Social and occupational engagement of staff in two Irish nursing homes for people with dementia

Michelle Fitzpatrick, SSc (Hons) OT, Staff Grade Occupational Therapist, Department of Psychiatry, Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, Co. Meath, Ireland This observational study evaluated the amounts of social and occupational engagement of staff (nurses, care workers, activity coordinators) in two traditional style Irish residential nursing homes for people with dementia. A snapshot observational technique was used to obtain daily quantitative data. Approximately 65% of the time that staff were in communal sitting rooms during the observational periods was spent in work and care tasks, with approximately 25% of the time spent in social engagement and 10% spent in interactive occupational activities with the residents. Staff were absent from the room for over one-third of the observed time. Environmental and operational observations are discussed using narrative descriptions to give a context to the quantitative outcome measures.