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Quality of life outcome measures in original studies of dementia interventions: policy and practice implications
Quality of life (QOL) is an important indicator of the influence nonpharmacological interventions have on the well-being of persons living with dementia and their family care partners. In the realm of home- and community-based services (HCBS), various measures are employed to assess person-level outcomes of interventions aimed at enhancing QOL for persons living with dementia and their care partners.
Quality of life outcome measures in original studies of dementia interventions: policy and practice implications
Quality of life (QOL) is an important indicator of the influence nonpharmacological interventions have on the well-being of persons living with dementia and their family care partners. In the realm of home- and community-based services (HCBS), various measures are employed to assess person-level outcomes of interventions aimed at enhancing QOL for persons living with dementia and their care partners. These interventions can include services and programs delivered in diverse settings, including individual’s homes, community centers for older adults, organizations focused on aging or dementia, adult day services, and congregate meal sites. However, the diversity in QOL measurement tools used across these settings often fails to capture the multidimensional nature of QOL, which can hinder the ability to make meaningful comparisons of intervention outcomes. Lawton (1991) defined QOL as multidimensional, which was described by four main domains—behavioral competence, perceived QOL, objective environment, and psychological well-being.
In this policy spotlight article, we provide an in-depth examination of the outcome measures used in the original studies of evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions in a compendium developed by the National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center (Cordell & Gould, 2024). Our analysis was completed under the auspices of the Community Care Network for Dementia, which aims to accelerate collaborative research on measurement and data related to dementia HCBS. Our working group (WG) on dementia HCBS interventions seeks to evaluate the measurement of outcomes associated with these interventions. Recognizing existing gaps in the types, availability, and settings of HCBS interventions for persons living with dementia and care partners, the WG initiated its study by examining 37 interventions approved by the Administration on Aging.
Public Policy & Aging Report, https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/praf017