The ward milieu and its effect on the behaviour of psychogeriatric patients.
Research relating environment and behaviour indicates that relatively minor changes in the environment, such as restructuring a dayroom, can result in significantly improved psychosocial functioning in psychogeriatric patients. A project introducing multiple changes designed to improve the quality of life on a geriatric ward in a provincial mental hospital is described and discussed in the light of that research and suggestions are made regarding its replication under more rigorous experimental conditions.
Minde
R
R
Geriatric Unit, Kingston Psychiatric Hospital, Ontario.
Haynes
E
E
Rodenburg
M
M
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry / Q000458:organization & administration; D006749:Hospital Design and Construction; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D012960:Socioenvironmental Therapy