Behaviors of Nursing Home Residents with Dementia: Examining Nurse Responses

Abstract

<blockquote>This article is a companion piece to an article that appeared in the April issue of the <cite>Journal of Gerontological Nursing</cite> entitled “The Serial Trial Intervention: An Innovative Approach to Meeting Needs of Individuals with Dementia” (Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 18-25). The first article, by Christine R. Kovach, PhD, RN, Patricia E. Noonan, MSN, APRN, BC, Andrea Matovina Schlidt, MSN, GNP, Sheila Reynolds, MS, APRN, BC, and Thelma Wells, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN, describes the Serial Trial Intervention (STI)—an innovative approach to assessing and treating unmet needs of individuals with dementia. In this month’s article, the authors examine whether recurring behaviors were predicted by variations in approaches to nursing care. The research was part of a larger study of the effectiveness of the STI as an approach to behaviors associated with advanced dementia.</blockquote> <h4>EXCERPT</h4> <p>More than half of individuals with advanced dementia exhibit behaviors that have been described as challenging, disruptive, or problematic (Allen-Burge, Stevens, & Burgio, 1999; Burgio, Scilley, Hardin, & Hsu, 2001; Jackson, Spector, & Rabins, 1997). Approximately half of these behaviors involve problematic vocalizations or physical aggression (Ballard et al., 2001; Beck & Vogelpohl, 1999). Caregivers are commonly taught to respond to such behaviors using psychosocial and environmental treatments (Burgener & Twigg, 2002), based on the assumption that the source of the behavior is not unmet physical needs. However, these psychosocial and environmental treatments are not preceded by a systematic assessment to rule out physical needs, and the assumption therefore may be faulty.</p>