Clinical trials have shown the effect of rivastigmine in behavioral disturbances and activities of daily living (ADL) for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in the nursing home setting. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of rivastigmine (COG) on behavioral disturbances, activities of daily living (ADL), and the cognitive functioning in this population in a real world setting. A prospective study was conducted among AD patients on rivastigmine between March 2001 and January 2002 at 10 nursing facilities in New Jersey. Patient demographics, medication, comorbidities, behavior disturbances, ADL, and COG data were collected on a quarterly basis using Clinical Evaluation Questionnaire and the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Overall, this study found no worsening of behavioral disturbances and rivastigmine resulted in a short-term memory improvement among 89% of the patients. This study confirms the potential benefits of rivastigmine in cognition, and behavior of AD patients in nursing homes.
