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Purpose: This exploratory study compared three methods of assessing dementia specific quality of life, corresponding to the perspectives of residents, staff members, and trained observers. Design and Methods: We collected data on 172 residents with dementia in four special care nursing facilities and three assisted living facilities. Analyses assessed the relationship of each quality-of-life method or perspective to the others and to resident characteristics such as cognitive and functional status. Results: The relationship of staff quality-of-life measures to resident characteristics varied by care setting while no significant relationships were found for resident quality-of-life measures. Staff and observational measures were moderately correlated in both settings. Moderate correlations of resident measures with staff and observational measures were found in the assisted living sample. Implications: Each perspective is relatively independent and somewhat unique. Measures that focus on specific aspects of quality of life may be more appropriate to use with assisted living residents than with residents of special care facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This exploratory study compared three methods of assessing dementia specific quality of life, corresponding to the perspectives of residents, staff members, and trained observers. Design and Methods: We collected data on 172 residents with dementia in four special care nursing facilities and three assisted living facilities. Analyses assessed the relationship of each quality-of-life method or perspective to the others and to resident characteristics such as cognitive and functional status. Results: The relationship of staff quality-of-life measures to resident characteristics varied by care setting while no significant relationships were found for resident quality-of-life measures. Staff and observational measures were moderately correlated in both settings. Moderate correlations of resident measures with staff and observational measures were found in the assisted living sample. Implications: Each perspective is relatively independent and somewhat unique. Measures that focus on specific aspects of quality of life may be more appropriate to use with assisted living residents than with residents of special care facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated five dementia-specific quality of life (DQOL) measures including client interviews, staff proxies, and observations with 54 clients in three adult day centers. Also, the relationship of cognitive and functional status to each of the DQOL measures was assessed. Client interviews correlated well with each other, but not with other measures. Staff proxies were strongly correlated with each other and moderately correlated with the observational measure. On average, clients rated their DQOL higher than staff. Analyses suggest that functional impairment is associated with poorer DQOL as indicated by staff and observer measures. Possible explanations and implications are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction Dementia Care Mapping (DCM) was originally developed as a clinical tool but has attracted interest as a potential observational measure of quality of life (QOL) and well-being of long-term care residents with dementia. DCM coding involves continuous observation over a 6-h period, with observers recording a Behavior Category Code (BCC, a recording of activity/interaction) and a Well/Ill Being (WIB) score at 5 min intervals. Method Descriptive data from several different research teams on the distribution and psychometric properties of DCM data were compiled and summarized. Results Issues and problems identified include: complex scoring algorithms, inter-rater reliability of the BCCs, limited variability of WIB values, associations between resident characteristics and DCM assessments, rater time burden, and comparability of results across study settings. Conclusions Despite the identified limitations, DCM has promise as a research measure, as it may come closer to rating QOL from the perspective of persons with dementia than other available measures. Its utility will depend on the manner in which it is applied and an appreciation of the measure's strength and limitations. Possible changes that might improve the reliability, validity, and practicality of DCM as a research tool include coding the predominant event (rather than the ‘best’ event), shortening the observation period, and adding ‘0’ as a neutral WIB coding option. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nursing staff and care workers run an increased risk of work related musculoskeletal disorders such as low back pain. The Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW) offers its insured persons the opportunity to participate in a three-week Back College with the aim of preventing them having to abandon their profession due to back problems. The aim of the study was to record the effectiveness and sustainability of the Back College on an intermediate basis (6 months). Methods: As part of a single-group pre-post measurement on three survey dates – at the start (T0) and end (T1) of rehabilitation and 6 months later (T2) – in 2013 all participants in the Back College at three locations were surveyed using a standard questionnaire. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed to evaluate statistically significant changes. Results: For measurement dates T0 to T2 we had 570 complete datasets (response rate 70.81%). There was a significant decrease in reported back pain and the general state of health and quality of life index improved. Participants' emotional strain decreased and they showed an improved understanding of illness as well as of having acquired knowledge-based abilities and skills for dealing with the disease. After training, they recorded back-friendly behaviour in everyday life and opportunities to relieve strain on the spinal column were utilised at work more often. Participants' subjective assessment of their ability to work (Work Ability Index) improved. Conclusion: The present study proved the intermediate effectiveness of the Back College curriculum. Whether these effects remain stable in the long term will be tested on the subsequent measurement date (T3, after 24 months). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]