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Implementing STAR-VA in Acute Care: A Case Study

Authors :
Correa, Seneca
Boyle, Julia T.
Bashian, Hannah
Madrigal, Caroline
O'Malley, Kelly
Source :
The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry; April 2024, Vol. 32 Issue: 4, Number 4 Supplement 1 pS74-S75, 2p
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

People living with dementia almost universally experience behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia at some point throughout the course of their illness. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are a result of complex interpersonal, intrapersonal, and environmental interactions—such symptoms include depression, aggression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, irritability, hallucinations, delusions, and agitation. While antipsychotics are often administered to address BPSD, behavioral modifications and nonpharmacological interventions are preferred first-line treatments. The Staff Training in Assisted Living Residences (STAR) program was designed and employed in community-based assisted living communities and later adapted for VA-based nursing homes, Community Living Centers (STAR-VA). STAR-VA is an interdisciplinary approach to managing challenging BPSD with the goal of decreasing distress behaviors and improving quality of care. A limitation of STAR-VA is its focus on long-term care, not acute care settings that often first encounter veterans with BPSD. Providing nonpharmacological, person-centered dementia care in the acute care setting remains a challenge due to the fast-paced environment, high staff turnover, and limited training and resources focused on providing high-quality dementia care. As such, the project team assessed the feasibility of implementing the STAR-VA framework onto one acute care unit. To illustrate the success of our implementation, we will present a case example where STAR-VA framework was applied to a veteran admitted onto the acute care unit.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
10647481 and 15457214
Volume :
32
Issue :
4, Number 4 Supplement 1
Database :
Supplemental Index
Journal :
The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
Publication Type :
Periodical
Accession number :
ejs65537437
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2024.01.152