Abstract
The objective of the present study is to clarify the efficacy of nursing intervention for supporting self-determination in elderly nursing home residents with moderate to severe dementia. Subjects were 20 elderly nursing home residents with moderate to severe dementia (intervention group: n=10, and control group: n=10), and nursing intervention was administered for two consecutive weeks to support self-determination for "meals," "snacks," "dressing," "toileting" and "recreation." The results showed that although no significant improvements were seen in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, significant improvements in Mental Function Impairment Scale (MENFIS) scores, tendency toward improvements in "motivation function" (subscale) scores, and significant improvements in Psychological Assessment Scale by Facial Expression for Demented People (PAFED) scores for "exercise" were seen. The clarity of intent expression when asked to make a choice was assessed using an originally developed ordinal scale in the settings of "eating snacks" and "dressing." The results showed no clear improvements before and after two weeks of intervention, but since scores improved in some subjects, the possibility of improvements could not be ruled out. The above findings suggest that a nursing intervention for supporting self-determination motivates elderly nursing home residents with moderate to severe dementia to be active and improves their willingness to carry out activities of daily living.
