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Incorporating family members in the care of patients with dementia provided pertinent psychosocial data, led to mutual decision-making regarding care, and produced changes in the responses of the residents with dementia, as well as in the family and nursing staff. The experimental group experienced increases in psychosocial nursing diagnoses with planning and interventions to meet the problems, more extensive problem description, and an active focus on interaction and change in the nurse's notes. As a result of collaborative nursing and family involvement, personal articles were brought from home; family collateral visits and interaction increased; families were more involved in the unit, medical center, and support groups; and p.r.n. medication use was decreased. As health-care technology prolongs the life of patients with chronic illness and sequelae such as dementia, nurses will need to continue to include families as collaborators in providing quality care.
Anderson et al. (Wed,) studied this question.