Changes in habits related to self-care in dementia: the nursing home versus adult day care.
Little is known about the changes that occur for older persons with dementia in the practice of self-care routines. This study assesses the concordance of past and current self-care practices of day care and nursing home persons using spouse reports, the degree of spouse awareness of these changes, and spouse perception of how important self-care practices had been to their partner. Participants were spouses of 12 older persons with dementia in day care and spouses of 20 nursing home residents. Self-care routines were assessed using the Self-maintenance Habits and Preferences in Elderly (SHAPE) questionnaire. Day care attendees showed few changes in self-care routines compared to nursing home residents. Spouses of nursing home residents underestimate the changes in self-care that occur with nursing home admission. The importance of being aware of self-care changes lies in the value of maintaining continuity with the customary preferences and routines of the older person.
Cohen-Mansfield
Jiska
J
Department of Health Promotion, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Herczeg Institute on Aging at Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. cohenmansfield@hebrew-home.org
Jensen
Barbara
B
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D012648:Self Care; D018454:Spouses; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires