BEHAVIORAL-DISORDERS IN NURSING-HOME RESIDENTS - A STUDY IN THE HAUTE-VIENNE DISTRICT OF FRANCE

The prevalence and severity of behavioral disorders in residents of nu rsing homes located in the Haute-Vienne district of France are reporte d, A grid for evaluating 41 behavioral disorders was developed and use d by the same investigator to evaluate 441 nursing home residents (20% of all institutionalized elderly subjects in the district) during sta ff meetings. Hostility, the behavioral disorder that attracted the mos t attention, was found in 16% of subjects, versus 51% and 56% for anxi ety and depression, respectively, These data suggest that efforts to p revent anxiety and depression in nursing home residents should be inte nsified, The morbidity related to these two disorders may be greater t han that due to cardiovascular diseases. Training in the management of behavioral disorders in the elderly should be improved in terms of bo th its scientific content and its ability to promote a more tolerant a nd hedonistic attitude.