in the review	Comparison intervention	Measures of ADL	Quality of the review (AMSTAR)
Non-pharmacological interventions
Forbes	Oct 2013	Older people (over 65 years of age) and diagnosed as having dementia using accepted criteria Mean age ranged from 73 to 89 Baseline MMSE ranged from 8 to 23	Exercise programmes	Usual care or social contact/activities	Barthel ADL index, Katz Index of ADLs, Changes in Advanced Dementia Scale	10/11
Van't Leven	Jan 2012	Older people (aged 65 years or more) with a diagnosis of dementia. Participants were included if they were living in informal carers in the community and excluded if they were living in residential care settings. Mean age not reported though inclusion criteria states >65. Participants had mild-to-moderate severity dementia.	Dyadic interventions	Not specified	Barthel Index AMPS IDDD Functional Dependence Scale	5/11
Neal	Aug 2005	Older people (aged over 65 years) diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or other forms of cognitive impairment Nursing home residents with BPSD. Mean age 88.	Validation therapy (affirming the person's beliefs and experiences)	Usual care or alternative intervention (eg, social contact group)	Not specified	7/11
Orgeta	Jan 2013	Older people (aged over 65 years) diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia Mean age range 75–76 Mean MMSE range 22–24	Psychological treatments for depression and anxiety	Usual care or non-specific psychosocial therapy	Bristol Activities of Daily Living ADSC-ADL	8/11
Reilly	March 2014	Diagnosis of dementia of any subtype and of any severity Mean age range 78–80 Most participants had mild-to-moderate severity dementia	Case management	Usual care or alternative intervention	Everyday Abilities Scale for India ADCS-ADL Barthel Index	9/11
Ueda	Feb 2011	Diagnosis of dementia of any type according to accepted criteria. Mean age 83 Severity not reported	Music therapy	Not specified	Barthel Index	7/11
Woods	Dec 2011	Diagnosis of dementia or any subtype and of any severity. Mean age range 74–85 Mean MMSE range 20–22	Cognitive stimulation intervention targeting cognitive and social functioning	No treatment, usual care or placebo	Barthel Index IADL Stewart ADL Scale	10/11
Bahar Fuchs	Nov 2012	Diagnosis of dementia. Targeting people with minimal, mild or moderate dementia (MMSE>12) Mean age was 78 in the studies reporting this info. Baseline MMSE range 23–25/30	Cognitive training or cognitive rehabilitation	No treatment, usual care, wait list control or active control	Basic and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scales Physical Self Maintenance Scale Bayer Activities of Daily Living Scale	8/11
Forbes	Jan 2014	Diagnosis of dementia (all types considered) according to accepted criteria Mean age 85, all participants were nursing home residents	Light therapy	Not specified	Nurse-Informant Activities of Daily Living Measure	10/11
Forrester	Jan 2014	Diagnosis of dementia of any subtype and of any severity Mean age 85 Nursing home residents with agitation for >4 weeks	Aromatherapy	Placebo aromatherapy	Barthel ADL Scale	9/11
Liu	Sept 2012	Older people (over 65 years of age) and diagnosed as having dementia using accepted criteria Mean age range 73–79 MMSE not reported in two of the three studies in the review. The third study involved people with mild Alzheimer's disease	Mealtime interventions (incl. nutritional supplementation)	Not specified	ADCS-ADL	8/11
Pharmacological interventions
Tan	Nov 2013	Diagnosis of probable or possible Alzheimer's disease consistent with accepted criteria Mean age participants 76 Five of the trials included people with mild-to-moderate dementia. Seven trials included people with severe dementia	Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and memantine	Placebo	ADCS-ADL	7/11
Chau	June 2014	Clinical diagnosis of mild, moderate or severe AD Population age and severity not described	Latrepirdine	Placebo	ADCS-ADL	10/11
Jansen	June 2009	Diagnosis of dementia of any subtype and of any severity Mean age 85–86 Moderate severity dementia	Melatonin	Placebo or no treatment	Nurse-Informant Activities of Daily Living Measure	8/11
McCleery	March 2013	People who had both: Alzheimer's disease diagnosed using any well-validated criteria, such as DSM, at the time of the study, and a sleep problem diagnosed on the basis of subjective or objective measures Mean age ranged 77–81 Mean MMSE range 11–14	Pharmacotherapies for sleep	Placebo	Katz Index	10/11
McGuinness	Jan 2014	Patients with a diagnosis of probable or possible AD according to accepted criteria. Mean age 74–79 Mild-to-moderate severity dementia	Statins	Placebo	ADCS-ADL ADFACS	7/11
Birks	July 2002	Diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease Mean age ranged from 70 to 83 in the studies reporting ADL outcomes Studies included people with mild-to-moderate dementia	Selegeline	Placebo	Unclear	9/11
Birks	March 2010	People with unclassified dementia, Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia or mixed dementia Mean age ranged from 74 to 80 in the studies reporting ADL outcomes Studies included people with mild-to-moderate dementia	Nimodipine	Placebo	Unclear	9/11
Higgins	May 2004	Diagnosis of dementia of any type Mean age 74 years Mild-to-moderate severity	Lecithin	Placebo	PADL Scale	9/11
Alternative therapies
Yang	June 2013	Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. People with other forms of dementia were excluded. All studies but one conducted in China Age range 50–85 Details regarding severity of dementia not reported	Huperzine A	No treatment, usual care or placebo.	Activities of Daily Living Scale ADCS-ADL	9/11
Tan	March 2014	Diagnosis of dementia of any type or people with mild cognitive impairment Mean age 65–82 Most participants had mild-to-moderate severity dementia	Gingko biloba	Placebo	ADL-IS GBS-ADL	3/11
Lee	Aug 2008	Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease Population details not reported except to state that one of the two trials included people with mild-to-moderate severity AD	Acupuncture	Usual care or alternative intervention	Not specified	6/11
Li	April 2014	Diagnosis of probable or possible Alzheimer's disease consistent with the DSM-IV Mean age ranged from 75 to 78 Mean MMSE range 19–24/30	Vitamins B supplementation	Not specified	ADL Scale IADL Scale ADCS-ADL	7/11

NR, not reported.
ADL, activities of daily living; ADFAC, Alzheimer's disease functional assessment and change Scale; ADSC, Alzheimer's disease co-operative study; AMPS, Assessment of Motor and Process Skills; BPSD, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia; DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; GBS, Guillain-Barré syndrome; IADL, instrumental activities of daily living Scale; IDDD, Interview for deterioration in daily living activities; MMSE, mini-mental state examination; PADL, physical ADL.