title: Identifying and treating agitated behaviors in the long-term care setting.
abstract: This article provides information on identification, assessment, and intervention techniques for agitated behaviors in the long-term care setting. Although the emphasis is on prevention and management of agitation, the article offers suggestions to assist health care providers in differentiating between delirium, psychosis, depression, anxiety, and dementia, which may place a resident at risk for agitation. Basic treatment approaches for each of these disorders is also reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Service Center, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, USA.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Hastings
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thompson-Heisterman
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Farrell
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003663:Decision Trees; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*