Issues related to behavior and the physical environment: bathing cognitively impaired patients.

Twenty-two patients in moderate and late stages of dementia were observed for 8 weeks by caregiving staff of a special care unit. Results indicated that bathing in a typical institutional tub is both a source of apprehension and obstreperous behavior and a considerable departure from prior lifelong bathing experiences. Given information about the habits and idiosyncrasies of patients, staff can play an important role in minimizing obstreperous behaviors. Staff training and awareness of the physical environment, which included attention to the interrelationship between environment and behavior, were found to be instrumental in successful bathing.