Evaluating Nursing Home Resident and Staff Experiences With a Life Story Program

Abstract

Life story programs hold promise for improving person-centered care and relationships between nursing home residents and staff. A pilot life story intervention study in 16 nursing homes provided residents with complimentary biographical life story books and summaries, and staff with action plans to enhance care planning. Trained volunteers and program staff collected life stories, and researchers interviewed 170 residents at three points in time. Overall, residents had positive experiences with the program, but were less willing to share their books with others afterwards. They also experienced a decrease in depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8 [PHQ-8]) over time. Surveys of 92 staff demonstrated increases over time in perceived importance of knowing residents’ life stories. Administrator/admissions staff found it conditionally feasible to incorporate the program into admission processes. Practice implications of life story work include opportunities to help staff learn more about residents they care for, improve person-centered care, and honor resident preferences in care planning.

Estimating the Effectiveness of Life Story Work (LSW) in the Reduction of Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Patients with Dementia: A Systematic Literature Review

“…It was also discovered with the staff that there was an accepted feasibility of implementation of the program in routine care though a reported unwillingness (contrasted with volunteers) to pay a $100 hypothetical fee per resident to have an individualized life story book created. (Ejaz et al, 2022) indicated that, as reported in other studies, the effects of life story work diminish over time and that the quality-of-life story books vary across carers which potentially impact the willingness of residents to share/participate in life story programs. The enrollment of state-funded participants (Medicaid) was highlighted as a bias in the study to the effect that residents will be less likely to share their true feelings about the program.…”

“…Most of the literature reviewed spoke of the importance and value family members brought to the richness and completeness of LSW for their loved ones. (Ejaz et al, 2022) spoke of the complexity after a period of keeping family members enthusiastic about supporting LSW with loved ones and staff. The process became time consuming for family members who had other things going on in their lives such as family and work.…”

“…Ejaz et al, 2022) conducted a study to evaluate staff and resident experiences with a life story program. The researchers selected Medicaid residents to leverage the interest of the funder (State department of Medicaid) in evaluating person-centered care projects with the potential of improving the quality of life of the economically disadvantaged older adults.…”

Life story templates in dementia care: Ambiguous direction and purpose

“…To counteract this depersonalisation, dementia care homes in many parts of the world have adopted person-centred care, including the incorporation of life stories ( Ejaz et al, 2022 ; Kindell et al, 2014 ; Socialstyrelsen, 2017 ; Stranz & Sörensdotter, 2016 ). Life stories are often considered to maintain threatened identities ( McKinney, 2017 ) so that others ‘see’ and understand the person behind the dementia ( Clarke et al, 2003 ; Cooney & O’Shea, 2019 ; Edvardsson et al, 2010 ; Kitwood, 1997 ; McKeown et al, 2010 ; Sweeney et al, 2021 ).…”