Environments for the dementing

Abstract

SUMMARYThe Multiphasic Environmental Assessment Procedure (MEAP; Moos and Lemke, 1984) was used to assess a British sample of specialized environments for the dementing and elderly. Results supported the utility of the MEAP as a measurement tool. Shortcomings in the planning for such environments were identified, for example in the provision of adequate safety, prosthetic and orientational aids, and some assumptions about care priorities were challenged, such as the cruciality of 'integration' and the necessity for proximity to community facilities of units for the dementing. Comparisons with American normative data were made, with the most consistent finding being a more satisfactory provision of physical environment features in the American sample.K E Y wom-Nursing home environments, psychogeriatric patients, questionnaire.

The TAPS project 40: quality of care provisions for the elderly mentally ill?traditional vs alternative facilities

“…In this respect, American facilities seem to be more realistic in providing physical amenities than comparable British facilities Benjamin and Spector, 1990). One exception, also evident in our study, is that the UK sample had better access to the neighbourhood.…”

“…This ®nding is probably not incidental, being described already in two similar facilities in Hertfordshire (Benjamin and Spector, 1990). Lack of consideration for the physical needs of residents is risky.…”

Vivre en résidence pour aînés : le format est-il la formule?

“…La perception du niveau de contrôle environnemental a été traitée de deux façons : en continu et en catégorique (niveau de contrôle élevé, moyen ou faible). La section du questionnaire que nous avons utilisée a été largement testée auprès des personnes âgées habitant dans des environnements semi-autonomes (Benjamin et Spector, 1990;Philp et al, 1989). Des tests rapportent des associations test-prétest variant de 0,69 à 0,98 (Moos et Lemke, 1992).…”

Editor's note

“…Thus, a bereavement and a personality change in a patient are treated as variables in the same category when they really differ considerably, since the first is episodic and truly independent of the illness whereas the latter is neither. This makes the results difficult to interpret -a great pity because of the practical importance of this research in a relatively little investigated field and doubly so because of the methodologically far more rigorous approach adopted by the authors in an earlier article in the same issue of the journal (Benjamin and Spector, 1990), which employed the well-validated MEAP scale. RAYMOND LEVY Institute of Psychiatry, London I have read with great interest the articles by Benjamin and Spector on 'Environments for the Dementing'.…”