Abstract
The purpose of this study were; 1) to describe the present situations of dementia-related characteristics in the welfare for the elderly; 2) to explain the perception of the staffs on the effect of the features in physical living environment and to identify the variables influencing this perception; and 3) to examine the present provisions of the features in physical living environment and their effects on making a therapeutic environment. Questionnaires by 122 staffs in the welfare facilities for the elderly were used as a final sample of the analysis. Data were collected using a self-administered survey. The results of the study provided the information on the major symptoms or behaviors of demented elderly with respect to frequencies of occurances and caring and the way of manipulating the physical environment to slow down the progression of the disease and making the demented elderly live independently as much as possible to achieve their quality of life.
