Research in gerontological nursing
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Observational Study
Sleep disturbance, nocturnal agitation behaviors, and medical comorbidity in older adults with dementia: relationship to reported caregiver burden.
The purpose of this secondary analysis study was to determine whether care recipients' nighttime sleep patterns, medical comorbidity, observed nocturnal agitation behaviors, and caregivers' perceptions of nocturnal agitation behaviors in care recipients with dementia are associated with caregiver burden. Sixty care recipient-caregiver dyads, comprising older adults with geriatrician-diagnosed dementia living at home with caregivers, participated. ⋯ Care recipients' increased minutes of wakefulness before falling asleep and severe cognitive impairment with musculoskeletal/integument and neurological comorbidities were associated with higher caregiver burden. These results suggest that targeted interventions to reduce sleep onset latency, medical comorbidity, and caregivers' perception of frequency of nocturnal behaviors may reduce caregiver burden.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effects of guided imagery on affect, cognition, and pain in older adults in residential care: a randomized controlled study from Thailand.
Few studies have examined the effects of guided imagery on older adults in residential care. This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of group-delivered guided imagery over a 16-day period with a sample of Thai older adults in residential care (N = 31). ⋯ The results are discussed in relation to a ceiling effect and other methodological factors that may have contributed to the lack of positive outcomes. As the evidence base remains inconclusive, it is hoped that future studies will seek to establish the effects of using guided imagery with older adults in residential care.