Can we help persons with dementia find their way in a new environment?

There has been concern for many years that an older person with dementia is likely to experience increased disorientation if moved from one setting to another. A policy of rebuilding Canadian nursing homes and relocating their residents led these researchers to test a strategy for improving residents' ability to find their way in a new environment. A randomised controlled trial conducted in four nursing homes compared an intervention consisting of the use of a location map and a behavioural training technique called 'backward chaining' with a control group who did not receive it. 'Backward chaining' involved breaking the trip down into smaller sections which were rehearsed individually, with the section of the journey nearest the intended destination (the dining room) being learned first. The results indicated that residents in the treatment group demonstrated an increased ability to find their way to the dining room after one week, but that this effect was not maintained after three months.