[An index for evaluation of cognitive-behavioral disorders in elderly people living in nursing homes]

Aim of the study was to create an instrument (DISCO Index) to evaluate cognitive-behavioural disturbances in elderly people. We considered n. 192 elderly people living in Torino's nursing homes, n. 76 people screened by the Geriatric Evaluation Unit (GEU) of S. Giovanni Battista Hospital in Torino and n. 136 subjects evaluated by a Torino's District GEU. Mean age was 81.8 +/- 8.3 years. By evaluating cognitive status and behavioural disturbances we obtained a list of conditions referring to three different degrees of severity depending on care needs. The three categories have been defined as: group A: absent or light cognitive and behavioural disturbances; group B: significant impairment of space-timing orientation, hallucinations and delirium, frequent verbal abuse (outrage, menace), feeding alteration; group C: total disturbance of sleep--awakeness rhythm, frequent real or threatened physical assault, wandering or escape attempts, suicidal ideas or suicidal trials, sever feeding alterations. Functional status was also considered by ADL. 41.1% of the study population belongs to group A, 50.5% to group B and 8.4% to group C. Functional status in the sample was seriously impaired in 64.4% (autonomy loss in more then three functions) while only 9.4% of the subjects was autonomous. The totally of people belonging to the group C was found to be dependent in ADLs.