title: Environmental Cues in Double-Occupancy Rooms to Support Patients With Dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different environmental cues in double-occupancy rooms of an acute care hospital to support patients' abilities to identify their bed and wardrobe.
  
  
  METHODS
  The quasi-experiment was conducted on a geriatric ward of an acute care hospital. Patients with dementia were included (n = 42). To test the effectiveness of environmental cues, two rooms were enhanced with the environmental cue "color," two rooms with the cue "number," and two rooms with the cue "patient's name". Four rooms were not redesigned and were used as control rooms. For analysis, we pooled the intervention groups color and number (n = 14) and compared it with the control group (n = 22).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The environmental cues color and number were significantly effective to improve the identification of the wardrobe from the third to the fifth day after admission. However, for the 10th-12th day after admission, we found no difference in results. Furthermore, results indicate improvements in the ability to identify the bed by using the environmental cues color and number.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As this study indicated, the environmental cues color and number are helpful for these patients to identify their bed and wardrobe. However, these cues were most effective from the third to the fifth day after admission. To sustain their effectiveness on patients' identification abilities during their hospital stay, we discuss, whether verbal prompting and an ongoing mentioning of such cues, embedded in the daily work of nurses, could be beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universitaet Dresden, Faculty of Architecture, Institute of Buildings and Design, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Motzek
authors.affiliation: Technische Universitaet Dresden, Faculty of Architecture, Institute of Buildings and Design, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bueter
authors.affiliation: Technische Universitaet Dresden, Faculty of Architecture, Institute of Buildings and Design, Dresden, Germany gesine.marquardt@tu-dresden.de.
authors.forename: Gesine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marquardt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003071:Cognition; D003116:Color; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006749:Hospital Design and Construction / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards*; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D009275:Names; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010362:Patients' Rooms / Q000592:standards*
keywords: elder design; environment of care; environmental design; hospital; interior design; mental health; patient outcomes; patient room design; quantitative research; quasi-experimental