PAUSE for assessment: a multi-level long-term care assessment tool.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Healthcare Management
• Pastoral Care

Background:

• Healthcare advancements lead to long-term care residents being older and sicker.
• Long-term care facilities increasingly offer diverse care levels, including hospice, under one roof.
• Chaplains are uniquely positioned to observe and report changes in resident well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the PAUSE questionnaire for chaplains in long-term care settings.
• To provide a tool for documenting chaplain visits and assessing resident needs.
• To facilitate early identification of residents requiring additional support or a change in care level.

Main Methods:

• Development of the PAUSE (Pastoral Assessment of Unique Situational Experiences) questionnaire.
• The questionnaire is a one-page tool completed by chaplains post-visit.
• Items focus on the chaplain's impressions of resident well-being during a single interaction.

Main Results:

• The PAUSE questionnaire documents chaplain visits.
• It enables comparison of resident status over time and across different visitors.
• It highlights potential "red flag" areas for interdisciplinary referral or care level adjustments.

Conclusions:

• The PAUSE questionnaire is a practical tool for chaplains in long-term care.
• It supports proactive care by identifying changing resident needs.
• It can serve as a valuable educational resource for student chaplains.