Within-subject and between-subject variability in responses to a mind-body intervention in electrophysiological brain activity.

In the face of an aging population, increasing cases of dementia have become a global challenge (). By 2050, cases are estimated to surpass 150 million (), imposing a heavy economic burden on formal and informal care systems (). Dementia is a multifaceted neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory, cognitive abilities, and behavior (). In the best-case scenario, its management consists of a multidisciplinary approach, engaging varied healthcare professionals and treatments reflecting its complexity (). Nevertheless, reality for patients with dementia looks rather different, with delayed diagnoses and lack of transferal to specialists (), just to name a few. Therefore, it’s not surprising that many people with dementia and their caretakers experience unmet needs in multiple areas (, ). Unmet needs regularly revolve around nursing treatment and care, social counseling and legal support, and pharmacological treatment and care (), and have been associated with anxiety and depression (). Additionally, self-care, education, and training have been reported as areas where people affected by dementia experience unmet needs (, ). These are not only due to lack in provision of care but also arise from gaps in policy frameworks that shape how dementia care is organized, resourced, and delivered (). In dementia care, policy making can play a pivotal role in the delivery of diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing support services. This is achieved through developing national dementia strategies, legislative and regulatory frameworks, clinical guidelines, and accreditation standards (, ). These instruments do not only define expectations for care quality, but also outline professional competencies, and set forth the legal and ethical foundations that govern the rights and protections of people living with dementia and their caretakers (). For example, early detection of dementia is influenced by screening protocols, referral systems, and the distribution of diagnostic resources, which is all determined by said policies (, ). Additionally, they guide treatment practices by specifying evidence-based therapeutic approaches and care pathways, thus promoting person-centered care (, ). But policies cannot work on their own, they work interdependently with joint actions and best practices.