Memory Care in Assisted Living: Does it Improve Quality Outcomes?

Approximately one million individuals reside in an assisted living community, and of these, an estimated 40-72% of residents have a cognitive impairment or a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease-related or other dementias. Little is known about the quality of care and whether services and programs designed and marketed for people with Alzheimer’s disease-related or other dementias are effective. Our long-term goal of this study is to improve care outcomes for assisted living residents, with a specific emphasis on residents with Alzheimer’s disease-related or other dementias who may not be able to advocate for themselves. The overall purpose of this project is to understand quality care and satisfaction with memory care services provided by assisted living communities in the U.S. This study aims to achieve the following: 

1. Compare quality outcomes (i.e., worker satisfaction, resident/family satisfaction, healthcare utilization) between assisted living communities that do and do not provide memory care. 
2. Compare the difference in quality outcomes of residents with and without Alzheimer’s disease-related or other dementias within assisted living communities that do and do not provide memory care. 
3. Understand the processes of care that contribute to quality outcomes for residents with Alzheimer’s disease-related or other dementias among assisted living communities that do and do not provide memory care.