AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF COMMINGLING COGNITIVELY AND NONCOGNITIVELY IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS IN LONG-TERM-CARE FACILITIES

A sample of 77 noncognitively impaired individuals residing in integrated long-term care units housing both demented and nondemented residents were assessed in terms of morale and satisfaction with their environment and with life. One third of these individuals lived near and/or shared a bathroom with a cognitively and/or behaviorally impaired individual. Residents placed next to demented individuals had significantly.fewer kin contacts, were more likely to be unmarried or never married, and were more dissatisfied with their roommate/living situation.