Experimental Research on the Guidance Effect of Residents' Rooms and Restroom Signs for the Elderly With Dementia: Research on the Systematic Construction of an Environment With Non-Pharmacological Therapy Using Signs Part 2

Abstract

This study focused on the guiding effect of residents' room signs and restroom signs displayed in group homes for elderly individuals with dementia. The results indicated that wandering behavior was primarily observed in residents with moderate dementia. An analysis of their behavior showed that while they had a general sense of the location and direction of their intended destination and could correctly reach the area around it, they were unable to identify the precise location in the final process of selecting the correct door. In contrast, when text-based signs displaying residents' names or “restroom” were used, these served as cues to help identify the precise location, thereby preventing wandering behavior.