Gerontological Nursing Interventions Research Center (GNIRC)

Title: Nursing Interventions for Sensory Impaired Nursing Home Elders
Principal Investigator: Pamela Cacchione, PhD, RN
Study Site: St. Louis University

Abstract
Unaddressed sensory impairment in nursing home (NH) elders leads to unnecessary dysfunction. Sensory impairment, particularly vision and hearing impairment, are common in NH elders due to changes of aging. The purpose of this pilot study is to test nursing interventions directed toward improving function in sensory impaired NH elders. The specific aims of this study are: To determine if nursing interventions for visually, health, or visually and hearing impaired NH elders improve their functional status. A purposive sample of 30 sensory impaired elders from one NH will be recruited: 10 visually impaired; 10 hearing impaired, and 10 visually and hearing impaired. Each resident will act as their own control for 6 weeks of social interaction prior to the 6-week intervention phase. NH elders will be screened for vision and hearing impairment, cognitive status, depression, delirium, and ADL status until 10 elders of each level of sensory impairment are recruited. During the first 6-week period, researchers will interact socially for 10 minutes twice a week followed by repetition of the baseline measures. The second 6-week period involves tailored nursing interventions to address sensory impairment followed by twice a week visits to maintain the nursing intervention. Baseline measures will be reevaluated at the end of the 6-week intervention phase. Pre and post-intervention scores will be evaluated using ANOVA. This pilot will aid in the development of a nursing intervention study to improve function in NH elders.