Evaluating Nursing Home Resident and Staff Experiences With a Life Story Program.
Farida Kassim EjazMiriam RoseBrian PolkPublished in: Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society (2021)
Life story programs hold promise for improving person-centered care and relationships between nursing home residents and staff. A pilot life story intervention study in 16 nursing homes provided residents with complimentary biographical life story books and summaries, and staff with action plans to enhance care planning. Trained volunteers and program staff collected life stories, and researchers interviewed 170 residents at three points in time. Overall, residents had positive experiences with the program, but were less willing to share their books with others afterwards. They also experienced a decrease in depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8 [PHQ-8]) over time. Surveys of 92 staff demonstrated increases over time in perceived importance of knowing residents' life stories. Administrator/admissions staff found it conditionally feasible to incorporate the program into admission processes. Practice implications of life story work include opportunities to help staff learn more about residents they care for, improve person-centered care, and honor resident preferences in care planning.
Keyphrases
- physical activity
- quality improvement
- healthcare
- palliative care
- patient safety
- mental health
- public health
- primary care
- pain management
- randomized controlled trial
- cross sectional
- depressive symptoms
- body composition
- case report
- artificial intelligence
- risk assessment
- deep learning
- high intensity
- resistance training
- decision making
- double blind
- human health
- emergency medicine