Date of Award
Spring 5-15-2017
Additional Affiliations
Brown School of Social Work
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Type
Dissertation
Abstract
Older adults with dementia are particularly vulnerable to negative outcomes and adverse events when they transition between healthcare settings such as being discharged from the hospital. However, little is known about how healthcare providers help patients prepare for a care transition – known as transitional care – among older adults with dementia. Therefore, this study sought to understand the transitional care currently delivered by hospital healthcare providers to older adults with dementia, how it compared to that received by older adults without dementia, and how it varied across different patient and provider characteristics. Guided by key provider/informant interviews and theory, a medical chart review of older adults with dementia was conducted. Results revealed that while some transitional care actions, such as discharge planning, are delivered to a majority of patients other actions such as patient education are delivered only to a minority. Future research should assess whether this variation is associated with outcomes such as hospital readmission and patient and caregiver satisfaction.
Language
English (en)
Chair and Committee
Enola Proctor
Committee Members
Christopher Carpenter, Vanessa Fabbre, Nancy Morrow-Howell, Margaret Olsen,
Recommended Citation
Prusaczyk, Patricia, "Transitional Care for Older Adults with Dementia: Variation Across Patients and Providers" (2017). Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1083.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/art_sci_etds/1083
Included in
Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Gerontology Commons, Health and Medical Administration Commons, Social Work Commons
Comments
Permanent URL: https://doi.org/10.7936/K7HD7T4D