Developing rehabilitative behavioral interventions for long-term care: technology transfer, acceptance, and maintenance issues.
Rehabilitative behavioral interventions that are documented in clinical trials to improve nursing home resident outcomes and are recommended by practice guidelines are often not adapted for daily use in nursing homes and other long-term care (LTC) facilities. Failure to evaluate issues other than clinical efficacy when developing interventions contributes to this gap between efficacy and effectiveness in practice. A potential solution is a research model that supplements traditional clinical intervention research with methodology designed specifically to evaluate the ability of LTC facilities to implement the interventions. This paper discusses several critical issues of intervention and implementation that should be addressed, including targeting interventions, advocacy, cost-effectiveness, training, and quality control. We also describe how clinical trials could be designed and staged to increase the probability that effective interventions will be implemented in the day-to-day care of frail older patients in LTC facilities.
Schnelle
J F
JF
Borun Center for Gerontological Research, UCLA School of Medicine, Reseda, California 91335, USA.
Cruise
P A
PA
Rahman
A
A
Ouslander
J G
JG
D000368:Aged; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D018581:Technology Transfer; D016896:Treatment Outcome