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Global ratings of change in residents'physical, emotional, social and cognitive functioning were obtained in interviews with family members of 67 special care unit (SCU) residents and 16 non- SCU control group residents of an intermediate carefacility (ICF). In cumulative logistic regres sion models, with adjustment for covariates (including length of residence in the facility), the odds of being rated by family members as better in emotional and social functioning since enter ing the facility were significantly greater for SCU than for non-SCU dementia residents. The odds of being rated as better in emotional functioning were also significantly greater for resi dents of the higher staffed SCU floor compared to residents of the lower staffed SCU floor. Rat ings by institutional caregivers and data collected by direct observation were consistent with these findings. Family members' perception of positive change among residents is a logically desirable SCU outcome.
Kutner et al. (Wed,) studied this question.