The Frequency of Family Visits Influences the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) of Aged People with Dementia in a Nursing Home

Abstract

The behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) change the lifestyles of demented people and their caregivers. While various interventions in dementia have been reported, the relationship between family visits and suppression of BPSD in a nursing home has rarely been addressed. This study investigated whether the frequency of family visits was associated with a reduction in BPSD in aging people in a nursing home. Sixty-seven aged people (average age: 87.3 years), who were diagnosed as having dementia according to the Hasegawa Dementia Scale-Revised (HDS-R) score, in a nursing home were selected. They were divided into 3 groups as follows: HDS-R score of 0-9 (group A), 10-14 (group B), 15-19 (group C). The subjects were further divided into 2 groups by their average monthly frequency of family visits: 0-10 (group X) and >10 (group Y). The rates of change in the HDS-R and dementia behavior disturbance (DBD) Scale scores were calculated. The rate of change in the DBD Scale score was influenced by the frequency of family visits, and the effect was significantly greater in group X than in group Y. Among the groups, only group B showed significant differences in the rates of change in the HDS-R and DBD Scale scores, and both of these were lower in group Y than in group X. This investigation demonstrated that the frequency of family visits was associated with suppression of BPSD, and was particularly effective for subjects with moderate dementia.