The relation between mood, activity, and interaction in long-term dementia care

ABSTRACT

Objective: The aim of the study is to identify the degree of association between mood, activity engagement, activity location, and social interaction during everyday life of people with dementia (PwD) living in long-term care facilities.

Method: An observational study using momentary assessments was conducted. For all 115 participants, 84 momentary assessments of mood, engagement in activity, location during activity, and social interaction were carried out by a researcher using the tablet-based Maastricht Electronic Daily Life Observation-tool.

Results: A total of 9660 momentary assessments were completed. The mean age of the 115 participants was 84 and most (75%) were women. A negative, neutral, or positive mood was recorded during 2%, 25%, and 73% of the observations, respectively. Positive mood was associated with engagement in activities, doing activities outside, and social interaction. The type of activity was less important for mood than the fact that PwD were engaged in an activity. Low mood was evident when PwD attempted to have social interaction but received no response.

Conclusion: Fulfilling PwD's need for occupation and social interaction is consistent with a person-centred dementia care focus and should have priority in dementia care.

KEYWORDS:

• Dementia
• long-term care
• observations
• quality of life
• mood

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Maastricht University; the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) [project number 72801.0002].