A comparison of three methods of measuring dementia-specific quality of life: perspectives of residents, staff, and observers.
OBJECTIVE
This exploratory study compared three methods of assessing dementia specific quality of life, corresponding to the perspectives of residents, staff members, and trained observers.


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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Edelman
Perry
P
Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging, Evanston, IL 60201, USA. pedelman@matherlifeways.com
Fulton
Bradley R
BR
Kuhn
Daniel
D
Chang
Chih-Hung
CH
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D040561:Assisted Living Facilities; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life