Table 2 Classification of psychological needs based on relieving activities for BPSD (N = 103)

Comfort

▪ Taking a walk, moving (from own room to living room), reading magazines (picture books)

▪ Taking medicine, receiving nutritional shots, getting one’s prescription filled, sensory stimuli (listening to music, applying liquid painkiller), coffee, snack

▪ Creating a quiet environment, shutting the door, staying in one’s room and coming out to the living room to exercise when no one is there, sitting in the toilet, taking a bath for more than an hour

▪ Doing what one wants when immediate request is granted

▪ Hugging, holding hands, physical contact, looking at the visitor log and confirming family’s visit, listening to what others are saying, being told warmly that they need to leave tomorrow

Identity

▪ Reading the bible, hymnbook, listening to pastor’s sermons, worshipping, thinking of God, always having prayer beads by the bedside

▪ Calling home, visit by caregiver, visit by younger sibling, visit by sons, visit by daughters, visit by grandchildren, photos with the family, visit by family, chatting with a daughter, receiving attention, told by son that he would call, told that their children are coming

▪ Isolated from daughter-in-law, refraining from visiting children

Attachment

▪ Checking for one’s own belongings, checking for clothes, wearing familiar clothes, placing name tags in individual closets, touching individual belongings with permission from elderly with dementia, receiving what one wants, bags, radio (Far East Broadcasting)

▪ Going to the bathroom, toilet paper rolls, touching one’s genital area (washing one’s entire body thoroughly), asking for nighttime diaper care after touching one’s genitals, putting on feces, less abnormal behavior when a woman takes interest and treats them, being cared for by the opposite sex

Occupation

▪ Walking exercise

▪ Hwatu (Korean traditional card game), puzzles, reading books, reading magazines (picture books), thinking of times when they spend money

Inclusion

▪ Conversation, talking, emotional support, taking their side to support, holding hands in conversation, warm conversation, face to face conversation, listening to what they want and appeasing them, staying with them, being a conversation partner while having their favorite snack, talking with them while meeting eyes, friendly and gentle approach, others answering well to the same questions, listening to complaints quietly

▪ Listening to positive expressions about own behavior, words or expressions of acknowledgment, emotional care (using cyclical language), attention from those that care for them and adaptation to the environment