# Living Space Mobility and Liberty Deprivation Measures Among Residents With Dementia in Long‐Term Inpatient Care: A Longitudinal Study

## TL;DR

This study found that residents with dementia have limited mobility in long-term care and that liberty-depriving measures affect their movement, regardless of dementia status.

## Contribution

The study provides new longitudinal insights into the relationship between dementia, mobility, and liberty-depriving measures in long-term care.

## Key findings

- Residents with dementia had significantly less living space mobility compared to those without dementia.
- Living space mobility was significantly associated with the use of liberty deprivation measures, regardless of dementia status.
- No significant correlation was found between liberty deprivation measures and dementia diagnosis.

## Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the living space mobility among people with and without dementia and the influence of liberty‐depriving measures on living space mobility.

This empirical quantitative study used a longitudinal design.

Residents in five inpatient long‐term care facilities were examined over a period of 6 months, including individuals with and without dementia. Data were collected at three time points between October 2023 and July 2024. Living space mobility was assessed by nursing staff using the Heidelberg Instrument for Assessing the Quality of Life of People with Dementia (H.I.L.D.E.), and the liberty deprivation measures were assessed by analysing medical records. The data were statistically analysed to obtain frequencies and to examine group differences.

There was a significant correlation between living space mobility and dementia diagnosis: residents with dementia mainly stayed within their living area, whereas residents without dementia had a greater range of movement, including outside the facility. A significant correlation between liberty deprivation measures and dementia diagnosis could not be established. However, living space mobility was significantly associated with the use of liberty deprivation measures regardless of dementia status.

The results highlight the importance of living space mobility for residents with dementia and emphasise the influence of liberty deprivation measures. Further longitudinal studies with larger samples and alternative survey methods are necessary to investigate these relationships in greater depth.

For professional care, it is important to promote the mobility and well‐being of residents, regularly review freedom of movement and implement strategies for participation and autonomy in order to increase the quality of care.

The results emphasise the importance of mobility promotion in dementia care and the critical reflection of liberty deprivation measures in long‐term inpatient care. Larger longitudinal studies are recommended to clarify the causal relationships.

The methods and results of this study were reported in accordance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines.

The study participants were recruited after being informed about the study and providing their consent.