Activities of persons with dementia at home and after nursing home admission: A survey study

•Persons with dementia performed fewer categories of activities in the nursing home compared to at home.•Six of the 16 activity categories were performed significantly less often in the nursing home compared to at home.•Conversation is the most used method for the assessment of wishes, needs and abilities regarding activities. This study compared whether the categories of activities that persons with dementia engage in changed between home and after nursing home admission. Also investigated were the methods for assessing the wishes, needs, and abilities regarding activities, and informal caregivers’ satisfaction with the degree of assessment of activities during the transition. A cross-sectional survey in which 81 informal caregivers of nursing home residents with dementia participated (37 % male, mean age 65.0 years, SD 10.1). Persons with dementia performed activities in fewer activity categories in the nursing home compared to home (Z = -3.74, p