[Beneficial effects of dementia care units]

Somatic nursing homes are the cornerstones of institutionalised care for people with dementia; the proportion of nursing home patients suffering from dementia is above 70%. Although most communities provide small dementia care units, they do not meet the needs and their aims are poorly defined. In this article, the effects of special care units on demented patients are examined.

Literature searches on Medline and Ageline were supplemented by reports from the Norwegian Centre for Dementia Research.

The few studies identified indicate that small dementia care units are beneficial for patients, giving them a better quality of life. Patients maintain their cognition and functional ability longer, they are more relaxed, and receive less antipsychotic drugs. Various types of constraint and surveillance are used less often. The beneficial effects of special care units vary among patients, and they decrease over time.

Patients benefit temporarily from living in special dementia care units. However, the aims of these units are poorly defined and standards for staffing and the selection of patients are so far lacking. Further studies of quality and effect on care are needed, as the literature is scarce.