Center for Excellence in Assisted Living CEAL@UNC

Advancing the well-being of the people who live and work in assisted living through research, practice, and policy.

Journal of Applied Gerontology

Paperwork, Paradox, and PRN: Psychotropic Medication Deficiencies in Assisted Living

Jun 1, 2023
Individual state approaches to assisted living/residential care (AL/RC) licensing and oversight in the United States result in different practice standards and requirements, including psychotropic medication use. We examined 170 psychotropic medication deficiency citations issued to 152 Oregon AL/RC settings from 2015 to 2019. Applied thematic analysis resulted in the following themes: (1) documentation issues are […]

Paperwork, Paradox, and PRN: Psychotropic Medication Deficiencies in Assisted Living

by Lea Efird-Green

Individual state approaches to assisted living/residential care (AL/RC) licensing and oversight in the United States result in different practice standards and requirements, including psychotropic medication use. We examined 170 psychotropic medication deficiency citations issued to 152 Oregon AL/RC settings from 2015 to 2019. Applied thematic analysis resulted in the following themes: (1) documentation issues are […]

Depression within the First Year of Relocation to Residential Care/Assisted Living: Where You Come From Matters

Aug 1, 2022
Depression is common within the first year of relocation to residential care/assisted living (RC/AL). Yet, few studies investigate the relationship between depression and relocation factors that might help identify at-risk residents, such as previous location. This study analyzed cross-sectional resident data (n = 2651) from the National Survey of Residential Care Facilities to test: (1) […]

Depression within the First Year of Relocation to Residential Care/Assisted Living: Where You Come From Matters

by Lea Efird-Green

Depression is common within the first year of relocation to residential care/assisted living (RC/AL). Yet, few studies investigate the relationship between depression and relocation factors that might help identify at-risk residents, such as previous location. This study analyzed cross-sectional resident data (n = 2651) from the National Survey of Residential Care Facilities to test: (1) […]

Ethics of Health Information Sharing and Social Relationships at End of Life in Assisted Living

Apr 1, 2022
Given an observed tension between perceived privacy restrictions and meaningful social connection in assisted living (AL) and using a relational perspective, we conducted a secondary thematic analysis of health information sharing practices among residents and their care partners in one large urban AL community in metropolitan Atlanta. Data included in-depth interviews with residents (n = […]

Ethics of Health Information Sharing and Social Relationships at End of Life in Assisted Living

by Lea Efird-Green

Given an observed tension between perceived privacy restrictions and meaningful social connection in assisted living (AL) and using a relational perspective, we conducted a secondary thematic analysis of health information sharing practices among residents and their care partners in one large urban AL community in metropolitan Atlanta. Data included in-depth interviews with residents (n = […]

The Ethics in Long-Term Care Model: Everyday Ethics and the Unseen Moral Landscape of Assisted Living

Apr 1, 2022
Assisted living (AL) communities are long-term care settings where people live, work, and visit, and where social relationships and care, including end-of-life care, are negotiated. Assisted living is fraught with uncertainty and conflict about values, especially given residents’ cognitive and physical frailty. These value-laden issues have implications for both resident and care partners’ experiences. Yet, […]

The Ethics in Long-Term Care Model: Everyday Ethics and the Unseen Moral Landscape of Assisted Living

by Lea Efird-Green

Assisted living (AL) communities are long-term care settings where people live, work, and visit, and where social relationships and care, including end-of-life care, are negotiated. Assisted living is fraught with uncertainty and conflict about values, especially given residents’ cognitive and physical frailty. These value-laden issues have implications for both resident and care partners’ experiences. Yet, […]

Potential Side Effects and Adverse Events of Antipsychotic Use for Residents With Dementia in Assisted Living: Implications for Prescribers, Staff, and Families

Mar 1, 2022
Antipsychotic medications are frequently prescribed to assisted living (AL) residents who have dementia, although there is a lack of information about the potential side effects and adverse events of these medications among this population. Oversight and monitoring by family members is an important component of AL care, and it is important to understand family awareness […]

Potential Side Effects and Adverse Events of Antipsychotic Use for Residents With Dementia in Assisted Living: Implications for Prescribers, Staff, and Families

by Lea Efird-Green

Antipsychotic medications are frequently prescribed to assisted living (AL) residents who have dementia, although there is a lack of information about the potential side effects and adverse events of these medications among this population. Oversight and monitoring by family members is an important component of AL care, and it is important to understand family awareness […]

Assisted Living Administrators’ Approaches to Advance Care Planning

Feb 1, 2022
Objectives This project examined administrator processes, barriers, and facilitators for conducting advance care planning in assisted living. Method Data from qualitative interviews with 27 administrators from seven diverse assisted living communities in the metropolitan Atlanta area were linked with descriptive and administrative data collected from each site and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Although administrators […]

Assisted Living Administrators’ Approaches to Advance Care Planning

by Lea Efird-Green

Objectives This project examined administrator processes, barriers, and facilitators for conducting advance care planning in assisted living. Method Data from qualitative interviews with 27 administrators from seven diverse assisted living communities in the metropolitan Atlanta area were linked with descriptive and administrative data collected from each site and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Although administrators […]

Model Testing of the Factors that Influence Performance of Function Focused Care and Function among Assisted Living Residents

Feb 1, 2022
The purpose of this study was to test a model of factors associated with participating in function focused care. Function focused care is a philosophy of care in which residents are encouraged to engage in functional and physical activities during care interactions. This was a secondary data analysis using data from the Dissemination and Implementation […]

Model Testing of the Factors that Influence Performance of Function Focused Care and Function among Assisted Living Residents

by Lea Efird-Green

The purpose of this study was to test a model of factors associated with participating in function focused care. Function focused care is a philosophy of care in which residents are encouraged to engage in functional and physical activities during care interactions. This was a secondary data analysis using data from the Dissemination and Implementation […]