2004 Investigator-Initiated Research Grant

A large body of research has been published about “best practices” in supportive services and care coordination to assist people with dementia who live in senior housing facilities and to facilitate appropriate transitions to residential care when necessary. These studies have not necessarily taken into account factors in ethnically and racially diverse communities that may influence how well such practices serve the needs of all residents.

John A. Capitman, Ph.D., and colleagues will address this issue in a study of 35 senior housing settings in which at least 30 percent of the residents represent African-American, Latino or Asian American communities and at least 20 percent of the residents have documented symptoms of dementia.

The researchers will (1) interview staff members about factors—such as programs, training, policies and staff resources—that may influence the quality of service in a diverse community; (2) conduct surveys of health, functional abilities, and socioeconomic status of 750 residents with dementia; (3) analyze how both the needs of individuals and facility programs influence independence, quality of life, and the transition to residential care; and (4) conduct five case studies of “best practices” programs.

The research team will use the data from this investigation to make recommendations for facility programs and services to meet the needs of seniors in diverse communities.