A pilot-feasibility study of measuring emotional expression during oral care

This study explored the feasibility of measuring emotional responses to oral care among individuals with dementia living in residential long-term care (LTC). Eleven residents with dementia were recruited from a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs LTC unit and were observed eight times before, during, and after oral care episodes. Study participants showed a trend toward more positive emotional expressions during and after oral care (mean  ± SD: 6.49 ± 1.57 and 6.27 ± 1.20 respectively) than before oral care (6.15 ± 0.86) at the margin of statistical significance (p = .08).
Source: Geriatric Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Source Type: research