title: Eating behaviors of nursing home residents who display agitation.
abstract: To determine if cognitive level and agitation affect eating behavior, 33 females and four males in a 210-bed nursing home were studied. The researcher inconspicuously observed the evening meal for subjects on three occasions. Nearly 80% of the subjects showed a high frequency of agitation and 84% exhibited cognitive impairment. More than one-half were independent in feeding, with caregivers neither touching nor encouraging subjects during more than half of the 110 meals observed. No significant relationships were demonstrated between level of agitation and eating behavior or between cognitive level and eating behavior.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kline
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Sexton
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation