摘要
This is a comparative study examining the influence of a small-scale dementia unit and a traditional dementia unit on behaviors of the residents. The small-scale unit and the traditional unit were selected through two phases in Vancouver, Canada. Seven residents from each facility completed the study. Physical environmental assessments were performed using two tools： PEAP （professional environmental assessment protocol） and TESS-NH （therapeutic environment screening survey for nursing homes）. For the assessment of residents＇ behaviors, three assessment tools were used： MOSES （multidimensional observation scale for elderly subjects）, MDS （minimum data set） and DCM （dementia care mapping）. The study found that the residents living in a small-scale environment were more engaged in activities and more likely to respond in understanding their fellow residents. Residents living in a traditional long-term care exhibited fewer signs of social interaction. The findings suggest that a small-scale homelike environment could positively influence people with dementia to be more engaged in social exchanges and activities, and consequently help in reducing their withdrawn behavior.
