Research from the Vilans health care information centre indicates increasingly fewer elderly and mentally disabled people are being subject to restraint in Dutch institutions.

The Vilans report is based on information from 40 institutions and shows restraining measures have been greatly reduced. Elderly and mentally disabled residents are also being given less tranquilising medicines.

Restraint and tranquilisers were used to stop patients injuring themselves, especially during falls. Increasingly, such measures are being replaced by the use of electrical sensors which warn staff that residents have got out of bed or left their rooms.

photo: Flickr / markhillary