Using data from 1981-82 Channeling Demonstration project, examined types of health care costs (hospital, physician and ancillary care, nursing home, and prescription medicine) that contributed to overall expenses to determine sources of financially catastrophic health care expenses among disabled elderly persons. Found expenses for prescription…

Examined consequences of institutionalization for 555 caregivers of dementia patients. Consistent with stress process model, institutionalization was hypothesized to have large impact on primary effects of caregiving and lesser influence on secondary effects and well-being. Following placement, caregivers experienced relief from primary effects of…

Describes development, implementation, and evaluation of a model abuse prevention curriculum designed for nursing assistants. Findings from the evaluation are presented that showed high satisfaction with the program and improvement on a number of indicators, including reduced conflict with and abuse of residents. (Author)

As part of 5-state study of impact of special care units for demented residents, surveyed approximately 2,000 nursing homes to identify facilities that maintained some form of special care unit. Estimated prevalence of such units was 11 percent, suggesting that special care units are far more numerous than had previously been reported. (Author/NB)

Interviewed nursing assistants (n=40) and nursing facility residents (n=37) regarding ways they experienced respect, disrespect, attachment, and distancing in their relationships with each other. As a result of finding evidence of disrespect, an inservice session on gaining respect as a nursing assistant was presented. (ABL)

Investigated contention that differences in styles of reminiscence of older persons could be explained by their levels of ego development in women (n=75) residing in long-term care facilities. Found women with affirming styles of reminiscence had higher levels of ego development than women with negating and despairing styles. (Author/ABL)

Implemented and evaluated primary care model of delivery of nursing aide care in small, rural nursing home and large, urban facility. Findings suggest that primary care nursing as applied to nursing attendants in long-term care was beneficial to residents in terms of decreasing disturbed behavior and improved affect. (Author/NB)

Examines the role that hopelessness plays in the suicidal ideation of a geriatric population (N=60). Results show that the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal ideation depends on the level of depression. Highlights the importance of considering depression and hopelessness simultaneously when assessing and treating geriatric suicidal…

A study of 25 nonprofit and 87 for-profit nursing homes showed both types likely to offer education on advance care planning. However, nonprofits were more likely to have ongoing discussions that covered more than life support decisions and to have ethics committees to support advance care planning. (SK)

Provides information about correlates of disruptive behaviors among nursing home residents with dementia. Observation of a wide range of behaviors (N=45) across 11 months were analyzed. Findings suggest that cognitive status, but not health variables, predicts disruptive behavior among nursing home residents with dementia. (Author/MKA)

Assesses the stability of nursing home residents' preferences for medical treatments. Nondemented, nondepressed residents (N=37) were surveyed serially over a six-month period. Subjects preferred more treatment for their current health concerns than for all hypothetical conditions. All preference changes were toward less intervention. Most…

Purpose: Relationships are examined between age and out-of-pocket costs for different health goods and services among the older population. Design and Methods: Age patterns in health service use and out-of-pocket costs are examined by use of the 1990 Elderly Health Supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (N = 1,031, age 66+). Multivariate…

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…

This research sought to identify organizational characteristics associated with the amount of professional qualifications among a nationally representative sample of nursing home social service directors. A self-administered survey was sent to directors in 675 facilities randomly sampled from a federal database, excluding facilities with fewer…

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…