title: Language use of older Italian-background persons with dementia in mainstream and ethno-specific residential care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Australia has a growing aging migrant population and rates of dementia in residential care are high. The communication of persons with dementia and limited English language proficiency in residential care is an area that has received little attention in the research literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine Italian-background older persons with severe dementia residing in either mainstream (n = 20) or Italian-specific (n = 19) aged care facilities were observed and language use was recorded. Medication regime and language proficiency information was obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants in mainstream facilities engaged in less communication with co-residents and were prescribed daytime benzodiazepines at a higher rate than those in Italian-specific facilities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older persons in mainstream facilities with dementia and lower levels of English proficiency may benefit from additional language-relevant resources. The finding of higher prescription rate of daytime benzodiazepines requires further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Australia. Susannah.Runci@med.monash.edu.au
authors.forename: Susannah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Runci
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Redman
authors.forename: Daniel W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015588:Observer Variation; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012114:Residential Treatment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014705:Verbal Behavior
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs