An Evaluation of the Geriatric Home-based Low Vision Partnership Program
Overview
The Geriatric Home-based Low Vision Partnership Program (GHLVPP) will implement and evaluate an innovative, multi-disciplinary, home-based health care model on behalf of underserved, homebound older adults with vision impairment residing in Manhattan. This new model will utilize a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (GNP) to conduct home health assessments that include visual functioning in order to identify service needs and implement home-based low vision care, necessary vision rehabilitation services, and other allied health care services. This program will enable Lighthouse International to reach homebound individuals who have been unable to access community based low vision and vision rehabilitation services. The main goal of the evaluation effort of this project is to test effectiveness of the program in improving functional disability, psychosocial adaptation and psychological well-being (life satisfaction and depression) of homebound older adults with vision impairment.
Method
It is estimated that about 740 homebound older adults will receive services under this program. As part of the visits to conduct the pre and post service health assessments, the GNP will invite clients to participate in the study. Hence, clients will be interviewed by the GNP before they receive services and after service completion. Both the pre and post interviews will assess psychosocial adaptation to vision loss and psychological well-being, specifically depression and life satisfaction In addition, sociodemographic (e.g, age) information, vision-related information (e.g., eye diagnosis), service-related information (e.g., types of services received), and clients' levels of functional disability pre and post service will be obtained from the clients' electronic case records (EVRR®).
This evaluation will use a single-group pre-test/post-test noncontrol group design. Paired t-tests will be conducted to determine significant changes on the above indicators of quality of life from pre to post service delivery.
Status
The Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (GNP) is currently being trained to conduct home health assessments.
Investigators: Kathy Smock, GNP, Project Co-Director
Tara Easter, GNP, Project Co-Director
Verena Cimarolli, PhD, Evaluation Associate
Funded by: The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc.
Project Period: February 2007- January 2009
Updated: 6/2007
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