Behavior and Participation During Therapeutic Activities on Special Care Units

Abstract

This article describes the participation and behavior of people with mid-stage dementia during therapeutic activities. Residents displaved pleasure, hesitancv, distractibility, and revealing and releasing self. Self-revelation and spontaneity were associated more with less structured activities and enthusiastic and structured leader behavior was associated with keeping people actively participating and with positive affect, behaviors, and verbalizations. It was also, however, associated with missing cues from the participant. This description of the therapeutic activity experience on two special care units offers clinically applicable insights and suggests future areas for research.