Stroke patients’ experiences of sharing rooms with dementia patients in a nursing home

Abstract Background The mixed units that place lucid and dementia patients in same rooms have been viewed to benefit the dementia patients. However, many studies report negative attitudes of lucid residents towards mixed units, and there is a scarcity of research which explores the experiences of lucid residents while sharing rooms with the dementia patients in extended care homes. Currently many special care nursing facilities have mixed units in Korea, suggesting a need to examine their effects especially on cognitively lucid patients. Objective To explore lived experiences of stroke patients who were sharing rooms with patients with dementia in a nursing home. Design It was a qualitative study applying a phenomenological method to explore the experiences of stroke patients. Settings Data were collected in a specialized nursing home in Korea. The nursing home provides free medical and nursing care to persons suffering either from dementia or stroke. Participants Fourteen participants without cognitive deficit and who were sharing rooms with dementia patients were recruited through a purposive sampling. Method In-depth interviews Results Stroke patients sharing rooms with dementia patients were being seriously affected by intense, deeply disturbing, and persistent experiences. The experiences themselves seemed to evolve over time as each patient struggled on one's own to try to make sense out of what were happening. The stroke patients ended up having a sense of resignation and anger realizing that they had no power to change the policy or the situation. The stroke patients also were distraught about what were happening to themselves - change of their own character, continuous fear of becoming demented, and becoming to devalue life. They also became indifferent to others, and seemed to have lost motivation for activity resulting in a decreased or low activity level. Several personal and environmental factors were identified that tended to increase the level of suffering. We suggest that the whole concept of mixed units require further exploration, and there is a need for a comprehensive staff education program to help the staff become aware of the problems and provide support to patients. Orientation of stroke patients regarding dementia is also suggested.