The Czech-Austrian Long-Term Care Research Database.

A cooperative Project between Danube University, Austria and Charles University, Czech Republic

Project Facts

The project is supported by a Grant from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF; lead agency).

The project partners

This project will be carried out in close cooperation with CELLO (Centre of Expertise in Longevity and Long-term Care). CELLO has been established in 2011 as a scientific-pedagogic centre within the Faculty of Humanities at the Charles University in Prague. It works in close affiliation with the Centre of Gerontology (health and social care provider).  This Centre is well established and was able to win research grants and publish the results (see publication list). The Centre of Expertise in Longevity and Long-term care, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University in Prague has broad experience and expertise in management, supervision, organisation diagnostic, organisation culture, applied ethics, gerontology and other disciplines relevant to the proposed project. Team members have regularly published scientific and practical articles and brochures. The UZIS (Office of Health Information and Statistics) and Czech Alzheimer Society will be consulted during the project.

MAS Alzheimerhilfe has been established in 1997 as a self- help group for caregivers of persons with dementia. Since 2001, an integrated care model, the Dementia Service Center Model has been developed. The team of the Alzheimerhilfe consists of Medical Doctors, Clinical Psychologists and Social Workers.  Several Research studies have been carried out within this extramural framework

FWF-press release: 7. November, 2016: Optimised long-term care for persons with dementia  (Optimierte Langzeitpflege für Personen mit Demenz)

Introduction

• Currently there are 46.8 million persons worldwide living with dementia
• This number will double every 20 years
• New care concepts are urgently needed in nursing homes
• The basic information for informed decision making is missing
• It is estimated that only about 30% of persons affected by dementia do receive a medical diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
• The two research groups join in their expertise of medical and psychological knowledge, develop a common study protocol and join a common data base.

Research Questions and Methods

Research question: This project aims at addressing 4 domains of interest with quantitative and qualitative research methods. (1)Resident related parameters such as dementia and other health conditions, and social parameters; (2) Care team parameters such as burden; (3) Parameters related to the relatives of the resident and (4) Environmental Factors of the LTC institutions (size, staffing).
Methods: In a cross-sectional design, about 5 nursing homes will be randomly selected in a stratified selection process from the three categories of nursing homes in Austria and the Czech Republic each. About 500 persons living in iLTC will be assessed in each country (Total N about 1000 study subjects) in  an agreed upon common study protocol containing medical and social study parameters. The data will be entered into a common data base and commonly analysed.

Main researchers responsible:

• Univ Prof. Dr. Stefanie Auer (Danube University Krems)
• Univ. Prof. Dr. Iva Holmerova (Charles University Prague)

Project Team:

• Mag. (FH) Edtih Span (MAS Alzheimerhilfe)
• Radim Krupicka (Charles University Prague)
• Dana  Hradcova, Ph.D. (Charles University Prague)
• Anna Berankova (Coordination, Charles University Prague)
• Bernadette Firlinger, MSc (scientific Coordination, Danube University Krems)
• Mag. Dr. Margit Höfler (Danube University Krems)
• Mag. Elisabeth Linsmayr (Psychologist, MAS Alzheimerhilfe)
• Mag. Doris Prischl (Psychologist, MAS Alzheimerhilfe)
• Mag. Paulina Ratajczak (Statistician, Danube Univeristy Krems)
• Mag. Patrick Pascher (Database Manager)                                                                   

Study Population and Selection Method

• Total Nursing Homes: Austria (886), Czech Republic (822)
• Nursing Homes in the selected areas: Upper Austria (137), Central Bohemia and Prague (159)

Sampling Procedure

• The nursing homes were recruited in a stratified (by the existing organisational categories) randomized way
• 16 nursing homes in each country were selected which received and invitation letter to participate in the study
• 7 nursing homes in Austria and 10 in Czech Republic consent their participation