Implementing functional assessment in older adult care: the experience of direct care staff

Spence, W. (2011) Implementing functional assessment in older adult care: the experience of direct care staff. Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, 12(4), pp. 197-209. (doi: 10.1108/14717791111191126)

Abstract

<b>Purpose</b> – The paper reports on the implementation of the Revised Elderly Persons' Disability Scale use – a 53-item, seven sub-scale functional assessment tool – in a range of older adult care institutions. Staff education on the instrument's use is provided; patient assessments collated centrally; and results fed back to respective care facilities. This study explores the views of qualified and unqualified staff on the use of the scale in their respective UK National Health Service, Local Authority or Private Residential older adult care facilities.<br></br> <b>Design/methodology/approach</b> – An action research mode was adopted where the researcher was a member of a team responsible for planning, development, and co-ordination of community care projects for adults leaving hospital care. Structured and semi-structured interviewing was employed to explore personal experience of the instrument's use in older adult care institutions. A total of 20 care staff qualified in nursing or social work and nine unqualified staff participated in this research.<br></br> <b>Findings</b> – Participants reported that scale use contributed positively to the planning and delivery of care. Its use influenced the admission of individuals for care by the institutions studied and improvements in the quality of the transfer of clients between settings were reported. It proved straightforward to use and unqualified staff reported their greater involvement in the care planning process as a result of its implementation. Participants reported that instrument use contributed to the identification of staff training needs.<br></br> <b>Originality/value</b> – Evidence for functional assessment scale effectiveness is equivocal and little has been published on the experience of scale use by a range of elder care staff. This experience forms this study's sole focus and scale use is shown to have the potential to contribute to care improvement.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Spence, Mr William
• Authors: Spence, W.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health
• Journal Name: Quality in Ageing and Older Adults
• ISSN: 1471-7794
• ISSN (Online): 2042-8766
• Published Online: 01 January 2011