Environmental correlates of resident agitation in Alzheimer's disease special care units.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the point prevalence of agitated behaviors in a representative sample of Alzheimer's disease Special Care Units, and to determine the extent to which agitation is associated with aspects of the treatment environment.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study in which nonparticipant observers recorded 3723 observations of resident behaviors in 53 Alzheimer's disease Special Care Units. Observational data were gathered on the physical environment and staff treatment in these settings, and resident characteristics were extracted from a data base developed in the study states by the Health Care Financing Agency. Analyses studied the association between aspects of the staff and physical environment and resident agitation levels, controlling for resident cognitive and functional status.

SETTING

Special Care Units in nursing homes in Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, and South Dakota.

PARTICIPANTS

All residents and staff of the participating units.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Eight specific agitated behaviors and two indexes of resident agitation were measured by direct observation by research assistants on three to four data collection walk-throughs in each of the study facilities.

RESULTS

The most common agitated behaviors noted were repetitive mannerisms (4.5% of resident observations) and non-loud verbal excess (3.8%). Wandering, which frequently reflects agitation, was noted in 6.5% of resident observations. The proportion of residents exhibiting an agitated behavior varied from none in some units to 38% in one unit. Independent correlates of low unit agitation levels included favorable scores on measures of the physical environment and of staff treatment activities, low rates of physical restraint use, a high proportion of residents in bed during the day, small unit size, low levels of resident functional dependency, and fewer numbers of comorbid conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

While the prevalence of agitation tends to increase as Alzheimer's disease progresses, modifiable treatment factors appear to have a strong influence on the prevalence of agitation. Both physical design and staff treatment appear to influence agitation rates, as do some measures consistent with a low stimulus approach to Alzheimer's care.