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Care for demented patients in different living conditions. Effects on cognitive function, ADL-capacity and behaviour
A Wimo1, R Adolfsson, P O Sandman
1Research Unit of Primary Health Care, Sundsvall, Sweden.
Objective:
To assess if and how demented patients' living conditions affect their level of functioning.
Design:
A prospective concurrent control-study.
Setting:
Sundsvall, an industrial community in the middle of Sweden.
Participants:
Forty-six demented patients in group-living (GL-group) and 62 controls (C-group).
Main Outcome Measure:
Cognitive function, ADL-capacity and behaviour were measured every third month during one year.
Results:
Both groups deteriorated, but the decline was significantly slower in the GL-group regarding some ADL-functions, e.g. dressing and motor functions, whereas some behavioural disturbances were significantly more frequent in the GL-group. No differences were observed regarding the level of cognitive function.
Conclusion:
The living condition has small effects on cognitive function and ADL-capacity. The behavioural disturbances observed in GL should be the focus of future research.