Impact of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in institutionalized people

Abstract

Background & aims: The behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with dementia are very disruptive and take on more and more relevance given the problem they pose to the people who suffer from them and their environment. In many cases these symptoms can be the trigger for caregivers to use physical or chemical restraints to alleviate the intrinsic and extrinsic damage they can cause. This work aims to evaluate the appearance of these symptoms, the prescription of psychotropic drugs, and other psychofunctional variables that may be related, such as the cognitive, functional or emotional state, in institutional settings. Methods: The relationship between these variables and age and gender has also been evaluated. The sample consisted of 450 institutionalized elderly people. Results: The data obtained indicate a large percentage of people who present behavioral alterations and an over-prescription of psychotropic drugs. The majority of the sample is made up of women which present moderately severe fall rates, functional levels of dependence, cognitive impairment and emotional states. With regard to the relationships found, age is related to greater consumption of psychotropic drugs and worse gait stability. In terms of gender, women are the most medicated, with the worst cognitive, functional status and worse gait stability. The presence of BPSD is directly related to the consumption of psychotropic drugs and other psychofunctional variables such as greater cognitive impairment, functional dependence or worse mood. Conclusion: It is necessary to design non-pharmacological interventions in institutional settings that influence the analyzed variables to improve people's well-being and quality of life.