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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2008 Dec 24.
Published in final edited form as: Gerontologist. 2007 Dec;47(Suppl 1):83–99.

Table 4. Types of Family Involvement in Assisted Living: Review of Quantitative Research.

Study Design Visits
M(SD)
Personal Care
M(SD)
Instrumental Care
M(SD)
Socioemotional Support
M(SD)
Monitoring
M(SD)
Advocacy
M(SD)
Hawes et al. (2000, 2003) See Table 2 9.3% none; 26.7% once or twice; 27.6% once a week; 30.1% more than once a week; 6.3% daily in last 30 days - - - - -
Port et al., (2005) Telephone interviews with family members of 353 residents with dementia in 34 AL/residential care settings in 4 states (see CS-LTC, Table 2) 9.72(.68) times per month 2.10(.56) times per month (ADL care) 1.58(.39) times per month (laundry); 2.14(.25) times per month (IADL) 4.69(.86) times per month (call on phone/write letters) 5.81(.86) times per month (medical); 5.27(.44) times per month (finances); 6.25(.53) time per month (well-being) -
Zimmerman et al. (2001; 2003) CS-LTC (see Table 2) 69.4-83.3% of residents visited with family/friend in prior 2 weeks (M contacts = 3.2 – 4.3) - - 52.6-59.8% of residents telephone family/friends in prior 2 weeks (M contacts = 3.6-5.2) - -
Gaugler & Kane (2001) 440 residents from Kane Oregon AL study interviewed at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year (see Table 2) - .37 types of “personal care” assistance in past few months from family/friends at baseline 2.68 types of “instrumental” assistance in past few months from family/friends at baseline - - -
Leon et al. (2000) 2 AL facilities from a sample of 13 sites in 9 states; telephone interviews with 161 family caregivers of residents with dementia in AL - 11 hours of IADL help during an average month - - - -
Keating et al. (2001) Telephone interviews with 19, 21, and 39 family members of 2 adult family living programs 1 AL facility, and 1 dementia care setting, respectively in Canada - .96 hours on personal care and .73 hours on skilled care in past month 6.22 hours on transportation, 2.00 hours on housework, 1.88 hours on shopping, 1.57 hours on financial management; .16 hours on arranging appointments in past month 23.25 hours on “enhancing well-being” in past month 1.63 hours on “keeping on eye on things” in past month .27 hours in past month “speaking up for resident”
Gaugler et al. (2003) In-person resident and telephone family interviews with 34 AL and 38 family care home dyads randomly selected from 5 ALs and 16 family care homes in Kentucky 11.76(9.78) and 3.09(3.41) family visits in AL and family care homes in past month; duration of typical visit: 61.81(51.18) in AL and 71.47(97.88) in family care home - - - - -
Newcomer et al. (1994) See Table 2 57.6% of residents visited with relatives/friends 3 or more times in prior month For those who needed help with dressing, eating, or bathing, family helped 1.1%, 2.2%, and 3.1% of residents in prior 7 days, respectively For those who needed help with medications, managing money, or travel outside facility, family helped 0.9%, 39.6%, and 30.4% of residents in prior 7 days, respectively 49.9% of residents had telephone conversations with relatives/friends 3 or more times in prior month -
Mitchell & Kemp (2000) See Table 2 77% of residents indicated monthly family contact - - - - -
Pruchno & Rose (2002) 51 AL residents in a Cleveland, OH facility; assessed on time use during the prior day M = 75 minutes “interacting with family;” M = 209 minutes “with family” - - - - -
Thompson et al. (2001) Interviews with 30 residents from 5 ALs in Oklahoma 1.8 – 43.6 visits from others per month; M = 14.3 - Frequency = 9 for shopping, 1 = laundry; 6 = family takes care of “business;” 6 = family bringing items that resident needs Frequency of 1-28 for a number of activities inside and outside AL facility (e.g., playing games, reminiscing, dining out, etc.) - -
Abbey et al. (1999) Mail survey of 228 visitors (n = 216 family members) of residents in 17 residential care homes in the U.K. 89 visits per year (range = 1-365) 7% assisted residents with “personal/physical” care during typical visit 28% took the resident “out and about” and 10% helped with “chores” during typical visit 94% “socialized” with residents during typical visit - -
Erickson et al. (2000) Interviews with 101 individuals in a CCRC in upstate New York; interviewed pre-move (1995) and post-move (1997) 51.9% of parents (n = 88) visited with children several times a year 1995-1997; 27.8% visited with children less than several times a year 1995-1997 - - 86.3% of parents had weekly telephone contact with children 1995-1997; 10.0% had less than weekly telephone contact 1995-1997 - -
Stacey-Konnert & Pynoos (1992) 50 randomly selected residents in a CCRC interviewed - .56 family members provided “assistance” for n = 25 residents 2.10 family members “loaned money” to n = 14 residents .06 family members “socialized” with n = 36 residents; 1.43 family members served as “confidant” for n = 44 residents - -
Hopp (1999) In-person interviews of 617 randomly selected residents of non-randomly sampled board and care homes from urban areas in 7 states Visit frequency of family members: 22.7% weekly; 14.2% 2-3 per month; 8.2% monthly; 17.7% less than monthly; 25.9% no visits; 11.3% no available family member For those with ADL limitations (n = 206): 5.8% with received “informal” (family, friends, or other residents) help with 1 ADL For those with IADL limitations (n = 519): 26.4% received “informal” help with 1 IADL, 10.4% with 2 IADLs; 4.6% with 3-4 IADLs - - -
Kane et al. (1989; 1991) 1988 mail survey of all licensed adult foster homes in Oregon and in-person interviews with 400 randomly sampled residents 228 residents indicated regular visits with relatives or friends outside of care setting (57%); 36% indicated weekly or daily visits during last few months - - 32% of residents indicated weekly or daily telephone contact during last few months - -
Lough & Schank (1996) In-person interviews with 47 older women in 6 congregate housing units in Midwestern U.S. 44 respondents visited relative/close friend in past month - - 92% reported feeling “close” to a relative; 93% received 5 or more calls from family/friends in past month - -
Adams, Sanders, & Auth (2004) Mail survey with 234 residents in 2 independent living apartment units in northeastern U.S. Residents reported an average of 3.13 (SD = .94) visitors per week - - - - -
Mullins & Dugan (1990) Mail survey with 208 residents of 10 independent living facilities in Florida, U.S. 70% of those with children saw a child monthly; 51% of those with grandchildren saw a grandchild monthly; 27% of those with siblings or other relatives saw either monthly - - - - -
Hellström et al. (2004) Mail survey of 523 residents in “special accommodation” in southern Sweden - 97 (18.5%) reported help from informal and formal sources - - - -

NOTE: AL = assisted living facility; M = mean; SD = standard deviation