Lapane KL, Dubé CE, Jesdale BM, Bova C. Social Connectedness among Long-Stay Nursing Home Residents with Alzheimer's and Dementia: Exploring Individual and Facility-Level Variation.
Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2022;
51:249-261. [PMID:
35785759 PMCID:
PMC9501789 DOI:
10.1159/000525343]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
This study sought to explore individual and facility-level variation in social connectedness among long-stay nursing home residents with Alzheimer's or other dementias (ADRD).
METHODS
We identified 721,074 long-stay residents with ADRD using 2016 Minimum Data Set 3.0 data. Social connectedness was defined using the social connectedness index (SCI) (high: SCI = 5, lower: 0 < SCI ≤ 4). Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) provided estimates of the associations between resident-level and facility-level characteristics, and high SCI was derived from logistic models.
RESULTS
The SCI Cronbach's alpha was 0.69; 78.6% had high SCI scores. Men were less likely than women to have higher SCI scores (aOR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.97-0.98). Increasing age was associated with higher SCI scores (e.g., aOR [85-94 vs. 40-64 years]: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.06-1.07). Those with moderate cognitive impairment (aOR: 0.87) and severe cognitive impairment (aOR: 0.85) had reduced odds of SCI = 5 relative to those with mild/intact cognitive function. Residents living in homes with special care dementia units and with higher percentage of residents with dementia had decreased odds of high social connectedness.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION
Understanding resident- and nursing home-level variation in social connectedness may be important for targeting interventions that reduce isolation among residents with ADRD.
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