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The aim of this field experiment was to compare the effects of a special care unit (SCU) on residents with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who lived on the SCU and on traditional (integrated) nursing home units. Twenty-two subjects, 13 on the SCU and 9 on traditional integrated units were compared. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess differences between the two groups and within the groups over two bimonthly pretests and two bimonthly posttests. No significant differences on cognitive or functional abilities scores were evident for the groups and no significant differences were found over time. However, consistent with the prediction of the Progressively Lower Stress Threshold Model, the SCU subjects' function was better than subjects on traditional units when measured by socially accessible behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal caregiving and outcomes for caregiving are an important part of health care and of particular importance in nursing. The purpose of this research is to report the results of a survey mailed to nursing experts for validation of the outcome labels Caregiver Role Performance: Direct Care and Caregiver Role Performance: Indirect Care and their accompanying indicators. Experts were asked to rate how important the identified indicators were for assessing those two outcomes. In addition, the respondents were asked to what extent nursing interventions influence the achievement of each identified indicator for Caregiver Role Performance: Direct Care and Caregiver Role Performance: Indirect Care. In general, the validity of the concept analysis work by the caregiver focus group was supported. Ten indicators for Caregiver Performance: Direct Care were retained, 1 was dropped that was considered most appropriate for indirect care, and 3 new indicators were added to reflect the nurse experts surveyed. For Caregiver Performance: Indirect Care, all of the indicators were retained.