Programmed Activity Offerings and Attendance Patterns in Assisted Living.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Services Research
• Sociology

Background:

• Limited data exists on programmed activity offerings and attendance in assisted living (AL) settings.
• Understanding resident engagement in activities is crucial for quality of life in AL.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the variety of programmed activities offered in AL communities.
• To determine attendance rates for specific activities.
• To explore relationships between resident characteristics and activity attendance patterns.

Main Methods:

• Surveyed 21 assisted living facilities with 202 residents.
• Recorded types of programmed activities offered and their attendance.
• Analyzed individual factors associated with activity attendance.

Main Results:

• Facilities offered a median of 50 different programmed activities.
• BINGO, religious services, and social events were commonly offered and highly attended.
• BINGO attendance was 47%, religious services 38%, socials 40%, and musical performances 37%.

Conclusions:

• Assisted living facilities provide a range of activities, with social and religious programs showing high participation.
• Findings offer insights into resident preferences and factors influencing attendance.
• Recommendations are provided for enhancing service delivery and future research in AL activity programming.