"Assessing and comparing physical environments for nursing home residents: Using new tools for greater research specificity"
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Authors
Cutler, Lois J.
Kane, Rosalie A.
Degenholtz, Howard B.
Miller, Michael J.
Grant, Leslie
Issue Date
2006-02
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Rooms. , Nursing units. , Personalization. , Privacy. , Nursing homes--Evaluation. , Nursing homes--Quality control. , Nursing homes--Environmental conditions. , Nursing home patients.
Alternative Title
Abstract
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 the basis of published literature, existing instruments, and expert opinion about environmental elements that might affect quality of life, we developed separate observational checklists for the room and bath environment, unit environment, and facility environment. We trained 40 interviewers without specialized design experience to high interrater reliability with the room-level assessment. We used the three checklists to assess 1,988 resident room and bath environments, 131 nursing units, and 40 facilities in five states. From the data elements, we developed quantitative indices to describe the facilities according to environmentally relevant constructs such as function-enhancing features, life-enriching features, resident environmental controls, and personalization. Results: We reliably gathered data on a large number of environmental items at three environmental levels. Environments varied within and across facilities, and we noted many environmental deficits potentially relevant to resident quality of life. Implications: This research permits resident-specific data collection on physical environments and resident-level research using hierarchical analysis to examine the effects of specific environmental constellations. We describe practice and research implications for this approach.Copyright 2006 by The Gerontological Society of America.
Description
Michael J. Miller is an Assistant Professor of Social and Administrative Sciences in Pharmacy (Pharmacy Practice) in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa. He can be contacted at michael.miller@drake.edu
Citation
Gerontologist Volume 46, Issue 1, February 2006, Pages 42-51
Publisher
Gerontological Society of America
License
Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
0016-9013