De Kievitshorst Care Center, De Wever, Beneluxlaan 101, 5042 WN, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
BMC Geriatr. 2011 May 3;11:20. doi: 10.1186/1471-2318-11-20.
The increase in the number of people with dementia will lead to greater demand for residential care. Currently, large nursing homes are trying to transform their traditional care for residents with dementia to a more home-like approach, by developing small-scale living facilities. It is often assumed that small-scale living will improve the quality of life of residents with dementia. However, little scientific evidence is currently available to test this. The following research question is addressed in this study: Which (combination of) changes in elements affects (different dimensions of) the quality of life of elderly residents with dementia in long-term care settings over the course of one year?
METHODS/DESIGN: A longitudinal comparative study in traditional and small-scale long-term care settings, which follows a quasi-experimental design, will be carried out in Belgium and the Netherlands. To answer the research question, a model has been developed which incorporates relevant elements influencing quality of life in long-term care settings. Validated instruments will be used to evaluate the role of these elements, divided into environmental characteristics (country, type of ward, group size and nursing staff); basic personal characteristics (age, sex, cognitive decline, weight and activities of daily living); behavioural characteristics (behavioural problems and depression); behavioural interventions (use of restraints and use of psychotropic medication); and social interaction (social engagement and visiting frequency of relatives). The main outcome measure for residents in the model is quality of life. Data are collected at baseline, after six and twelve months, from residents living in either small-scale or traditional care settings.
The results of this study will provide an insight into the determinants of quality of life for people with dementia living in traditional and small-scale long-term care settings in Belgium and the Netherlands. Possible relevant strengths and weaknesses of the study are discussed in this article.
ISRCTN: ISRCTN23772945.
痴呆症患者人数的增加将导致对居住护理的更大需求。目前，大型养老院正试图通过开发小规模生活设施，将其对痴呆症患者的传统护理转变为更居家的方式。人们通常认为，小规模生活将提高痴呆症患者的生活质量。然而，目前几乎没有科学证据可以对此进行检验。本研究旨在解决以下研究问题：在一年的时间里，哪些（组合）元素的变化会影响（不同维度的）长期护理环境中老年痴呆症患者的生活质量？
方法/设计：本研究将在比利时和荷兰进行一项传统和小规模长期护理环境的纵向比较研究，采用准实验设计。为了回答研究问题，开发了一个模型，其中纳入了影响长期护理环境中生活质量的相关元素。将使用经过验证的工具来评估这些元素的作用，分为环境特征（国家、病房类型、群体规模和护理人员）；基本个人特征（年龄、性别、认知能力下降、体重和日常生活活动）；行为特征（行为问题和抑郁）；行为干预（使用约束和使用精神药物）；以及社会互动（社交参与和亲属探访频率）。模型中居民的主要结果测量是生活质量。数据将在基线、六个月和十二个月时从居住在小规模或传统护理环境中的居民中收集。
本研究的结果将深入了解比利时和荷兰传统和小规模长期护理环境中痴呆症患者生活质量的决定因素。本文讨论了研究可能存在的相关优势和劣势。
ISRCTN: ISRCTN23772945。
