Using Videos to Improve Understanding of the Delivery of End-of-life Medical Care in Non-hospital Settings

A.1. Aim 1: To recruit 101 subjects over the age of 64 who are newly admitted to a nursing home facility and randomly assign these subjects to one of two advance care planning (ACP) modalities: 1. a video visually depicting the Goals of Care (Life Prolonging Care, Limited Care, and Comfort Care) (intervention) or 2. a verbal narrative describing the Goals of Care (control) encountered if the subject becomes very ill.

Hypothesis 1: It is feasible to recruit and randomize newly admitted elderly subjects to each of the ACP modalities.

A.2. Aim 2: To compare the care preferences for their primary goal of care (i.e., life-prolonging care, limited care, or comfort care) among 101 subjects randomized to video vs. verbal narrative intervention for ACP.

Hypothesis 2: Subjects randomized to the video intervention will be significantly more likely to opt for comfort care (vs. life-prolonging or limited care) as the primary goal of care compared to those randomized to the verbal narrative.

A.3. Aim 3: To compare knowledge assessment of the Goals of Care of 101 subjects randomized to video vs. verbal narrative intervention for ACP.

Hypothesis 3: When compared to subjects randomized to the verbal narrative arm, subjects in the video group will have higher knowledge assessment scores when asked questions regarding their understanding of the Goals of Care.

Inclusion criteria

• over age of 64
• have decision making capacity

Exclusion criteria

• do not speak English