[Assessment of behavioural and psychotic symptoms and functional status of nursing home residents with a diagnosis of dementia].

AIM

This study sought to determine the relationship between behavioural and psychopathological disturbance and the functional status of dementia patients.

METHOD

The link between results of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home Version (NPI-NH) and Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects (MOSES) with cognitive impairment in 23 demented and 30 non-impaired nursing home residents was examined. Diagnosis of dementia was based on ICD-10 criteria.

RESULTS

Results showed that behavioural and psychotic symptoms were most often found in cognitively impaired residents. Several symptoms of behavioural pathology showed associations with lower cognitive status, including delusions, apathy and aberrant motor behaviour. But dementia was not associated with more aggressive behaviours.

CONCLUSION

Results of NPI-NH were correlated significantly with the MOSES scale in both groups. The results suggest that some non-cognitive symptoms may be related to the cognitive dysfunction in dementia and behavioural pathology may also have impact on the patient's ability to function.