VARIABLES RELATED TO CAREGIVER BEHAVIORS WITH COGNITIVELY IMPAIRED ELDERS IN INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS

The purpose of this study was to identify variables that might influen ce the behaviors of institutional caregivers when they interact with i nstitutionalized, cognitively impaired elders. Independent variables i ncluded type of care situation. type of institution and nursing unit. and selected characteristics of both the caregiver and elder. The care situation was found to have a significant effect on caregiver behavio rs. Caregiver characteristics of knowledge of dementia, experience in working with demented elders, and total years of education were signif icantly related to several caregiver behaviors, Elder characteristics of years of education, number of diagnoses, time on the nursing unit, age. self-care ability, and extent of dementia were related to several caregiver behaviors. Caregiver behaviors did not vary by the elder's gender.