Abstract
Background: In the 1980s, special care units devoted to persons with dementia (SCU) were established, and in the 1990s, a new system of sheltered housing for persons with dementia (SH) was inaugurated. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the establishment of SCUs and SH units and to explore the effects of varying patient-staff ratios and unit sizes. Method: On five occasions (1996/1997, 2000/2001, 2004/2005, 2008, 2010/2011), a detailed questionnaire was sent by post to all Norwegian municipalities. It contained questions about the provision of services for persons with dementia. Results: In 1996/1997, 70% of the municipalities had SCUs and 13.3% of the beds in Norwegian nursing homes were in SCUs. In 2010/11, 87% of the municipalities had such services, which filled 23.8% of the beds in nursing homes. The number of beds in SH units increased from 856 beds in 1996/1997 to 2181 beds in 2010/11. SCUs have on average three patients per carer on an ordinary weekday day-time shift. These numbers have been quite stable throughout the study period. The ratio is about 3.5 patients per carer in the SH units and is also stable. Conclusions: The rate of increase in the provision of institutional beds facilitated for persons with dementia has been slow in Norway over the last 14 years. Both SCUs and SH units seem to have stable staffing ratios and the number of beds in each unit is also stable.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Annerstedt L. Development and consequences of group living in Sweden. Soc Sci Med 1993; 37: 1529–38.
Willemse BM, Smit D, de Lange J, Pot AM. Nursing home care for people with dementia and residents’ quality of life, quality of care and staff well-being: Design of the Living Arrangements for people with Dementia (LAD)-study. BMC Geriatr 2011; 11: 11.
[Nursing homes in decentralized health and social services] in Norwegian. Helse- og omsorgsdepartementet; 1985.
Regulations concerning nursing homes and dwellings with 24-hour care. Oslo: Sosial- og Helsedepartementet 1988.
Eek A, Engedal K, Holthe T, Nygård AM, Øksengård AR. Care for people with dementia in Norway. Tønsberg, Norway. Norwegian Centre for Dementia Research; 1999.
[The role and functions of nursing homes in the future]. Oslo: Sosial- og Helsedepartementet 1999.
Eek A, Nygård AM. [Services for persons with dementia in Norwegian municipalities] In Norwegian. Sem, Norway: Nasjonalt kompetansesenter for aldersdemens; 1999.
Ott A, Breteler MM, van Harskamp F, Claus JJ, van der Cammen TJ, Grobbee DE, Hofman A. Prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia: association with education. The Rotterdam Study. BMJ 1995; 310: 970–3.
Eek A, Nygård AM. [Municipal accommodation for persons with dementia] In Norwegian. Demens 2003; 7: 21–3.
Eek A, Nygård AM. [Services for persons with dementia in Norwegian municipalities — a national survey] In Norwegian. Tønsberg: Forlaget Aldring og helse 2006.
Westerberg T. [Dwellings facilitated for persons with dementia — a national survey 2008] In Norwegian. Tønsberg: Forlaget Aldring og helse; 2010.
Selbaek G, Kirkevold O, Engedal K. The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms and behavioural disturbances and the use of psychotropic drugs in Norwegian nursing homes. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2007; 22: 843–9.
Lystrup LS, Lillesveen B, Nygard AM, Engedal K. [At home services for persons with dementia.] In Norwegian. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 2006; 126: 1917–20.
Te Boekhorst S, Depla MF, Pot AM, de Lange J, Eefsting JA. The ideals of group living homes for people with dementia: do they practice what they preach? Int Psychogeriatr 2011; 14: 1–2.
Lai CK, Yeung JH, Mok V, Chi I. Special care units for dementia individuals with behavioural problems. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009: CD006470.
Kirkevold Ø, Engedal K. Quality of care in Norwegian nursing homes — deficiencies and their correlates. Scand J Caring Sci 2008; 22: 560–7.
Kirkevold Ø, Sandvik L, Engedal K. Use of constraints and their correlates in Norwegian nursing homes. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2004; 19: 980–8.
Verbeek H, Zwakhalen SM, van Rossum E, Kempen GI, Hamers JP. Small-scale, homelike facilities in dementia care: A process evaluation into the experiences of family caregivers and nursing staff. Int J Nurs Stud 2012; 49: 21–9.
Kirkevold Ø. [When nursing homes turn into housing cooperatives.] In Norwegian. Aldring og eldre. 1995; 4.
Øvereng A. [When the private flat is in facto a nursing home.] In Norwegian. Demens & Alderspsykiatri 2010; 2: 14–5.
Staffing Guidance for Nursing Homes. In: Authority TRaQI, ed. 1.5 ed. London: The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority; 2009.
Howe C. Staffing ratios in nursing homes. Arizona Geriatrics Society 2010; 15: 23–5.
[Dementia diseases and their costs for society, and number of persons with dementia in Sweden, 2005] In Swedish. Socialstyrelsen. Stockholm 2007.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Article based on the 6th Andrus Viidik Lecture in Gerontology, given by Ø. Kirkevold at the 21st Nordic Congress of Gerontology, Copenhagen, Denmark, June 10–13, 2012.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kirkevold, Ø., Eek, A. & Engedal, K. Development of residential care services facilitated for persons with dementia in Norway. Aging Clin Exp Res 24, 1–5 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325351
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325351