Current Publications and Projects
Current:
Cost-Effectiveness of Weight Loss Prevention in Nursing Homes: A Controlled Trial
Principle Investigator: Sandra F. Simmons, PhD
Funding Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Description: The proposed study will use a controlled, intervention design to determine the cost-effectiveness of ONS with an alternative nutrition intervention that offers residents a choice between supplements and other foods and fluids (i.e., snacks) between meals in a group of 200 residents across 4 NH sites.
Providing Choice to Nursing Home Residents: A Quality of Life Intervention
Principal Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: National Institute on Aging
Description:
A World Apart: Bridging the Gap between Nursing Home Research and Practice
Principle Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD and Annie Rahman, M.S.W.
Funding Source: Retirement Research Foundation
Description: Improve incontinence care and mealtime assistance for nursing home residents by administering two distance learning courses that guide staff supervisors in nursing homes across the country through the implementation of evidence-based interventions in their facilities.
Prevention of Weight Loss in Long Term Care Veterans
Principle Investigator: Sandra F. Simmons, PhD
Funding Source: VA HSR&D Merit Award
Description: This translational research study involves a staff training and management intervention in two VA facilities to improve nutritional care practices.
Recent:
Integrating Interventions to Improve Fecal Incontinence
Principle Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: National Institute for Health
Description: This randomized, controlled trial tests a multicomponent intervention to improve fecal incontinence in long-stay nursing home residents.
Prevention of Weight Loss in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia
Principle Investigator: Sandra F. Simmons, PhD
Funding Source: National Alzheimer's Association
Description: A randomized, controlled study was conducted in three nursing homes to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of oral liquid nutrition supplements versus offering residents a variety of foods and fluids (snacks) twice daily, between meals on caloric intake. Staff time to provide each intervention was considered in the cost-effectiveness analysis.
Feeding Assistance in Nursing Homes: Staffing Outcomes
Principle Investigator: Sandra F. Simmons, PhD
Funding Source: National Institute of Aging, Older Adults Independence Center
Description: A randomized, controlled study was conducted in four nursing homes to evaluate the effects of improvements in feeding assistance care quality during and between meals on residents’ total daily caloric intake, weight and Body Mass Index outcomes.
Study of Paid Feeding Assistant Programs: Phase 1 & Phase 2
Principle Investigator: Abt Associates, Inc. and Sandra F. Simmons, PhD
Funding Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) & the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (ARHQ)
Description:
Phase 1 - A nationwide evaluation study was conducted to determine to what extent nursing homes are training non-nursing staff to provide feeding assistance care in an effort to augment direct care staffing during meals. Site visits were conducted to seven homes in three states with active programs in place to evaluate feeding assistance care quality and program impact.
Phase 2 - A demonstration study also was conducted wherein research staff assisted facility staff in two homes in the initial implementation of a new feeding assistant training program and developed an implementation manual for nursing home providers (Implementation Manual)
Improving the Accuracy and Consistency of the Nursing Home Survey Process
Principle Investigator: Abt Associates and John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Description: The major goal of this project is to evaluate a new nursing home survey process that included more standardized quality assessment protocols.
Distance Learning for Incontinence Care
Principle Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: Retirement Research Foundation
Description: This project aims to improve incontinence care for nursing home residents by administering a distance learning course that guides staff supervisors in up to 20 nursing homes across the country through the implementation of a prompted voiding program in their facilities.
Evaluation of Nursing Home Reimbursement Bill (AB1629)
Principle Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: California Alliance
Description: The purpose is to evaluate how nursing homes respond to a new reimbursement system in California to improve staffing.
Real Choice Systems Change Grants for Community Living - Money Follows the Person
Principle Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: CMS (Real Systems Change Grant for Community Living), the California Department of Health Services, and the California Department of Rehabilitation
Description: The purpose of this study was to examine nursing facility residents’ or their legal proxies’ perspectives on transitioning out of nursing facilities by assessing residents’ perceptions of their ability to live more independently, their preferences regarding leaving the facility, and the feasibility of transitioning with community support.
Cost-Effectiveness of Weight Loss Prevention in Nursing Homes: A Controlled Trial
Principle Investigator: Sandra F. Simmons, PhD
Funding Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Description: The proposed study will use a controlled, intervention design to determine the cost-effectiveness of ONS with an alternative nutrition intervention that offers residents a choice between supplements and other foods and fluids (i.e., snacks) between meals in a group of 200 residents across 4 NH sites.
Providing Choice to Nursing Home Residents: A Quality of Life Intervention
Principal Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: National Institute on Aging
Description:
A World Apart: Bridging the Gap between Nursing Home Research and Practice
Principle Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD and Annie Rahman, M.S.W.
Funding Source: Retirement Research Foundation
Description: Improve incontinence care and mealtime assistance for nursing home residents by administering two distance learning courses that guide staff supervisors in nursing homes across the country through the implementation of evidence-based interventions in their facilities.
Prevention of Weight Loss in Long Term Care Veterans
Principle Investigator: Sandra F. Simmons, PhD
Funding Source: VA HSR&D Merit Award
Description: This translational research study involves a staff training and management intervention in two VA facilities to improve nutritional care practices.
Recent:
Integrating Interventions to Improve Fecal Incontinence
Principle Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: National Institute for Health
Description: This randomized, controlled trial tests a multicomponent intervention to improve fecal incontinence in long-stay nursing home residents.
Prevention of Weight Loss in Nursing Home Residents with Dementia
Principle Investigator: Sandra F. Simmons, PhD
Funding Source: National Alzheimer's Association
Description: A randomized, controlled study was conducted in three nursing homes to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of oral liquid nutrition supplements versus offering residents a variety of foods and fluids (snacks) twice daily, between meals on caloric intake. Staff time to provide each intervention was considered in the cost-effectiveness analysis.
Feeding Assistance in Nursing Homes: Staffing Outcomes
Principle Investigator: Sandra F. Simmons, PhD
Funding Source: National Institute of Aging, Older Adults Independence Center
Description: A randomized, controlled study was conducted in four nursing homes to evaluate the effects of improvements in feeding assistance care quality during and between meals on residents’ total daily caloric intake, weight and Body Mass Index outcomes.
Study of Paid Feeding Assistant Programs: Phase 1 & Phase 2
Principle Investigator: Abt Associates, Inc. and Sandra F. Simmons, PhD
Funding Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) & the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (ARHQ)
Description:
Phase 1 - A nationwide evaluation study was conducted to determine to what extent nursing homes are training non-nursing staff to provide feeding assistance care in an effort to augment direct care staffing during meals. Site visits were conducted to seven homes in three states with active programs in place to evaluate feeding assistance care quality and program impact.
Phase 2 - A demonstration study also was conducted wherein research staff assisted facility staff in two homes in the initial implementation of a new feeding assistant training program and developed an implementation manual for nursing home providers (Implementation Manual)
Improving the Accuracy and Consistency of the Nursing Home Survey Process
Principle Investigator: Abt Associates and John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Description: The major goal of this project is to evaluate a new nursing home survey process that included more standardized quality assessment protocols.
Distance Learning for Incontinence Care
Principle Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: Retirement Research Foundation
Description: This project aims to improve incontinence care for nursing home residents by administering a distance learning course that guides staff supervisors in up to 20 nursing homes across the country through the implementation of a prompted voiding program in their facilities.
Evaluation of Nursing Home Reimbursement Bill (AB1629)
Principle Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: California Alliance
Description: The purpose is to evaluate how nursing homes respond to a new reimbursement system in California to improve staffing.
Real Choice Systems Change Grants for Community Living - Money Follows the Person
Principle Investigator: John F. Schnelle, PhD
Funding Source: CMS (Real Systems Change Grant for Community Living), the California Department of Health Services, and the California Department of Rehabilitation
Description: The purpose of this study was to examine nursing facility residents’ or their legal proxies’ perspectives on transitioning out of nursing facilities by assessing residents’ perceptions of their ability to live more independently, their preferences regarding leaving the facility, and the feasibility of transitioning with community support.
