Multiple studies report significant interpersonal stress between family members of nursing home residents and facility staff members. Partners in Caregiving appears to be an effective way to improve family-staff relationships in nursing homes.

Given the vulnerability of older persons to environmental threats detailed by the consensus conference, conferees recommended that research on these topics be urgently promoted, both by researchers and by funding agencies.

Objective To examine the effects of electronic health information technology (HIT) on nursing home residents. Methods The study evaluated the impact of implementing a comprehensive HIT system on resident clinical, functional, and quality of care outcome indicators, as well as measures of resident awareness of and satisfaction with the technology. The study used a prospective, quasi-experimental design, directly assessing 761 nursing home residents in 10 urban and suburban nursing homes in the greater New York City area. Results No statistically significant impact of the introduction of HIT on residents was found on any outcomes, with the exception of a significant negative effect on behavioral symptoms. Residents' subjective assessment of the HIT intervention were generally positive. Discussion The absence of effects on most indicators is encouraging for the future development of HIT in nursing homes. The single negative finding suggests that further investigation is needed on possible impact on resident behavior.

The recommendations that emerged from the workshop demonstrated the value of close interaction between the aging-related research and practice communities. The consensus-conference model has significant potential to establish a bridge between the worlds of research and practice in a variety of settings.

The study provides evidence for the effectiveness of the retention specialist model. Findings from a detailed process evaluation suggest modifications of the program that may increase program effects.