title: Optimizing Eating Performance for Long-Term Care Residents With Dementia: Testing the Impact of Function-Focused Care for Cognitively Impaired.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a well-developed theory-based function-focused care for cognitively impaired (FFC-CI) intervention on eating performance among long-term care (LTC) residents with moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A secondary analysis of longitudinal data from 2 cluster-randomized controlled trials that originally tested the impact of FFC-CI on all function and physical activities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 199 residents with moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment from 4 nursing homes and 4 assisted living facilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data at baseline, and 3 and 6 months were used. Resident outcome data used in this analysis included eating performance conceptualized using the single self-care "feeding" item in the Barthel Index, cognitive function by Mini-Mental State Examination, sitting balance conceptualized using the single "chair sit-sitting balance" item in the Tinetti Gait and Balance scale, physical capability by Physical Capability Scale, depression by Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, and agitation by Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (short form).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, almost one-third (32.2%) of the 199 residents needed help with eating. There was no significant change with regard to eating performance over time in both groups, and no significant treatment by time difference between groups in eating performance (P = .195).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current findings support a need to revise the FFC-CI to better address eating performance. Future work may benefit from a stronger focus on eating performance rather than the more commonly addressed functional tasks, such as bathing, dressing, and ambulation. In addition, the inclusion of a more heterogeneous group of LTC residents with regard to eating performance is needed to test the impact of the revised approach on eating performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational System and Adult Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD. Electronic address: liuwenring18@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational System and Adult Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galik
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational System and Adult Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Eun-Shim
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Nahm
authors.affiliation: Boston College Connell School of Nursing, Chestnut Hill, MA.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boltz
authors.affiliation: Department of Organizational System and Adult Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Resnick
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D040561:Assisted Living Facilities; D003071:Cognition; D003704:Dementia; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
keywords: Adults; cognitive impairment; eating performance; function-focused care; long-term care