Table 1.

Baseline Resident and Health Care Proxy Characteristics by SCU Status

Resident Characteristics
Variable	All Residents	By SCU Status	p-value
Total Residents	323	Non-SCU: 151
		SCU: 141
		No SCU: 31
Mean Age (SD)	85.3 (7.5)	Non-SCU: 85.7 (7.4)	0.001
		SCU: 84.1 (7.5)	---
		No SCU: 88.8 (6.5)	0.001
Female	85.4%	Non-SCU: 84.1%	0.027
		SCU: 87.9%	---
		No SCU: 80.7%	0.119
White	89.5%	Non-SCU: 92.1%	0.780
		SCU: 91.5%	---
		No SCU: 67.7%	0.001
Married	19.8%	Non-SCU: 17.9%	0.233
		SCU: 23.4%	---
		No SCU: 12.9%	0.315
Completed High School	77.4%	Non-SCU: 76.2%	0.004
		SCU: 82.0%	---
		No SCU: 62.1%	0.001
Admitted to NH from Private Home/Apt	29.7%	Non-SCU: 25.8%	0.001
		SCU: 34.8%	---
		No SCU: 25.8%	0.052
Mean BANS-S Score	21.0	Non-SCU: 21.4	0001
		SCU: 21.1	---
		No SCU: 21.7	0.690
Health Care Proxy Characteristics
Variable	All Residents	By SCU Status	p-value
Mean Age (SD)	59.9 (11.6)	Non-SCU: 60.9 (12.8)	0.001
		SCU: 58.4 (10.4)	---
		No SCU: 62.2 (10.8)	0.001
Female	63.8%	Non-SCU: 58.3%	0.037
		SCU: 66.0%	---
		No SCU: 80.7%	0.003
Married/Living with Partner	67.8%	Non-SCU: 72.2%	0.566
		SCU: 64.5%	---
		No SCU: 61.3%	0.929
Child of Resident	67.5%	Non-SCU: 62.9%	0.007
		SCU: 73.0%	---
		No SCU: 64.5%	0.040
Completed College	57.3%	Non-SCU: 58.9%	0.816
		SCU: 58.9%	---
		No SCU: 41.9%	0.349

SCU = residents in a dementia special care unit (SCU); non-SCU = residents not in a dementia special care unit, but in a facility with an SCU; no SCU = residents not in a facility with an SCU. Residents in an SCU served as the reference group for all analyses.

Ordinary least squares regression used to compare means, logistic regression used to compare frequencies.

BANS-S = Bedford Alzheimer’s Nursing Severity-Subscale (ranges from 7-28, with higher scores indicating more functional disability.