Researchers have developed a novel “home time” metric aiming to better evaluate the quality of life for older adults by quantifying the time spent at home versus various healthcare settings.
Methodology and Expert Collaboration
The study employed an iterative Delphi approach, engaging 28 experts from Veterans Affairs leadership, clinical, and non-clinical research backgrounds. Through multiple voting rounds and in-depth discussions, the panel determined the essential components of the home time measure, considering settings like emergency departments, inpatient care, and post-acute care.
Study Insights
Key inferences from the expert panel include:
- A significant majority (75%) supported including all major healthcare settings in the home time measure.
- Over half (56%) recommended exploring weighted values to differentiate the impact of each setting on quality of life.
- A majority (65%) indicated that the optimal timeframe for measuring home time should be adaptable based on specific circumstances.
The resulting six-month model successfully integrated days spent across various settings, providing a comprehensive view of quality of life outcomes for older adults.
Implementing this universal home time measure offers a more nuanced assessment of care quality, potentially guiding policy decisions and improving patient-centered outcomes by highlighting the importance of maintaining time at home.
Future steps include validating the measure further with expert input to refine its accuracy and applicability. Such advancements will ensure that the home time metric effectively captures the complex dynamics influencing older adults’ quality of life in different care settings.
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