Developing a Supplemental Assessment Tool for Younger Residents in Long-Term Care

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Healthcare Assessment Tools
• Long-Term Care

Background:

• Current long-term care (LTC) models inadequately address the distinct needs of residents under 65.
• Younger LTC residents have unique requirements that differ significantly from older populations.
• There is a need for specialized assessment tools for this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a supplemental assessment tool for long-term care residents under 65.
• To better represent the specific needs of younger individuals in long-term care settings.
• To improve the accuracy of assessments for this underrepresented population.

Main Methods:

• Conducted individual interviews with long-term care residents aged 18-64 and their staff.
• Identified key assessment questions through qualitative data.
• Utilized focus groups to refine a preliminary assessment tool based on participant feedback.

Main Results:

• Developed assessment questions addressing unique needs of younger LTC residents.
• Highlighted the importance of technology's role in resident well-being.
• Identified specific needs related to social interaction (visitors) and transition support into LTC.

Conclusions:

• Younger residents in long-term care settings possess distinct needs.
• A novel assessment tool was created through direct input from residents and staff.
• The developed tool aims to more accurately reflect the needs of younger individuals upon admission to LTC.