Factors that make nursing home residents aggressive

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Physical aggression among nursing home residents is linked to depression, delusions and hallucinations, according to a new study.
Around seven per cent of those in nursing homes in the US are physically aggressive - hitting, pushing and being sexually abusive to others. Verbal aggression is another issue - and both types are upsetting to all concerned. Doctors at St Louis Park Minnesota have looked at nursing home residents with dementia in five states - a total of over 103,000 individuals.

They learned that depression, constipation, delusions and hallucinations were linked to physical aggression. The same factors, except constipation, were linked to verbal aggression. All of these factors, especially constipation, can be treated. To do so might lessen the level of violence in nursing homes which could be of huge benefit to all concerned.

Source
Archives of Internal Medicine 26th June 2006 Volume 166 pages 1295-1300