Evaluation of the person-centered care essentials program: importance of trainers in achieving targeted outcomes.

A person-centered care (PCC) training program was developed and disseminated to 84 institutes for retired religious persons across the United States. The program was delivered via a train-the-trainer model wherein institute trainers attended a 2-day training conference, then taught the material to direct care workers (DCWs) at their respective sites. Evaluation of the training showed that DCWs' attitudes toward and knowledge of PCC improved after training.

Antecedents of Physical Activity Among Family Caregivers.

Objectives: We examined exercise behaviors among family caregivers and the degree to which aspects of the caregiving role influenced exercise behaviors. Understanding factors associated with caregiver physical activity provides practitioners the means to design and tailor interventions to be effective for caregivers.

Methods: Caregivers (N=208) participating in a self-care intervention to promote caregiving skills were surveyed at baseline, prior to training.

Does delay of hernia repair in minimally symptomatic men burden the patient's family?

Background: Although inguinal hernia repair is a common and safe procedure, a significant portion of patients who undergo surgical repair experience postoperative chronic pain. We conducted a clinical trial to determine if delay of repair is a safe and acceptable alternative for men with minimally symptomatic inguinal hernias. Here we report on the effects of delay on the patient's family.

Dementia care mapping as a research tool.

Introduction: Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) was originally developed as a clinical tool but has attracted interest as a potential observational measure of quality of life (QOL) and well-being of long-term care residents with dementia. DCM coding involves continuous observation over a 6-h period, with observers recording a Behavior Category Code (BCC, a recording of activity/interaction) and a Well/Ill Being (WIB) score at 5 min intervals.

Method: Descriptive data from several different research teams on the distribution and psychometric properties of DCM data were compiled and summarized.

Measuring resident and family member determinants of satisfaction with assisted living.

Purpose: This study developed measures of satisfaction with assisted living from residents' and family members' perspectives.

Design And Methods: We collected survey data from 204 residents and 232 family members associated with 11 assisted living facilities. We used confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the goodness of fit of a priori measurement models.

Impact of inguinal hernia repair on family and other informal caregivers.

Hypothesis: Inguinal hernia significantly affects family and other informal caregivers, and hernia repair will significantly reduce caregiver burden.

Methods: We analyzed data from a Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study with mixed models to compare the level of burden among caregivers of inguinal hernia patients from preoperative measurement to measurement at 2 weeks and at 3 months postoperatively.

Results: Most caregivers were wives (73%) and lived with the patients (88%).

Information and service needs of persons with Alzheimer's disease and their family caregivers living in rural communities.

This study aimed to identify the information and service needs of persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their family caregivers living in rural communities and to assess differences and similarities in each partner's perspective. In an outpatient clinic setting, a self-report survey was completed by 100 caregivers, while a similar survey was used to interview 100 persons with mild to moderate AD. The survey assessed respondents' interest in information or services related to 22 topics about AD and various aspects of coping with the disease.

A comparison of three methods of measuring dementia-specific quality of life: perspectives of residents, staff, and observers.

Purpose: This exploratory study compared three methods of assessing dementia specific quality of life, corresponding to the perspectives of residents, staff members, and trained observers.

Design And Methods: We collected data on 172 residents with dementia in four special care nursing facilities and three assisted living facilities. Analyses assessed the relationship of each quality-of-life method or perspective to the others and to resident characteristics such as cognitive and functional status.

Assessment of patient functional status after surgery.

Background: Improvement in day-to-day functioning is a valued outcome of surgical intervention. A new functional status assessment instrument, the Activities Assessment Scale (AAS), was designed for a randomized clinical trial evaluating laparoscopic versus open hernia repair procedures.

Study Design: The study data set included 2,164 patients at baseline and 1,562 patients at 3-month followup.

Comparison of dementia-specific quality of life measures in adult day centers.

This study evaluated five dementia-specific quality of life (DQOL) measures including client interviews, staff proxies, and observations with 54 clients in three adult day centers. Also, the relationship of cognitive and functional status to each of the DQOL measures was assessed. Client interviews correlated well with each other, but not with other measures.

Evaluation of the managed community care demonstration project.

The purpose of this article is to describe the impact of a capitated community-care demonstration in Illinois that attempted to increase the range of services provided while constraining overall costs. The authors examined the implementation and outcomes, using pretest and posttest measures of client satisfaction, range of services, agency costs, and nursing home admissions. Demonstration clients (n = 752) had a mean age of 80, and an average of two activities of daily living impairments.