Residential Assessment Instrument 2.0 in care planning for residents in nursing homes

Abstract

1. This randomised controlled trial examined the effects of a Minimum Data Set Residential Assessment Instrument (MDS-RAI) evaluated by a multidisciplinary care planning team, with a view to enhancing the health status of elderly residents in long-term care settings. 2. After 12 months, the experimental group fared significantly worse in terms of cognitive performance and urinary incontinence, but significantly better in terms of psychosocial outcome measures when compared with the control group. After 18 months, no significant difference was observed between the two groups. 3. The adoption of MDS-RAI to fulfil the needs of residents in long-term care settings could be useful. However, direct application of the measures in local residential care facilities should be cautious since far more ‘unknowns’ play potential roles in results than this study has been able to examine.