Gerrie van Voorden, Raymond T C M Koopmans, Martin Smalbrugge, Sytse U Zuidema, Anne M A van den Brink, Richard C Oude Voshaar, Debby L Gerritsen
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives: To gain insights into the characteristics, behavior, and discharge location of patients with dementia and very severe challenging behavior admitted to highly specialized units that are specialized in the diagnostics and treatment of this patient group.
Method: In this observational study, 11 units participated from 2020 - 2023. Measurements included demographics; dementia type; severity of cognitive decline; presence of delirium; location before admission; compulsory admission; medical history; drug use; and behavior during the first 2 weeks of admission, assessed by the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire.
Results: 127 patients (67.7% males) participated. Nine in ten patients had moderately severe or severe cognitive decline. Behavior was rather heterogeneous, with agitation, general restlessness and verbal aggression present in 70% or more. Agitation was severely or extremely distressful for nursing staff in relation to one in four patients. Half of the patients were discharged to a regular dementia special care unit (DSCU), one in ten could not be discharged, and one-third died during their stay.
Conclusions: Despite heterogenous and highly prevalent behaviors of patients, about half of the patients could be discharged to DSCUs after treatment in a highly specialized unit. Future studies should explore whether and how treatment is effective.
期刊介绍：
Aging & Mental Health provides a leading international forum for the rapidly expanding field which investigates the relationship between the aging process and mental health. The journal addresses the mental changes associated with normal and abnormal or pathological aging, as well as the psychological and psychiatric problems of the aging population. The journal also has a strong commitment to interdisciplinary and innovative approaches that explore new topics and methods.
Aging & Mental Health covers the biological, psychological and social aspects of aging as they relate to mental health. In particular it encourages an integrated approach for examining various biopsychosocial processes and etiological factors associated with psychological changes in the elderly. It also emphasizes the various strategies, therapies and services which may be directed at improving the mental health of the elderly and their families. In this way the journal promotes a strong alliance among the theoretical, experimental and applied sciences across a range of issues affecting mental health and aging. The emphasis of the journal is on rigorous quantitative, and qualitative, research and, high quality innovative studies on emerging topics.
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