Virtually all practitioners, policy-makers, researchers and the general public recognize a need to improve the quality of care in nursing homes and other residential long-term care settings. In large part, quality concerns exist because there is an insufficient and inconsistent workforce to care for long-term care residents. During an eight hour shift, for example, nursing assistants have on average only 15 minutes to talk with residents - a figure inconsistent with the fact that these workers chose this job because of their desire to develop a relationship with and help older adults. The result is a 93% turnover rate and compromised care for the resident, including declining function, increased infection incidence, hospitalization, and injury from abuse. There is no doubt that the quality of care would improve if worker burden and turnover were reduced. Fortunately, there is a likely remedy to worker burden, already in place and waiting to be mobilized: residents' families. The majority of residents have regular family visitors who want to be involved in care. Unfortunately, the long-term care system is not generally welcoming of their involvement, leaving family at a loss as to their proper role and engendering negative relations with staff. Mobilizing a family-staff partnership wherein family and staff work together to develop resident care plans designed to provide a role for family in helping the resident in simple yet important activities that relate to resident quality of life, and which expressly facilitates family-staff communication, is likely to improve family and staff satisfaction, reduce staff burden and turnover, and improve resident outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this project is to conduct a six month randomized clinical trial of a family-staff partnership program in 24 nursing homes and residential care/assisted living facilities, that is designed to involve families (N = 960) in resident-focused activities and facilitate relations between family and staff (nursing assistants and personal care aides; N = 544), thereby resulting in higher levels of family and staff satisfaction; less staff stress, burnout, absenteeism and turnover; more family involvement in resident quality of life and favorable perceptions of staff empathy; improved family-staff contacts; reduced facility reliance on temporary workers; and improved resident outcomes. Results have implications for the workforce crisis in long-term care, and can benefit all individuals who live in, work in, and care about those living and working in, nursing homes and residential care/assisted living facilities. ? ?
| Cohen, Lauren W; Zimmerman, Sheryl; Reed, David et al. (2014) Dementia in relation to family caregiver involvement and burden in long-term care. J Appl Gerontol 33:522-40 |
| Beeber, Anna S; Cohen, Lauren W; Zimmerman, Sheryl et al. (2014) Differences in assisted living staff perceptions, experiences, and attitudes. J Gerontol Nurs 40:41-9 |
| Zimmerman, Sheryl; Cohen, Lauren W; Reed, David et al. (2013) Comparing families and staff in nursing homes and assisted living: implications for social work practice. J Gerontol Soc Work 56:535-53 |
| Zimmerman, Sheryl; Cohen, Lauren W; Reed, David et al. (2013) Families Matter in Long-Term Care: Results of a Group-Randomized Trial. Seniors Hous Care J 21:3-20 |
