This booklet describes the lessons learned in introducing a computer system in a nursing home. It is suggested that a computer system can open up channels of communication, increase accountability, reduce time spent on paperwork, satisfy the information needs of regulators, and improve resident care planning. Criteria for selecting a computer…

Purpose: Bringing state-subsidized assisted living services (ALS) into congregate housing (CH) is a strategy for reducing rates of nursing home placement. This article discusses CH residents' reactions as a new ALS program was introduced in their housing, and it provides recommendations for others who are considering the implementation of similar…

In order to identify important clinical questions in long-term care settings for older adults, it may be helpful to examine the psychological consultant's role in these settings. A consultant is often faced with some staff members who think he has all the answers and by others who think he has none. The consultant may also encounter a strong…

Death rates among those referred to project services were lower within the first six months after enrollment, and the mortality rate difference was maintained throughout the first year. Death rate differences were related to specific long-term care services recommended and received, and to initial functional health status. (Author)

Examined and documented effects of interactive computer-based education and training on rehabilitation of long-term care residents (n=14). This approach was found to provide mental stimulation and challenge, as well as improving practical skills which directly impact upon competencies and feelings of autonomy of participants. (Author/NB)

This study examined the effect of chronic illness on the individual's ability to meet his or her need for solitude and for social interaction by exploring how chronically ill individuals used their own ability (self-care agency) to meet these needs. Subjects were 90 chronically ill older persons, 30 of whom were living at home, 30 who lived in a…

Developed and administered 17-item instrument to assess knowledge of specific mental health problems (depression, agitation, disorientation) and behavioral approaches to them to 191 nurse's aides and 21 clinicians with training in behavioral management and experience with older nursing home residents. Aides averaged 11 correct answers; clinicians…

Although research has demonstrated the potentially salutary effects of peer support among older persons, salutary peer support and significant interpersonal bonds are often lacking within the confines of a nursing home. A program was designed to train nursing home residents to serve as peer counselors for newly-admitted residents in an effort to…

Purpose: This study examined the short- and long-term effects of Adult Day Services Plus (ADS Plus), a low-cost care management intervention designed to enhance family caregiver well-being, increase service utilization, and decrease nursing home placement of impaired older adults enrolled in adult day care. Design and Methods: We used a…

This paper describes a Nursing Home Ombudsman Program, developed to provide employment for the "unemployable" older adult, that hired 19 older adults to work 20 hours per week for a year, providng friendly visits to senior residents living in nursing homes and minimum outreach services to community seniors. A two-week, eight-session orientation…

Suggests that the hospice approach includes several elements that can be utilized to improve the quality of life in nursing homes: a total needs emphasis, increased patient autonomy, open discussion of death, a community ideology, a team orientation, a role blurring of caregivers, and focus on patients and families. (Author)

Purpose: We present the concept of the Green House, articulated by William Thomas as a radically changed, "deinstitutionalized" nursing home well before its first implementation, and we describe and discuss implications from the first Green Houses in Tupelo, Mississippi. Design and Methods: Green Houses are small, self-contained houses…

Considers what would happen if traditional child care activities were used in a retirement home. The needs of both age groups are summarized. Recommendations based on requirements of human and physical environments, and community and program services, are offered. (SH)

This evaluation project was designed to assess 37 persons (ages 21-72) who had moved from intermediate care facilities or skilled nursing facilities into innovative one-person or two-person community integrated living arrangements as a result of the Supported Placements in Integrated Community Environments project. The 37 persons had severe or…

This executive summary presents highlights of a study which sought to determine whether participants in the Supported Placements in Integrated Community Environments project were better off after moving to community homes from intermediate care facilities and skilled nursing facilities, and to determine the variables that contribute to quality…