Related Experiment Videos
A short-term inpatient program for agitated demented nursing home residents
P K Wiener1, D N Kiosses, S Klimstra
1Weill Medical College of Cornell University, USA.
Objective:
This case series describes the various contributors of disruptive behavior in demented nursing home residents and outlines the necessary steps to identify and treat them.
Design:
Evaluation of overall clinical improvement and agitation at discharge from the hospital and at follow-up.
Setting:
Nursing home residents consecutively admitted to the geriatric psychiatry service of a psychiatric university hospital in the New York metropolitan area.
Patients:
15 elderly demented nursing home residents with agitation.
Measures:
Overall clinical improvement was assessed with the 'global assessment of functioning scale'. Agitation was evaluated with the 'brief agitation rating scale' and the 'nursing home scale for agitation'. Medication side-effects were measured with the 'Simpson-Angus scale' and the 'abnormal involuntary movement scale'.
Results:
The patients showed significantly more overall clinical improvement at discharge compared with admission. Additionally, agitation scores were significantly lower at discharge and at follow-up compared with admission.
Conclusion:
A comprehensive medical and neurological assessment, an accurate identification of comorbid psychopathology, evaluation of drug toxicity, and a thorough history of psychotropic medication trials are essential steps for a successful treatment.