Improving Medical, Mental Health Care for OAs in Assisted Living
As a guide for practice and policy in assisted living, researchers described 43 recommendations important to medical and mental health care that are highly pragmatic, according to findings published in JAMA Network Open.
Investigators conducted a Delphi consensus study in 2021, examining the extent to which the recommendations are reflected in practice from prepandemic data between 2016 and 2021 from a 7-state study that included Arkansas, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Nationally recognized experts in nursing, medical, and mental health needs of and care for older adults (OAs); assisted living and long-term care management; dementia care; regulation, advocacy, and education constituted the 19 Delphi panelists.
Regarding importance to care quality and feasibility, 183 items were rated by panelists. In the areas of nursing and related services, policies and practices, staff and staff training, resident assessment and care planning, and medical and mental health clinicians and care, 43 recommendations were identified.
Researchers noted the prevalence of these recommendations was assessed in the 7-state study to determine pragmatism and they found most recommendations were in practice.
The items reflected the need for pragmatism due to diversity of AL, the tenets of AL, the role of AL in providing dementia care, and workforce needs, wrote researchers.
“Some of those recommendations may be more important and feasible than currently rated for a specific type of AL community, such as in an urban area where resources are plentiful; or in communities that have a particular case-mix, such as residents receiving rehabilitation,” concluded study authors. “Guidance has been long-awaited regarding medical and mental health care in AL; the consensus recommendations in this paper are an initial step to fill that gap.”
Reference:
Zimmerman S, Sloane PD, Wretman CJ, et al. Recommendations for medical and mental health care in assisted living based on an expert Delphi consensus panel. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(9):e2233872. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.33872
