Predictors of Nursing Home Placement from Assisted Living Settings in Canada

We sought to estimate the incidence of long-term care (LTC) placement and to identify resident- and facility-level predictors of placement among older residents of designated assisted living (AL) facilities in Alberta, Canada. Included were 1,086 AL residents from 59 facilities. Research nurses completed interRAI-AL resident assessments and interviewed family caregivers and administrators. Predictors of placement were identified with multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. The cumulative incidence of LTC admission was 18.3 per cent by 12 months. Significantly increased risk for placement was evident for older residents and those with poor social relationships, little involvement in activities, cognitive and/or functional impairment, health instability, recent falls and hospitalizations/emergency department visits, and severe bladder incontinence. Residents from larger facilities, with an LPN and/or RN on-site 24/7 and with an affiliated primary care physician, showed lower risk of placement. Our findings highlight clinical and policy areas where targeted interventions may delay LTC admissions.