Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between the perceived role of family and the behavior of the person with dementia in a sample of older adults. Two instruments were used in data collection: The Family Perceptions of Caregiving Role (FPCR) and the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI). A total of 40 persons with dementia were included in the study. Each had a family respondent and a nurse respondent. The data analyses produced three major findings. First, it was revealed that there was no significant difference between agitation levels of persons with dementia who received more frequent family visits and those who did not. Second, the study revealed that family caregivers did not perceive a partnering relationship with staff. Finally, correlational analysis provided little evidence of a link between the family's perceived role in partnering and the behavior of the person with dementia, specifically in relation to agitation levels. Although no significant relation was established between the family's perceived role in partnering and the behavior of the person with dementia, there was high family and caregiver satisfaction. The clearest element of the family's perspective was the desire that staff members care about the individual with dementia as a person.