SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Piloting a Life Story Intervention for Hospitalized Older Adults With Alzheimer's and Related Dementias

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This study piloted a “Life Story” intervention for hospitalized older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). The goal was to see whether collecting and sharing a brief personal narrative about a patient’s history, preferences, and values would be acceptable and feasible in an acute hospital setting.<br /><br />Researchers enrolled English-speaking patients age 65 or older with ADRD who screened positive for delirium and were admitted to Hospital Medicine. A caregiver completed a 30–45 minute interview by phone or in person. The team then created a one-line summary and short narrative, uploaded it to the medical record, and notified clinicians. Patients, caregivers, and interdisciplinary staff were interviewed about the experience.<br /><br />Out of 95 eligible patients, 20 Life Stories were completed and entered into the medical record, a 21% completion rate. Only one was uploaded during hospitalization; the other 19 were added after discharge. The main barrier was the difficulty of scheduling interviews with caregivers while patients were hospitalized.<br /><br />Overall, the intervention was highly acceptable. Caregivers and clinicians gave very positive feedback and said the stories helped support person-centered, compassionate care, improved connections between staff, patients, and families, and made clinicians feel more effective and engaged. Caregivers found the process therapeutic, as it helped them remember the person before illness.<br /><br />The main conclusion was that Life Stories are valuable and well received, but collecting them during hospitalization is not feasible. The authors suggest future studies should gather Life Stories in the outpatient setting and then develop workflows to make them easily accessible to hospital clinicians.

Asset Subtitle

James D. Harrison

Meta Tag

Author List Eliana Kim, James D. Harrison, Jay Newton-Small, Julia K. Axelrod, Megan Rathfon, Michael Chandler, Roniela Turnigan, Sarah J. Flessa, Stephanie E. Rogers

Category Research

Concept Life Story Intervention

Concept Feasibility

Concept Patient-Centered Care

Concept Patient Acceptability

Concept Implementation Barriers

Distinguished Finalist

Presenter Organization University of California San Francisco

Presenting Author James D. Harrison

Track Geriatrics

Keywords

Alzheimer's disease

dementia

life story intervention

hospitalized older adults

person-centered care

caregiver interview

delirium

acute hospital setting

feasibility study

medical record

Life Story Intervention

Feasibility

Patient-Centered Care

Patient Acceptability

Implementation Barriers