ArticleBMC geriatrics2024
Association between freedom of movement and health of nursing home residents with dementia: an exploratory longitudinal study.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Skilled Nursing Facility Population Characteristics and Length of Stay: A Prospective Cohort Study.Journal of the American Medical Directors Association · 2025Article
- Freedom of movement and health of nursing home residents with dementia: an exploratory cross-sectional study.BMC geriatrics · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLocked doors remain a common feature of dementia units in nursing homes (NHs) worldwide, despite the growing body of knowledge on the negative effects of restricted freedom on residents. To date, no previous studies have explored the health effects of opening locked NH units, which would allow residents to move freely within the building and enclosed garden. This study examines the association between increased freedom of movement and the health of NH residents with dementia.
methodsThis longitudinal, pre-post study involved a natural experiment in which NH residents with dementia (N = 46) moved from a closed to a semi-open location. Data on dimensions of positive health were collected at baseline (T0; one month before the relocation), at one (T1), four (T2) and nine (T3) months after the relocation. Linear mixed models were used to examine changes in positive health over time.
resultsCognition, quality of life and agitation scores improved significantly at T1 and T2 compared to the baseline, while mobility scores decreased. At T3, improvements in agitation and quality of life remained significant compared to the baseline. Activities of daily living (ADL) and depression scores were stable over time.
conclusionsIncreasing freedom of movement for NH residents with dementia is associated with improved health outcomes, both immediately and over time. These findings add to the growing evidence supporting the benefits of freedom of movement for the overall health of NH residents with dementia.
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