title: Cognitive impairment and quality-of-life: views of providers of long-term care services.
abstract: Quality-of-life (QoL) is now recognized as a principal outcome marker for long-term care. However, QoL is difficult to define and measure, especially in residents with dementia. Providers of long-term care services (n = 182) were asked to rate the importance of 19 psychosocial quality-of-life elements for hypothetical residents with physical impairment and for residents with cognitive impairment. Respondents also were asked to rate their ability to influence these elements for each type of resident. Respondents rated the importance of 18 of the 19 elements and their ability to influence 17 of 19 elements lower for residents with cognitive impairment. Of the five types of respondents, certified nursing assistants (CNAs) rated their ability to influence these QoL elements the highest for both types of residents; physicians' ratings were the lowest. Pain management was given high ratings for both importance and ability to influence for both resident types; the lowest ratings were given for elements that pertained to residents' understanding. A strong correlation between ratings for importance and ability to influence was observed. Additional research is needed on the psychosocial aspects of long-term care residents' QoL, especially those with cognitive impairment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Education and Research, St. Mary's/Duluth Clinic Health System, Duluth, Minnesota 55805, USA. cgessert@smdc.org
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Gessert
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hyer
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kane
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rockwood
authors.forename: Andrea B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Brassard
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Desjardins
authors.forename: Rosalie A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*