Instructions for authors are available upon request. Periodicals Postage Paid at Alexandria, VA and additional mailing offices. 1321 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-3563. The majority of residents in nursing facilities and assisted living arrangements have some form of dementia, and most of these residents experience disturbed behaviors on a regular basis. Behavior management is a constant challenge to all health care disciplines involved in long-term care.
Treatment can be acute or chronic.
Historically, antipsychotic agents were used to treat residents with unruly behaviors. These agents sedated the resident during the acute episode, and often resolved the situation. When acute behavioral situations were temporarily resolved, long-term goals were revisited. Improvement of functional capabilities, maintenance of cognitive abilities, and prevention or reduction of adverse medication effects can be more difficult when conventional antipsychotic agents are employed in the geriatric long-term care setting. These activities helped refocus appropriate attention on proper diagnosis of disturbed behaviors, treatment of the acute situation, and long-term intervention for behavioral problems.