Table 1.
Sample characteristics
| Characteristics | Control group (regular care ward, n=193) | Intervention group (special care ward, n=333) | Total (N=526) | P value of difference |
| Female, % | 59.1 | 61.6 | 60.6 | 0.637 |
| Mean age (SD) | 83.1 (7.2) | 79.0 (11.9) | 80.5 (10.6) | <0.001 |
| Mean Barthel Index score (SD) | 29.9 (27.9) | 40.7 (30.4) | 36.7 (29.9) | <0.001 |
| Mild dementia, % | 7.8 | 9.6 | 8.9 | 0.580 |
| Moderate dementia, % | 30.0 | 26.7 | 27.9 | 0.473 |
| Severe dementia, % | 62.2 | 63.7 | 63.2 | 0.805 |
| Mean length of stay, in days (SD) | 8.9 (7.5) | 9.7 (5.5) | 9.4 (6.3) | 0.002 |
| Physical restraints (yes), % | 54.4 | 28.2 | 37.8 | <0.001 |
| Psychotropic drug use (yes, as-needed), % | 25.9 | 14.1 | 18.4 | 0.001 |
| Mean Pittsburgh Agitation Scale score (SD) | 3.9 (3.1) | 3.0 (3.2) | 3.3 (3.2) | <0.001 |
| Mean Charlson Comorbidity Index score (SD) | 3.2 (3.0) | 2.5 (2.0) | 2.8 (1.6) | <0.001 |
| Mean QUALIDEM total score (SD) | 40.7 (14.5) | 51.2 (17.2) | 47.3 (17.0) | <0.001 |
Barthel Index: 0–100 (higher=better functioning); dementia (MMSE score): mild: 24–27, moderate: 17–23, severe: ≤16; Pittsburgh Agitation Scale: 0–16 (higher=stronger agitation and anxiety); Charlson Comorbidity Index: 0–9 (higher=more comorbidities); QUALIDEM: 0–100 (higher=better QoL).
MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination Test.