Agitation and touch in the nursing home

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Science
• Behavioral Psychology

Background:

• Agitated behaviors are common in nursing home residents with severe cognitive impairment.
• Understanding triggers and responses to physical touch is crucial for effective care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between agitated behaviors and interpersonal distance in nursing home residents.
• To investigate how physical touch influences aggressive and nonaggressive behaviors in this population.

Main Methods:

• Studied 24 nursing home residents with high agitation and severe cognitive impairment.
• Analyzed resident responses to physical touch in relation to their behaviors.

Main Results:

• Physical touch was associated with an increase in aggressive behaviors among residents.
• Touch also correlated with a decrease in physically nonaggressive behaviors, such as unusual movements.
• Findings suggest touch may be perceived as a personal space violation, potentially increasing aggression.

Conclusions:

• Touch elicits divergent responses in agitated, cognitively impaired residents.
• Caregivers can utilize touch as a quieting and comforting communication method, but must be sensitive to personal space.
• Implications for caregiver strategies in managing agitated behaviors are discussed.