Do assisted living facilities that offer a dementia care program differ from those that do not? A population-level cross-sectional study in Ontario, Canada.

Many residents of assisted living facilities live with dementia, but little is known about the characteristics of assisted living facilities that provide specialized care for older adults who live with dementia. In this study, we identify the characteristics of assisted living facilities that offer a dementia care program, compared to those that do not offer such a program. We conducted a population-level cross-sectional study on all licensed assisted living facilities in Ontario, Canada in 2018 (n = 738). Facility-level characteristics (e.g., resident and suite capacities, etc.) and the provision of the other 12 provincially regulated care services (e.g., pharmacist and medical services, skin and wound care, etc.) attributed to assisted living facilities were examined. Multivariable Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to model the characteristics of assisted living facilities associated with the provision of a dementia care program. There were 123 assisted living facilities that offered a dementia care program (16.7% versus 83.3% no dementia care). Nearly half of these facilities had a resident capacity exceeding 140 older adults (44.7% versus 21.6% no dementia care) and more than 115 suites (46.3% versus 20.8% no dementia care). All assisted living facilities that offered a dementia care program also offered nursing services, meals, assistance with bathing and hygiene, and administered medications. After adjustment for facility characteristics and other provincially regulated care services, the prevalence of a dementia care program was nearly three times greater in assisted living facilities that offered assistance with feeding (Prevalence Ratio [PR] 2.91, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.98 to 4.29), and almost twice as great among assisted living facilities that offered medical services (PR 1.78, 95% CI 1.00 to 3.17), compared to those that did not. A dementia care program was more prevalent in assisted living facilities that housed many older adults, had many suites, and offered at least five of the other 12 regulated care services. Our findings deepen the understanding of specialized care for dementia in assisted living facilities.

Manis DR ，Rahim A ，Poss JW ，Bielska IA ，Bronskill SE ，Tarride JÉ ，Abelson J ，Costa AP ... -  《BMC Geriatrics》

Association Between Dementia Care Programs in Assisted Living Facilities and Transitions to Nursing Homes in Ontario, Canada: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

We investigate whether older adults who were newly diagnosed with dementia (severity unspecified) and resided in an assisted living facility that offered a dementia care program had a lower rate of transition to a nursing home, compared to those who resided in an assisted living facility without such a program. Population-based retrospective cohort study. Linked, person-level health system administrative data on older adults who were newly diagnosed with dementia and resided in an assisted living facility in Ontario, Canada, from 2014 to 2019 (n = 977). Access to a dementia care program in an assisted living facility (n = 57) was examined. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression with robust standard errors clustered on the assisted living facility was used to model the time to transition to a nursing home from the new dementia diagnosis. There were 11.8 transitions to a nursing home per 100 person-years among older adults who resided in an assisted living facility with a dementia care program, compared with 20.5 transitions to a nursing home per 100 person-years among older adults who resided in an assisted living facility without a dementia care program. After adjustment for relevant characteristics at baseline, older adults who resided in an assisted living facility with a dementia care program had a 40% lower rate of transition to a nursing home (hazard ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.44, 0.81), compared with those in an assisted living facility without such a program at any point during the follow-up period. The rate of transition to a nursing home was significantly lower among older adults who resided in an assisted living facility that offered a dementia care program. These findings support the expansion of dementia care programs in assisted living facilities.

Manis DR ，Rahim A ，Poss JW ，Bielska IA ，Bronskill SE ，Tarride JÉ ，Abelson J ，Costa AP ... -  《-》

A comparison of small and large assisted living facilities for the diagnosis and care of dementia: the Maryland Assisted Living Study.

To compare the demographic, clinical, and psychiatric characteristics of residents living in small (< or = 15 beds) and large assisted living (AL) facilities in the United States. One hundred and ninety-eight residents in 10 large and 12 small assisted living facilities were comprehensively assessed as part of the Maryland Assisted Living Study (MD-AL). The presence or absence of dementia and psychiatric disturbances and the facilities' recognition and management of these disorders were compared across the two types of AL. Aspects of care delivery were also compared. Small facilities had a higher prevalence of dementia (81%) compared to larger facilities (63%) and the mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) across all residents in small facilities (mean 13.04) was than in large facilities (mean 19.93)(p = 0.000). Almost all (98%) of the residents of small homes carried a diagnosis of a dementia or other psychiatric diagnosis, compared to 74% of residents in large facilities (p < 0.001). Psychosis in particular was more prevalent in the smaller homes and the mean Neuropsychiatric Inventory score, a measure of neuropsychiatric symptoms, was higher compared to large homes. Falls were more common in larger homes despite a greater number of personal care hours per week. The use of safety devices and restraints was significantly less common in large facilities compared to smaller homes, where 'geri-chair' and bedrails were more often used. Rates of dementia and psychiatric disorder differ in assisted living facilities depending on size of facility.

Leroi I ，Samus QM ，Rosenblatt A ，Onyike CU ，Brandt J ，Baker AS ，Rabins P ，Lyketsos C ... -  《-》

Clinical Comorbidities and Transitions Between Care Settings Among Residents of Assisted Living Facilities: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study.

We investigate the changes in the sociodemographic characteristics, clinical comorbidities, and transitions between care settings among residents of assisted living facilities. Repeated cross-sectional study. Linked, individual-level health system administrative data on residents of assisted living facilities in Ontario, Canada, from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2019. Counts and proportions were calculated to describe the sociodemographic characteristics and clinical comorbidities. Relative changes and trend tests were calculated to quantify the longitudinal changes in the characteristics of residents of assisted living facilities between 2013 and 2019. A Sankey plot was graphed to display transitions between different care settings (ie, hospital admission, nursing home admission, died, or remained in the assisted living facility) each year from 2013 to 2019. There was a 34% relative increase in the resident population size of assisted living facilities (56,9752019 vs 42,6002013). These older adults had a mean age of 87 years, and women accounted for nearly two-thirds of the population across all years. The 5 clinical comorbidities that had the highest relative increases were renal disease (24.3%), other mental health conditions (16.8%), cardiac arrhythmias (9.6%), diabetes (8.5%), and cancer (6.9%). Nearly 20% of the original cohort from 2013 remained in an assisted living facility at the end of 2019, and approximately 10% of that cohort transitioned to a nursing home in any year from 2013 to 2019. Residents of assisted living facilities are an important older adult population that has progressively increased in clinical complexity within less than a decade. Clinicians and policy makers should advocate for the implementation of on-site medical care that is aligned with the needs of these older adults.

Manis DR ，Katz P ，Lane NE ，Rochon PA ，Sinha SK ，Andel R ，Heckman GA ，Kirkwood D ，Costa AP ... -  《-》

Rates of Hospital-Based Care among Older Adults in the Community and Residential Care Facilities: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study.

Manis DR ，Katz P ，Lane NE ，Rochon PA ，Sinha SK ，Andel R ，Heckman GA ，Kirkwood D ，Costa AP ... -  《-》