The impact of stimulus attributes on engagement of nursing home residents with dementia was what this week we learn.

  A number of studies have investigated the impact of appropriate activities for dementia, and have demonstrated that engagement inactivities can have positive effects on this population. These activities have been shown to increase constructive engagement, positive emotions and alertness and improve activities of daily living and quality of life for persons with dementia.

  We examined the influence of stimulus attributes on the engagement of 69 nursing home residents with dementia. Specically, we looked at work-related stimuli versus manipulative block stimuli, and whether the color, size and material of a stimulus affect the duration and quality of engagement. Engagement was assessed using the Observational Measurement of Engagement(OME).

  Results revealed a clear preference for the work-related rather than manipulative block stimuli. In addition, the study participants showed a signicant preference for small rather than large blocks, regardless of color or material. The effect of material and color was not statistically signicant.

  These findings may assist nursing home caregivers who wish to provide appropriate stimuli for engaging nursing home residents with dementia. It has been shown that nursing assistants are able to implement stimulus presentation into their routine resident care, given they receive continuing support from administrators. It is our hope that the findings from the present study will serve to challenge the common misperception that inactivity in dementia is an inevitable part of the disease.

                                                                  (Shi Ruijie)