EFFECT OF BRIGHT LIGHT TREATMENT ON AGITATED BEHAVIOR IN INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY SUBJECTS

This study examined whether exposure to bright light treatment would r educe agitated behavior in institutionalized elderly subjects. Six dem ented elderly subjects (mean age = 89.2 years) living in a skilled nur sing facility were studied. Light (2500 Ix) was administered for 2 hou rs in the morning for two 10-day periods. The Bliwise Agitation Behavi or Rating Scale was used to rate agitated behavior once every 15 min b etween 16:00 h and 20:00 h during 3 days of baseline, the light treatm ent periods, and 5 days of posttreatment follow-up evaluation. The ent ire protocol was then repeated in an ABABA design. A planned compariso n revealed a significant difference between light treatment days and n ontreatment days, with less agitation being observed on treatment days . The study suggests the efficacy of the clinical use of bright light treatment to reduce agitation.