MedPath

Effect of "Breath of Fresh Air" Flash Activity on Dementia Agitation : Pilot Study

Not Applicable
Conditions
Dementia
Interventions
Other: Usual relation care
Other: Flash activity "breath of fresh air"
Registration Number
NCT04094779
Lead Sponsor
University Hospital, Toulouse
Brief Summary

Non-drug therapies (NDT) constitute a strong axis of the person with dementia behaviour management. Among these NDT, the flash activities constitute a mode of intervention to prevent and control the expression of the most disruptive behavior. These are short-term activities with the objective of decreasing the behavioural disorders intensity in less than 15 minutes.

The aim of this pilot study is to test the effect of a flash activity "breath of fresh air" compared to the usual relational care on the short-term decrease (15 min.) of the agitation in hospitalized dementia patients.

Detailed Description

The "breath of fresh air" flash strategy is to offer the patient the possibility to go out of the medical unity and walking outdoor.

When the caregiver identify a level of agitation greater or equal to two on the gravity score and greater or equal to two on the impact score with the NPI test (The Neuropsychiatric Inventory Test), the caregiver let the patient wandering in the outside lanes of the hospital and encourage him to us his senses. For example, the sight could be stimulated by looking at a bird.

This variation of sensory stimulations enable a temporo-sensory break on the crisis, allowing the patient to turn his attention from the crisis context to another stimulation.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
30
Inclusion Criteria
  • New patients admitted in the unit to the management of the Psychological and Behavioural Symptoms of Dementia
  • Dementia regardless of etiology and severity
  • Score greater than 2 than NPI established on entry into service
  • Free, informed and written consent signed by the person trust and/or family member and/or legal representative
  • Health insurance membership
Exclusion Criteria
  • Absence of agitation
  • Juveniles
  • Pregnant women
  • Patient who has previously participated in the study
  • Persons under protection of justice

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Flash activity "breath of fresh air"Flash activity "breath of fresh air"Isolate the patient from the group of other patients in order to propose to him in a relationship dual with the caregiver a physical activity outside the service that promotes relaxation by focusing his attention to the environment during 15 minutes
Usual relational careUsual relation careIsolate the patient from the group of other patients in order to propose to him a a relationship dual with the caregiver to the aim to calm the agitation
Flash activity "breath of fresh air"Usual relation careIsolate the patient from the group of other patients in order to propose to him in a relationship dual with the caregiver a physical activity outside the service that promotes relaxation by focusing his attention to the environment during 15 minutes
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Comparison of the NeuroPsychiatric Inventory Reduced (NPI-reduced) score15 minutes

Evolution of the score NPI-reduced agitation 15 minutes after installation of the strategy compared to the score assessed in the crisis. NPI reduced is about Gravity of the crisis from1 to 3 (1 better / 3 worse) and Impact of the crisis from 0 to 5 (0 better / 5 worse)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Comparison of the NPI-reduced score1 hours

Evolution of the score NPI-reduced agitation 1 hours after installation of the strategy compared to the score assessed in the crisis. NPI reduced is about Gravity of the crisis from1 to 3 (1 better / 3 worse) and Impact of the crisis from 0 to 5 (0 better / 5 worse)

The NPI-CT (NeuroPsychiatric Inventory Care Team version) score21 days

Evaluation oh the NPI-CT score to see the evolution of the overall intensity of behavioural disorders relative to the admission of patients. From 0 to 120 (0 better/ 120 worse)

Number of therapeutic strategies used18 days

Number of therapeutic strategies (anxiolytics, hypnotic, neuroleptic or physical restraint) received at the outcome of an episode of agitation for which the "Breath of fresh air" in the experimental arm or the helping relationship in the arm control would have been insufficient

The Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) score18 days

Evaluation of the CMAI score to know the agitation level of the patient on the last 18 days with items about physical agitation and aggressivity, verbal agitation and aggressivity . From 0 to 203 (0 better / 203 worse)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hôpital Garonne

🇫🇷

Toulouse, France

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath