Can agitated behavior of nursing home residents with dementia be prevented with the use of standardized stimuli?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relative effect of different types of stimuli on agitated behaviors of nursing home residents with dementia.


METHODS
Repeated-measures design with randomized assignment of conditions.


METHODS
Seven Maryland nursing homes.


METHODS
One hundred eleven nursing home residents with a diagnosis of dementia who exhibited agitation.


METHODS
Different types of stimuli (music, social stimuli, simulated social stimuli, and individualized stimuli based on the person's self-identity) were presented.


METHODS
Agitation was directly observed and recorded using the Agitation Behavior Mapping Instrument.


RESULTS
All stimulus categories were associated with significantly less physical agitation than baseline observations, and all except for manipulative stimuli were associated with significantly less total agitation. Live social stimuli were associated with less agitation than music, self-identity, work, simulated social, and manipulative stimulus categories. Task and reading stimulus categories were each associated with significantly less agitation than work, simulated social, and manipulative stimulus categories. Music and self-identity stimuli were associated with less agitation than simulated social and manipulative stimuli.


CONCLUSIONS
Providing stimuli offers a proactive approach to preventing agitation in persons with dementia, with live social stimuli being the most successful.
Cohen-Mansfield
Jiska
J
Research Institute on Aging, Charles E. Smith Life Communities, Rockville, Maryland, USA. jiska@post.tau.ac.il
Marx
Marcia S
MS
Dakheel-Ali
Maha
M
Regier
Natalie G
NG
Thein
Khin
K
Freedman
Laurence
L
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009146:Music; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009769:Object Attachment; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012649:Self Concept