Publications and Presentations

Our research is important to us and so are the people who use it. So we want to make our publications easy to find. You can search our publications using the search function below or sort them by topic by selecting a category on the left. Feel free to contact us if you're having difficulty locating a report and we'd be happy to assist you (Scripps@MiamiOH.edu).

378 publications found.

The Federal Proposed Standard for Nursing Home Staffing

11/04/2023

In response to concerns about direct care staffing challenges in nursing homes across the nation, on September 6, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed new federal rules to establish minimum nursing staff standards for nursing homes. The proposed CMS changes could have a substantial impact on nursing homes both in Ohio and across the nation.

  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

The AgeSmart Inventory: A Multifaceted Tool to Understand Age Bias

09/19/2023

Ageism has been recognized as a global problem leading to poorer health, isolation, and workplace discrimination toward people based on their age. Consequently, there are several tools that measure levels and types of ageism with a focus on the quantification of degrees and types of ageism.

  • Aging Network

Lifting the Veil: How Networks Form, Operate, Struggle, and Succeed

08/29/2023

There are very few studies that document how networks form, operate, and succeed in these cross-sectoral collaborations. This qualitative study was designed to fill that gap.

  • Aging Network
  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Technology

Current Workforce and Quality Challenges in New York State Nursing Homes

03/21/2023

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Workforce Issues

Exploring the Criterion Validity of Pragmatic Person-Centered Care/Culture Change Measures

08/05/2022

Nursing homes (NHs) are required to provide person-centered care, efforts often folded into broader culture change initiatives. Despite the known benefits of culture change, it is difficult to measure. This study aims to assess the criterion validity of the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory (PELI) Implementation Indicator with other culture change measures. Findings suggest that the PELI Implementation Indicator can be used as a pragmatic indicator of a community’s adoption of...

  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Presentation - Choosing Home Care Services

07/13/2022

When you are entrusted with finding home care services for you or a loved one, you may be faced with making some difficult decisions. Choosing the right type of home care service can put you at ease during such a challenging time. It may be difficult to choose, but many people reported having a greater quality of life and happiness with in-home care services. The goal is to set up the right home care service for you or your loved one and hope to bring you peace of mind.

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making

Applying Agile Methodology to Reengineer the Delivery of Person-Centered Care in a Nursing Home: A Case Study

06/15/2022

This study presents a road map for breaking down care processes, prioritizing, and implementing iterative plan, do, study, act cycles using Agile methodology to enhance group collaboration on quality improvement cycles, to achieve our goal of providing preference-based PCC. The ready availability of preference-based reporting was critical to quickly informing new staff on how to meet residents’ most important preferences. Based on lessons learned, this study describes a developmental approach...

  • Long-Term Care - Other

Examining Face Validity of Visual Stimuli Used in Preference Assessments for Older Adults With Communication Impairments

05/31/2022

Preference assessment is integral to person-centered treatment planning for older adults with communication impairments. There is a need to validate photographs used in preference assessment for this population. Therefore, this study aimed to establish preliminary face validity of photographs selected to enhance comprehension of questions from the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory–Nursing Home (PELI-NH) and describe themes in older adults' recommendations for revising photographic...

  • Cognitive/Communication Challenges

With a Little Help From My Friends and Family: Transportation and Caregiving Hours

05/25/2022

Using data from Round 7 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and the linked National Survey of Caregiving (NSOC; n = 1054 dyads), this study explored how caregiver transportation assistance and care recipient driving frequency are associated with caregiving hours. Results indicated integrated supports and greater accessibility to transportation services may decrease time spent caregiving.Journal of Applied Gerontology. https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648221089624Publication is...

  • Care Management
  • Caregiving/Families
  • Transportation

Presentation - Resilience & Aging: How COVID-19 Informs How We Can Better Navigate Setbacks and Challenges That Come With Aging

05/18/2022

In this presentation, Dr. Carr will describe the role of psychological resilience in shaping aging processes. This presentation will introduce the concept of resilience as a psychological resource and highlight recent research that provides insights based on studies evaluating responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in later life. Dr. Carr will also describe some potential implications of these findings for increasing positive outcomes as people move through later life.    

  • Presentations
  • Psychology of Aging

The Stability of Nursing Home Residents Ratings of Importance of Recreation Preferences Over One Year

05/04/2022

The long-term stability of nursing home (NH) residents’ everyday preferences remains unknown. This study examined 1-year stability in reports of importance of 34-recreational activity preferences (8-MDS 3.0 Section F items; 26-Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory-NH items) by NH residents (N = 161). This study examined mean differences in demographic and clinical characteristics of residents for preferences showing the change. Importance ratings of preferences were highly stable over...

  • Long-Term Care - Other

If You Ask Them, They Will Support: A National Study of Local Initiatives Developed to Provide Social Care to Older Adults in the Community

05/04/2022

Some communities across the nation are utilizing alternative funding sources to better support home and community-based services for older adults. A variety of methods identified local initiatives across the United States. An online survey was distributed to a total of 377 communities in 15 states identified as using locally raised funds to provide aging services, yielding a 55% response rate. Total funding from programs generated almost 400 million dollars annually with funding ranging from...

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Home and Community Based Services

The Association Between Preference Satisfaction and Satisfaction with Overall Care for Nursing Home Residents

05/01/2022

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services mandate the provision of person-centered care (PCC), but there is limited evidence on how PCC impacts nursing home (NH) residents’ care experiences. This study examined the relationship between n = 163 NH residents’ ratings of satisfaction with care related to their preferences and their satisfaction with overall care. Residents with higher preference satisfaction ratings reported significantly higher levels of satisfaction with overall care....

  • Long-Term Care - Other

Experiences of Older Adults During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: An Initial Exploration of Nationally Representative Data at the Intersection of Gender and Race

05/01/2022

Little is known about the overall experiences and feelings of diverse older populations during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. To provide the baseline information for future research and policy, this study analyzed the 2020 Health and Retirement Study COVID-19 project data (n = 1782). More than 70% of older adults reported the following activities: watching TV (98%), reading (90%), using a computer and the internet (83%), gardening (82%), walking (75%), baking and cooking (73%), and praying (73%)....

  • Demographics
  • Education
  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Religion/Spirituality

Understanding Nursing Home Complaints in Ohio

04/01/2022

This study provides an initial look at the characteristics of Ohio nursing homes and their associated complaints. Results show the relationship between provider staffing and complaints, with turnover among nursing home leadership and CNA’s significantly associated with higher complaint levels. Given the current staffing challenges that have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, these findings are particularly important.Brief report is available online.

Examining Face Validity of Visual Stimuli Used in Preference Assessments for Older Adults With Communication Impairments

03/28/2022

Preference assessment is integral to person-centered treatment planning for older adults with communication impairments. There is a need to validate photographs used in preference assessment for this population. Therefore, this study aimed to establish preliminary face validity of photographs selected to enhance comprehension of questions from the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory–Nursing Home (PELI-NH) and describe themes in older adults' recommendations for revising photographic...

  • Cognitive/Communication Challenges
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Determinants of COVID-19 testing among late middle-aged and older adults: applying the health belief model

03/25/2022

The purpose of this study was to examine correlates of taking a COVID-19 test among late middle-aged and older adults using nationally representative data. Results found that concern about the pandemic was associated with an increase in the likelihood of taking a test among late middle-aged adults. Knowing someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19 was associated with taking a test in most age categories. Financial barriers and knowing someone who died of COVID-19 were not associated with taking a...

  • Demographics
  • Health/Physical Activity

Presentation - Sleep & Dementia: Why Sleep Matters and How to Improve It

03/18/2022

2014 MGS alumna Julia Larimer presents a "One for the Ages" lunchtime presentation on "Sleep & Dementia: Why Sleep Matters and How to Improve It."

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Dementia
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Presentations

A Process Evaluation of Developing Older Adult Research Advisory Boards in Long Term Care SettingsTitle

02/27/2022

Older adults residing in long-term care settings can contribute their lived experience to informing the development and implementation of programs, interventions, practices, and policies that affect their lives. Long-term services and supports (LTSS) would benefit from a greater understanding of the preferences and perspectives of those they serve, leading to opportunities for service innovations, improvements in how older adults experience LTSS, and outcomes that matter to them. Researchers and...

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Presentation - Our Family Our Way: A New Resource for Caregiving Families

02/25/2022

Research Scholar Dr. Jennifer Heston-Mullins presents a lunchtime presentation on "Our Family, Our Way: A New Resource for Caregiving Families."

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Presentations

Balancing Mission and Momentum

02/23/2022

Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are entering a new phase marked by a heightened focus on social determinants of health. With a mission, a history, and a legislative mandate to serve as the local hub for a coordinated system of health- and independence-enhancing services, AAAs are well-positioned to address needs related to the social determinants of health. Contracting with healthcare partners to meet these needs is an opportunity to expand their role in the communities, protect their mission, and...

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services

Validation of the Chinese version of the resident satisfaction in long-term care facilities

02/08/2022

Accurate measurements of resident satisfaction in long-term care settings can provide administrators with valuable information to improve the quality of care. However, such assessment has been insufficient in long-term care facilities of China due to limited validated measuring instruments. We aim to translate and validate a Chinese version of the resident satisfaction assessment based upon the Ohio Long-term Care Resident Satisfaction Survey (OLCRSS).

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Research Methods

How do Area Agencies on Aging Build Partnerships with Health Care Organizations?

01/29/2022

Partnerships between health care and social service organizations may contribute to lower health care use and spending. Such partnerships are increasing, including Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) working and contracting with health care organizations. Nevertheless, knowledge about how AAAs establish and manage successful collaborations is limited. We sought to understand how AAAs establish and manage partnerships with health care organizations. Results showed highly-partnered AAAs were...

  • Aging Network

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats: Equitable Nursing Home Policy Through Implementation Science

01/17/2022

At the time of this writing, at least 186,000 nursing home (NH) residents and staff have succumbed to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; AARP, 2021), and countless others have suffered the mental anguish of limited visits from family and isolation. The massive gap between well-resourced NHs and NHs in poor communities, often made up of residents and employees who are people of color, is an unacceptable certainty in this country. These populations are already marginalized, usually across...

  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Advancing Partnerships: Contracting Between Community-based Organizations and Health Care Entities

01/01/2022

This report provides additional findings from the 2021 Request for Information (RFI) survey about the current characteristics of community-based organization (CBO) contracts with health care partners and illustrates the ways in which those arrangements are expanding services, reaching high-risk clients, focusing on social determinants of health (SDOH), and tailored to the core strengths of the CBO and the priorities of the health care partner.

  • Home and Community Based Services

Preference importance ratings among African American and white nursing home residents

12/28/2021

The Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory (PELI-NH) assesses the psychosocial preferences of nursing home (NH) residents. This study explored the association of race with importance ratings of self-dominion preferences (i.e., preferences for control). Results showed African Americans were younger and more functionally impaired. After accounting for the effects of gender (female), age (younger), anxiety (greater), and functional impairment (less) with higher reports of importance of...

  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Religion/Spirituality

"By the time she got sick it was just kind of too late": A qualitative study on advanced care planning among bereaved lesbian, gay, and bisexual older women

12/21/2021

This study explores the experiences of bereaved lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) older women to understand perspectives regarding advance care planning communication between clinicians, patients, and dyads. Four main themes emerged from the transcripts, LGB older women: (1) experience unclear advance care planning communication and end-of-life care support from clinicians, (2) often avoid advance care planning discussions with spouse or partners, (3) lack of knowledge about palliative or...

  • Caregiving/Families
  • End-of-Life Ethics
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Individual learning accounts: A comparison of implemented and proposed initiatives

12/11/2021

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) identified three models for funding adult learning: (1) individual learning accounts, (2) individual savings accounts, and (3) training vouchers. The current study discusses examples of these models, either proposed or implemented, across four countries or economic blocks—France, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition, to understand the importance of providing funding for education and training to adults...

  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

All are not created equal: Assessing initial driving self-regulation behaviors among older adults

12/10/2021

Mobility is closely tied to the ability to safely drive. In older adulthood, many people begin to avoid difficult driving situations, such as driving at night, during rush hour, on freeways, or in unfamiliar areas. Reasons for such avoidance include driving self-regulation (SR; an intentional response to perceived difficulty), lifestyle changes, or preference. Most previous research has not made distinctions between these reasons, has not compared driving avoidance situations, and has not...

  • Transportation

Sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and basic skills of the nonformal distance education participants among adults in the US

10/16/2021

Despite increasing demand in distance education, relatively little is known about the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics as well as basic skill levels of adult distance education participants at the national level in the US. This study analyzed the US data from the 2012/2014 and 2017 Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) to identify baseline determinants of nonformal (i.e., not for a formal credential or degree) distance education among adults aged between...

  • Education
  • Technology

A north star for gerontology: Using the threshold concept framework to transform ageism education

09/27/2021

This paper demonstrates the utility of the threshold concept framework for gerontologists by conceptualizing ageism as a threshold concept. The purpose of this article is to provide an innovative approach to education on complex gerontological topics in different clinical, research, and educational settings using ageism as a primary example of a threshold concept in gerontology.

  • Education

Conducting virtual qualitative interviews with international key informants: Insights from a research project

09/15/2021

In this study, a focus group of five researchers, who were involved in a large international research project, identified effective strategies and challenges associated with five key domains of qualitative research with key informants: identification, recruitment, preparation, conducting the interview, and follow-up. Content analysis revealed nuanced tactics related to effective strategies and challenges associated with each domain. Examples of effective strategies included interview preparation...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research

Facility and family communication during the COVID-19 visit restriction: Early perspectives of family members

08/23/2021

This study implemented an online survey of family members or friends of residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) from April 28 to June 19, 2020, using convenience sampling. A total of 174 responses nationwide reported the types of communications used, frequency of communication and alternative visits, and whether respondents had peace of mind, would recommend the facility, or were considering removing the resident from the facility. The results of the hierarchical logistic regression...

  • Care Management
  • Caregiving/Families
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Program Evaluation

An arts program to improve medical student attitudes towards persons with dementia

06/18/2021

Arts-based activities may improve medical student attitudes toward persons living with dementia (PLWD) by facilitating relationships around remaining strengths, capacities, and personhood. However, research on co-creation of artwork through evidence-based programs is needed. This study evaluated student participation in a standardized, nursing home-based program called Opening Minds through Art (OMA). Since 2007, over 2000 undergraduates have been trained in OMA, with research showing positive...

  • Arts and Aging
  • Dementia

Presentation - Domestic and International Perspectives on Implementing Alternatives to Finance Lifelong Education

06/04/2021

In this presentation, we share information on access to and participation in adult education and training (AET) and then share examples of alternative methods for funding AET, specifically Individual Savings Accounts and Training Vouchers, across the comparison countries, which include Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We wrap up by sharing a summary and implications.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Education
  • Global Aging
  • Presentations

Using Local Initiatives to Fund In-Home Services: Ohio Leads the Nation

06/01/2021

As a result of limitations in federal and state funding for nonmedical supportive services, some communities across 15 states are utilizing local funding sources to support aging services for older adults and/or their family or friend caregivers. Local funding sources include property tax levies, payroll, and sales taxes. This research brief explores how communities across Ohio utilize local funding and analyzes the differences in various approaches such as amount of revenue generated, service...

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Evaluating the implementation of a pragmatic person-centered communication tool for the nursing home setting: PAL Cards

05/31/2021

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the implementation of a person-centered communication tool in nursing homes (NH). The Preferences for Activity and Leisure (PAL) Cards were developed to communicate residents’ preferences for activities across care team members. The intervention can assist nursing home providers in meeting PCC regulations and contribute to building relationships between residents, family, and staff.

  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Quality Assurance

"It's been a whole new world": Staff perceptions of implementing a person-centered communication intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic

05/01/2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has challenged the way nursing homes deliver person-centered care (PCC). Preferences for Activity and Leisure (PAL) Cards are a tool to communicate residents' important preferences to staff.

  • Care Management
  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Presentation - Literacy Skills, Educational Attainment, Nativity, and Motivation to Learn Among Middle-Aged Adults in the United States

04/09/2021

As outlined in this presentation, limited literacy skills, lower educational attainment, and being an immigrant are potential barriers to motivation towards life-long learning among middle-aged adults in the U.S.

  • Education
  • Presentations

The influence of hearing impairment on driving avoidance among a large cohort of older drivers

03/12/2021

As people age, some of the commonly experienced psychomotor, visual, and cognitive declines can interfere with the ability to safely drive, often leading to situational avoidance of challenging driving situations. The effect of hearing impairment on these avoidance behaviors has not been comprehensively studied. In this study, data from the American Automobile Association (AAA) Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) study were used to assess the effect of hearing impairment on driving...

  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Transportation

Residential Care: An Emerging Sector of the Ohio System of Long-Term Services

03/01/2021

This report utilized data from the Biennial Survey of Long-Term Care Facilities to show the expansive growth of residential care facilities and assisted living in Ohio over the last couple decades. The report provides a general picture of facility characteristics, resident characteristics, memory care, staffing, and cost of care. Policy and practice implications are also shared.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Achieving population health impacts through health promotion programs offered by community based organizations

02/28/2021

Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) have emerged as important delivery sites for health promotion programs, but the impacts of their expanded role in delivering these interventions remain unknown. This study found that AAA involvement in health promotion programs was associated with lower use of potentially avoidable nursing home use; the breadth of programs offered by AAAs and the implementation capacity of these organizations also played a role in reducing low-need nursing home use.

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services

Opening Minds through Art: A preliminary study evaluating the effects of a creative-expression program on persons living with dementia and their primary care partners

02/26/2021

For people living with dementia and their care partners, a decline in the ability to effectively communicate can cause significant distress. However, in recent decades, the arts have emerged as an effective care modality in fostering communication and expression for those with declining verbal skills and memory loss. Opening Minds through Art (OMA) is a national initiative that empowers people living with dementia by facilitating creative expression and social engagement through art-making in...

  • Arts and Aging
  • Dementia

The Older Adult Population of Greene County Ohio

02/01/2021

This report provides a socio-demographic snapshot of the older adult population of Greene County, Ohio to inform current and future programming of the Greene County Concil on Aging and address the future needs of older adults in Greene County.

  • Demographics
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Quality Assurance

Barriers and facilitators for mid- and later-life community college students: The role of faculty

01/27/2021

This qualitative study of students in mid- and later-life (MLL; age 40 and older) sought to address the role faculty play in facilitating student success and how institutions support faculty, especially adjunct faculty. Adjunct faculty teach a majority of classes at community colleges but are not provided the same professional development opportunities as tenure track faculty and are often not well integrated into the college system.

  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

Jobs at risk of automation in the USA: Implications for community colleges.

01/25/2021

Advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence and robots are steadily replacing jobs in the USA. Continuous skill-upgrading and re-skilling are critical for workers to remain employable throughout their careers. In these social and economic contexts, community colleges play significant roles to provide workforce education and training because of their open admission, lower tuition, and shorter and more specific occupational programs compared to four-year universities. However, the...

  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

Planning for driving retirement: The effect of driving perceptions, driving events, and assessment of driving alternatives

01/01/2021

Most older adults will eventually stop driving, but few engage in planning for driving retirement. This study assessed whether driving stress, enjoyment, confidence, concerning driving events, and assessment of driving alternatives influence planning.

  • Demographics
  • Products/Design/Planning for an Aging Society
  • Transportation

Marital quality, gender, and later-life depressive symptom trajectories

12/13/2020

This study analyzed six waves of data (2006–2016) from the Health and Retirement Study (n = 4,342) to examine how marital quality is associated with depressive symptom trajectories among a group of continuously married older adults.

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Mental Health

A practical guide for analyzing large-scale assessment data using Mplus: A case demonstration using the Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies data

12/12/2020

In order to promote the use of increasingly available large-scale assessment data in education and expand the scope of analytic capabilities among applied researchers, this study provides step-by-step guidance, and practical examples of syntax and data analysis using Mplus. Concise overview and key unique aspects of large-scale assessment data from the 2012/2014 Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) are described.Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, doi:...

  • Research Methods

Strengthening Ties: Contracting Between Community-Based Organizations and Health Care Entities

12/01/2020

The Aging and Disability Business Institute (Business Institute), led by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), supports the business acumen of CBOs to enhance contracting with health care partners. Scripps Gerontology Center serves as the independent project evaluator for the Business Institute. A cornerstone of the evaluation is repeated national surveys about the extent and nature of CBO contracts with health care entities. This report summarizes findings from the third...

  • Aging Network

Urban and rural differences in trajectories of depressive symptoms in later life in the United States

11/24/2020

This study examines the relationship between urban residence and trajectories of depressive symptoms and investigates whether this relationship differs by social isolation and loneliness. The study uses data from the 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged 51and older.

  • Mental Health

Family satisfaction: Differences between nursing homes and residential care facilities

11/22/2020

This study compared differences in overall family satisfaction, specific satisfaction domains, and correlates of satisfaction between nursing homes (NHs) and residential care facilities (RCFs), using data from the 2016 Ohio Long-Term Care Family Satisfaction Survey.

  • Demographics
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Quality Assurance

Local initiatives to fund services for older Americans: A growing option for states

11/19/2020

This report is part of a series of promising practices and emerging innovations from the AARP Public Policy Institute 2020 LTSS State Scorecard. It describes the use of alternative funding strategies, such as local property tax levies, to address the growing need for programs to better serve older adults. It also examines how communities in three different states are utilizing local funding streams to support services for older adults.

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Presentation - Strategies to Engage Marginalized Adults in Education

11/12/2020

This video is one segment of a larger presentation on intersectionality titled: Meaning and Purpose in Later Life: How Age, Race and Other Factors Shape Our Options for Work, Learning, and Civic Engagement. Our section of the presentation focused on strategies to engage marginalized adults in education.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Education
  • Global Aging
  • Presentations

Exploring cause of death as a factor in social convoy membership: The case of Pauline

11/10/2020

Research integrating social convoy and continuing bonds frameworks suggests that deceased individuals can be included in convoys as connections may carry on after death. Building on this, we present a qualitative case study that explores whether such relationships are influenced by the way people die. Pauline, 67, compares the “natural” deaths of relatives to her husband’s suicide.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research

Presentation - Literacy, Numeracy, and Problem-Solving Skills in Technology-Rich Environment in the STEM-related Subbaccalaureate Programs in the U.S.

11/09/2020

This video provides an introduction and overview of the IES-funded project Literacy, Numeracy, and Problem-Solving Skills in Technology-Rich Environment in the STEM-related Subbaccalaureate Programs in the U.S.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Education
  • Presentations
  • Workforce Issues

Childhood socioeconomic status and physical activity in later life: The role of perceived neighborhood social cohesion and wealth in adulthood

11/06/2020

The literature indicates that perceived neighborhood social cohesion is related to later life physical activity. However, there is no research that examines the role of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) in shaping this relationship. This study uses data from the Health and Retirement Study (2006–2016; N = 8,754) and a structural equation modeling approach to examine whether perceived neighborhood social cohesion and adulthood wealth mediate the relationship between childhood SES and physical...

  • Health/Physical Activity

Presentation - Barriers to Engage Low-Skilled Adults in Educational Opportunities: A Global Perspective

11/04/2020

As outlined in this presentation, providing more support and opportunities for formal, non-formal, and informal learning can enhance continuing education and training participation of low-skilled older workers across nations.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Education
  • Global Aging
  • Presentations

Presentation - Equity in Adult Education: The Ohio Story

10/28/2020

This presentation describes activities of Ohio's Adult Learner Working Group and the Closing the Equity Gap Subgroup. It explains the concept of "equity," reviews how COVID-19 has impacted racial and ethnic minorities, and shares recommendations of the subgroup.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Education
  • Legal/ Advocacy
  • Presentations

Presentation - Practical Guidance in Identifying, Recruiting, and Interviewing International Key Informants in Adult Education Research

10/28/2020

This presentation explains qualitative research strategies that have been successful in identifying, recruiting, and interviewing key informants from multiple countries.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Education
  • Presentations

Prevalence of COVID-19 in Ohio nursing homes: What's quality got to do with it?

10/11/2020

With nursing homes being hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to know whether facilities that have any cases, or those with particularly high caseloads, are different from nursing homes that do not have any reported cases. This analysis looked at the association between facility quality and the prevalence of COVID-19 in Ohio nursing homes.

  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Presentations - Job Training for Adults without Credentials: Models that Work

10/08/2020

This video highlights segments of a presentation on opportunities for education and training for adults as well as barriers adult learners face when pursuing those opportunities. It was delivered at the 2020 National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE) virtual conference. If you are interested in viewing the full presentation, please contact Abby Helsinger at Johnso49@MiamiOH.edu.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Education
  • Presentations
  • Workforce Issues

Presentation - Closing the Equity Gap: The Ohio Story

10/07/2020

These videos highlight segments from a presentation delivered at the 2020 National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE) virtual conference. The presentations share learnings from the Ohio Adult Learner Working Group, sponsored by the Ohio Department of Higher Education, on how institutions of higher education can address gaps in equity. The first video gives an overview of the entire presentation, and the following five videos each highlight one step in the student experience: Connections and...

  • Education
  • Presentations
  • Workforce Issues

Presentation - Job Automation in the U.S. How are we Preparing?

10/07/2020

This video highlights segments of a presentation on job automation and the role of community colleges in the context of workforce education. It was delivered at the 2020 National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE) virtual conference. If you are interested in viewing the full presentation, please contact Abby Helsinger at Johnso49@MiamiOH.edu.

  • Education
  • Presentations
  • Workforce Issues

What could be influencing older Ghanaians outpatient care utilization rate?

10/02/2020

Ghana’s population is rapidly aging and there may be healthcare access and utilization issues. This study investigates some of the issues that may influence outpatient care utilization rate among older Ghanaians.

  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Home and Community Based Services

Problem solving in technology rich environments and cancer screening in later life

09/29/2020

Routine cancer screening is widely recognized as an effective preventive strategy to reduce cancer mortality - the second leading cause of death in the US. However, cancer screening requires a complex array of tasks such as seeking up-to-date guidelines, making appointments, planning hospital visits, and communicating with health care professionals. Importantly, modern health care largely relies on technology to disseminate the latest information and administer the system. Yet, little is known...

  • Education
  • Health/Physical Activity

Organizational factors associated with retention of direct care workers: A comparison of nursing homes and assisted living facilities

09/14/2020

Low retention of direct care workers (DCWs), either certified nursing assistants in nursing homes (NH) or personal care assistants in assisted living (AL), continues to be an unresolved problem. While numerous studies have examined predictors of DCW retention in NHs, little attention has been paid to differences between settings of long-term care. This study compares the predictors of DCW retention rates across both settings.

  • Workforce Issues

Intergenerational ambivalence and loneliness in later life

09/05/2020

Previous work has explored the links between intergenerational ambivalence and other indicators of well?being but has not examined loneliness. Although studies show an association between positive and negative relationship quality with children and loneliness, there are conflicting findings, and there is also insufficient exploration of the role of gender. This brief report examined the relationship between intergenerational ambivalence and loneliness in later life among a group of older adults...

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Health/Physical Activity

End-of-Life Educational Needs of State Tested Nurse Aides in Ohio Long-Term Care Facilities

07/31/2020

This research brief shares the findings of a qualitative research study that solicited the opinions of current State Tested Nurse Aides (STNAs), registered nurses (RNs), and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) to gain an understanding of the culture of death and dying in long-term care and to assess the educational needs of STNAs in regards to end-of life care for residents in long-term care facilities.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Education
  • End-of-Life Ethics
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Unmet and unimportant preferences among nursing home residents: What are key resident and facility indicators?

07/29/2020

The Preferences Assessment Tool (PAT) in the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 assesses 16 resident preferences for daily routines and activities. Although integrating important preferences into care planning is essential to provide person-centered care in nursing homes (NHs), preferences rated as important but unmet or unimportant may not receive much attention. This study aims to (1) identify the prevalence of unmet preferences and unimportant preferences, and (2) examine their associations with...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Quality Assurance
  • Research Methods

Facility-level factors associated with CNA turnover and retention: Lessons for the long-term services industry.

07/29/2020

Certified nursing assistant (CNA) turnover and retention are critical aspects of facilities’ ability to provide cost-effective, high-quality person-centered care. Previous studies and industry practice often treat turnover and retention as similar concepts, assuming that low turnover and high retention are synonymous. The study addressed the question of whether turnover and retention rates differ and if so, what those differences mean for nursing home practice, policy, and research.

Local initiatives to fund services for older Americans: Community recognition of the importance of social care

07/27/2020

Despite the growing proportion of older adults in the United States, federal and state funding for nonmedical supportive services remains limited. To meet increasing demand, some communities across the nation are exploring alternative funding sources for aging services. This article describes efforts to identify states where local funding is used to support aging services and the variety of local revenue streams used. Critical policy questions surrounding equity issues within and across states...

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Medicaid nursing home policies and risk-adjusted rates of emergency department visits: Does rural location matter?

07/10/2020

Medicaid nursing home (NH) reimbursement rates and bed-hold policies have been shown to be associated with hospitalization of urban NH residents, but their relationships with emergency department (ED) visits, especially in rural NHs, remain unknown. This study explores the relationships of Medicaid NH policies with three NH quarterly risk-adjusted rates of ED use for long-stay residents and evaluates whether the associations differed by NHs' geographical locations.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Changes over time in racial/ethnic differences in quality of life for nursing home residents: patterns within and between facilities

07/10/2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate trends in racial/ethnic differences in nursing home (NH) residents’ quality of life (QoL) and assess these patterns within and between facilities.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Nursing home social work during COVID-19

07/10/2020

This letter highlights a few of the many challenges facing nursing home social services workers and departments during COVID-19 and highlights the ways that researchers can support practice colleagues at this difficult time, amplify their every-day efforts, and contribute to healing during this pandemic.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Workforce Issues

Through the Montessori Looking-Glass: Barriers to Implementing a Montessori-Based Intervention

07/07/2020

Montessori methods are used with individuals with dementia to create meaningful, inclusive, failure-free activities that enhance quality of life. This research qualitatively explored the barriers to implementing a Montessori-based intervention for people living with dementia in a 24-hr memory care setting.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Cognitive/Communication Challenges
  • Dementia
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Program Evaluation
  • Workforce Issues

Primary care competition and quality of care: Empirical evidence from Medicare

07/06/2020

This paper explores the effects of primary care physician (PCP) practice competition on five distinct quality metrics directly tied to screening, follow-up care, and prescribing behavior under Medicare Part B.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

The family experience in long-term care during the COVID-19 visitation restriction

07/01/2020

This report provides results from an online survey of families with residents in long-term care settings during the COVID-19 suspension of visiting to facilities. Overall, despite the difficult situation, the majority of families had a positive view about the facility where their family or friend resided. Facilities played a critical role in helping families stay in touch; their communication strategies--or lack thereof-- were related to family perceptions about the facility.

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Policy does matter: Changing an unchangeable long-term services system

07/01/2020

Because long-term services policy is largely driven by state decisions, this study examines the impact of state-level changes on Ohio's long-term services system. Using longitudinal data collected over twenty-six years, this paper tracks system changes and documents the growth of in-home services, assisted living, and the increase in short-term institutional care.

  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Prevalence of COVID-19 in Ohio Nursing Homes

06/17/2020

This study examines the Prevalence of COVID-19 cases in Ohio nursing homes in the context of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 5-star quality ratings. Data come from the June 3, 2020 Ohio Department of Health weekly report.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Fast-track innovation: Area Agencies on Aging respond to the COVID-19 pandemic

06/09/2020

Millions of older Americans depend on services provided by Area Agencies on Aging to support their nutritional, social, and health needs. Social distancing requirements and the closure of congregate activities due to COVID-19 resulted in a rapid and dramatic shift in service delivery modes. Area Agencies on Aging were able to quickly pivot due to their long-standing expertise in community needs assessment and cross-sectoral partnerships. The federal Coronavirus relief measures also infused one...

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Does living in a higher proportion minority facility improve quality of life for racial/ethnic minority residents in nursing homes?

06/05/2020

The proportion of racial/ethnic minority older adults in nursing homes (NHs) has increased dramatically and will surpass the proportion of white adults by 2030. Yet, little is known about minority groups’ experiences related to the quality of life (QOL). QOL is a person-centered measure, capturing multiple aspects of well-being. NH quality has been commonly measured using clinical care indicators, but there is growing recognition for the need to include QOL. This study examines the role of...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

COVID-19 pandemic: Exacerbating racial/ethnic disparities in long-term services and supports

05/31/2020

What services are available and where racial and ethnic minorities receive long-term services and supports (LTSS) have resulted in a lower quality of care and life for racial/ethnic minority users. These disparities are only likely to worsen during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the pandemic has disproportionately affected racial and ethnic minority communities both in the rate of infection and virus-related mortality. By examining these disparities in the context of the pandemic, this article brings...

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Workforce Issues

Quality concerns in nursing homes that serve large proportions of residents with serious mental illness

05/31/2020

Nursing homes (NHs) are serving greater proportions of residents with serious mental illness (SMI), and it is unclear whether this affects NH quality. This article analyzes the highest and lowest quartiles of NHs based on the proportion of residents with SMI and compare these NHs on facility characteristics, staffing, and quality stars.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Mental Health

Knowledge and perception towards universal safety precautions during early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in Nepal

05/13/2020

The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge and perception of COVID-19 and relevant universal safety measures among the Nepalese population. A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among Nepalese adults from March 29 to April 07, 2020.

  • Education
  • Health/Physical Activity

Promising Practices in Adult Guardianship in Ohio

05/11/2020

This research brief highlights innovative strategies used by five Ohio counties to address common challenges in adult guardianship.

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Care Management
  • Legal/ Advocacy
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making

How accumulated wealth affects driving reduction and cessation

04/29/2020

Older adults can expect to live between 6 and 10 years after they give up driving, but driving reduction and cessation (DRC) are not equally experienced by all groups. Individual characteristics such as poor health, impaired vision, older age, and female gender are known to affect DRC. Using cumulative disadvantage theory as a guide, this study assessed the role played by wealth in DRC among older adults.

  • Demographics
  • Personal Income/Financing
  • Transportation

Depression, functional disability, and accessing health care among older adults in Ghana and South Africa: A comparative study based on WHO Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE).

04/27/2020

This study explored the association and variabilities between mild depression, functional disability, and healthcare access among older Ghanaians and South Africans.

  • Global Aging
  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Mental Health

Linking health and social services through Area Agencies On Aging is associated with lower health care use and spending

04/01/2020

Area Agencies on Aging are increasingly partnering with health care organizations to address the health-related social needs of older adults and contribute to multisector coalitions that promote community health. Using survey data for the period 2008-13, this study examined the potential health impacts of establishing such partnerships.

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Aging Network

Strategies employed by Ohio community colleges to improve labor market outcomes for older students

03/19/2020

To remain competitive in the labor market, many middle-aged and older adults need to upgrade existing or learn new skills through occupational training and education. Community colleges are the preferred choice for older students due to affordability, open access admission, a greater number of credential options including short-term credentials, and convenient locations. This article identifies strategies community colleges employ to improve labor market outcomes for middle-aged and older adults...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Education

Trends, determinants and the implications of population aging in Iran

03/05/2020

Fertility and mortality decline are major drivers of Iran's population aging. A rapid and sharp fall in fertility rates over the past three decades as well as a substantial rise in life expectancy are causing rapid aging of Iran's population. This paper uses the 2015 United Nations Population Division data to discuss the trends, determinants and the implications of population aging in Iran.

  • Demographics
  • Global Aging

Nursing home social services and post-acute care: Does more qualified staff improve behavioral symptoms and reduce antipsychotic drug use?

03/01/2020

An increasing number of post-acute care patients are admitted to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) with behavioral symptoms such as wandering and rejecting care, which can interfere with care and place a patient at risk of social isolation or injury. This study examines whether increasing the qualifications of social service staff through using a greater proportion of qualified social workers (QSWs) instead of paraprofessionals improves patients' behavioral symptoms and reduces the use of...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Workforce Issues

Construction and validation of risk-adjusted rates of emergency department visits for long-stay nursing home residents

02/01/2020

Long-stay nursing home (NH) residents are at high risk of having emergency department (ED) visits, but current knowledge regarding risk-adjusted ED rates is limited. In this study, the authors calculated quarterly NH risk-adjusted ED rates from 2011 Q2 to 2013 Q3 national Medicare claims and Minimum Data Set data, validated these rates against Nursing Home Compare overall 5-star quality ratings, and examined their associations with hospitalization rates to provide a quality context.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Research Methods

Lucas County Adult Guardianship Assessment Report

02/01/2020

In 2019, Scripps Gerontology Center was contracted by the Lucas County Guardianship Exploratory Committee to assess adult guardianship service needs in Lucas County, Ohio. This report and accompanying research brief present findings from a community assessment of current guardianship services and needs in Lucas County, a review of existing guardianship operations utilized in comparably-sized Ohio counties, and recommendations for improving guardianship services in Lucas County.

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Care Management
  • Legal/ Advocacy
  • Mental Health

Educational differences in trajectories and determinants of healthy ageing in midlife and older Americans

01/07/2020

The purpose of this study is to advance knowledge of the influence of educational level on trajectories and determinants of healthy ageing in midlife and older Americans.

  • Demographics
  • Education
  • Health/Physical Activity

Quality of Care in Ohio's Skilled Nursing Facilities: How Are We Doing Compared to the Nation Overall?

01/01/2020

This research brief compares the quality of Ohio's nursing homes to the nation over three time periods from 2013 to 2017. The quality of Ohio's skilled nursing facilities improved over this time frame, but Ohio still has improvements to make.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Maybe You Can Go Home Again: Ohio's Strategy to Provide Long-Term Services and Supports for a Growing Older Population

01/01/2020

This report provides findings from a study of long-term services and supports utilization trends from 1993 to 2017. Information on nursing homes, residential care facilities, and PASSPORT is provided. Findings show that Ohio has made considerable progress in creating a more balanced system of residential and community long-term services and supports. However, the demographic changes faced in the future indicate that the state has even greater challenges ahead.

  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

A comparison of emergency preparedness policies by long-term care setting type in Ohio: Assisted living care settings lag behind nursing homes in key areas

01/01/2020

Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) have received regulatory attention in relation to their emergency preparedness. Yet, assisted living settings (ALs) have not experienced such interest due to their classification as a state-regulated, home- and community-based service. However, the growth in the number of ALs and increased resident acuity levels suggest that existing disaster preparedness policies, and therefore, plans, lag behind those of SNFs. This study examined differences in emergency...

  • Dementia
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Informal caregiving and all-cause mortality: A meta-analysis of longitudinal, population-based studies

12/15/2019

This study investigated the effect of informal caregiving on all-cause mortality across 12 longitudinal population-based studies (seven United States; five international: United Kingdom, Northern Ireland [2], Japan, and Australia).

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Research Methods

Community Colleges and Older Learners in Ohio Higher Education

12/01/2019

This research brief provides age structure data for those enrolled at Ohio's community colleges and baccalaureate institutions and discusses the Ohio Department of Higher Education's credential attainment goals for adults ages 25 to 64.

  • Demographics
  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

The relationships among roadway safety management practices, collision rates, and injury rates within company fleets

12/01/2019

Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are consistently the leading cause of work-related fatalities for all industries combined. They comprise the majority of workplace fatalities for occupations involved in transportation/material moving and are one of the leading causes of death for many occupations which involve driving, but where driving is not the primary job duty. Nonfatal work-related MVCs also have substantial injury and economic consequences for workers and employers. This study used data from...

  • Transportation
  • Workforce Issues

Healthy aging in older Chinese Americans: Associations with immigrant experiences

11/26/2019

This study examined the association between aspects of the immigrant experience—acculturation, neighborhood belonging, and perceived discrimination—and healthy aging in older Chinese Americans and explored whether associations vary by age and gender.

  • Demographics
  • Health/Physical Activity

Dedicated Memory Care Units in Ohio's Long-Term Services Settings: Structure and Practices

11/01/2019

This report provides information about memory care units in Ohio's nursing homes and residential care facilties. Findings are based on questions included in the Biennial Survey of Long-Term Care Facilities. Results include characteristics of residents, staffing and staff training, environmental amenities and care practices.

  • Dementia
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Healthy aging in China: Benchmarks and socio-structural correlates

10/31/2019

The objectives of this investigation were to identify a valid and practical benchmark for the assessment of healthy aging in the Chinese population and examine its socio-structural correlates.

  • Demographics
  • Global Aging
  • Health/Physical Activity

Resident preferences and CNA empowerment: Testing validity and reliability of a culture change survey tool

10/29/2019

Culture change (CC) is an innovation to improve nursing home resident quality of life. Inconsistencies in how CC is measured make the interpretation of findings inconclusive. The purpose of this study is to determine the underlying factors of CC among Ohio nursing homes to extract the core essence of CC. Two valid and reliable scales to advance the measurement of CC are presented that can be used to explore both residents' preferences for care and CNA empowerment components as predictors or...

  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Quality Assurance
  • Research Methods

Associations between motivation to learn, basic skills, and adult education and training participation among older adults in the USA

09/19/2019

The objective of this study is to examine the associations between the motivation to learn, basic skills (i.e., literacy and numeracy), and organised adult education and training (AET) participation among the middle-aged and older adults in the USA. Rapid technological advancement and globalisation necessitate individuals to engage in lifelong learning to actively participate in society.

  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

Older adults' expectations about mortality, driving life, and years left without driving

09/05/2019

People are living and driving longer than ever before, with little preparation for transitioning to being non-drivers. This study investigated driving expectations among drivers age 65 and older, including sociodemographic and driving context predictors. Cross-sectional data from 349 older drivers were explored to determine variation in how many years they expected to continue driving.

"Place" in the small stories of African American elders: A narrative case study

08/31/2019

Although there is a rich literature on place and home within gerontology, few studies have considered how place acts as identity markers for older African Americans. Since narratives and stories represent ways of expressing self and identity through ordered talk, they offer an interesting way to consider how people age biographically such as through links between place and self. This study analyzed small stories (i.e., stories that can appear as snippets of talk immersed within a larger...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research

A pilot qualitative study of dementia perceptions and experiences of Nigerian migrant caregivers

08/26/2019

Concomitant with the rate at which the United Kingdom’s population is aging, the increased number of older adults with dementia, and the decrease in relatives who are available to care for these older adults, there has been an exponential rise in the need for healthcare assistants in the workforce. Since the workforce now comprises of a significant number of migrant healthcare workers, some of whom originate from developing countries like Nigeria, it is important to understand some...

  • Global Aging

Age-Friendly Oxford: A qualitative study conducted by the Miami University First Year Research Experience (FYRE) class of 2017 - 2018

08/06/2019

In the 2017-2018 academic year, the Miami University First Year Research Experience (FYRE) class conducted a qualitative study to explore the perceptions of Oxford, Ohio as an age-friendly city. Through interviews, conversations with community stakeholders, and naturalistic observation, the students identified positive aspects about living in Oxford and components of livability that could potentially be improved. This report details those findings and offers recommendations and additional ideas...

  • Products/Design/Planning for an Aging Society

Book club experiences, engagement, and reading support use by people with aphasia

08/01/2019

People with chronic aphasia often exhibit a decrease in social engagement and reading ability that negatively influences quality of life. Book clubs can provide a supportive environment that facilitates both socialization and reading. However, limited data exist examining the use of book clubs for individuals with chronic aphasia. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the experiences, engagement, and reading supports used by people with aphasia participating for the...

  • Cognitive/Communication Challenges

Effects of written, auditory and combined modalities on comprehension for people with aphasia

08/01/2019

People with aphasia experience reading challenges affecting participation in daily activities. Researchers have found combined auditory and written presentation modalities help people with aphasia comprehend contrived sentences and narratives, but less is known about the effects of combined modalities on functional, expository text comprehension. This study's purpose was to examine comprehension accuracy, reviewing time, and modality preference of people with aphasia when presented with edited...

  • Cognitive/Communication Challenges

Social lives and cliques in senior housing communities

07/10/2019

A better understanding of social environments will benefit facilitation of social cultures within senior housing communities. Social cliques naturally form among groups of people, particularly those living in close proximity. Research has shown that often older adults experience stigma based upon their health status and are excluded from social groups. This study examined residents’ perceptions of life in senior housing, social stigma, and cliques.

  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Psychology of Aging

Occupational licensing of social services and nursing home quality: A regression discontinuity approach

06/25/2019

Social service departments in nursing homes can be staff with either qualified social workers or unlicensed paraprofessionals. Using a federal regulation which requires nursing homes with 121+ beds to employ at least one full-time qualified social worker, this study used a regression discontinuity design to explore whether nursing homes just above the 121-bed threshold have social service departments with similar staffing levels and composition as just below the threshold.

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Workforce Issues

Age-Friendly Oxford Community Needs Assessment: Report to the Age-Friendly Oxford Leadership Advisory Group

06/20/2019

In November 2017, Oxford, Ohio formally joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, a national network committed to the design and implementation of community-level actions to enhanced age-friendliness. This report highlights findings from a community needs assessment survey of Oxford and Oxford Township residents age 50 and older. The respondents provided valuable information about elements of an age-friendly community that will guide the Age-Friendly Oxford Leadership...

  • Products/Design/Planning for an Aging Society

Driving status and religious service attendance among older Americans

06/03/2019

This study investigated the relationship between driving status and religious service attendance among older Americans and how the perceived importance of religion influences the relationship.

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Demographics
  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Mental Health
  • Religion/Spirituality
  • Transportation

Ohio Person-Centered Staff Engagement Project Evaluation

06/01/2019

This report describes the Person-Centered Staff Engagement Project, funded by Resident Rights funds to the Ohio Department of Aging from the Ohio Department of Medicaid. The report describes participating nursing homes, activities, and evaluation results.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

A preference-based model of care: An integrative theoretical model of the role of preferences in person-centered care

06/01/2019

This article proposes a theoretical model of person-centered care (PCC) entitled the Preference-Based Model of Care that integrates the Theory of Human Motivation, Self-determination Theory, the Competence-Press Model of person and environment fit, the Living Systems Framework, and the Broaden-and-Build theory of positive emotions to deepen our understanding of the processes through which preference-based care affects well-being among older adults receiving LTSS.

  • Long-Term Care - Other

"A bone of contention...": Perceived barriers and situational dependencies to food preferences of nursing home residents

05/27/2019

This study investigated barriers to fulfilling food preferences from nursing home (NH) residents’ perspectives, and the reasons preferences changed (situational dependencies).

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Aging and Disability Business Institute: Final evaluation report

05/22/2019

The Aging and Disability Business Institute (Business Institute), led by the National Association for Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), was established in 2016 with a mission to build and strengthen partnerships between aging and disability community-based organizations and the health care system. The goal of the Business Institute was to increase contracting between CBOs and health care entities, thereby addressing social and behavioral determinants of health through integrated care. This report...

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Program Evaluation

Implementation of the 2018 Ohio Nursing Home and Residential Care Facility Family Satisfaction Surveys

05/15/2019

In 2018, the Scripps Gerontology Center conducted the ninth biennial Ohio Nursing Home and the second Ohio Residential Care Facility Family Satisfaction Surveys under a contract to the Ohio Department of Aging. This report provides information about survey implementation, psychometric properties of the two survey tools, and overall statewide facility results. Copies of the tools and survey materials are included.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Research Methods

Building on the past, securing the future: Area agencies on aging and Older Americans Act reauthorization

05/04/2019

The upcoming reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA) is an opportunity to acknowledge the expanding priorities for that landmark legislation, along with the forward motion of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) in their communities. Previous reauthorizations have done just that, simultaneously establishing new priorities, building on the evolution of AAA roles, and setting the stage for continued growth and impact. Seeking to provide research to inform the complex and multilayered political...

  • Aging Network
  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Home and Community Based Services

Care managing together: A review of the Aetna and Area Agency on Aging MyCare partnership in Ohio

05/01/2019

There is a growing interest in Medicaid managed long-term services and recent expansion legislation now allows Medicare Advantage plans to incorporate an array of community-based services into their benefit packages. This study was a first step in gaining a better understanding of the care management plan models used in the Ohio MyCare Demonstration, focusing on the Aetna unified care management model implemented in three regions of the state in partnership with three area agencies on aging...

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other

An examination of PIAAC data for unemployed adults aged 45-74

04/20/2019

Middle aged and older workers constitute a growing segment of the U.S. labor force. These workers face considerable challenges in the wake of the Great Recession, which have important consequences for the sustainability of social safety net programs and the U.S. economy as a whole. Despite the policy implications of significant unemployment among middle aged and older workers, little is known about specific factors impacting labor market outcomes for this age group, including the role of adult...

  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

The impact of long-term care ombudsman presence on nursing home survey deficiencies

03/25/2019

This study examines whether deficiency outcomes from nursing home annual survey inspections vary with the presence of a long-term care ombudsman at the survey.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Quality Assurance

Impact of social service staffing on nursing home quality and resident outcomes

03/14/2019

Social service staff play a key role in nursing homes and are responsible for providing psychosocial services to residents and their families. This brief report highlights findings from several studies that utilized national data to examine social service staffing trends in nursing homes and how staffing levels and the qualifications of staff within social service departments affect quality and resident outcomes.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Workforce Issues

Association of health related quality of life domains with daytime sleepiness among elderly recipients of long-term services and supports

03/07/2019

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is prevalent in older adults; however, data are lacking that examine EDS across living environments. The aims of this secondary data analysis were to identify the prevalence and predictors of EDS among older adults receiving long-term services and supports (LTSS) in assisted living communities (ALCs), nursing homes (NHs), and the community.

  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Mental Health

The impact of nursing home residents' characteristics on ratings of importance of autonomy preferences in daily care over time

03/05/2019

This study examined the rate of change in reports of importance of 27 autonomy-related everyday preferences from the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory over 3-months and the demographic and clinical characteristics associated with change for nursing home residents.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Exploring preference fulfillment among older adults receiving long-term care: Consistency of satisfaction ratings

02/28/2019

This study sought to understand the consistency of ratings over a 3-day test-retest period for how satisfied long-term care recipients were with the fulfillment of important everyday preferences.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Problem solving in technology rich environments and self-rated health among adults in the U.S.: An analysis of the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies

02/14/2019

Problem-solving skills in the context of technologically complex modern societies have become increasingly important to health management in later life. Using data from the 2012/2014 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), this study was designed to investigate the associations between problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (PSTRE) and health, and to explore whether age differences exist.

  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Workforce Issues

Older adults' experiences with audiovisual virtual reality: Perceived usefulness and other factors influencing technology acceptance

02/01/2019

This study explores how older adults respond to audiovisual virtual reality (VR) and perceive its usefulness to their lives.

  • Products/Design/Planning for an Aging Society
  • Technology

Mapping core concepts of person-centered care in long-term services and supports

01/29/2019

This study used an empirical concept mapping approach to identify core components of person-centered care (PCC) used in long-term services and supports (LTSS). The aim is to help providers and researchers develop a unified set of domains that can be used to assess and improve the quality of PCC in real-world settings.

  • Aging Network
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Problem-solving skills of the U.S. workforce and preparedness for job automation

01/13/2019

Automation and advanced technologies have increased the need for a better understanding of the skills necessary to have a globally competitive workforce. This study used data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies to compare problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments among adults in South Korea, Germany, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Estonia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia.

  • Education
  • Technology
  • Workforce Issues

Stark County Court Angel Program: An evaluation report

01/07/2019

The Stark County Probate Court Angel Program is the first volunteer-based monitoring program by a probate court in Ohio and is designed to confirm the well-being of persons under guardianship. This report presents findings from an evaluation of the program conducted in 2018 through interviews with Court Angel volunteers, program staff, and a group of key community stakeholders, in addition to a review of court data and program documents.

  • Legal/ Advocacy
  • Program Evaluation

Assessing participant satisfaction and the impact of senior centers in rural Northwestern Ohio counties

01/04/2019

This study assessed satisfaction among current senior center users in the Northwestern Ohio area and measured the impact that centers have on the lives of participants. Specifically, it assessed satisfaction with four services (congregate meals, recreation, transportation, and supportive services). This study also attempted to capture some of the ways in which the centers impact their users (e.g., more social contact, better physical health, less concern, and worry).

  • Aging Network
  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Home and Community Based Services

It is not your parents' long-term services system: Nursing homes in a changing world

12/21/2018

The article argues that administrative and regulatory practices have not kept pace with the dramatic changes in how nursing homes are now being used in the long-term services system. Using detailed nursing home utilization data from the Minimum Data Set, this study tracks three cohorts of first-time nursing home admissions in Ohio from 1994 through 2014.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

The change in nursing home residents' preferences over time

12/15/2018

This study examined the change in nursing home residents' (n = 255) preferences for everyday living over a 3-month period. Participants were recruited from 28 NHs in the suburbs of a major metropolitan East Coast area of the United States.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Mistrust in physicians does not explain black-white disparities in primary care and emergency department utilization: The importance of socialization during the Jim Crow era

12/15/2018

Compared to whites, blacks under-utilize primary care and over-utilize emergency department services. This study examines whether mistrust in physicians explains these black-white disparities, and the potentially modifying influence of socialization under racially segregated health care (i.e., raised in the U.S. South during the Jim Crow era).

  • Health/Physical Activity

Is the quality of nursing homes countercyclical? Evidence from 2001 through 2015

12/07/2018

This study examines whether nursing homes (NHs) provide better quality when unemployment rates rise (countercyclical) and explores mechanisms contributing to the relationship between quality and unemployment rates.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Workforce Issues

Community-Based Organizations and Health Care Contracting: Building and Strengthening Partnerships

11/26/2018

Community-based organizations (CBOs) such as Area Agencies on Aging and Centers for Independent Living are well-positioned within their communities to improve social determinants of health (housing, nutrition, social and community engagement, and access to health care, services, and supports.)

  • Aging Network
  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Home and Community Based Services

Heterogeneity of older learners in higher education

11/08/2018

Lifelong learning, including completing a postsecondary credential, increasingly is necessary to improve employment outcomes among workers, both old and young, who face rising demands for new and improved skills. To satisfy these needs, many states have established postsecondary completion goals pertaining to the segments of their population ages 25 to 64 years. This study uses data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to examine enrollment trends by part-time and...

  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

Private equity ownership and nursing home quality: An instrumental variable approach

10/24/2018

There is a concern that when private equity firms purchase nursing homes, they will lower quality of care in order to increase profits. Using an instrumental variable procedure to adjust for resident selection into nursing homes, this study explores whether private equity owned nursing homes lower quality of care for long-stay residents.

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Literacy, numeracy, and health information seeking among middle-aged and older adults in the United States

09/27/2018

Health literacy is often viewed as an essential skill set for successfully seeking health information to make health-related decisions. However, this general understanding has yet to be established with the use of nationally representative data. The objective of this study was to provide the first nationally representative empirical evidence that links health information seeking behaviors with health literacy among middle-age to older adults in the United States.

  • Education
  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Technology
  • Workforce Issues

Allophilia: Increasing college students' "liking" of older adults with dementia through arts-based intergenerational experiences

09/10/2018

This study evaluates whether an arts-based intergenerational experience, Opening Minds through Art (OMA), increases positive attitudes or allophilia ("liking for the other"—in this case, older adults with dementia) in 216 students who joined the OMA program as compared with 499 students in the control group.

  • Arts and Aging
  • Education

Workforce retention and wages in nursing homes: An analysis of managerial ownership

08/31/2018

Healthcare providers can be managed by salaried managers or owner-managers that have a significant equity stake in their facility. Using data on Ohio-based nursing homes from 2005 to 2015, this study examines whether salaried or owner-managed nursing homes have higher workforce retention and whether this is driven by differences in wage rates.

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Workforce Issues

Family satisfaction with nursing home care: Findings and implications from two state comparison

08/17/2018

Most studies of family satisfaction are restricted to one state. This study compares the organizational and structural factors associated with higher family satisfaction in the states of Minnesota and Ohio.

  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Narrative comprehension by people with aphasia given single versus combined modality presentation

08/16/2018

People with aphasia experience comprehension impairments that hinder participation in daily activities. Presenting information through more than one modality may reduce demands on cognitive resources and promote improved comprehension by people with aphasia. Previous researchers have documented improved comprehension of sentence-length material given simultaneous auditory and written presentation. However, less is known about the potential benefits people with aphasia derive from combined...

  • Cognitive/Communication Challenges

Functional status and adaptation: Measuring activities of daily living and device use in the national health and aging trends study

08/15/2018

This study compared Dr. Sidney Katz's original dichotomous measure of dependence in performing activities of daily living (ADL) with the National Health and Aging Trends Study's (NHATS) broader spectrum of functional status, demonstrating that many community-dwelling older adults can adapt to functional impairment rather than requiring assistance from another person in completing ADL.

  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Products/Design/Planning for an Aging Society

Evaluating Enhanced Service Coordination in Ohio's Housing for Low-Income Older Adults and People with Disabilities

07/02/2018

This project was designed to evaluate the implementation and impact of Enhanced Service Coordination (ESC) in affordable housing for older adults and people with disabilities. The ESC model emphasizes proactive outreach and ongoing monitoring and engagement with residents to provide service coordination that enhances their abilities to remain as healthy and independent as possible.View full report (PDF) (1.197Mb)

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities

The principal-agent problem and owner-managers: An instrumental variables application to nursing home quality

07/02/2018

This paper expands the literature on the heterogeneity among nursing home facilities by determining whether quality at for-profit nursing homes managed by owner-managers is different from those operated by salaried managers.

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Cost-effective adjustments to nursing home staffing to improve quality

06/08/2018

This study holistically examines which type of nursing home staffing (nursing, social service, activities) yields better quality as measured by number of deficiencies and deficiency scores.

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Workforce Issues

Cleveland and Fort Lauderdale AgeWell Pilots Formative Evaluation Report: January 1, 2017-February 28, 2018

06/01/2018

The AgeWell program trains and employs able older adults to provide companionship to chronically ill older adults in the community. It aims to improve health and well-being outcomes by reducing isolation and identifying potential health or social problems and making referrals to the appropriate services.

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Program Evaluation

A machine learning recommender system to tailor preference assessments to enhance person-centered care among nursing home residents

05/21/2018

Nursing homes (NHs) using the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory (PELI-NH) to assess important preferences and provide person-centered care find the number of items to be a barrier to using the assessment. With a sample of 255 NH resident responses to the PELI-NH, this study used the 16 preference items from the MDS 3.0 Section F to develop a machine learning recommender system to identify additional PELI-NH items that may be important to specific residents.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

E-hail (rideshare) knowledge, use, reliance, and future expectations among older adults

05/15/2018

The goals of this study were to explore e-hail (e.g., Uber/Lyft) knowledge, use, reliance, and future expectations among older adults. Specifically, to identify factors that were related to e-hail, and how older adults view this mode as a potential future transportation option.

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Transportation

Adult competencies and employment outcomes among older workers in the United States: An analysis of the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies

05/07/2018

A growing segment of the U.S. workforce—older workers—face challenges such as a greater chance of being unemployed for a longer period of time than younger workers and skill obsolescence in contemporary societies. In an age of fast-paced economic and technological change, ongoing investment in human capital in the form of skill training represents a potential strategy for improving older workers’ employment prospects. However, empirical evidence is lacking on the relationship between basic...

  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

The impact of nurse turnover on quality of care and mortality in nursing homes: Evidence from the great recession

05/02/2018

This paper uses a sample of California nursing homes to causally identify whether higher staff turnover leads to worse quality.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Workforce Issues

An examination of PIAAC data for unemployed adults aged 45-74

04/25/2018

This study used data from the 2014 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) National Supplement to examine relationships among educational attainment, participation in adult education and training, skill proficiencies, health, and economic outcomes for U.S. adults ages 45-74 who are unemployed or not in the labor force.

  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

The effects of demographics, functioning, and perceptions on the relationship between self-reported and objective measures of driving exposure and patterns among older adults

04/15/2018

This exploratory study examined: how strongly subjectively reported driving avoidance behaviors (commonly referred to as self-regulation) and exposure were related to their objectively measured counterparts and whether it depended on the specific behavior; the extent to which gender and age play a role in the association between subjectively reported driving avoidance behaviors and exposure and their objectively measured counterparts; and the extent to which demographics, health and functioning,...

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Transportation

Planning for a nondriving future: Behaviors and beliefs among drivers 53-92

04/13/2018

Despite the reality of older adults living many years after driving cessation, few prepare for the eventuality; empirically, planning for a nondriving future has not been directly quantified or explored. This study quantifies (1) the extent of current drivers' planning; (2) specific planning behaviors; (3) beliefs about benefits of planning; (4) drivers' intention to plan more for future transportation needs; and (5) group differences associated with planning.

  • Products/Design/Planning for an Aging Society
  • Transportation

The impact of state nursing home bed relocation policy in Ohio

04/10/2018

As Ohio's population aged and shifted across county lines, an imbalance in the supply of nursing home beds to 65+ population has occurred. For example, in 2008 the ratio of nursing home beds to 65+ population varied from a high of 130 beds per 1,000 persons aged 65 and older in Holmes County to a low of 20 in Portage County. Faced with this disparity the Ohio legislation passed a law that allows controlled transfer of beds across counties. This brief report examines the impact of this...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Our Family, Our Way: A Family Communication and Care Coordination Guide for Aging Parents and their Adult Children

04/04/2018

This report highlights the development, implementation, and evaluation of a guide designed to facilitate family communication about care and support. The guide provides a structured format for talking about what's needed, happening, wanted, and possible in the care arrangement, culminating in a Shared Assessment and a Family Care and Support Plan.

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making

"So we basically let them struggle": Student perceptions of challenges in intergenerational service-learning

03/13/2018

This study documented the experiences of 19 students who were required to participate in at least 20 hours of intergenerational service-learning for an introductory gerontology course. Because an administrative error prevented students from knowing about the service-learning requirement until they were enrolled, these participants provided a unique perspective of the challenges and positive aspects of their experiences.

  • Education

Fundamental causes in illness and health behavior: A cross-national comparison of young adults in the US and Nepal

02/23/2018

This study compares the relationship between stress from the death of a parent and two indicators of well-being, substance use and mental health, in the United States and Nepal including differences between urban and rural contexts.

  • Global Aging
  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Mental Health
  • Psychology of Aging

Delivering Person-Centered Care: Important preferences for recipients of long-term services and supports

02/05/2018

Although assessing individual consumer preferences is important first step in providing person-centered care, the purpose of this study was to identify the top 10 shared preferences that are important to a majority of consumers receiving long-term services and supports.

  • Care Management
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Quality Assurance

Cross-Sectoral Partnerships By Area Agencies On Aging: Associations With Health Care Use And Spending

02/01/2018

Cross-Sectoral Partnerships By Area Agencies On Aging: Associations With Health Care Use And Spending

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Research Methods

Community-Based Organizations and Health Care Contracting

12/12/2017

In 2016, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) received a grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation to develop a National Aging and Disability Business Center.

  • Aging Network
  • Business/Economics of Aging

Participant Satisfaction and the Impact of Senior Center Services in Lucas County, Ohio

12/01/2017

This study addressed satisfaction with services and impact of senior centers among center participants in Lucas County, Ohio.

  • Aging Network
  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Home and Community Based Services

A New Group of Medicaid Nursing Home Residents: The Unexpected Trend of Those Under age 65 Using Nursing Homes in Ohio

11/09/2017

Typically thought of as a long-term care option for older residents, the proportion of Ohio’s long-stay Medicaid nursing home residents under the age of 65 has tripled over the last 20 years.

  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Mental Health

Ohio Guardianship, Guardians, and the Courts: Findings from a Survey of Adult Guardianship in Ohio

08/28/2017

This report highlights findings from a survey of the guardianship practices of Ohio’s probate courts. In a first of its kind survey, this study examined the challenges faced by the probate courts in managing guardianships, the resources used to support guardians and persons under guardianship, and the promising practices that have emerged as courts work to help persons under guardianship live a high-quality life and to help guardians be successful in executing their responsibilities.

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Care Management
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making

Implementation of the 2016 Ohio Nursing Home and Residential Care Facility Family Satisfaction Surveys

08/18/2017

This report summarizes the implementation process and results from the 2016 Family Satisfaction Surveys conducted in Ohio nursing homes and residential care facilities. Psychometric properties of the instruments and survey tools and materials are included.

  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Research Methods

Policy Does Matter: Continued Progress in Providing Long-Term Services and Supports for Ohio's Older Population

08/17/2017

Policy Does Matter: Continued Progress in Providing Long-Term Services and Supports for Ohio's Older Population

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Family involvement in the nursing home and perceived resident quality of life

07/25/2017

This study focuses on the relationship between family involvement and family perceptions of nursing home residents’ quality of life (QOL).

  • Caregiving/Families
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Managerial ownership in nursing homes: Staffing, quality, and financial performance

06/20/2017

This paper uses facility-level data to determine whether staffing levels, quality, and financial performance is different among nursing homes operated as a nonprofit, a for-profit with an owner-manager, and a for-profit with a salaried manager.

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Quality of life trajectories of older adults living in senior housing

06/14/2017

Quality of life (QoL) in the face of declining health, mobility, and social losses is a central issue for older adults. This study examined changes in QoL over time for older adults residing in independent senior housing within continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) and estimated how residents’ social engagement during their first year influenced QoL over the next 4 years.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Psychology of Aging

From rock-n-roll to rock-n-chair: Are the boomers financially ready for retirement?

06/01/2017

Just like generations before them, the baby boomers are not one group, but many. Are they financially ready for retirement? A review of the likely income and expenditure data for baby boomers indicate that some are well-prepared financially for retirement, some are not, and for many, retirement preparation is still a work in progress. This article also highlights the importance of Social Security and Medicare for about half of the retired population, and the need for proposed policy changes...

  • Business/Economics of Aging

Using National Data to Examine the Quality of Care in Ohio's Skilled Nursing Facilities

05/08/2017

This study compares the quality of Ohio's skilled nursing facilities to the nation overall. Findings show that Ohio facilities had fewer inspection deficiencies, slightly lower direct care staffing rates, and on average lower quality outcomes on resident care.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Who hires social workers? Structural and contextual determinants of social service staffing in nursing homes

01/25/2017

Although nurse staffing has been extensively studied within nursing homes (NHs), social services has received less attention. The study describes how social service departments are organized in NHs and examines the structural characteristics of NHs and other macro-focused contextual factors that explain differences in social service staffing patterns using longitudinal national data (Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports, 2009–2012).

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Workforce Issues

Using art in an intergenerational program to improve students attitudes toward people with dementia

01/19/2017

This study explored the effects of participating in an intergenerational service learning program called Opening Mind through Arts (OMA) on college students’ attitudes toward people with dementia.

  • Arts and Aging
  • Dementia

How does rurality influence the staffing of social service departments in nursing homes?

01/10/2017

This paper examines how social service departments in nursing homes are staffed by rurality.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Workforce Issues

The Caregiver Toolbox: Evaluation of a Workshop for Informal Caregivers

12/15/2016

This report is an evaluation of a face-to-face group workshop designed for informal caregivers of older adults provided by the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging.

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Families/Caregiving

Multiple chronic conditions and hospitalizations among recipients of long-term services and supports

12/15/2016

Among older adults receiving long-term services and supports (LTSS), debilitating hospitalizations is a pervasive clinical and research problem. Multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) are prevalent in LTSS recipients. However, the combination of MCCs and diseases associated with hospitalizations of LTSS recipients is unclear. The purpose of this analysis was to determine the association between classes of MCCs in newly enrolled LTSS recipients and the number of hospitalizations over a 1-year period...

  • Chronic Illness/ Disability
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Activities in dementia care: A comparative assessment of activity types

12/06/2016

This exploratory study compares the impact of five activity types on the well-being of institutionalized people with dementia: the intergenerational art program Opening Minds through Art, art and music therapies, creative activities, non-creative activities, and no activities at all. We validated the Scripps Modified Greater Cincinnati Chapter Well-Being Observational Tool, and used that instrument to systematically observe N?=?67 people with dementia as they participated in different activity...

  • Arts and Aging
  • Long-Term Care - Other

"Calm, satisfied, comforting": The experience and meaning of rabbit-assisted activities for older adults

11/28/2016

Animal-assisted activity programs are commonly used in long-term care facilities to enhance the well-being of older residents. Although research suggests that older adults benefit from these programs, little is known about the experience from the perspective of older adults themselves. In this qualitative study, we used direct observation and in-depth interviews to gain an understanding of the experience of participating in a unique rabbit-assisted activity program delivered in a Midwestern...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Products/Design/Planning for an Aging Society

The Residential Long-Term Care Role in Health Care Transitions

11/11/2016

The objective of the current study is to describe the activities long-term care facilities are undertaking to reduce hospital admissions and readmissions by working to improve health care transitions. The data were collected via an online survey from 888 nursing facilities (NFs) and 527 residential care facilities (RCFs) that completed the care integration module of the Ohio Biennial Survey of Long-Term Care. Questions focused on partnerships, current work, type of care model, and perceived...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Expanding Self Direction and Its Impact on Quality

10/18/2016

The premise of this paper is that self-direction has impacted service and system design and approaches to quality. Admittedly, the system still strives to improve, but it has made major advances over the past two decades, and some of these important changes we believe were inspired by the development and expansion of self-direction.Public Policy Aging Report, 26 (4), 138-142. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/prw022Publication available online, subscription may be required.

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Serving an Increasing Older Population with Severe Disability: Serious Challenges Await Ohio Over the Next Twenty Years

09/26/2016

Ohio faces a demographic and financing challenge as its population ages in the next 20 years. The number of people age 60 and older with a severe disability is projected to increase by 60% while the overall population growth will be at two percent.

  • Demographics
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Unpaid Caregivers: Growing Demand and Limited Supply

09/26/2016

Several recent studies indicate that the supply of informal caregivers is declining and this change in potential support could have major policy implications.

  • Demographics
  • Families/Caregiving
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Workforce Issues

NACCHO's baseline assessment of disability inclusion within local health departments

09/26/2016

People with disabilities can greatly benefit from inclusive health promotion and educational activities already being implemented by local health departments (LHDs), which can help reduce their risk and minimize the severity of secondary conditions. The inclusiveness of programs and services offered by LHDs has yet to be studied; therefore, the National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO) decided to conduct a baseline assessment to better understand LHD administrators’...

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Education
  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Legal/ Advocacy

Obesity prevention practices and policies in childcare settings enrolled and not enrolled in the child and adult care food program

09/26/2016

Objectives The United States Department of Agriculture’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides meals and snacks to low-income children in child care. This study compared nutrition and physical activity practices and policies as well as the overall nutrition and physical activity environments in a sample of CACFP and non-CACFP child care settings. CACFP participation was not associated with written policies or physical activity practices. Conclusions for Practice There is room for...

  • Legal/ Advocacy

Changes over time in emotional status among older adults new to receiving long-term services and supports

09/01/2016

This article examines the natural history of changes in emotional status as measured through emotional well-being and depressive symptoms over a two-year period among older adults new to long-term services and supports (LTSS). In-person interviews were conducted with 470 older adults within sixty days of entry into LTSS and then quarterly through twenty-four months. Multivariate generalized estimating equation models indicate improvements in emotional status, with depressive symptoms decreasing...

  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Psychology of Aging

How Does Medicaid Reimbursement Impact Nursing Home Quality? The Effects of Small Anticipatory Changes

09/01/2016

In 2006, Ohio changed its Medicaid reimbursement methodology for nursing homes (NHs) to promote more efficient staffing levels. This study examines the impacts of this policy change on quality. We examine resident outcomes constructed from the Minimum Data Set, deficiency citations, staffing levels, and satisfaction scores for residents and families as measures of quality. Nursing homes in the group receiving increased reimbursement showed an increase in nursing and nursing aide staffing levels....

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Perceptions of mental illness in rural Nepal: Dimensions of stigma and their social origin

08/15/2016

The signs and symptoms of mental illness, especially serious mental illness, are universally associated with stigma and discriminatory behavior. For these reasons, it is crucial that we understand the complex structure of stigma and its possible origins so that effective public policy and anti-stigma programs can be designed. We use data from a sample of 365 households in a small village in Nepal to empirically determine the range of stigmatic reactions (dimensionality and attributions of...

  • Mental Health

The 'other' in ourselves: Exploring the educational power of the humanities and arts

08/02/2016

Foreword of The "Other" in Ourselves: Exploring the Educational Power of the Humanities and Arts.Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 37(3), 229-231. doi: 10.1080/02701960.2016.1214481Publication available online, subscription may be required.

  • Arts and Aging
  • Education

Marital quality, marital dissolution, and mortality risk during the later life course

07/25/2016

This study examines the relationship between later-life marital quality, marital dissolution, and mortality using discrete-time event history models with data from nine waves (1992–2008) of the Health and Retirement Study (n = 7388). Results show marital status is more important for men's mortality risk than women's, whereas marital quality is more important for women's survival than men's. Being widowed or divorced more than two years raises mortality risk for men, but later-life marital...

  • Demographics

Healthy Aging in the Context of Educational Disadvantage: The Role of "Ordinary Magic"

07/20/2016

The objective of this study is to examine the correlates of healthy aging in the context of educational disadvantage and the extent to which identified correlates are shared with the wider, more educationally advantaged population. Among educationally disadvantaged adults, demographic characteristics (e.g., age), health practices (e.g., physical activity), and the presence of health conditions were independently correlated with healthy aging. With few exceptions, correlates of healthy aging were...

  • Demographics
  • Education
  • Health/Physical Activity

Unemployment, reemployment, and health insurance status among older worker in the flexible labor market

07/04/2016

As employment becomes more precarious, and spells of displacement become more common across the labor market, many individuals are forced to make decisions about the speed at which they seek reemployment and the types of employment they will seek. Using repeated cross-sectional data from various years of the Displaced Worker Supplement of the Current Population Survey, we examine the degree to which employer-provided health insurance and organizational provision of advanced layoff warning helped...

  • Workforce Issues

The Influence of the Transportation Environment on Driving Reduction and Cessation

06/24/2016

Driving is by far the most common mode of transportation in the United States, but driving ability is known to decline as people experience age-related functional declines. Some older adults respond to such declines by self-limiting their driving to situations with a low perceived risk of crashing, and many people eventually stop driving completely. Previous research has largely focused on individual and interpersonal predictors of driving reduction and cessation (DRC). The purpose of this study...

  • Aging Network

Ohio's Nursing Home and Residential Care Facility Satisfaction: Survey Testing and Development for Residents and Families

04/30/2016

This report describes a project to update consumer surveys for residents and families in Ohio's nursing homes and residential care facilities. It also includes a newly created survey for families of residential care facility residents. Results include findings from focus groups, cognitive interviews, and a mailed pretest.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Research Methods

A Study of Adult Guardianship in Ohio: Preliminary Results

02/22/2016

This research brief is a description of findings from interviews with key informants from the first phase of a study entitled: “Adult Guardianship in Ohio: Promising Practices.” These findings led to the development of a survey about adult guardianship practices in Ohio's probate courts. The report highlights the challenges courts face and strategies they use to effectively manage those challenges. Finally, we highlight some promising practices that the courts have put in place to meet the...

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Legal/ Advocacy
  • Mental Health

Measuring Positive Attitudes toward Persons with Dementia: A Validation of the Allophilia Scale

02/17/2016

Efforts to combat ageism typically focus on negative attitudes toward members of an out-group. Changing attitudes also requires assessment and enhancement of positive attitudes. This study examined the psychometric properties of Allophilia scale when used to measure college students' positive attitudes toward persons with dementia. Data collected from 465 students were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and multigroup analysis by gender to assess the validity and reliability of the...

  • Psychology of Aging

Honoring nursing home resident preferences for recreational activities to advance person-centered care

02/16/2016

Nursing homes are embracing person-centered care, an approach that emphasizes “knowing the person” and honoring each individual’s preferences. As providers shift toward person-centered care, they need timely, efficient tools and methods to gauge whether they are meeting consumer preferences and to identify areas in need of improvement. The Preference Match Tracker is a new tool that measures alignment between resident preferences and recreational activities. The Preference Match Tracker can...

  • Care Management
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Healthcare preferences of nursing home residents: Perceived barriers and situational dependencies

02/01/2016

While much research has examined end of life care preferences of nursing home (NH) residents, little work has examined resident preferences for everyday healthcare. The present study conducted interviews with 255 residents recruited from 35 NHs. Content analysis identified barriers (hindrances to the fulfillment of resident preferences) and situational dependencies (what would make residents change their mind about the importance of these preferences) associated with preferences for utilizing...

  • Care Management
  • Mental Health

Opening Minds through Art For One (OMA41): Direct Care Workers and Volunteers as Creative Arts Facilitators of Older Adults

01/30/2016

This brief describes the pilot implementation and evaluation of OMA For One (OMA41). OMA41 is an adaptation of Opening Minds through Art (OMA), a visual arts program for elders with cognitive impairments. OMA41 is conducted one on one, rather than in a group setting and uses direct care workers or volunteers as facilitators.

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Arts and Aging
  • Families/Caregiving
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Factors associated with changes in perceived quality of life among elderly recipients of long-term services and supports

01/01/2016

The objective is to advance knowledge about changes in multiple dimensions of health related quality of life (HRQoL) among older adults receiving long-term services and supports (LTSS) over time and across settings. Findings advance knowledge regarding what is arguably the most important outcome of elderly LTSS recipients: quality of life. Understanding associations between multiple HRQoL domains and quality of life over time and directly from LTSS recipients represents a critical step in...

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Are Ohio's Nursing Homes Ready for an Emergency?

12/22/2015

Study Identifies Strengths, Leads to Strategies for Improvement in Ohio Nursing Home Disaster PlanningOn any given day in Ohio's nursing homes, there are nearly 78,000 residents with physical or cognitive impairments. This means that nursing homes may be vulnerable during emergencies that require either evacuation or necessitate sheltering in place. A module regarding preparedness and planning in Ohio nursing homes was included in the 2013 Biennial Long-term Care Survey administered by the...

  • Aging Network
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Association of neuropsychiatric syndromes with global clinical deterioration in Alzheimer’s disease patients

12/17/2015

Data on the relationship between behavioral disturbances in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and global clinical deterioration is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to explore potential correlations of neuropsychiatric syndromes with global clinical deterioration in patients with AD, with particular consideration on severity levels of dementia. To analyze the association of neuropsychiatric syndromes with the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), considering the total sample and patients...

  • Chronic Illness/ Disability
  • Mental Health

"We can't provide season tickets to the opera": Staff perceptions of providing preference based person centered care.

10/23/2015

Knowledge of a nursing home resident's everyday living preferences provides the foundation for ongoing individualized care planning. The purpose of this study is to identify nursing home (NH) staff perceptions of facilitators and barriers to learning about and meeting residents’ preferences and reasons why staff feel residents change their minds about preferences. Focus group sessions and interviews were conducted with 36 NH staff members working in a facility that has been actively assessing...

  • Care Management

Workforce Development in the United States: Facilitating Opportunities to Work at Older Ages

10/17/2015

Shifts in the age structure of the U.S. labor force, combined with the increased labor force participation rates (LFPRs) among older adults, require policies and programs that encourage and support employment at older ages. To further understand the enrollment, experiences, and outcomes for older workers enrolled in employment and training programs, the article analyzed data from the participants in the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), and the Program for the International...

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

Global Population Aging and Labor Force Implications: Working Longer, Learning Longer

10/12/2015

Countries around the world, both more and less developed, are experiencing shifts in age structure. Delaying retirement and increasing labor force participation at older ages could increase gross domestic product while also benefiting national wealth and public debt. We visually illustrate key indicators that demonstrate the implications of population aging and why continued work at older ages is important to the economic future for many countries.Public Policy & Aging Report, 25(4),...

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Education
  • Global Aging
  • Workforce Issues

Factors Associated with Changes in Perceived Quality of Life Among Elderly Recipients of Long-Term Services and Supports

09/26/2015

The study is based on a prospective, observational, longitudinal cohort design, with 470 older adults from nursing homes, assisted living facilities and community as participants. Single-item quality-of-life measure assessed every 3 months over 2 years. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) domains of emotional status, functional status, and social support were measured using standardized instruments. Findings advance knowledge regarding what is arguably the most important outcome of elderly...

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Research Methods

Implementation of the 2014 Ohio Nursing Home Family Satisfaction Survey

09/22/2015

In 2014 the Scripps Gerontology Center conducted the 7th biennial Ohio Nursing Home Family Satisfaction Survey under a contract with the Ohio Dept. of Aging.  This year the survey had 947 facilities--the same number as in 2012--representing 98% of Ohio's nursing homes and 23, 639 families.  Information about the survey process, psychometric analyses of the survey, and recommendations for future implementation are included.Full Report (471.0Kb)

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Research Methods

The Role of the Family in Nursing Homes: Recommendations to Increase Family Satisfaction with Care

09/22/2015

Families are important consumers of long-term care services who are likely to remain involved in the care of their resident loved one after placement.  The aims of this brief report are (1) to increase the understanding of the role of family members in long-term care facilities in Ohio, (2) to examine the resident, family member, and facility characteristics that are associated with higher family satisfaction, and (3) to propose strategies to improve family satisfaction.Research Brief (225.7Kb)

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Challenges for the Workforce Development of Older Workers in Brazil

09/15/2015

Alongside reforms to its social security system, it is argued that older workers in Brazil should be encouraged to remain longer in the labor force and postpone retirement while being productive. A lack of educational attainment is a major challenge for Brazil. The examination of workforce policies in Brazil reveals a fragmented system for workforce development without specific funding for older worker programs.Public Policy & Aging Report, 25(4), 136-138. doi:10.1093/ppar/prv019Publication...

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Education
  • Global Aging
  • Workforce Issues

Neighborhood Assistants Pilot: A Program Evaluation of Person-Centered Staffing

07/28/2015

The purpose of this study was to pilot test and evaluate an innovative staffing approach called the Neighborhood Assistant (NA) at the Francis E. Parker Memorial Home.  The goal of the program was to support the certified nursing assistants by empowering them to partner with the NA to regain person-centered moments with residents.  To evaluate the pilot testing of this program, a pre- and post-implementation evaluation was conducted that included employee observations, focus groups,...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Workforce Issues

Chronic illness and generativity in late life: A case study

07/25/2015

This article presents a narrative-based case study about chronic illness and genetic uncertainty and their relationship to generativity throughout the life course. Our focus is a woman who experienced vision loss early in life and interpreted its impact on her generativity through present-day biographical rescripting. This article contributes an understanding of childlessness as observed through the lenses of chronic illness, autonomy, and generativity. We conclude that a history of chronic...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Chronic Illness/ Disability

A global examination of policies and practices for lifelong learning

07/21/2015

Continuous learning over the life course is necessary to successfully compete in a knowledge-based global economy. While a wide range of individual and community factors play a role in whether older workers receive skills training and remain in the labor force, national policies and practices are also likely to have an influence. This nation-level study used OECD data to identify associations between participation in lifelong learning activities and outcomes such as labor force participation at...

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Education
  • Global Aging
  • Workforce Issues

Gender differences in trajectories of physical activity among older Americans with diabetes

07/17/2015

The primary objective of this study was to examine gender differences in engagement in physical activity over time among older U.S. adults with diabetes. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we investigated physical activity between 2004 and 2010 among 1,857 adults aged 65 years and above with diabetes. The women in this cohort of older Americans started and remained less active than their male counterparts. Investigations covering a larger portion of the life course and those...

  • Chronic Illness/ Disability
  • Demographics
  • Health/Physical Activity

Predictors of adult education program satisfaction in urban community-dwelling older adults

07/16/2015

Lifelong learning is receiving greater attention due to population aging in modern societies. Lifelong learning benefits individuals by supporting their physical, psychological, social, and economic well-being. However, older adults generally have lower motivation for learning than younger adults, and facilitating long-term participation in learning activities is still challenging. Results from proportional odds ordinal logistic regression analysis demonstrated that gender, number of household...

  • Education
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Quantitative Physical Activity of Children and Adolescents in a Rural Population from Eastern Nepal

07/16/2015

We evaluated physical activity of children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years from the Jirel population of eastern Nepal. 399 Participants wore an Actical omnidirectional accelerometer for one week as part of their annual visit to the Jiri Growth Study. Children are more active on non-school days and adolescents are more active during the school week. Jirel children do not exhibit the reduction in physical activity that most Western populations experience during the transition from childhood to...

  • Demographics
  • Global Aging
  • Health/Physical Activity

Identifying naturally occurring retirement communities: A spatial analysis

06/23/2015

Guided by the concept of “aging in place” and potential policy implications, the study analyzed naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs; 40% or greater house owners and renters aged 65 years and older) and whether there were spatiotemporal patterns in Ohio between 2000 and 2010. Locating NORCs could aid governments to create “aging in place” sensitive policies to address issues of independence, social care, health care, volunteerism, and community participation.Journals of...

  • Aging Network
  • Care Management
  • Home and Community Based Services

The Road to Balance: Two Decades of Progress in Providing Long-Term Services and Supports for Ohio's Older Population

06/15/2015

This report documents two decades of progress in delivering long-term services in Ohio. In 1992, more than nine of the 10 older people in Ohio supported by Medicaid were in nursing homes. Today, the ratio is approaching 50/50. This study, now in its 22nd year, is designed to provide Ohio policy makers, providers and consumers with the information needed to make good decisions in an effort to ensure that Ohio has an efficient and effective long-term services and supports systemFull Report (PDF -...

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

2014 Title VI Survey Results

05/20/2015

This research record highlights the findings from a national survey of the Title VI Organizations (TO). Findings highlight TOs' connection to the larger tribal infrastructure, key features and services of the TO programs, innovative care delivery, elder abuse prevention and intervention, expanding services and sustainability, and training and technical assistance needs.

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services

How Does Medicaid Reimbursement Impact the Quality of Ohio Nursing Homes?

05/20/2015

Study examines the changes in Medicaid nursing home reimbursement between 2007 and 2012 as Ohio moved to a "new price system". Findings showed that the quality of Ohio nursing homes did not change as a result of the system reimbursement changes.

  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Long-term services and supports (LTSS): A growing challenge for an aging America

04/29/2015

Because most Americans do not plan for the likelihood that we will need formal assistance because of a disability, many end up using the public assistance Medicaid program as the safety net for LTSS. The breadth and depth of issues surrounding LTSS, the number of individuals and families that will need LTSS both now and in the future, and the implications that this system will have on private and public resources suggests that the White House Conference on Aging, the Public, the Administration,...

  • Legal/ Advocacy
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

"Make me feel at ease and at home" Differential care preferences of nursing home residents

04/15/2015

Assessing and honoring older adults’ preferences is a fundamental step in providing person-centered care in long-term care facilities. Researchers and practitioners have begun to develop measures to assess nursing home (NH) residents’ everyday preferences. However, little is known about how residents interpret and conceptualize their preferences and what specific clinical response may be needed to balance health and safety concerns with preferences. Results contribute to an emergent body of...

  • Care Management
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Axial Quantitative Ultrasound Assessment of Pediatric Bone Quality in Eastern Nepal

04/11/2015

This study presents quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) bone quality data for an underrepresented, south Asian pediatric population from Nepal. Data were collected as part of a longitudinal study of growth and development. This study offers normative data and documents the effect of stunting, wasting, and underweight on the bone properties measured by QUS.Osteoporosis International, 26(9), 2319–2328. doi:10.1007/s00198-015-3115-0Publication available online, subscription may be required.

  • Global Aging
  • Health/Physical Activity

Agency and mental health: A transition to adulthood paradox

03/02/2015

This study utilizes nationally representative survey data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 13,592) to develop an empirical conception of the traditional treatment of health agency focused on two social psychological constructs of ‘‘subjective vitality’’ and a forward-looking orientation (‘‘optimism’’). Adolescents with higher health-based agency early in the transition to adulthood have significantly higher status attainment (occupational...

  • Mental Health
  • Research Methods

Adult Education and Training Programs for Older Adults in the U.S.: National Results and Cross-National Comparisons Using PIAAC Data

02/18/2015

Skill upgrades over the lifecourse are increasingly important in a knowledged-based global economy. This study examined the relationship between participation in adult education programs and labor market outcomes for adults aged 45-65.Full Report (PDF) (1.557Mb)

  • Workforce Issues

Describing and Assessing Leadership for Person-Centered Care: Final Project Report

01/22/2015

This report provides brief highlights from a study of leadership in nursing homes with a person-centered or traditional approach to care.PDF(214.5Kb)

  • Long-Term Care Decision Making

Initial exploration of newly implemented public health policy using Geographic Information Systems: the case of a U.S. Silver Alert program

12/01/2014

Public health policies are designed for specific subsets of the population. We assert that utilization patterns can be effectively assessed using geographic information systems (GIS). This paper uses the Silver Alert program, a recently implemented public health policy, as a case for how and why GIS can be used to examine utilization patterns. Design. The paper uses visualized data and spatial statistics to assess utilization patterns and mission adherence. Results show disproportionate...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Health/Physical Activity
  • Legal/ Advocacy

Generativity in elderly Oblate Sisters of Providence

10/28/2014

This paper explored how generativity and well-being merged in a group of childless older women: African and Hispanic Roman Catholic Religious Sisters, linking two minority identity characteristics. Findings highlight that research gains from a phenomenological understanding of how religious faith promotes generative cognitions and emotions. Findings also reveal that the experiences of a subculture in society—African-American elderly women religious—add to theories and definitions of...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Demographics

A public health approach to the challenges of an aging society

10/17/2014

Public Health for an Aging Society is the successor to Public Health and Aging, published in 1997. In brief, this 456-page volume offers readers an overview of key aging-related topics and the steps that public health can, does, and should take to address the challenges of our aging population.The Gerontologist, 54 (6). doi: 10.1093/geront/gnu099Publication available online, subscription may be required.

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities

The consistency of self-reported preferences for everyday living: Implications for person centered care delivery

10/01/2014

Preferences are the expression of an individual's basic psychosocial needs and are related to care outcomes. The current study tested the consistency of 87 individuals' everyday preferences over 1 week, comparing responses of nursing home residents (n = 37; mean age = 82) and university students (n = 50; mean age = 20). Participants completed the Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory at baseline and 5 to 7 days later. Preference consistency was calculated three ways: (a) correlations (range...

  • Care Management
  • Chronic Illness/ Disability

Public beliefs and knowledge about risk and protective factors for Alzheimer's disease

10/01/2014

The purpose of this study was to assess public beliefs and knowledge about risk and protective factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). A brief survey module was added to the Health and Retirement Study, a longstanding national panel study of the U.S. population over the age of 50. Respondents were 1641 adults. Most indicated interest in learning their AD risk, with 29.4% expressing active worry. Many failed to recognize that medications to prevent AD are not available (39.1%) or that having an...

  • Chronic Illness/ Disability
  • Education

The role of community colleges in career transitions for older workers

09/25/2014

An aging workforce, combined with the negative effects of the recent economic downturn, has increased the importance of identifying strategies to encourage working at older ages. The present study examined community college involvement in outreach and support programs for older displaced workers. This involved interviews with 27 key informants at 14 community colleges to gain an understanding of the role community colleges play in linking older students to credential or certificate programs....

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

New toolkit to measure quality of person-centered care: Development and pilot evaluation with nursing home communities

09/15/2014

The purpose of this article is to report on the development of the concept and measurement of preference congruence among NH residents (phase 1), its refinement into a set of quality indicators by Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes (phase 2), and its pilot evaluation in a sample of 12 early adopting NHs prior to national rollout (phase 3). The recommended toolkit for providers to use to measure PCC consists of (1) interview materials for 16 personal care and activity preferences...

  • Care Management
  • Research Methods

Long-Term Care Management Turns 40: What We Know and What We Don’t

09/02/2014

This article focuses on care management with older people experiencing chronic disability. Care management, including a systematic assessment, arrangement and coordination of services, and monitoring the quality of the consumer experiences, has become a core element of the home and community-based delivery system. In addition, private care management has developed for individuals and families who have the necessary income to purchase their own services, but who still need assistance in...

  • Care Management
  • Chronic Illness/ Disability
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making

Successful aging, Gerontological theory, and neoliberalism: A qualitative critique

08/26/2014

This article is a critique of the successful aging (SA) paradigm as described in the Rowe and Kahn book, Successful Aging (1998). The article shows how the implicit social theory developed in the book, in a manner similar to neoliberalism, elevates the individual as the main source of any changes that must accompany the SA paradigm and the focus on SA as individual action does not provide for those older adults who do not or will not age “successfully.” This, we conclude, implicitly sets up...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Research Methods

It makes me feel like myself Person-centered versus traditional visual arts activities for people with dementia

07/21/2014

During February 2010 and April 2011, video data on people with dementia were collected during a person-centered and intergenerational arts activity program called Opening Minds through Art (OMA) at three different long-term care facilities in Ohio. A modified version of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter Well-Being Observation Tool was used to code the intensity and frequency of observed domains of well-being and ill-being.

  • Arts and Aging
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Mental Health

What the Paradox of Change Means for the Future of Aging Services

07/17/2014

The aging services sector must foster and embrace change, evolving to meet the demands of our modern world, lest it go the way of companies like Kodak and Blockbuster-neither of which anticipated or adapted to changes in the marketplace. But when organizations change, it must be with the right strategy. If the aging services sector evolves in the wrong way, generations will feel the impact. It must ask the right questions, be clear about where it needs to go and what the issues are, innovate,...

  • Aging Network
  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Education
  • Legal/ Advocacy

The evolution, innovation, and future of Area Agencies on Aging

07/01/2014

More than 600 area agencies on aging (AAA) provide locally responsive, coordinated services for older adults living in every community in the United States. But they face more competition for resources and steeper increases in numbers of constituents than ever before. AAAs are addressing these challenges by expanding the types of consumer groups they serve, working with a wider range of partner organizations, establishing new connections with medical communities, creating business plans, and...

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Home and Community Based Services

Identifying naturally occurring retirement communities: A spatial analysis

06/23/2014

Guided by the concept of "aging in place" and potential policy implications, the study analyzed naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs; 40% or greater house owners and renters aged 65 years and older) and whether there were spatiotemporal patterns in Ohio between 2000 and 2010. Data were derived from the 2000 and 2010 census tracts. Geovisualization was used to visually examine the distribution of NORCs in 2000 and 2010. Global Moran's I was used to quantify the spatial distribution...

  • Care Management
  • Legal/ Advocacy

The Nursing Home Five Star Rating: How does it compare to resident and family views of care?

05/21/2014

In 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a five-star rating system of nursing homes in the United States. These star ratings have been widely publicized both by CMS and the national and state media. Although the components of the star rating system take into account various dimensions of quality, satisfaction of nursing home residents and their families is not taken into consideration. The current study compares the CMS star rating system to nursing home...

  • Care Management
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

'It depends': Reasons why nursing home residents change their minds about care preferences

05/09/2014

This study aims to understand and describe nursing home residents’ perspectives on why the importance of their preferences may change in daily care. Secondary data analyses of cognitive interviews with 39 cognitively capable nursing home residents regarding their importance of preferences for everyday living were completed. Findings indicate that nursing home residents’ preferences may change in importance or fulfillment in relation to personal or environmental circumstances. In order to...

  • Care Management
  • Demographics

Ohio's Nursing Homes and Residential Care Facilities in the Economic Downturn: How Have They Adjusted?

04/30/2014

Long-term care facilities have been impacted by the economic downturn and other changes in the long-term care system. This research brief describes strategies most often implemented by Ohio's nursing homes and residential care facilities to enhance economic prospects.Research Brief -  (PDF 425KB)

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Extending the framework of generativity through research: A qualitative Study

04/16/2014

This study defines 4 foci of generativity (people, groups, things, and activities) and 4 spheres of generativity (historical, familial, individual, and relational) based in American culture and with which older informants could easily identify. The approach outlined here also discusses a form of generativity oriented to the past in which relationships with persons in senior generations form a kind of generative action since they are involved in caring for the origins of the self and hence of...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Research Methods

Application of the model of allostasis to older women’s relocation to senior housing

04/16/2014

Adjustment to senior housing entails significant lifestyle changes and is a stressful process. The adaptation process is dynamic and has yet to be studied using the conceptual model of allostasis. This article presents exemplars of women whose profiles represent three allostatic states: successful adaptation (homeostasis), ongoing adaptation (allostasis), and maladaptation (allostatic load). Coping abilities, perceptions of stressors, and cortisol measures provide a detailed picture of the...

  • Care Management
  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research

Using Art to Overcome Cognitive Barriers

01/04/2014

OMA operates programs at eight other locations in southwestern Ohio, including long-term-care communities and adult-day centers serving about 125 elders and 200 volunteers a year in small-group sessions that take place weekly during the academic year. Because the arts can tap into parts of the brain that tend to be less affected by dementia, there has been a growing interest in recent years in exploring the ways the arts can be used to help reach and engage people with cognitive loss. A number...

  • Arts and Aging
  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research

County Reports: AAA 11

01/01/2014

Counties: Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, and TrumbullThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA11 combined reportIndividual County ReportsAshtabula County65+ Report (1990-2010)...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 10a

01/01/2014

Counties:  Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, and MedinaThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA10a combined reportIndividual County ReportsCuyahoga County65+ Report (1990-2010)...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 10b

01/01/2014

Counties: Portage, Stark, Summit, and WayneThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA10b combined reportIndividual County ReportsPortage County65+ Report (1990-2010)...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 9

01/01/2014

Counties: Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, and MuskingumThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA9 combined reportIndividual County...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 8

01/01/2014

Counties: Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, and WashingtonThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA8 combined reportIndividual County ReportsAthens County65+...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 1

01/01/2014

Counties: Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, and WarrenThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA1 combined reportIndividual County ReportsButler County65+ Report (1990-2010)...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 2

01/01/2014

Counties: Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and ShelbyThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA2 combined reportIndividual County...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 3

01/01/2014

Counties: Allen, Auglaize, Hancock, Hardin, Mercer, Putnam, and Van WertThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA3 combined reportIndividual County ReportsAllen County65+ Report...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 4

01/01/2014

Counties: Difiance, Erie, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Sandusky, Williams, and WoodThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA4 combined reportIndividual County...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 7

01/01/2014

Counties: Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and VintonThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA7 combined reportIndividual County...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 5

01/01/2014

Counties: Ashland, Crawford, Huron, Knox, Marion, Morrow, Richland, Seneca, and WyandotThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA5 combined reportIndividual County...

  • Demographics

County Reports: AAA 6

01/01/2014

Counties: Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, and UnionThe reports below include population data, tables, and charts for the state of Ohio, the combined AAA, and individual listed counties.Back to mapOhioOhio's 60+ reportArea Agency Combined 65+ ReportThis report provides data on the on the 65+ population and changes from 1990-2010 in age increments for all counties within the specified Area Agency.Download AAA6 combined reportIndividual County...

  • Demographics

The National Aging Network Survey 2013 Results

12/30/2013

The 2013 National Survey of Area Agencies on Aging builds on previous surveys to assess the evolving role of AAAs in the new health care delivery system. Findings from this survey highlight the changing population served by AAAs and how these agencies are building partnerships throughout the delivery system to better meet the needs of consumers as well as the ways they are leveraging multiple funding sources in order to provide more services to a larger consumer base.Full Report (PDF 1.1MB)

  • Aging Network

Does cohort matter in the association between education, health literacy and health in the USA?

11/06/2013

Growing empirical evidence supports the generally positive relationship between education, health literacy and health outcomes. However, little is known about cohort in this relationship. This study examined the role of cohort defined by 10-year age period in the association between educational attainment, health literacy and self-rated health. The data were obtained from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy survey restricted file. Focusing on nationally representative...

  • Education
  • Health/Physical Activity

The Role of Relevancy and Social Suffering in “Generativity” Among Older Post-Soviet Women Immigrants

11/01/2013

This paper examines generativity, social suffering, and culture change in a sample of 16 women aged 65 years or older who emigrated from the former Soviet Union. Key concerns with generativity are identity, which can be strongly rooted in one’s original cultural formation, and a stable life course, which is what ideally enables generative impulses to be cultivated in later life. To better understand how early social suffering may affect later life generativity, we conducted two 90-min...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research

Effective strategies for educating older workers at community colleges

10/25/2013

An aging workforce combined with concerns about the long-term viability of social welfare programs has increased the importance of identifying strategies to encourage working at older ages. The present study examined community college involvement in educational programs for older workers. This involved interviews and site visits at 14 community colleges to gain an understanding of the role community colleges play in linking older students to credential or certificate programs. Effective...

  • Education
  • Workforce Issues

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared [book review]

10/18/2013

This review brings to your attention current and/or award-winning novels that offer aging perspectives, and we hope you will consider their value for learning about aging. The invited reviewers include several well-regarded gerontologists with humanistic leanings, a cultural critic focusing on aging in comparative literature, and a geriatrician who writes an acclaimed blog on aging and health. Gerontologist, 53 (6), 1060-1070. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnt116Publication available...

  • Aging Network

Everyone’s Talking About It, But Does It Work?

10/16/2013

In response to increasing Medicaid expenditures and consumer preferences, states are reforming their long-term care systems to provide more community-based services. One popular reform is renewed efforts to prevent unnecessary long-term nursing home placement (diversion) and to provide nursing home residents an opportunity to return to the community (transition). This research tracked outcomes for consumers and evaluated the implementation of the new program. An agency-level process analysis...

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Decision Making

Influence of Late Life Stressors on the Decisions of Older Women to Relocate into Congregate Senior Housing

10/01/2013

The primary aim of this study is to elucidate the push-pull factors associated with moving into congregate senior housing. The secondary aim is to investigate the decision-making processes and stresses associated with moving into a congregate living environment. Interviews were conducted with 26 women who were new residents in congregate senior housing. Relocation, as expected, was considered to be stressful although individual differences were found among perceptions of relocation stresses....

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Psychology of Aging

Remembering the person in person-centered residential dementia care

09/15/2013

Although person-centered care is aimed at tailoring care to the biological, behavioral, biographical, and social needs of an individual, there is often little discussion about exactly who is the person in person-centered care. Instead, "person" is often reduced to the biographical details assembled from family and staff. This article suggests ways for making sure that the entire person is considered, using the case story of R.H., a woman with dementia whose concept of her own person differed...

  • Chronic Illness/ Disability
  • Families/Caregiving

Introductive Case Study: “My Health is Excellent but I’m Dying”

09/01/2013

The article presents an introductive case study discussing an 89-year old woman's experience with aging, particularly commenting on her individual perceptions of the meaning of successful aging. She addresses her serious health concerns, as well as notes the distinction between psychological health and physical health. Other topics explored include the impact of medical conditions on the woman's ability to live normally, her focus on being alive and having something to live for, and the...

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Religion/Spirituality

Maps of Ohio's 85+ population by county 1990-2050

09/01/2013

Maps of Ohio displaying the change in the 85 and older population beginning with 1990 and projected through 2050.85+ Maps | jpeg (4.5MB .zip file)85+ Maps | PDF (2MB .zip file)

  • Demographics

Generative acts of people with dementia in a long-term care setting

08/14/2013

Although generativity is used as a central cultural construct within life course theory to illustrate how older persons create interpersonal ties, it is also tied to key concepts in social exchange theory since generative acts can provide a way for achieving more equity in intergenerational power relationships. Without opportunities for older adults to invest themselves in younger generations, they may no longer feel needed within their family or community. In this article, we discuss the...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Chronic Illness/ Disability
  • Families/Caregiving

Maybe Elephants Can Dance: Two Decades of Progress in Delivering Long-Term Services and Supports in Ohio

07/31/2013

This longitudinal study, initiated by the General Assembly in 1993 and continuously funded by the Ohio Department of Aging, tracks how long-term utilization has changed over the past two decades in the state of Ohio.Full Report (PDF 1.5MB)Research Brief (PDF 442KB)

  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Integrated Care and the Aging Network: The Next Frontier or the End of an Era?

07/01/2013

The strong push to integrate Medicare and Medicaid services has been driven by the federal government through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and by states, in response to two major system concerns: quality and cost. But nationwide system change has been slow and inconsistent. This article lays out the many issues that have come forward as the aging services industry experiences this change. Much about how healthcare is delivered in our nation is yet to be determined: the...

  • Aging Network
  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Legal/ Advocacy
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Leveraging Resources between the Senior Community Service Employment Program and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

06/28/2013

The project sought to determine the role the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) might play in supporting the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program in their expanded role in the HOME Choice transitions program. This report describes potential responsibilities of the SCSEP program participant and suggested training to carry out those duties. Full Report (PDF 1.8MB)

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care - Other
  • Workforce Issues

The Brazilian version of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Clinician rating scale (NPI-C): reliability and validity in dementia

06/14/2013

Patients with dementia may be unable to describe their symptoms, and caregivers frequently suffer emotional burden that can interfere with judgment of the patient's behavior. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Clinician rating scale (NPI-C) was therefore developed as a comprehensive and versatile instrument to assess and accurately measure neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in dementia, thereby using information from caregiver and patient interviews, and any other relevant available data. The present...

  • Chronic Illness/ Disability
  • Families/Caregiving
  • Global Aging

"Shall I compare thee to a dose of donepezil?": cultural arts interventions in dementia care research

06/07/2013

The cultural arts have gained attention for their potential to generate social and behavioral changes in people with dementia. Although individual cultural arts intervention studies have reported positive outcomes, most are excluded from systematic reviews because of methodological weakness. We reviewed findings from 27 systematic and integrative reviews of pharmacologic, psychosocial, and cultural arts interventions to identify promising outcomes as well as limitations in current approaches....

  • Arts and Aging
  • Mental Health

The association of diabetes complications with physical activity in a representative sample of older adults in the United States

05/23/2013

Most adults with diabetes do not engage in the level of physical activity recommended for optimal disease management. Diabetes complications are not generally considered a clinical contraindication to exercise. No prior national studies have examined the associations of these complications with physical activity. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association between diabetes complications and the odds of meeting physical activity guidelines…A borderline significant...

  • Chronic Illness/ Disability
  • Health/Physical Activity

Analyzing state-based Silver Alert programs: the case of North Carolina

04/16/2013

Recent discussions about securing the autonomy and safety of older people in a cost-effective way have culminated in the establishment of "Silver Alert" media-alert policies in more than half of US states over the past 5 years. Despite a policy focus on older adults and individuals with cognitive impairment, activation of Silver Alerts in a county was not related to the proportion of the population 65 years of age or older or to the prevalence of poor mental health in the county. Additionally,...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Mental Health

Childless Elders in Assisted Living: Findings from the Maryland Assisted Living Study

04/10/2013

We compared data drawn from a random sample of 399 current assisted living (AL) residents and a subsample of 222 newly admitted residents for two groups: childless AL residents and AL residents with children. The percentage of childless AL residents (26%) in our study was slightly higher than US population estimates of childless persons age 65 and over (20%). In the overall sample, the two groups differed significantly by age, race and women’s years of education. The childless group was...

  • Demographics
  • Families/Caregiving
  • Long-Term Care - Other

International Approaches to Long-term Services and Supports

04/02/2013

For older adults who may experience significant disability from injury or disease, the daily activities present challenges that may require ongoing assistance from family members, friends, or a formal care service provider. Longterm services and supports enable those who need continual help because of physical, cognitive, or developmental disabilities to accomplish the necessary tasks of daily living.Generations, Spring 2013, pgs. 59-65.Publication available online, subscription may be required.

  • Global Aging
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Delivering Long-Term Services to Ohio Elders: Good Progress, But Challenges Await

03/30/2013

*An earlier version of this report contained an error. This error has been corrected and a new report was posted on 07/16/2013.Research Brief (PDF 450KB)

  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Think Globally, Act Locally: The Maturing of a Worldwide Science and Practice of Aging

03/28/2013

This article answers the question, “Why should we care about global aging?” with a look at the first half century (1945-2000) in the study of aging, and then delineates the reasons why studying global aging is crucial: to be educated and potentially share solutions; on a personal level because our aging is directly tied to others through worldwide economics and politics; and to head off distrust between countries.Generations, 6-11(6).Publication available online, subscription may be...

  • Education
  • Global Aging
  • Legal/ Advocacy

Implementation of the 2012 Ohio Nursing Home Family Satisfaction Survey

03/01/2013

In 2012, the Scripps Gerontology Center conducted the sixth biennial Ohio Nursing Home Family Satisfaction Survey under a contract to the Ohio Department of Aging. The 2012 survey had the largest number of facilities participating at 99% and over 27,000 family and friends responding. Numerous changes were implemented, most importantly a process that no longer requires nursing homes to distribute surveys to family members.The report includes information about the survey process, psychometric...

  • Long-Term Care - Other

Common Sense for Caring Organizations: Results from a Study of High-Performing Home Care Agencies and Nursing Homes

02/28/2013

While most daily care and assistance for Ohio’s older population is provided by family and friends, paid direct care workers such as nurses and home care aides provide much of the formal assistance in the daily lives of Ohio’s frail elders. These care workers are the lowest paid and least trained workers in Ohio’s long-term care workforce. A new study by Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University identified the best practices and strategies for supporting direct care workers by...

  • Workforce Issues

Application of the model of allostasis to older women's relocation to senior housing

01/30/2013

Adjustment to senior housing entails significant lifestyle changes and is a stressful process. The adaptation process is dynamic and has yet to be studied using the conceptual model of allostasis. This article presents exemplars of women whose profiles represent three allostatic states: successful adaptation (homeostasis), ongoing adaptation (allostasis), and maladaptation (allostatic load).Coping abilities, perceptions of stressors, and cortisol measures provide a detailed picture of the...

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Psychology of Aging

Bridging the Aging Network and Medical Community Survey: Care Transitions from Hospital to Home

12/30/2012

The survey was designed to provide descriptive information about the connections between the Aging Network and the health care community. This research brief provides key findings from the survey for the 103 AAAs involved in care transitions from hospital to home.*If you downloaded the report prior to 5/16/2014, the previous version of this report contained an error in Figure 2.Full Report (PDF 719KB)

  • Aging Network

An international comparison of the Ohio department of aging-resident satisfaction survey: applicability in a U.S. and Canadian sample

11/29/2012

The majority of resident satisfaction surveys available for use in assisted living settings have been developed in the United States; however, empirical assessment of their measurement properties remains limited and sporadic, as does knowledge regarding their applicability for use in settings outside of the United States. This study further examines the psychometric properties of the Ohio Department of Aging-Resident Satisfaction Survey (ODA-RSS) and explores its applicability within a sample of...

  • Global Aging
  • Psychology of Aging

Evaluation of Ohio's Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

10/08/2012

In 2011, the Ohio Legislature asked the Scripps Gerontology Center to evaluate Ohio's two PACE sites and make recommendations for further expansion.Full Report (PDF 1.4MB)Research Brief (PDF 334KB)

  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Bridging the Aging Network and Medical Community: Survey Results

08/31/2012

Older adults often need a full complement of services and supports to help them live independently while maintaining their physical or mental health. Recent federal and state initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have expanded the opportunities for Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) to be partners in acute care and health care system coordination.With a grant from the Administration on Aging (AoA), the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) partnered with the Scripps...

  • Aging Network

Population Pyramids of Ohio by County 2010-2050

05/30/2012

To download individual county population pyramids (2010-2050) click the link below. This link will take you to a directory. Click on county name of interest, right-click files you wish to download and select "save link as".Download county population pyramids

  • Demographics

Maps of Ohio's 60+ population by county 1990-2050

05/21/2012

Maps displaying the change in Ohio's 60 and older population in 1990 and projected through 2050.60 plus maps (PDF - .zip)60 plus maps (jpeg - .zip)

  • Demographics

Programs to Locate Missing and Critically Wandering Elders: A Critical Review and a Call for Multiphasic Evaluation

05/07/2012

As America ages, greater numbers of older adults will be living with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, leading to increased incidence of wandering. Currently there are several initiatives to assist older adults who go missing. We describe and critically examine three prominent and widespread programs: Safe Return, Project Lifesaver, and Silver Alert. Despite their emergence, there has been little research on their effectiveness. More fundamentally, the nature and scope of the missing...

  • Chronic Illness/ Disability
  • Education

Providing Data to Improve Ohio's Long-Term Services and Supports System (First three indicators)

04/01/2012

his project tracks Ohio’s progress toward a more balanced system of long-term care services and support. The study, funded by the Ohio Department of Job and family Services, began in 2010 and will be updated annually. The current web based report covers the period of 2005 to 2010 and is limited to Medicaid Expenditures. Future plans call for including other sources of long-term care services and supports funding and other indicators of a balanced system.Full...

Aging in Ohio: Population Age 65+ 2000 and 2010 by County

03/05/2012

The number of residents age 65 and older in Ohio’s Delaware County has increased by 83% from the year 2000 to 2010 according to information being released this week by Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University. This change is part of a broader dramatic aging story taking place across all of Ohio’s eighty-eight counties. Delaware County represents the most substantial aging over this period; Ohio’s total population age 65 and older grew by 7.6%. Washington County is also in a unique...

  • Demographics

2011 Title VI Native American Programs Survey Results

03/01/2012

Summary of a survey conducted in 2011 of Title VI (Native American Organizations) to assess role of Title VI programs in offering services and supports to the elders in their communities. Over 80% of Title VI programs responded. Results describe demographic structure and characteristics, services provided and programs offered to ensure elders can age with independence in their homes and communities.*Note: An updated version of this document was made available on April 7, 2014. Figure 2 was...

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services

Ohio Long-Term Services and Supports Factbook

01/16/2012

This factbook provides a broad overview of Ohio's system of long-term services and supports. Numerous charts provide descriptions of those who use services, kinds of services, payment systems and other topics. It is designed to be reference and resource guide.Factbook (PDF 6MB)

  • Long-Term Care - Other

Ohio's 60+ Population by County

10/01/2011

Three maps of Ohio showing the proportion of the over-60 population in each county at 3 points in time: 2000, 2010, and 2020. Printable as an 11 x 17 document.*Map (PDF 4.9MB)

  • Demographics

Ohio CCRCs in the Economic Downturn

09/01/2011

This report examines how the economic downturn affected consumer opinions about choosing a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) and how the CCRCs in Ohio made adjustments in response to declining numbers of prospective residents. This brief report includes survey results from one-hundred sixty-five Ohio CCRCs surveyed in 2010.Full Report (PDF 630KB)

  • Business/Economics of Aging

Nursing Home Transition & Diversion

08/01/2011

AAAs provide a number of services that help individuals at risk for institutional care to remain in the community and to transition back to the community when long-term care facility placement is no longer necessary or desirable. This research brief provides key findings from the survey as they relate to nursing home transition and diversion.Full Report (PDF 350KB)

  • Aging Network

Self-Directed Services

08/01/2011

Inherent in the principle of ‘enabling individuals to remain in their own homes’ is providing services with a self-directed option. Self-directed services and programs allow clients to choose, manage, and dismiss their workers. This research brief provides key findings from the survey as they relate to providing services and programs that are self-directed.Full Report (PDF 370KB)

  • Aging Network

Private Pay

08/01/2011

Building systems for private pay continues to be an area of potential growth in business planning and outreach for the network. However, the network appears to be in a period of transition regarding this potential area of development. This research brief provides key findings from the survey regarding AAA development of systems and services for private pay clients.Full Report (PDF 370KB)

  • Aging Network

Enhancing the SCSEP Network: Collaborations, Innovations, and Promising Practices

06/30/2011

Using a mixed methods approach, this study sought to identify innovative and promising practices in providing employment and training services to older workers. Given current economic and demographic realities, understanding the effectiveness of employment and training programs for older workers is crucial.Full Report (PDF 799KB)

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Workforce Issues

AAA 2010 Research Record

06/08/2011

This report discusses the evolving role of the aging network in a balanced long-term care system based on the results of the 2010 National Aging Network Survey.Research Record (PDF 14.6MB)

  • Aging Network

Coming of Age: Tracking the Progress and Challenges of Delivering Long-Term Services and Supports in Ohio

06/07/2011

In a 16 year tracking of utilization trends for institutional and home and community-based services, we learned that Ohio has made considerable change in its approach to delivering and funding long-term care services. The main finding revealed that now more than four in ten older people with severe disability on Medicaid received assistance in a non-institutional setting.Full Report (PDF 523KB)Research Brief (PDF 2.7MB)

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Right Place, Right Time, Right Care: An Evaluation of Ohio's Nursing Home Diversion and Transition

06/01/2011

In 2010 the Ohio General Assembly asked the Ohio Department of Aging to develop and implement a nursing home diversion and transition initiative. Research showed that 3800 Ohioans were diverted or transitioned during the project period and the majority were residing in the community six months later.Full Report (PDF 870KB)Research Brief (PDF 870KB)

  • Aging Network
  • Care Management
  • Home and Community Based Services

The impact of a gerontology course and a service learning program on college students attitudes toward people with dementia

04/26/2011

This study examined the effects of a gerontology course and an intergenerational service-learning project for people with dementia (PWD) on three dimensions of students’ attitudes including attitudes toward older people, community service for older people, and working with PWD. Data consisted of a combination of pretest/posttest survey and review of journals that students maintained during the service-learning project. Results indicated that students who completed the gerontology course, and...

  • Education

Ohio's Aging Network Efforts to Enhance Nursing Home Diversion and Transition

04/01/2011

This brief report provides preliminary results from an evaluation of Ohio's diversion and transition demonstration program.Research Brief (PDF 5MB)

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services

Implementation of the 2010 Ohio Nursing Home Family Satisfaction Survey: Final Report

03/01/2011

In 2010, the Scripps Gerontology Center conducted the fifth biennial Ohio Nursing Home Family Satisfaction Survey under a contract to the Ohio Department of Aging. This year the survey had the largest number of family response ever, with 97% of facilities participating and nearly 30,000 involved family and friends responding. An online version of the family survey was also made available for the first time. The report includes information about the survey process, psychometric analysis of the...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Criminal Offenders in Ohio Nursing Homes: Facility Practices, Prevalance, Problems

01/30/2011

This brief report presents findings from the 2009 Ohio Biennial Survey of Nursing Facilities. Nursing home respondents answered a brief series of questions about practices related to prospective residents with criminal backgrounds and current residents with violent or sex offender backgrounds.Research Brief (PDF 609KB)

  • Long-Term Care - Other

GenerAges: Generations As They Age

01/01/2011

At the Scripps Gerontology Center, we are focused on work that makes a difference in the lives of aging individuals, their families and their communities. For the GenerAges project, we set out to compile a list of the historical events and life circumstances that came together to shape the lives of individuals turning 100, 85, and 65 years old in 2011. The resulting pages provides a snapshot of each of these groups, capturing the meaningful social changes and major events that have affected...

  • Education

Locally Funded Services for the Older Population: A Description of Senior-Service Property-Tax Levies in Ohio

01/01/2011

*If you downloaded the full report "Locally Funded Services for the Older Population: A Description of Senior-Service Property-Tax Levies in Ohio" prior to March 13 at 1:30 p.m. THERE WAS AN ERROR IN TABLE 1: Carrol County's 'Per Capita' levy amount should have been $24 not $245. The error has been corrected and you may download it below by clicking "Download Full Report (PDF 28 pages)".Updated 07/09/2012: Full report corrected to show the levy passage date in Washington county as 2001.Full...

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

A Review of Ohio's Nursing Home Certificate of Need Program: Implications for Practice and Policy

12/01/2010

One of the critical questions states like Ohio face as they plan for an aging population involves estimates about the optimum number of nursing homes that will be needed in the future. Using a novel geographic information systems (GIS) approach, this report reviews Ohio's nursing home certificate of need (CON) and provides recommendations for state policy makers and the nursing home industry about the CON legislation.Research Brief (PDF 7.1MB)

  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

AAA Caregiving Survey Results

06/30/2010

AAA Caregiving Survey Results summarizes the results of a mini survey of the nations 629 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) on the support they provide to family caregivers. Over 57% of AAAs responded to the survey and the results highlight the characteristics of AAA caregiving programs, services offered, numbers of caregivers enrolled in AAA programs and the training and technical assistance needs of the AAAs.Research Record (PDF 600KB)n4a Report (PDF 400KB)

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services

Nursing Home Use in Ohio: Who Stays, Who Pays?

06/11/2010

This research brief follows a cohort of nursing home residents over a three-year period-- beginning with their first ever admission to a nursing home --in order to determine their stay patterns and changes in their payment source during the study period. Findings from this study suggest that irrespective of who pays for the nursing home care, almost six out of ten admissions led to a discharge within three months. The discharge patterns continue such that only one in every three and one in every...

Opening Minds Through Art (OMA) at Colonial: Berkeley Square and Westover

06/09/2010

This report covers activity from the start of implementation to the end of the first OMA term in May 2010. It includes a description of the details of OMA activities at Colonial, and summaries of quantitative and qualitative evaluations that assess the impact of the OMA program.Full Report (PDF 773KB)

  • Arts and Aging
  • Education
  • Long-Term Care - Other

2009 Title VI Survey Results

05/30/2010

The survey was designed to access the role of Title VI Native American programs in  offering services and supports to the elders in their communities. In particular the survey explored how Title VI programs view their roles in the following areas: 1) Person-Centered Access to Information, 2) Evidence-Based Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and 3) Enhanced Nursing Home Diversion Services.Survey Results (PDF 869KB)

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services

AAA Workforce Survey Report

02/28/2010

This brief survey was designed to describe the capacity of the current AAA workforce and the activities undertaken by AAAs to build their future workforce capacity to meet the needs and service demands of older adults and caregivers within the Aging Services Network.Full Report (PDF 969KB) Survey Report (PDF 2.2MB)

  • Aging Network

Enriching Now with Then: Connecting Nursing Home Residents and Nursing Home Staff Through Oral History

01/26/2010

This study was funded in part by the Ohio Long-Term Care Research Project through the support of the Ohio Board of Regents. We are grateful to AARP Ohio for their contribution toward report production.Full Report (PDF 9MB)Research Brief (PDF 527.8KB)

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Disability in Ohio: Managing The Projected Need for Long-Term Services and Supports

01/18/2010

This report examines Ohio's projected long-term care needs and its implications for the state budget. In an effort to contain Medicaid long-term care expenditures several ways that demand for services and supports could be reduced or redirected to home and community based care examined.Full Report (PDF 284KB)Research Brief (PDF 378KB)

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Pandemic Influenza Preparedness in Licensed Nursing Homes and Residential Care Facilities in Ohio

12/09/2009

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of influenza pandemic preparedness in nursing homes and other residential care facilities in Ohio. The majority of nursing homes and other residential care facilities are planning for pandemic influenza and are positioned to deal with it if necessary.Research Brief (PDF 419KB)

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Technology in Ohio Nursing Homes: A Report on the State of the Art

07/15/2009

This report examines the use of information technology in Ohio nursing homes. Key findings indicate that despite the known benefits that information technology holds for resident care, fewer than half of Ohio's nursing homes are making even moderate use of that technology.Research Brief (PDF 1MB)

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Disability in Ohio: Long-Term Care Providers and Programs

06/28/2009

To obtain information concerning the cost and to order printed copies of the full report, contact Scripps Gerontology Center at: 513/529-2914 or scripps@miamioh.edu. 

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

An Assessment of Long-Term Care Service and Support Needs and Utilization in the TriHealth SeniorLink Region and Concordia Care Region

06/04/2009

These reports project the potential needs for long-term care services and supports in the two regions of the state of Ohio where the two Programs for All-inclusive Care for theElderly(PACE) operate. An examination of the current availability of providers and programs in each region, their utilization patterns and the characteristics of the consumers that they serve is the focal point of this study. Each PACE site operates in a region with a unique population; a comparison of the characteristics...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Area Agencies on Aging: Advancing Access for Home and Community Based Services 2008 Area Agencies on Aging Survey

06/02/2009

The 2008 survey of Area Agencies on Aging was conducted by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) and Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University under a grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging focused on assessing and building the capacity of the Aging Services Network to meet the challenges and opportunities posed by our nation’s rapidly aging population.Full Report (PDF 2.8MB)

  • Aging Network

Providing Long-Term Services and Supports to an Aging Ohio: Progress and Challenges

05/03/2009

This report details trends in Ohio long-term care service utilization over 14 years. It also provides information about the characteristics of those in different settings such as PASSPORT, nursing homes, and residential care facilities. Recommendations for Ohio’s long-term care system are included.Full Report (PDF 250KB)Research Brief (PDF 325KB)

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other

An Evaluation of the Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver Program

03/26/2009

This research project evaluates the state’s experiences in the implementation of the Ohio Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver Program. We present a profile of assisted living waiver participants and review the state’s enrollment tracking process. Further, we present findings on the satisfaction of waiver participants, analyses of the program’s Medicaid costs and overall program design, issues faced in the implementation of the program based on a qualitative assessment with potential residents...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Consumer Direction in Ohio: Findings From Two Demonstration Projects

03/22/2009

This report provides findings from evaluations of two consumer-directed home care programs. Results suggest consumer direction provides a good alternative to agency-managed home care services. (Funded by the Ohio Long-Term Care ResearchProject.)Full Report (PDF 177KB)Research Brief (PDF 107KB)

  • Home and Community Based Services

Emergency Readiness and Response: Area Agencies on Aging Survey

03/09/2009

The 2008 survey on Emergency Readiness and Response was conducted by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) and Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University under a grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging.Full Report (PDF 3MB)

  • Aging Network

Implementation of the 2008 Ohio Nursing Home Family Satisfaction Survey: Final Report

03/02/2009

Refinements to the survey instrument showed continued high reliability of domain areas and the instrument as a whole. Changes in instructions to families, and a number of processes were changed this year that resulted in fewer family and facility calls requesting assistance from the toll-free hotline. Comparisons of 2006 and 2008 responses show some significant improvements statewide, with more items showing statewide averages of 90 and above.The family satisfaction survey is one important...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Research Methods

Aging and Long-Term Care Issues in Ohio

02/02/2009

This summary report focuses on aging and disability in Ohio as well as on utilization and Medicaid costs of long-term care for older Ohioans.Brief Report (PDF 500KB)

  • Demographics
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Disability in Ohio: Long-Term Care Providers and Programs

01/28/2009

This report describes the range of options used in Ohio’s long-term care system. For each provider or program, we report the eligibility requirements, consumer characteristics, capacity, utilization rate, average monthly cost of care, and major payers for services. The programs and providers include Medicaid waiver programs, nursing facilities, adult day service providers, residential care or assisted living facilities, intermediate care facilities for persons with mental retardation, and...

  • Aging and Developmental Disabilities
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Worker Injuries and Safety Equipment in Ohio Nursing Homes

11/16/2008

A survey of nursing homes was conducted in 2006 to evaluate a number of facility-specific characteristics including worker injury rates. The nursing home worker injury rate was 6.6 per 100 workers with higher injury rates observed in larger facilities, homes that were part of chains and homes with a higher proportion of wheelchair bound residents. A broad range of patient-transfer safety equipment was observed to be in use; however, the presence of these devices were not predictive of lower...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

Livable Communities: Helping Older Ohioans Live Independent and Fulfilling Lives

09/08/2008

This report defines the concept and components of livable communities and several variations, including universal design and green spaces. (Funded as part of a grant from the Ohio General Assembly, through the Ohio Board of Regents to the Ohio Long-Term Care Research Project.)Research Brief (PDF 792KB)

  • Products/Design/Planning for an Aging Society

Ohio's Aging Workforce: Opportunities and Challenges for Ohio's Employers

08/25/2008

This report focuses on anticipated age-related changes in Ohio's workforce and the effect those changes might have on employers, employees, and society. In addition to a literature review, Ohioans and their reasons for continuing to work are featured. (Funded as part of a grant from the Ohio General Assembly, through the Ohio Board of Regents to the Ohio Long-Term Care Research Project.)Full Report (PDF 1.3MB)

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Demographics

Images of Ohio Centenarians: An Exploratory Study

08/10/2008

This study was funded in part by the Ohio Long-Term Care Research Project through the support of the Ohio Board of Regents. We are grateful to AARP Ohio for their contribution toward report production.Full Report (PDF 2.5MB)Research Brief (PDF 261KB)

  • Case Studies/ Qualitative Research

Enhancing the Performance of Local Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs in Ohio Chartbook

06/17/2008

This is a state-level case-study of the performance of local Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs in Ohio. In surveying all of the local program directors in Ohio, along with a group of key informants, we identify major strengths and challenges the program is likely to face in the future. Funding and staffing emerge as prominent issues, particularly in determining the longer-term educational and advocay roles these programs ideally fulfill.This study was funded by the Cleveland Foundation.Chartbook...

  • Education
  • Long-Term Care Facilities

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging 2007 Aging Network Survey Reports

04/30/2008

With a grant from the Administration on Aging (AoA), the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) partnered with Scripps Gerontology Center to conduct the 2007 Aging Network Survey of all Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI Native American programs in the nation. The survey was designed to assess AAA and Title VI involvement in services and programs consistent with AoA’s Choices for Independence.Summary Report (PDF 404KB)Title VI Summary Report (PDF 405KB)Access to Long-Term Care...

  • Aging Network

Disability in Ohio: Current and Future Demand for Services

04/20/2008

In an effort to project the size of Ohio’s Medicaid long-term care expenditures between now and the year 2020, this report first projected the size of the population with severe physical and/or cognitive, intellectual and/or developmental, and mental illness disabilities. Then, assuming different rates of medical and long-term care inflations the author projected both the total Medicaid and Medicaid long-term care expenditures.Full Report (PDF 582KB)Research Brief (PDF 350KB)

  • Business/Economics of Aging
  • Demographics
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Consumer Directed Services

04/15/2008

With a grant from the Administration on Aging (AoA), the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) partnered with Scripps Gerontology Center to conducted the 2007 Aging Network Survey of all Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI Native American programs in the nation. The survey was designed to assess AAA and Title VI involvement in services and programs consistent with AoA’s Choices for Independence. As part of the 2006 reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA), this...

  • Home and Community Based Services

Access to Long-Term Care Services

04/02/2008

Enabling consumers to remain in their own homes through the provision of home and community-based long-term care; Empowering consumers to stay active and healthy through disease prevention and health promotion services; Streamlining access to home and community-based services; and Enhancing organizational capacity of the aging network for home and community-based long-term care systems. This research brief provides key findings from the assessment as they relate to four topics: Current Status...

  • Long-Term Care - Other

Evolution of the Aging Network: Modernization and Long-Term Care Initiatives

03/11/2008

This article examines how the aging network has evolved since its inception, mandated by the Older Americans Act of 1965. It explores the broadened mission of the network and the progress being made to modernize long-term care. The article also includes findings from a national survey of area agencies on aging (conducted through a partnership between the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and the Scripps Gerontology Center) that help describe the nature of the aging network and its...

  • Aging Network
  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Developing Specifications for the Competitive Bidding of Intake, Assessment & Case Management Services

03/10/2008

This report provides information about the elements of case management, intake, and assessment programs that are often specified in current standards or bid specifications. Observation of current practices, a literature review, and key informant interviews were used to develop recommendations for the Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio to develop bid specifications for the Butler County ESP.Full Report (PDF 194KB)

  • Care Management
  • Home and Community Based Services

2007 Ohio Residential Care Facility Resident Satisfaction Survey: Instrument Refinements

03/02/2008

This report describes psychometric testing and other evaluation of the 2007 Ohio Residential Care Resident Satisfaction Survey. Recommendations include removal of items to shorten the survey and refinement of other items.Full Report (PDF 165KB)

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Research Methods

Ohio's PASSPORT Providers

09/16/2007

This report provides findings from a mailed survey of providers of adult day, home-delivered meals, personal care, and transportation services. Results show that those who provide the best pay and benefits for staff also have the lowest proportion of PASSPORT clients.Research Brief (PDF 406KB)

  • Home and Community Based Services

PASSPORT Consumer Eligibility

06/21/2007

This report examined the PASSPORT population for nursing home level of care and Medicaid financial eligibility. In addition, factors impacting length of stay in PASSPORT and transfer to nursing home are explored.Full Report (PDF 355KB)Research Brief (PDF 100KB)

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other

Evaluation of Ohio's Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver Program: Assessment and Service Plan Development Process

06/17/2007

This report is one among four that represents an evaluation of Ohio’s Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver program. This part of the evaluation assessed how well the program performed in developing and delivering services. Specifically, the evaluation addressed the effectiveness of the service plan process in preserving the consumers’ independence, privacy, and choice. It also looked at the factors that lead to service tier change in the first 90 days after enrollment and those that result in a...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Evaluation of Ohio's Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver Program: Report on Program Costs

06/14/2007

This report is one among four that represents an evaluation of Ohio's Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver program. This report examines the costs and characteristics of those individuals who enrolled in the assisted living waiver program during its initial implementation. Assisted living resident characteristics (demographic and functional) are compared to Medicaid nursing home residents and PASSPORT enrollees. The costs of assisted living residents are compared to nursing home residents in the same...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Evaluation of Ohio's Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver Program: Consumer Access and Satisfaction

06/14/2007

This report is one among four that represents an evaluation of Ohio's Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver program. This part provides a profile of individuals who enrolled in the Assisted Living Waiver Program. Data on the demographic and functional health of residents and their satisfaction with services are presented for those who enrolled during the initial implementation period. The report also presents information on those who were found to be eligible, but chose not to enroll and those who...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Evaluation of Ohio's Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver Program: Final Summary Report

06/14/2007

This study evaluated the performance of Ohio’s Assisted Living Medicaid Waiver program during its initial implementation period; it is one report among four. Enrollment in the program was slower than originally anticipated; during that initial implementation 134 participants were enrolled. Findings: Assisted living waiver residents on average report higher levels of disability compared to PASSPORT participants, but are not as impaired as nursing home residents. Participants report high levels...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

PASSPORT Assessment and Services

06/08/2007

The purpose of our evaluation component was to determine the effectiveness of the PASSPORT assessment process in ensuring that PASSPORT consumers are supported in making informed choices about long-term care; and whether the service plans developed for enrolled PASSPORT consumers are based on the assessed needs of and the informed choices made by the consumer.Full Report (PDF 158KB)Research Brief (PDF 125KB)

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Program Evaluation of PASSPORT: Ohio's Home and Community-Based Medicaid Waiver

05/15/2007

The goal for the evaluation of the PASSPORT program was to determine whether the program is providing efficient and cost-neutral services as an alternative to facility-based long-term care, and to assess the extent to which the program complies with the assurances Ohio agreed to in its waiver application. Although findings and recommendations are discussed briefly in this report, they are covered in greater detail in the six topical reports that support this document. See the following reports:...

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

PASSPORT Cost Neutrality

05/10/2007

This report explores the costs of caring for a person age 60 and older in the community (through PASSPORT) versus caring for a person age 60 and older in a nursing home. Medicaid costs and all other public program costs are taken into consideration in this study.Full Report (PDF 286KB)Research Brief (PDF 103KB)

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing
  • Long-Term Care - Other

PASSPORT Quality Assurance and Quality Management

05/09/2007

This report addresses findings related to the quality standards of the PASSPORT program. Although all evaluation components address aspects of quality assurance and improvement, this study addressed issues regarding the safety and welfare of program participants and the congruence of the PASSPORT program with the CMS Home and Community-Based Service Quality Framework. Findings show that there are numerous structures and processes in place to safeguard program participants. In addition, a strong...

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

PASSPORT Evaluation: Accountability for Finances, Compliance, and Fairness

05/09/2007

This research is an evaluation of the mechanisms and processes in place to assure that PASSPORT funds are managed properly and procurements are undertaken in a fair and open manner.Full Report (PDF 147KB)Research Brief (PDF 304KB)

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Providing Quality Home and Community-Based Services Through PASSPORT

05/02/2007

This report is part of a larger evaluation of Ohio's PASSPORT Program. It examines issues of provider tenure, provider certification, and provider quality assurance. Data were collected in focus groups, interviews, and a mailed survey.Full Report (PDF 1.3MB)Research Brief (PDF 409KB)

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

The Changing Face of Long-Term Care: Ohio's Experience 1993-2005

04/07/2007

This report details trends in Ohio long-term care service utilization over 12 years. It also provides information about the characteristics of those in different settings such as PASSPORT, nursing homes, and residential care facilities.Full Report (PDF 127KB)

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Research Methods

Implementation of the 2006 Ohio Nursing Home Family Satisfaction Survey

03/18/2007

Refinements to the survey instrument showed continued high reliability of domain areas and the instrument as a whole. Changes in instructions to families, and a number of processes were changed this year that resulted in fewer family and facility calls requesting assistance from the toll-free hotline operated by the Margaret Blenkner Research Institute at Benjamin Rose.Comparisons of 2001 and 2006 responses show some significant improvements statewide, with more items showing statewide averages...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Research Methods

Development and Testing of a Resident Satisfaction Survey for Ohio's Residential Care Facilities

03/01/2007

This report describes the development and pretesting of a resident satisfaction instrument for residents in Ohio's 540 residential care facilities. Development activities included focus roups and cognitive interviews with residents. The pretest included a written survey followed by a retest interview for a subgroup of residents. Interviews with administrators also examined the feasibility of implementing a statewide satisfaction survey in residential care. A final instrument as well as...

  • Research Methods

Case Managers' Perspectives on Consumer Direction

09/13/2006

From S.R. Kunkel & V. Wellin (Eds.)(2006). Consumer Voice and Choice in Long-Term Care© Reproduced with permission of Springer Publishing Company, LLC, New York, NY 10036Full Report (PDF 54KB)

  • Care Management

Assessing the Quality of Caregiver Support Services

08/02/2006

The project emphasizes that the essential components of an outcome-focused quality monitoring system differ markedly from more traditional systems that lend themselves to more easily measured structural information, such as: licensure, hours of in-service training, and number of service units delivered. While structural and process-oriented information is necessary, it is not sufficient. A solid quality system for caregiver-support services must focus on the caregivers themselves.To obtain...

  • Families/Caregiving
  • Quality Assurance

Ohio Long-Term Care Factbook

06/16/2006

This research was funded by a grant from the State of Ohio through the Ohio Long-Term Care Research Project.Factbook (PDF 3MB)

  • Long-Term Care - Other

Nursing home use in Ohio: Who stays, who pays?

02/03/2006

This study also indicates that the discharge rate was higher among Medicare and private pay residents compared to Medicaid residents. By the end of the first year, one-third of those residents who were initially private payers and who were still in a nursing home came to rely on Medicaid to pay for their care. The proportion of residents switching to Medicaid increased to over one-half by the end of second year and to two-thirds by the end of the third year. However, this proportion at the end...

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Training case managers to administer the Service Adequacy & Satisfaction Instrument (SASI)

08/03/2005

This manual was developed to train case managers to administer the Service Adequacy and Satisfaction Instrument (SASI). Includes instrument specific guidelines as well as general information about conducting face-to-face interviews with older adults.Manual (PDF 564KB)

  • Research Methods

Educating caregivers about caregiving: An evaluation of the Council on Aging Learning Advantages Program for Informal Caregivers

06/18/2005

This report describes the evaluation of the Council on Aging Learning Advantages program; a training program for informal caregivers. Nurse trainers conducted individualized training tailored to fit the circumstances of caregivers and care recipients. Results showed that training resulted in decreased caregiver burden, improved caregiver self-esteem and competence, and objective knowledge of caregiving issues, among other improvements. Program materials could be easily adapted for use in other...

  • Families/Caregiving

An overview of Ohio's In-Home Service Program for Older People (PASSPORT)

05/11/2005

This research presents an overview of Ohio's Medicaid waiver program, known as PASSPORT, which serves Ohioans who are 60 years and older, who are chronically disabled, and who meet the eligibility criteria for nursing home care.

  • Home and Community Based Services
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

How Supplemental Security Income works

05/05/2005

Reprinted with permission from Generations, vol. 29, no. 1, pp 27-29, Spring 2005. Copyright© 2005 American Society on Aging, San Francisco, California. www.asaging.org.Full Report (PDF 61KB)

  • Personal Income/Financing

Real choices: A caregiver respite strategy for the state of Ohio

05/04/2005

Based on our findings we propose a four component family-based respite strategy. The four components of the proposed PASSPORT respite strategy are: (1) Defacto Respite; (2) Defacto Respite Plus; (3) Institutionalize Respite Strategy; and (4) Real Choices. Defacto respite has already been incorporated into PASSPORT. The three additional components introduce a family-based approach to service plan development, flexibility, and consumer-direction culminating in “Real Choices”. As we see it,...

  • Families/Caregiving

Long-term care utilization in Ohio 1993-2003

05/04/2005

This study was funded by the Ohio Department of Aging and the Ohio Long-Term Care Research Project through the Ohio Board of Regents.Research Brief (PDF 68KB)

  • Long-Term Care Facilities

The HIPAA privacy rule and long-term care: A quick guide for researchers

05/02/2005

This research was funded as part of a grant from the Ohio General Assembly, through the Ohio Board of Regents to the Ohio Long-Term Care Research Project.Pamphlet (PDF 399KB)

  • Research Methods

Profiles of Choices consumers

03/18/2005

Profiles of Choices Consumers describes the demographics of consumers who choose to enroll in the Choices program

  • Home and Community Based Services

Situating stress: Lessons from lay discourses on diabetes

03/09/2005

In response to the serious toll diabetes takes on health and resources, researchers increasingly are examining physical and psychological pathways that affect and are affected by diabetes, including stress.

  • Health/Physical Activity

A review of nursing home resident characteristics in Ohio: Tracking changes from 1994-2004

03/05/2005

This briefing paper presents the profile of Ohio nursing home residents in both 2004 and 1994, and describes trends over the past decade.

  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Long-Term Care Policy and Financing

Preventing Osteoporosis

07/01/2004

This brochure provides a comprehensive set of information about preventing osteoporosis and its complications. It is easy to read, up-to-date and offers contact information for additional resources. It would be useful to health and long-term care professionals who educate older adults about osteoporosis.This research was funded as part of a grant from the Ohio General Assembly, through the Ohio Board of Regents to the Ohio Long-Term Care Research Project.Print directions: The pages of this...

  • Health/Physical Activity

Profile and Projections of Ohio's 60+ Population: A State Study

05/25/2004

During the next 20 years, the national population, as well as the population in Ohio, will grow older. In anticipation of this impending change, we have created this series of reports to help Ohio area agencies on aging, service providers, and other organizations that are not directly involved in aging services to better plan for the needs of the aging population. The purpose of this report is to provide the profile of the older population (60+) in Ohio and to project the number of older people...

  • Demographics

In search of "personal care:" Challenges to identity support in residential care for elders with cognitive illness

05/12/2004

This article is based on a multi-year ethnographic case study of a residential care facility. (Published in Journal of Aging Studies, vol. 18, no.3, [August]: 275-295).

  • Families/Caregiving

A Guide to Quality in Consumer Directed Services

05/09/2004

This guide is designed to provide states and programs involved in consumer directed services with a practical handbook on ensuring and improving the quality of services.

  • Quality Assurance

For Love and Money: Paying Family Caregivers

02/25/2004

In this paper we discuss the dilemmas, debates, assumptions, and evidence regarding publicly paid family caregiving,an option that is becoming increasingly available with the growth of consumer direction.

  • Families/Caregiving

Profiles and Projections of Ohio's 60+ Population: County-by-County

Projections and profiles of Ohio's 88 counties based on 2000 census data.

  • Demographics