The effect of skill training on functional abilities of nursing home residents with dementia

The purpose of this experimental study was to compare the effects of skill training, a traditional stimulation approach, and regular care (control group) on the ability to perform the basic activities of daily living of nursing home residents with dementia. Sixty-three subjects were randomly selected and randomly assigned to the three groups. Ability to perform the basic activities of daily living (ADLs) and progress toward meeting individually set ADL-related goals were measured. Significant differences were found in two of the three measures used. In general, the greatest improvement was found in the skill training group, modest improvement in the simulation group, and decline in the control group.