[The project 'Normalized Living' of the 'De Landrijt' nursing home in Eindhoven. Various results of an experiment in psychogeriatric care]

Abstract

Four experimental nursing home settings have been established by nursing home 'De Landrijt' in Eindhoven, each providing care for 4 or 5 long-stay psychogeriatric patients, in order to create flexible living conditions. Nurses are in overall charge; medical care is not provided on a daily basis, but only when necessary. Daily care is also suited to individual needs and possibilities of the patients. In order to evaluate these innovative nursing home conditions, 41 patients were compared with the same type of patients in conventional long-stay wards. To ensure that during the period of the evaluation the homes received the same types of patients, patients considered to need long-term nursing care were allocated randomly to the experimental and conventional homes. The development in functioning of the two groups was measured with a behaviour observation scale for elderly, the OPG--Observation Psychogeriatrics. The most important improvements for the experimental group are observed with respect to Orientation, Mood and Behavioural Problems, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and Care provided to other patients. More physical aspects of impairment (for instance Activities of Daily Living, Incontinence and Contact) showed hardly any differences between the two groups. Other findings about the project (financial consequences, transfer to general health care) are briefly discussed.