The aim of this thesis was to increase MAPA (Management of Actual or Potential Aggression) course of action knowledge and the diversity of its usefulness, as well as to help notice things that are important to know controlling challenging behaviour of older people. The purpose of this thesis was to produce widely useful patient guidance material of MAPA in Finnish. The products were developed clear, easy to read and they contain the essential things to know MAPA, so that the materials can be used for guidance with different age groups. The MAPA guide and poster, as well as the compilation of noticeable things controlling challenging behaviour of older people were carried out as a product development project.

Thesis theoretical background handled the elderly’s challenging behaviour causes and consequences of challenging behaviour by being based on the facts of getting old, as well as MAPA method in caring of the elderly. These things are important, because in the future increasing amount of older people leads also to increasing need of care and help. Especially the progressing memory disorders are in the near future a remarkable public-health and economic challenge.

In the field of social and health care, the increasing violence and inappropriate behaviour from patients awakes to think how to prevent or meet challenging behaviour. Nurse’s activities are controlled by law, different kinds of recommendations and professional directions of behaviour, which also efficiently guide the nurse’s means to meet challenging behaviour. For helping and securing both, patient and nurse, the personnel’s readiness and knowledge to meet aggressive or violent behaviour is extremely important. Preventing challenging behaviour successfully, and controlling it safely demands training.

MAPA method gives multi-faceted opportunities for using it among people in different ages: the care is always based on patient’s own needs. Piloting of MAPA course of actions in two dementia units has given very good experience for controlling safely the challenging behaviour among older people. With MAPA personnel felt that taking care of dementia patients was easier and safer as well as it improved the elderly’s quality of life. Personnel also felt that MAPA improved well-being at work.