Activities of persons with dementia at home and after nursing home admission: A survey study.

Objectives: This study compared whether the categories of activities that persons with dementia engage in changed between home and after nursing home admission. Also investigated were the methods for assessing the wishes, needs, and abilities regarding activities, and informal caregivers' satisfaction with the degree of assessment of activities during the transition.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey in which 81 informal caregivers of nursing home residents with dementia participated (37 % male, mean age 65.0 years, SD 10.1).

Results: Persons with dementia performed activities in fewer activity categories in the nursing home compared to home (Z = -3.74, p<.01). Conversation was the most used assessment method. Informal caregivers rated their satisfaction with the degree of assessment of activities during transition with a median score of 7 (IQR 5-8) on a scale from 0 to 10.

Conclusion: Monitoring the activities for persons with dementia during the transition is essential and activities should be assessed repeatedly over time to prevent potential activity decline.