Abstract
The Minimum Data Set (MDS) is a federally mandated assessment tool used to evaluate individuals residing in skilled nursing facilities, a large percentage of whom have dementia. Best described as a rating scale, it comprises items related to 16 domains of functioning, including communication and hearing. Typically, the MDS is completed by a nurse. When a deficit is observed, Resident Assessment Protocols (RAPs) are designed to address the impairment and provide information for appropriate plans of care. The purposes of this study were to: (a) comprehensively assess the communication and hearing function of nursing home residents with dementia, (b) evaluate the relationship between ratings on MDS communication and hearing items and the performance of dementia patients on standardized assessments, and (c) determine the number of residents with MDS-identified deficits who received a referral for further evaluation. Fifty-seven individuals with a medical diagnosis of dementia participated. All exhibited deficits in communication and hearing function; however, the majority of participants were rated as having normal or adequate communication and hearing on the MDS. Of those participants with MDS-identified impairments in communication and hearing, none was referred for further evaluation. Implications for policy and care for nursing home residents with dementia are discussed.
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