Educational Video to Improve Nursing Home Care in End-stage Dementia

The over-riding goal of the EVINCE study is to conduct a cluster RCT of a video Advance Care Planning intervention in nursing home residents with advanced dementia. A total of 360 nursing home residents with advanced dementia (N=180/arm) in 20 matched nursing homes (10 intervention/10 control) will be recruited. These residents' proxies with also be recruited for a total sample size of 720 residents and proxies (resident/proxy dyads). Outcomes will be compared between residents in the intervention vs, control nursing homes at baseline and every 3 months up to 12 months. At baseline proxies of residents in the intervention nursing homes will view a 12-minutes video describing three level of care options in advanced dementia (intensive, basic and comfort) and their choice will be communicated to the resident's primary care providers. Residents in the control nursing homes will receive the usual advance care planning practiced in those facilities.

UPDATE SEPT 19, 2014: During the first 18 months of the study, recruitment of resident/proxy dyads was lower per facility than anticipated at the time of study design. Therefore, the number of matched pairs of NH recruited was increased. As of September 19, 2014, 19 NH pairs (38 NHs) were recruited and randomized with a plans to continue to up to 30 pairs as needed.

NHs were originally randomized using a paired approach matched for for-profit status and whether or not the NH had a special care dementia unit (SCU). In March 2014, the state of Massachusetts changed legislation defining an SCU. Many of the changes focused on specifics of staff training. As a result, SCUs in several participating facilities did not meet the new criteria and lost this official designation, although the actual clinical structure of the existing units did not change. Nonetheless, we opted to maintain the initial matching criteria of the first 19 NHs which included SCU based on the definition before the Massachusetts legislation change, but dropped this matching criterion after the legislation change. Thus, beginning with matched pair 20, NHs were matched solely on for-profit status.

UPDATE MARCH 2016 To reach subject recruitment numbers, additional facilities were recruited. As of this date, 60 NHs (30/arm) have been recruited, randomized and have had subject enrolled.

To achieve additional for power for Outcome 2, (aquisition of new decisions to forego hospitalizations) the target sample size was increased to 400.

Inclusion criteria

• Age > 65
• A diagnosis of dementia (any type)
• Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) score of 7
• Nursing home length of stay > 30 days
• Proxy is available who can speak in English
• Proxy must either live within a 60 mile radius of Boston or be available to come to the residents nursing home within 2 weeks of recruitment in order to conduct the in-person baseline interview.

Exclusion criteria

• Residents with cognitive impairment due to causes other than dementia (e.g. head trauma) and in short-term, sub-acute SNFs will be excluded