Gerontological Nursing Interventions Research Center (GNIRC)

Title: Community-Based Aging in Place: A Pilot Study
Principal Investigator: Karen Marek, PhD, RN
Study Site: University of Missouri-Columbia

Abstract
Aging in Place provides a model of nurse care coordination and home care services to assist clients in obtaining the care they need while controlling costs. This pilot study employs a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group. Participants will be divided into 2 groups. The groups are: 1) the Missouri Care Options (MCO) comparison group, MCO eligible clients who residen in the Jefferson City area and 2) the Aging in Place (AIP) group, MCO eligible clients who choose UNSC Aging in Place program and live in Boone County.

The evaluation will address the following objectives: 1) Describe health care expenditures of frail older adults receiving care in the two groups; 2) Determine whether implementation of the Aging in Place intervention for individuals in need of long term care accounts for differences in health care expenditures and utilization as compared to MCO comparison group clients; 3) Determine whether implementation of the Aging in Place intervention for individuals in need of long term care accounts for differences in MDS quality indicators as compared to MCO comparison group clients; and 4) Create pilot data for future studies of the impact of the Aging in Place intervention on the quality and cost of care.

Data from a larger demonstration prject on the Aging in Place model will be used for the AIP intervention group. Data will be collected on the MCO comparison group by registered nurses upon admission, at six months, and at 12 months. The Minimum Data Set (MDS) for resident assessment and care planning will be used to measure quality of care through the use of the 13 MDS quality indicators. Medicare and Medicaid expenditures will be tracked over the one year period of the study.