To review the literature on economic evaluations of public health interventions targeting prevention of mental health problems and suicide, to support evidence based societal resource allocation. A systematic review of economic evaluations within mental health and suicide prevention was conducted including studies published between January 2000…

Purpose: This article aims to review research measures and findings related to physical environments of assisted living (AL) according to multiple conceptual perspectives--ecological, cultural, and Maslovian hierarchy. Design and Methods: A literature and research review was undertaken with two foci: performance measures for physical environments,…

Purpose: We examine whether the Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA) improved nursing home staffing and quality. Design and Methods: Data from 5,092 nursing homes were linked across the 1987 Medicare/Medicaid Automated Certification System and the 1993 Online Survey, Certification and Reporting system. A dummy-year model was used to examine the effects…

Purpose: This article presents an overview of what is known about dementia services in assisted living settings and suggests areas for future research. Design and Methods: We undertook a search of Medline, the "Journals of Gerontology," and "The Gerontologist." We then organized publications dealing with the target subject into 10 topic areas and…

Reviewed 19 studies of psychotropic drug use for residents of long-term care facilities, published between 1978 and 1990. Compared each study in terms of sample, research design, and findings. Found that substantial proportion of nursing home residents took psychotropic drugs on regular, long-term basis; usage was accompanied by prescribing and…

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, affected the psychological health of individuals of all ages in the U.S. Compared to other age groups, older adults often experience more difficulty in obtaining disaster assistance. Therefore, an outreach team was formed specifically to assist nursing home residents as part of a community effort at a…

Reviews nursing research focusing on long-term care facilities from 1984 to 1988. Discusses (1) past reviews of gerontological nursing research, (2) a current search of long-term care nursing research, (3) current trends, and (4) suggestions for research on such topics as research utilization, Alzheimer's disease, and the nursing home environment.…

Examines theoretical approaches and nature of evidence typically brought to bear in addressing issue of elderly African Americans being admitted to nursing homes at one-half to three-quarters the rate of elderly whites. Notes that double jeopardy hypothesis effectively describes but does not explain apparent racial inequities in use of…

Evaluates a brief educational program designed to increase staff awareness of intergenerational speech modifications, such as elderspeak and strategies to enhance communication. After the training, Certified Nursing Assistants reduced their use of elderspeak including terms of endearment, inappropriate collective pronouns, and shortened sentence…

Notes that recent studies challenge assumption that Medicaid requires impoverishment; although two-thirds of elderly poor are not covered by Medicaid, many nursing home Medicaid recipients retain sizeable assets. Asserts that magnitude of asset spenddown is much smaller than previously believed. Discusses these findings and explores their…

Statistics on place of death, validated against longitudinal evidence on entrance into nursing homes, shows the "final" rate of institutionalization to have risen in Sweden between 1938 and 1975. Issues concerning who is institutionalized and why appear more important than precise measurement of rates of institutionalization. (Author/NB)

Long-term care ombudsman programs are charged with resolving complaints and solving problems of elderly persons in long-term care settings. Conducted content analysis of annual ombudsman program reports sent to Administration on Aging from 49 states in 1990. Found substantial variation in documented information at both state and local levels and…

Examines the efficacy of a comprehensive behavior management skills training program for improving certified nursing assistants' (CNAs) skill performance in the nursing home. Results reveal improvement in five out of seven communication skills. Although CNAs showed a reduction in the use of ineffective behavior management strategies, they did not…

Studies the effect of depression on social engagement among newly admitted nursing home residents. Results reveal that residents with depression were significantly more often found to have low social engagement. (Contains 26 references and 3 tables.) (GCP)

Describes the development of a statewide strategy to improve resident outcomes in nursing facilities, and presents some evaluative data from this strategy. Results reveal that the partnership has resulted in state agency staff having information from analyses about resident needs. Suggests that other states should consider building partnerships…