The long-term objective of this study is the evaluation of behavioral strategies on maintaining the functional independence of cognitively impaired nursing home residents for as long as possible. To accomplish this long-term goal, the effectiveness of behavioral intermentions, called Strategies for Promoting Independence in Dressing (SPID), on improving the dressing behavior of residents will be measured. The secondary objective of this study is to compare the number and type of aggressive behaviors of residents before and after the clinical intervention of SPID. This study will use a time-series design with an experimental (immediate treatment) group and a control (delayed treatment) group. The sample of 100 cognitively impaired elderly will be selected from 5 local nursing homes who have consented to having the study conducted in their facilities. Baseline data on the outcome variables, level of assistance in dressing and aggressive behaviors, will be obtained from both groups twice a week for the first week to desensitize residents and aides to being videotaped and twice a week for the second week to establish baseline performance. Following the initiation of the behavioral intervention, the experimental subjects will be monitored on the outcome measures twice a week during the 6 week treatment period. The control group subjects will be monitored on these outcome measures for a 6 week delay period. Following this delay period, the control group will receive the interventions for 6 weeks, during which the outcome measures will be monitored. Both the experimental and control groups will be monitored at three and six weeks post treatment for the outcome variables. Because of its focus on two critical areas, independence in ADLs and aggression, this research can have an important impact on the quality of care given to cognitively impaired residents and can improve their quality of life.
| Beck, C; Heacock, P; Mercer, S O et al. (1997) Improving dressing behavior in cognitively impaired nursing home residents. Nurs Res 46:126-32 |
| Heacock, P R; Beck, C M; Souder, E et al. (1997) Assessing dressing ability in dementia. Geriatr Nurs 18:107-11 |
