Context and objective	To be able to advise the most suitable pharmacological treatment for control of agitation and restlessness in frail and older dying patients in the setting of a nursing home facility.
Search strategy	Databases: Medline, Embase Language restrictions: English, Dutch, French Forward- and back search allowed Period: From inception
Study type	Inclusion: Quantitative as well as qualitative research Prospective and retrospective studies Observational and interventional studies Evidence based guidelines and protocols Exclusion: Case reports Animal studies Comments, opinions, letters
Population/Setting	Inclusion: Target population are frail older people [>65 j] in the terminal phase in a long-term care facility/nursing home In the case of lack of quality evidence: Frail elderly and dying patient Older and dying patient (Mean age ≥ 65 years) * Mean age ≥ 65 years, range above 55 years and median age ≥ 65 years, negative IQR above 55 years (The original version of this mixed methods review was part of a Master after Master’s thesis and included a broader age group. This version was never presented for publication. The subsequently narrowing of criteria was pre-established in the methodology) Exclusion: Elderly in intensive care units Elderly in operating room or recovery rooms Non palliative setting
Intervention	Benzodiazepines Z-drugs Neuroleptics or antipsychotics: typical and atypical Cholinergic medication
Control	Comparison to each other or drug therapy not included in our intervention Placebo Non-pharmacological treatment No treatment
Outcome	Critical outcome measures: Symptom control defined as complete or partial relief of discomfort related to agitation and restlessness. Important outcome measures: Undesirable side effects Minor outcome measures: Life span lengthening Life span shortening
Data-extraction and quality control	First screening of title and abstract by 2 independent reviewers Exclusion of all articles without accessible full text Second screening of full text and data extraction by 1 reviewer and repeated by second reviewer for at least 20% of included full texts. Disagreements resolved by 3th reviewer Quality control with MMAT instrument version 2018
Analysis of subgroups if available	For subpopulations with: Underlying cognitive disease For following administration routes: Oral Sublingual Rectal Enteral (nasogastric tube, PEG) Parenteral (subcutaneous) For different dosage