Use of environmental manipulation and modified informal reality orientation with institutionalized, confused elderly subjects: a replication.

The effectiveness, for confused elderly subjects, of modified informal reality orientation and environmental manipulation without any 'classroom' reality orientation was investigated with 10 experimental subjects in one ward and 10 control subjects in another. All subjects were assessed prior to the start of the intervention and after 6 and 12 weeks of treatment on cognitive and behavioural measures. While the control group showed decline on all measures except one, the experimental group improved in ward orientation and cognitive status and showed no decline on the behavioural measures.