title: Management of verbally disruptive behaviors in nursing home residents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Verbally disruptive behaviors (VDB) are verbal or vocal behaviors that are inappropriate to the circumstances in which they are manifested. These behaviors are a source of concern because they disturb persons around the older person and may be an indicator of distress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three interventions were tried and compared to a control no-intervention phase. The interventions were: (1) Presentation of a videotape of a family member talking to the older person, (2) in vivo social interaction, and (3) use of music.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two nursing home residents suffering from dementia and manifesting VDB were observed before, during, and after the interventions, and the duration of VDB was recorded. The behaviors decreased by 56% during the social interaction, 46% during the videotape, 31% during the music, and 16% during the no-intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of the interventions were clinically and statistically significant, indicating the importance of providing stimulating activities and a richer environment to cognitively impaired nursing home residents.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute, Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen-Mansfield
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D014705:Verbal Behavior