Restraints are used in various medical settings to control or restrict problematic patient behavior and can be physical, chemical, or environmental. Restraints can produce harmful psychological and physical effects.

The prevalence of restraints in geriatric populations in psychiatric hospital settings in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) has not yet been documented.

This retrospective cohort study examined whether any form of restraint was used on patients admitted to the Geriatric Psychiatry Unit (GPU) at the Waterford Hospital in St. John’s, NL, from June 1, 2019, to June 1, 2021.

There were 277 admissions to the GPU during the period of observation, and of these, 189 (68.2%) had a chemical restraint administered, 135 (48.7%) had a physical restraint administered, and 123 patients (44.4%) had both a chemical and physical restraint administered.

Restraints are used to control patient behavior for a number of reasons and in a variety of ways. While this practice is used to promote safer environments for patients, it is not without medical, ethical, and political concerns.

This study could promote alternatives to restraints for this geriatric psychiatric population in light of the construction of a new mental health and addictions facility in NL.