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Can measuring the quality of mealtime activities improve the health and well-being of individuals living with dementia?
Wen Liu, Ph.D., RN
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA - United States
Background
Mealtime is a fundamental activity of daily life that supports one’s overall health and brain function and provides an opportunity to socialize. Studies have shown that the behavioral and psychological symptoms often associated with Alzheimer’s and other dementia can make mealtime activities challenging. Supporting mealtime activities could be key to improving well-being and quality of life for individuals living with dementia. However, there are currently no tools available to measure the quality and impact of mealtime in dementia care.
Research Plan
Dr. Wen Liu and colleagues will develop a measurement tool to assess the impact of mealtime activities on the well-being of individuals living with dementia. This will include both measurements for the individual living with dementia as well as their caregivers or long-term care staff. This tool will cover topics such as engagement, behavior, independence with eating, and food intake. Once the tool is developed, they will then test the reliability and accuracy of the assessment tool with long-term care staff and individuals living with dementia.
Impact
This project could shed new light on how the quality of mealtime impacts the health and well-being of individuals living with dementia. It could also yield a novel tool for improving dementia care.
The ARCOM Grant Program was developed jointly with Leveraging an Interdisciplinary Consortium to Improve Care and Outcomes for Persons Living With Alzheimer’s and Dementia (LINC-AD).
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