Although medication and physical restraint have traditionally been used to treat agitated behaviours, there is growing evidence that holistic approaches can be beneficial, says Jan Dewing

Agitation is a symptom rather than a condition and thus an indicator of, for example, unmet care needs or biopsychosocial problems. Non-pharmacological interventions are the first course of action for older people with dementia who are agitated. This article helps nurses to broaden their understanding of agitation, its causes, including trigger factors in the environment and those that nurses may cause. Finally, it summarises evidence on non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions so that this evidence can be incorporated into person-centred care.