Dementia Special Care Units in Residential Care

This chapter focuses on dementia special care units (SCUs), largely as they have emerged in nursing homes, but also in some programs licensed as assisted living. SCUs in nursing facilities developed in response to concerns expressed by families, advocates, and providers about the quality and adequacy of dementia long-term care. Although innovations in SCUs originated in the non-profit sector, the majority of SCUs are part of for-profit chains. Studies of SCUs, models for SCUs, history of special care initiatives, current status of SCUs, and social work in nursing home SCUs, are discussed.