Do Assisted Living Facilities That Offer a Dementia Care Program Differ from Those That Do Not? A Population-Level Cross-Sectional Study in Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Objective: To identify the characteristics of licensed assisted living facilities that provide a dementia care program compared to assisted living facilities that do not provide such a program. Design, Setting, and Participants: Population-level cross-sectional study in Ontario, Canada on all licensed assisted living facilities in 2018 (n = 738). Methods: Data on facility-level characteristics (e.g., resident and suite capacities, etc.) and the provision of other provincially regulated care services (e.g., pharmacist and medical services, skin and wound care, etc.) attributed to licensed assisted living facilities were examined. Multivariable Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to model the characteristics of assisted living facilities associated with the provision of a dementia care program. Results: There were 123 (16.7%) assisted living facilities that provided a dementia care program. Nearly half of these facilities had a resident capacity exceeding 140 older adults (44.7%) and more than 115 suites (46.3%). All assisted living facilities that provided a dementia care program also provided nursing services, meals, assistance with bathing and hygiene, and administered medications. After adjusting for facility characteristics and other provincially regulated care services, the prevalence of a dementia care program was nearly three times greater in assisted living facilities that offered assistance with feeding than those that did not (Prevalence Ratio [PR] = 2.91, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.98 to 4.29), and almost twice as great among assisted living facilities that provided medical services than those that did not (PR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.00 to 3.17). Conclusions: A dementia care program was more prevalent in assisted living facilities that housed many older adults, had many suites, and provided at least five of the other 12 regulated care services. These findings deepen the understanding of specialized care for dementia in assisted living facilities.

Examining Health Service Rates Among Residents of Retirement Homes and Other Older Adult Populations in Ontario, Canada: A Population-Based Cohort Study

“…While there is a body of research describing the assisted living sector and residents of assisted living facilities in the United States (6-12), the Canadian literature requires a more in-depth investigation. Canadian studies have investigated transitions to a long-term care home, risk of hospitalization among those who live with dementia, and events and health conditions associated with the transition to a congregate care setting for older adults (13)(14)(15)(16)(17). To date, no population-or provincial-level cohort of residents of retirement homes in Canada has been created to define the retirement home and assisted living sector, describe the characteristics and health service use of older adults who purchase these services, and position the sector in the gradient of care services and housing needs for older adults.…”