Nursing home residents with Alzhiemer’s disease and related dementias, when not the majority of a facility population, may not be receiving the specialized care they need.
In fact, only skilled nursing facilities that had a population with over 90% of residents with Alzheimer’s and other related dementias seemed to have better care.
This is according to a study led by the University of California at Irvine, with findings published in a blog post for the college, and also in the June issue of Health Affairs.
Having the right staff is a huge contributor to the disparity, as recognizing and managing complex medical conditions and behavioral symptoms linked to Alzheimer’s and other related dementias requires enhanced knowledge among staff, noted Dana Mukamel, corresponding author and UCI professor of medicine.
The study analyzed 13,909 facilities between 2017 to 2019 – a sizable cohort given the fact that there are only about 15,000 SNFs throughout the country.
Researchers with UCI used data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), assessing facilities with high and low Alzheimer’s and other related dementias populations. Staffing levels, quality of care and health outcomes for 7.6 million residents was also taken into account; less than half of these residents were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, other dementias or cognitive impairment.
Less than half of the 13,900 facilities had a large dementia population, between 60% to 90% of overall patient population, the study found. What’s more, fewer than 5% of nursing home beds are dementia special care units.
“While the prevalence of [Alzheimer’s and other dementias] is expected to grow in coming decades, those residing in nursing homes represent the majority in only a few facilities,” Mukamel said in the blog post. “Efforts to inform optimal care practices, staffing requirements and training require investments in research, policy and innovation. Continued focus and collaboration are essential to drive progress and improve the care, quality of life and health outcomes for this vulnerable population.”
Researchers called out a concerning lack of training – based on population mix – that leaves residents with Alzheimer’s and other related dementias facing diminished quality and safe care.
This is despite the National Alzheimer’s Project Act of 2011 prompting increased investment in research and federal policies aimed at improving care via robust staff training to benefit all residents, researchers said.
The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging and National Institutes of Health.
Companies featured in this article:
CMS, Health Affairs, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, University of California at Irvine
