The majority of the ostomates experienced difficulty with pouch leakage, skin irritation, odor, depression or anxiety, and uneven pouching surfaces. Ostomates desire assistance with these problems and will benefit from long-term follow-up by an ostomy nurse.

This study tested the extent to which a behavioral intervention, Strategies to Promote Independence in Dressing (SPID), improved dressing independence among 90 cognitively impaired nursing home residents (average score on Mini Mental Status Exam = 7.35 +/- .69). The effect of SPID on caregiving efficiency, the time required for nursing assistants to use the strategies, was also examined. The results showed improved independence (decrease in assistance) from 6.08 +/- .12 at baseline to 4.93 +/- .19 following 6 intervention weeks. This significant improvement in dressing independence occurred without a clinically relevant increase in caregiver time (less than 1 min). Seventy-five percent of the subjects improved one or more levels of dressing independence, and more than 20% achieved their maximum intervention effect during the first week of treatment.