Abstract
Due to rapid aging of the Japanese population, it is expected that by 2025 the number of elderly adults with dementia will exceed previous projections. The number of admissions of elderly patients with dementia has also been increasing on Ward A, and staff have been grappling with the challenge of managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) such as wandering, anxiety, restlessness, lack of motivation, delirium, hallucinations, delusions, and sleep disorders. Dementia is a disease that threatens the intellectual capabilities that people accumulate throughout their lifetime. Taktil® care was provided to elderly inpatients with dementia who had an Abe’s BPSD score of 13 or higher on admission, and changes in score were evaluated after provision of care. Abe’s BPSD score decreased significantly in all patients (Wilcoxon signed-rank test). This indicates that Taktil® care enabled nurses to calm elderly patients with dementia and build a trusting relationship with them, and this reduced restlessness and abnormal behavior. This care approach produced results in just the short time that patients spent on the general ward, demonstrating that it is an effective form of nursing care for elderly adults with dementia who have BPSD.
