Dementia day care and its effects on symptoms and institutionalization--a controlled Swedish study.

Objective: To examine the effects of Day Care (DC) on demented patients.

Design: A prospective non-randomized concurrent-control study.

Participants: 55 demented patients in DC and 44 controls.

Can changes in ward routines affect the severity of dementia? A controlled prospective study.

An extensive new caring program--including the introduction of Individual Care Plans and changes in ward organization, caring techniques, and caring philosophy--was introduced at two psychogeriatric wards with severely demented patients. The hypotheses were that the patients (n = 31) would improve in psychosocial capacity and orientation and the staff work load would decline in contrast to two other wards with a similar clientele (n = 31). After ten months the milieu was more "homelike," routines were more flexible, and the staff communicated more with the patients.

Predictive validity of factors influencing the institutionalization of elderly people with psycho-geriatric disorders.

The predictive validity of certain items was tested with respect to their influence on the institutionalization of elderly people with psycho-geriatric disorders (n = 69). Twelve items measuring both the patient's condition and the exhaustion around the patient were tested. Two outcome measurements were used, the first measuring the number of patients who were institutionalized after the end of 12 months and the second measuring the number of days at an institution during 12 months.

Impact of day care on dementia patients--costs, well-being and relatives' views.

Forty-seven patients in psychogeriatric day centre were analysed regarding use of resources, costs and well-being. The level of well-being was based on interviews with staff and relatives and related to the economic outcome--a cost utility analysis. A 6 month period prior to day care was compared with the first 6 months in such care.