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. 2021:7:38-46.
doi: 10.14283/jnhrs.2021.7.

Group Activity Participation in Relation to Contextual Isolation of United States Nursing Home Residents Living with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias

Bill M Jesdale  1 , Carol A Bova  2 , Attah K Mbrah  1 , Kate L Lapane  1
Affiliations

Group Activity Participation in Relation to Contextual Isolation of United States Nursing Home Residents Living with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias

Bill M Jesdale et al. J Nurs Home Res Sci. 2021.

Abstract

Background: Residents of nursing homes frequently report loneliness and isolation, despite being in an environment shared with other residents and staff.

Objective: To describe, among long-stay US nursing home residents living with Alzheimer's disease and/or related dementias (ADRD), group activity participation in relation to contextual isolation: living in a nursing home where fewer than 20% of residents share socially salient characteristic(s).

Design: A cross-sectional evaluation of group activity participation in relation to contextual isolation across 20 characteristics based on demographic characteristics, habits and interests, and clinical and care dimensions.

Setting: US nursing homes.

Participants: We included 335,421 residents with ADRD aged ≥50 years with a Minimum Data Set 3.0 annual assessment in 2016 reporting their preference for group activity participation, and 94,735 with participation observed by staff.

Measurements: We identified 827,823 annual (any anniversary) assessments performed on nursing home residents in 2016, selecting one at random for each resident, after prioritizing the assessment with the least missing data (n=795,038). MDS 3.0 item F0500e assesses resident interest in group activities.

Results: When considering all potential sources of contextual isolation considered, 30.7% were contextually isolated on the basis of a single characteristic and 13.7% were contextually isolated on the basis of two or more characteristics. Among residents reporting importance of group activity, 81% of those not contextually isolated reported that group activity participation was important, as did 78% of those isolated on one characteristic, and 75% of those isolated on multiple characteristics. Among residents with staff-observed group activity participation, 64% of those not contextually isolated reported were observed participating in group activities, as were 59% of those isolated on one characteristic, and 52% of those isolated on multiple characteristics.

Conclusion: Residents with ADRD facing contextual isolation placed less importance on group activity than residents who were not contextually isolated.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; dementia; nursing homes; social isolation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interest: Bill M. Jesdale has no conflicts of interest to declare. Carol A. Bova has no conflicts of interest to declare. Attah K. Mbrah has no conflicts of interest to declare. Kate L. Lapane has no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

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Figure 1
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