ASSESSMENT PROTOCOL TO IDENTIFY ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

描述（由申请人提供）：痴呆症影响语言的表达能力和接受能力。因此，在许多长期护理机构中，沟通是一个主要问题，有助于增加对各种自我护理活动的依赖性。最近的研究表明，环境因素在沟通表现和为沟通障碍患者提供有效护理方面发挥着重要作用。虽然SLP的实践范围通过减少环境对沟通的障碍来提高生活质量，但环境评估和干预并不是常规临床实践的一部分。因此，毫不奇怪，没有物理环境评估工具或资源专门用于确定居住护理环境中沟通的环境障碍和促进因素。这个SBIR项目的目标是：1)开发一个新的和创新的沟通工具包-痴呆症的环境干预，使语言病理学家（slp）能够识别环境障碍和促进因素，并推荐有效的环境干预措施，以改善长期护理环境中痴呆症患者的沟通；2)证明工具包的有效性；3)制定营销计划，确保第三阶段的成功。该工具包将包括：1)带视频的培训模块，2)评估协议，3)测量工具，以及4)用户手册。第一阶段的前3个月将用于开发卧室/浴室空间的通信工具包，并由咨询小组进行审查。剩下的3个月将侧重于从几个方面评估沟通工具包。首先，将选出30名学生完成培训模块，并通过进行前后测试来评估他们获得的知识。其次，一小部分特殊家庭护理人员将接受使用评估协议的培训，并评估他们的行为变化（即，他们在护理计划中建议的环境干预措施的数量）。第二阶段将扩大通信工具包的范围，包括长期护理设施的其他领域。第二阶段计划进行三项基本活动。沟通工具包-痴呆症环境干预措施的四个组成部分将大大扩大特殊服务提供者的能力，以减少与照护者沟通的环境障碍。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Dementia affects both expressive and receptive language abilities. As a result, communication is a major problem in many long term care facilities, contributing to increased dependence in a variety of self care activities. Recent studies suggest that contextual factors play an important role in communication performance and in providing effective care for individuals with communication disorders. Although the SLP scope of practice promotes improved quality of life by reducing environmental barriers to communication, environmental assessment and intervention are not part of routine clinical practice. Not surprisingly, therefore, no physical environment assessment tools or resources exist specifically to determine environmental barriers and facilitators to communication in residential care environments. The goals of this SBIR project are: 1) To develop a new and innovative Communication Toolkit-Environmental Interventions for Dementia that will enable speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to identify environmental barriers and facilitators and recommend effective environmental interventions to improve communication of individuals with dementia in long-term care settings; 2) To demonstrate the effectiveness of the toolkit; and 3) To develop a marketing plan to ensure the success of Phase III. The toolkit will include: 1) a training module with video, 2) an assessment protocol, 3) measurement tools, and 4) user manual. The first 3 months of the Phase I will be spent developing the Communication Toolkit for bedroom/ bathroom spaces and having it reviewed by the Advisory panel. The remaining 3 months will focus on evaluating the Communication Toolkit in several ways. First, a sample of 30 SLPs will complete the Training Module, and knowledge gain will be assessed through the administration of pre and post tests. Second, a smaller subset of SLPs will be trained to use the Assessment Protocol, and changes in their behavior (i.e., the number of environmental interventions they recommend in their care plans) will be assessed. Phase II will extend the scope of the Communication Toolkit to include other areas of long-term care facilities. Three basic activities are planned for Phase II. Together, the four components of the Communication Toolkit-Environmental Interventions for Dementia will significantly expand the capacity of SLPs to reduce environmental barriers to communication with care recipients.