Predicting institutional long-term care admission in dementia: a mixed-methods study of informal caregivers' reports
- Författare
- Afram B, Verbeek H, Bleijlevens MH, Challis D, Leino-Kilpi H, Karlsson S, Soto ME, Renom-Guiteras A, Saks K, Zabalegui A, Hamers JP
- Titel
- Predicting institutional long-term care admission in dementia: a mixed-methods study of informal caregivers' reports
- Utgivningsår
- 2015
- Tidskrift
- 2015
- Volym
- 71
- Häfte
- 6
- Sidor
- 1351-62
- Sammanfattning
AIM: To investigate agreement between: (1) expected reasons and actual reasons
for admission of people with dementia according to informal caregivers; (2)
scores on measurement instruments prior to admission and the actual reasons for
admission according to informal caregivers.
BACKGROUND: Timely admission of people with dementia is a crucial issue.
Information is highly warranted on whether informal caregivers are capable of
prior identification of causes of admission and, can thus be considered a
reliable prospective source on causes of admission.
DESIGN: A cohort study among informal caregivers of people with dementia who made
a transition to institutional long-term care.
METHODS: Qualitative data on the expected and actual reasons for admission were
collected via open-ended questions at baseline and follow-up. Furthermore, at
baseline, data were collected using measurement instruments to measure
pre-admission characteristics. Interviews took place between November 2010-April
2012. After categorizing the answers, the agreement between the expected and
actual reasons was calculated. Furthermore, bivariate associations were
calculated between the actual reasons for admission and scores on corresponding
measurement instruments.
RESULTS/FINDINGS: For most informal caregivers, there was agreement between their
statements on the expected reason and the actual reason for admission. A third of
the caregivers showed no conformity. Bivariate associations showed that there is
also agreement between the actual reasons for admission and scores on
corresponding measurement instruments.
CONCLUSION: Informal caregivers can be considered reliable sources of information
regarding what causes the admission of a person with dementia. Professional care
should anticipate informal caregivers' statements and collaborate with them to
strive for timely and appropriate admission.