A research and intervention project to enhance cultural competence (CC) within nursing home staff is described, with particular emphasis on the qualitative findings generated during baseline assessments of 10 participating facilities. These findings, developed from an analysis of transcripts of 56 focus groups, suggest the importance of five CC…

Purpose: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has adopted two functional assessment systems that guide care planning: one for nursing home residents (the Resident Assessment Instrument [RAI]) and a compatible one for home care clients (RAI-HC). The purpose of this article is to describe the RAI-HC (often referred to as the Minimum Data Set-Home…

Purpose: This article is a critical review of the history, research evidence, and state-of-the-art technology in interdisciplinary care planning and the written plan of care in American nursing homes. Design and Methods: We reviewed educational and empirical literature. Results: Interdisciplinary care planning and the written care plan are…

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explore how medical care is delivered to older people in assisted living (AL) settings and to suggest ways for improving it. Design and Methods: We present a review of the limited research available on health care for older AL residents and on building testable models of better ways to organize primary…

Poor care and neglect of the elderly in our society is a shameful reflection of an unbalanced system of values. (JD)

A field study of residents' satisfaction or dissatisfaction with open-ward accomodations in a skilled-nursing facility revealed that 88 percent of the respondents preferred the open ward to any other type of room accomodation. Findings suggest that for residents with multiple functional disabilities, the open ward is a supportive environment.…

Purpose: Longitudinal research in dementia has acknowledged the importance of transitions during the course of family caregiving. However, long-term adaptation to institutionalization has received little attention. This study attempts to describe caregivers' adaptation (changes in stress, well-being, and psychosocial resources) to placement up to…

Serving refreshments was shown to increase attendance and frequency of interaction in the activity area of a nursing home. Quantitative and qualitative changes in vocal behavior were evaluated. Rates of interaction more than doubled during treatment phases, but ineffective vocal behavior accounted for most of the increase. (Author/JW)

Discussion of Ralph Nader's Study Group Report on Nursing Homes.'' (SP)

Describes an educational program that contributed to a 90% reduction in the use of physical restraints in nursing homes over a two-year period. Program consists of a workshop, telephone and on-site consultations, regional meetings, and other support materials. Surveys suggest that the project can be easily adapted by care providers. (RJM)

Describes a research model designed to investigate the shift in the care delivery site from the acute care institution to the home and community. Transitional care may soon become familiar jargon in community health care. (JOW)

Purpose: We developed and tested theoretically derived procedures to observe physical environments experienced by nursing home residents at three nested levels: their rooms, the nursing unit, and the overall facility. Illustrating with selected descriptive results, in this article we discuss the development of the approach. Design and Methods: On…

Board games called Games of Rapport are being developed at the University of Alberta. The first, "Angels and Devils," is designed for play by nursing home residents. Results of a study involving "Angels and Devils" show that board games are useful in communicating rehabilitative objectives and sources of conflict. (Author/BEF)

The article relates the nursing home component of a nationwide study of public mental retardation/developmental disabilities spending to requirements of Public Law 100-203. Approximately 51,000 individuals with developmental disabilities resided in nursing homes in 1989 of which 40 percent may need to be relocated under P.L. 100-203. (Author/DB)

The present study compares changes in job satisfaction and career commitment among Alzheimer's care staff participating in a two-phase, state-level training collaborative to improve dementia care. Results reveal an increase in extrinsic job satisfaction and a decrease in career commitment. Findings could be related to the effects of both the…