Barriers to Vision Care for Nursing Home Residents

摘要: Objective To describe the prevalence of periodic eye examinations by professionals and to examine nursing facility resident characteristics associated with lack screening. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Two Midwestern facilities. Participants Between 1995 1997, 134 subjects aged 60 older were recruited from two metropolitan Measurements Nursing home charts reviewed for: demographics, length stay, date examination, diagnosis, visual acuity. assessments used obtain information about cognition, function, behavior, presence Do Not Resuscitate or Hospitalize orders. The was for acuity, intraocular pressures, pathology. Individuals who had not in previous 2 years screened an ophthalmologist. This examination included external eye, fundoscopic tonometry, acuity correction. Results Only 62 (46%) been seen care professional years. Visual available 37/64 previously examined subjects. Of those no (n = 72), obtained 32 (44%) New diagnoses made 64% (41/64). Logistic regression models “eye within past years” as dependent variable show that residents do desire hospital transfer are 80% less likely have than without this designation. Sex, age, functional status, severe dementia, behavior problems, DNR orders change likelihood a would examined. “visual measured” dementia 12.6 times measured dementia. Those stay 6 months 10% measured. Conclusions study does confirm barriers still exist provision all residents, but such remains low. Additional screening results substantial increase identification treatable diseases. Contrary original hypotheses patient make testing difficult provide barrier disincentive vision testing, did statistical differences rates impairment. Severe seem affect ability specialist gather subjective data It also demonstrates take place on broad range cognitive abilities, diagnosis many conditions. Future efforts should be treatment home.