Cohen-Mansfield, Jiska, Marx, Marcia S., Thein, Khin, Dakheel-Ali, Maha

Objective: To examine how presentation of different stimuli impacts affect in nursing home residents with dementia.; Method: Participants were 193 residents aged 60 to 101 years from 7 Maryland nursing homes who had a diagnosis of dementia (derived from the medical chart or obtained from the attending physician). Cognitive functioning was assessed via the Mini-Mental […]

Marx, M. S., Cohen-Mansfield, J., Regier, N. G., Dakheel-Ali, M., Srihari, A., Thein, K.

Objective: To provide further empirical evaluation of the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy in nursing home residents with dementia. Methods: Participants were 56 residents of 2 suburban Maryland nursing homes and had a diagnosis. Activities of daily living performance was assessed via the minimum data set and cognitive functioning assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Engagement […]

Cohen-Mansfield, Jiska, Thein, Khin, Dakheel-Ali, Maha, Marx, Marcia S.

We examined the impact of setting characteristics and presentation effects on engagement with stimuli in a group of 193 nursing home residents with dementia (recruited from a total of seven nursing homes). Engagement was assessed through systematic observations using the Observational Measurement of Engagement (OME), and data pertaining to setting characteristics (background noise, light, and […]

Cohen-Mansfield, Jiska, Marx, Marcia S., Thein, Khin, Dakheel-Ali, Maha

Objectives: We examined engagement with stimuli in 193 nursing home residents with dementia. We hypothesized that activities and stimuli based on a person’s past and current preferences would result in more engagement than other activities/stimuli. Method: The expanded version of the self-identity questionnaire [Cohen-Mansfield, J., Golander, H. & Arheim, G. (2000)] was used to determine […]

Cohen-Mansfield, Jiska, Marx, Marcia S., Freedman, Laurence S., Murad, Havi, Regier, Natalie G., Thein, Khin, Dakheel-Ali, Maha

Background: Engagement refers to the act of being occupied or involved with an external stimulus. In dementia, engagement is the antithesis of apathy. Objective: The Comprehensive Process Model of Engagement was examined, in which environmental, personal, and stimulus characteristics impact the level of engagement. Methods: Participants were 193 residents of 7 Maryland nursing with a […]

Cohen-Mansfield, Jiska, Marx, Marcia S., Dakheel-Ali, Maha, Regier, Natalie G., Thein, Khin

Objectives: To determine which stimuli are 1) most engaging 2) most often refused by nursing home residents with dementia, and 3) most appropriate for persons who are more difficult to engage with stimuli. Methods: Participants were 193 residents of seven Maryland nursing homes. All participants had a diagnosis of dementia. Stimulus engagement was assessed by […]

Cohen-Mansfield, Jiska, Dakheel-Ali, Maha, Thein, Khin, Marx, Marcia S.

We examined the influence of stimulus attributes on the engagement of 69 nursing home residents with dementia. Specifically,we looked at work-related stimuli versus manipulative block stimuli, and whether the color, size, and material of a stimulus affect the duration and quality of engagement. Engagement was assessed using the Observational Measurement of Engagement (OME). Results revealed […]

Anderson, Katrina, Bird, Michael, MacPherson, Sarah, McDonough, Vikki, Davis, Terri

There is increasing literature on multisensory therapy or Snoezelen, with some evidence suggesting it promotes positive mood and reduces maladaptive behavior in people with dementia. We undertook a pilot evaluation of a Snoezelen room in residential care and compared effects with a condition in which staff took residents out to a garden. This study was […]