Improving Decision Making About Feeding Options for Dementia

Improving Decision Making About Feeding Options for Dementia

This study is a randomized trial to test whether a decision aid can help to improve the quality of decision making about feeding options in care of patients with dementia.

This research study is a cluster randomized controlled trial of a decision aid to improve decision-making about feeding options for patients with advanced dementia. Surrogate decision-makers in the nursing homes randomized to the intervention will review the decision aid and be prompted to discuss it with the primary health care provider, while those in the control sites receive usual care. We measure the immediate, 1 and 3 month effects of the decision aid on the quality of surrogate decision-making for nursing home residents with advanced dementia.

Inclusion Criteria:

• dementia diagnosis
• advanced cognitive impairment
• feeding problem
• age >= 65
• surrogate decision maker

Exclusion Criteria:

• feeding tube decision made
• hospice
• BMI > 26
• major psychosis or developmental delay