Reduction of Inappropriate psychotropic Drug use in nursing home residents with dementia.
Dutch: Beter af met minder: Bewust gebruik van psychofarmaca.

Despite guidelines recommending psychosocial interventions as first choice in dealing with problem behavior, psychotropic drugs are still too often and too long being prescibed, while they are limited effective and potentially have severe side effects. Aim is to reduce the inappropriate use of psychotropic drugs by identifying local problems in nursing homes in dealing with problem behavior and by facilitating the implementation of a tailored intervention programme.

Implementation of complex interventions could be improved by acknowledging the local (nursing home) problems in the care process. The implementation of a facility tailored intervention will lead to a decrease in psychotropic drug use throughout the nursing homes .

baseline, 8 months, 16 months.

The implementation of a facility tailored intervention: meaning that interventions vary depending on local problems of nursing homes in dealing with problem behavior. Possible interventions: systematic medication review, increasing knowledge and skills in dealing with problem behavior, training program for enhancing multi-disciplinary working. All interventions target the department level/health care professionals.



The study consists of 2 tranches, both of 8 months. The interventions group had 16 months to identify local problems and to start an intervention - implemenatation.
The 'controle group' delivers the first 8 months care as usual en starts in the last 8 months with the problem analysis + intervention (deferred treatment condition).