Alzheimer's Disease — Enhancing Quality of Life for Nursing Home Residents
Citation(s)
Buettner, L , Kolanowski, A. & Yu, F. (2007). Recreational games: Simple and effective cognitive stimulation programs for residents with dementia in long-term settings. American Journal of Recreation Therapy, 6 (1), 25-30.
Dettmore D, Kolanowski A, Boustani M Aggression in persons with dementia: use of nursing theory to guide clinical practice. Geriatr Nurs. 2009 Jan-Feb;30(1):8-17. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2008.03.001.
Fick DM, Kolanowski AM, Waller JL, Inouye SK Delirium superimposed on dementia in a community-dwelling managed care population: a 3-year retrospective study of occurrence, costs, and utilization. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2005 Jun;60(6):748-53.
Kolanowski A, Buettner L, Litaker M, Yu F Factors that relate to activity engagement in nursing home residents. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2006 Jan-Feb;21(1):15-22.
Kolanowski A, Buettner L, Moeller J Treatment fidelity plan for an activity intervention designed for persons with dementia. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2006 Oct-Nov;21(5):326-32.
Kolanowski A, Buettner L Prescribing activities that engage passive residents. An innovative method. J Gerontol Nurs. 2008 Jan;34(1):13-8.
Kolanowski A, Fick D, Waller JL, Ahern F Outcomes of antipsychotic drug use in community-dwelling elders with dementia. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2006 Oct;20(5):217-25.
Kolanowski A, Fick DM, Campbell J, Litaker M, Boustani M A preliminary study of anticholinergic burden and relationship to a quality of life indicator, engagement in activities, in nursing home residents with dementia. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2009 May;10(4):252-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2008.11.005. Epub 2009 Jan 9.
Kolanowski A, Hoffman L, Hofer SM Concordance of self-report and informant assessment of emotional well-being in nursing home residents with dementia. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2007 Jan;62(1):P20-7.
Kolanowski A, Litaker M, Buettner L, Moeller J, Costa PT Jr A randomized clinical trial of theory-based activities for the behavioral symptoms of dementia in nursing home residents. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2011 Jun;59(6):1032-41. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.
Kolanowski A, Litaker M Social interaction, premorbid personality, and agitation in nursing home residents with dementia. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2006 Feb;20(1):12-20.
Kolanowski AM, Litaker M, Buettner L Efficacy of theory-based activities for behavioral symptoms of dementia. Nurs Res. 2005 Jul-Aug;54(4):219-28.
Smith, M , Kolanowski, A., Buettner, S., & Buckwalter, K. (accepted). Beyond bingo and painted nails: Meaningful activities for persons with dementia in the nursing home. Annals of Long Term Care.
Woods CA Working better with GPs: lessons to be learned from a study of health care networks in the management of diabetes. Clin Exp Optom. 2006 Jan;89(1):1-2.
Yu F, Kolanowski AM, Litaker M The association of physical function with agitation and passivity in nursing home residents with dementia. J Gerontol Nurs. 2006 Dec;32(12):30-6.
A Prescription for Enhancing Resident Quality of Life
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.
