Educational Performance outcome Measures (EPOM) Project

The UNT Texas Institute for Research and Education on Aging (TIREA) is undertaking; a three year TCOISC project to develop and offer gerontological/geriatric education related to continuous quality improvement. In year 1, the project will focus on the development of methodology for accomplishing, educational experiences for care provider staff and consumers of their services. Staff of an adult day care center located in San Angelo, caregiver group representatives and representative(s) of Abilene Christian College Department of Nursing will participate with Institute staff in thc first year development and pilot testing process.

A set of possible goals as well as structural, process and outcome indicators for the project have been identified. Ten possible process measures are tied to an audit process designed to develop and examine care standards, measure performance against the standards, and initial feedback of the results into the care process and procedures. These process measures are organized under the standards set forth in a care management protocol selected as a guide to standard setting, case audit, and other anticipated activities. The protocol already selected as a starting point by the adult day care center in San Angelo is one on Alzheimer's disease and is published by thc Philadelphia Corporation on Aging.

Outcomes will bc measured for one of the care standards, probably caregivers of participants with irreversible dementia will receive education about dementia and the implications of caregiving that result in improved coping. Suggested pre/post intervention outcome indicators for this standard axe:

1 ) caregiver burden

2) Content analysis of caregiver focus group related to coping skill changes;

3) number of participant behaviors/oulbu1sts;

4) psychotropic drug usage;

5) number of outbursts/catastrophic behavior incidents;

6) caregiver satisfaction; and

7) Caregiver/client quality of life.

A proposed time-table for thc remainder of first year project development follows:

1. agreement on a set of care standards related to AD
2. the related structural process, and outcome indicators to be pilot tested and
3. criterion measures for each chosen indicator.