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VITAL RESEARCH TO CONDUCT 14,000 FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEWS OF MINNESOTA NURSING HOME RESIDENTS FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR

For the fourth consecutive year, the Minnesota Department of Human Services has selected Vital Research to conduct satisfaction surveys among Minnesota nursing home residents. Vital Research will interview approximately 14,000 residents in 386 of the state’s Medicaid-certified nursing homes.

As in the past, Vital Research will be responsible for training local interviewers, scheduling the interviews, and conducting face-to-face interviews with residents at each nursing home. Interviews will be conducted in March through early May 2008. Satisfaction survey results will be posted on the state’s online Nursing Home Report Card (www.health.state.mn.us/nhreportcard), sponsored by the Minnesota Departments of Health and Human Services. The public report card provides information to help consumers, family members, and professionals search for and compare nursing homes on seven quality measures, including resident satisfaction and quality of life. In 2007, the Minnesota Legislature passed a quality add-on for nursing facility reimbursement. The satisfaction survey score is one of the measures used to determine each facility’s total quality score and eligibility for an additional quality reimbursement.

Vital Research has conducted resident satisfaction surveys since 1995 and has conducted statewide surveys for Ohio and Rhode Island.

THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGING SELECTS VITAL RESEARCH TO CONDUCT RESIDENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS IN MORE THAN 1500 FACILITIES

Vital Research under contract with the Ohio Department of Aging, has completed an in-person satisfaction survey with residents of the state’s nearly 1,000 nursing facilities and 550 licensed residential care (assisted living) facilities. This was the first such statewide survey of assisted living resident satisfaction in the nation.

The Ohio Department of Aging selected Vital Research, a national leader in research methodology, through a competitive bid process. 32,196 interviews were conducted throughout the summer and early fall. The Los Angeles-based firm hired and trained Ohio residents as interviewers and worked with local facility administrators to schedule surveys and select a representative sample of residents.

Nursing home resident satisfaction ratings will join family satisfaction ratings, Ohio Department of Health inspection data and facility-entered details on the department's Long-Term Care Consumer Guide web site (www.ltcohio.org). Results of the assisted living survey will be available in the online Consumer Guide this month.

Survey results showed that Ohio nursing home residents are generally satisfied with the care they received. The average score statewide was 86.3 (out of a possible 100). Out of the 954 participating facilities with statistically significant results, 518 scored above the statewide average, earning them a “quality point” in a reimbursement formula used by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to reward quality in nursing homes.

During face-to-face interviews, nursing home residents were asked their satisfaction with environment, activities, administration, choices, direct care/nursing assistants, laundry, meals and dining, social services, and therapy, as well as their general satisfaction.

This year, family members of Ohio nursing facility residents will be surveyed about their satisfaction with the care their loved-ones receive. Residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are scheduled to be surveyed again in 2009.

VITAL RESEARCH TEAMS UP FOR A GOOD CAUSE

On May 12, nearly half of the staff from the Los Angeles office of Vital Research joined forces -- along with devoted friends and family members -- to participate in the 2007 Revlon 5K Walk/Run for Women. Vital Research gathered the largest team in the company's history to celebrate the tenth consecutive year that it has participated in the event, which raises awareness as well as critical funds for women's cancer research, counseling and outreach programs. Over the past 14 years, the Run/Walk (LA/NY) has distributed nearly $45 million to a variety of charitable organizations leading the fight against women's cancers.

DEVELOPING THE RIGHT CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS IS MORE THAN JUST GOOD BUSINESS

Drs. Courtney L. Malloy and Patricia A. Yee of Vital Research, LLC, authored an article in the Fall 2006 issue of New Directions for Evaluation, entitled "Client Relations: More Than Just Business." In the article, Drs. Malloy and Yee describe their approach to moving beyond the contractual business relationships that consultants typically develop with their clients and into a paradigm of partnership and collaboration that allows them to work together to gather information, answer critical questions, make decisions, and solve problems.

Revealing the stages of an effective working relationship
The article explores how effective client relationships progress through three specific stages as they evolve: initiation; negotiation; and maturity. During the initiation stage, the personal connection between the client and consultant begins, and the decision to work together is ultimately based on the answers to two key questions, "Do I like this person?" and "Can I work with this person?" In the negotiation stage, the real work of developing the relationship takes place as boundaries are negotiated; structures for decision-making emerge; strategies for communication and information flow are developed; and initial work is reviewed and approved. Finally, in the maturity stage, the working relationship is clearly defined and trust emerges. Mature relationships are productive and beneficial to both the client and the consultant because it is understood that they can work through unforeseen challenges and find solutions to problems that might arise.

Drawing conclusions from years of experience
Drs. Malloy and Yee draw on examples from their own work at Vital Research, LLC, to illustrate the evolution of effective client relationships and to offer strategies for independent consultants to use to improve their own client relationships. Vital Research, an independent consulting firm in Los Angeles, has worked with over 2000 clients in a variety of fields education, social services, health and commercial services and has learned firsthand that success depends as much on cultivating effective client relationships as it does on developing the right skills and expertise.

Click here to download the article (PDF)

VITAL RESEARCH CONDUCTS 14,000 INTERVIEWS FOR THE MINNESOTA NURSING HOME REPORT CARD

The Minnesota Nursing Home Report Card was recently updated and released by the Minnesota Departments of Health and Human Services. The purpose of this user-friendly, Internet-based tool is to help consumers make a more informed choice when selecting a nursing home. The previous report card, released in early 2006, generated 90,000 visits within the first month and approximately 6,000 visits in each subsequent month. The seven quality measures included in the report card are resident quality of life indicators; Minnesota quality indicators; hours of direct care received; staff retention; use of temporary nursing staff; proportion of beds in single bedrooms; and state inspection results.

In the spring of 2006, Vital Research conducted over 14,000 face-to-face interviews with residents in every nursing facility in the state. From these interviews, resident quality-of-life indicator scores were calculated, measuring resident satisfaction and quality of life for a variety of topics including; comfort, environmental adaptations, privacy, dignity, meaningful activity, food enjoyment, autonomy, individuality, security, relationships and mood.

When consumers visit the Minnesota Nursing Home Report Card web site, they are prompted to select their top three indicators of interest. Resident quality-of-life indicators are selected among the top three 80% of the time, followed by state inspection results and state quality indicators. The Minnesota report card can be viewed at www.health.state.mn.us/nhreportcard

Data collection for the 2007 report card update starts this spring.

VITAL RESEARCH PLAYS KEY ROLE IN AUDIT FOR THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES

In November 2006, the Controller of the City of Los Angeles released her audit of the Family Development Network (FDN) Program in the Community Development Department. The FDN is responsible for allocating federal entitlement grant funds to community-based partner agencies that provide services to Los Angeles neighborhoods and populations most in need.

Vital Research was retained by City Controller Laura N. Chick as a subject matter expert to provide information on industry standards and best practices for the delivery of human services. Compiling substantive research from current national, state, and local evaluations, as well as from journal articles and foundations, Vital Research supplied the audit team with information about recent developments in integrated service delivery models, needs assessments, and program evaluation models that was essential to the successful completion of the audit.

To view the entire audit report, "Performance Audit of the Family Development Network Program in the Community Development Department," visit www.lacity.org/ctr/audit_reports.htm

READERS CHOOSE VITAL RESEARCH

McKnight's Long Term Care News announced Vital Research a winner of their Readers' Choice Award in Resident Satisfaction! This Award recognizes what readers vote as the "products and services that have made the biggest impact on their work lives over the past 25 years."

Nancy Spears, Executive Director at Pennswood Village, calls Vital Research's Satisfaction Surveys something she "couldn't live without."

UNDERSTANDING RESIDENT SATISFACTION WITH FITNESS AND RECREATION SERVICES: THE WELLNESS CENTER SATISFACTION SURVEY

Courtney L. Malloy, Ph.D., and Harold N. Urman, Ph.D.

Vital Research recently developed a survey to measure resident satisfaction with wellness center (e.g., fitness centers, recreation centers, etc.) services in senior living communities. This article, written for the CAHSA NewsFront newsletter, provides an overview of findings from a recent pilot study of the survey. We discuss the benefits of wellness centers as well as how they can be used to enhance the health and quality of life for residents.

Click here for the Wellness Center article (pdf)

PASSPORT TO COMFORT

VR is pleased to announce the startup of Dr. Betty Ferrell's National Cancer Institute funded study to test the innovative Passport to Comfort model of reducing barriers to pain and fatigue management in cancer patients, being conducted at City of Hope. This five-year study represents years of preliminary research conducted to learn how to measure and understand quality of life issues in cancer patients from their perspective. We look forward to supporting this important controlled trial.

CAHSA AWARDS MARK RIDLEY-THOMAS LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

VR would like to congratulate Mark Ridley-Thomas. In the photo: Cheryl A. Wilson, CEO of St. Paul's Senior Homes and Services in San Diego and Chairperson of the CAHSA Board, Anne Burns Johnson, President and CEO of CAHSA, and Mark Ridley-Thomas.

VITAL RESEARCH WINS CAHSA'S ASSOCIATE MEMBER-OF-THE-YEAR AWARD

Presenter: Gregory D. Bearce

Vital Research received the "CAHSA Associate Member-of-the-Year" Award at CAHSA's 43rd Annual Meeting Luncheon which took place on May 5th, 2004 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, CA.

Vital Research, a research and consulting firm specializing in P and employee satisfaction surveys, is not only committed to improving the quality of life for seniors living in nursing homes and other residential settings, but also hires and works with senior workers. In May 2003, Vital Research received the prestigious Governor's Older Worker and Exemplary Employer Recognition Award recognizing their exemplary recruiting, hiring and retention practices of employees age 40 and over. More than half of Vital Research's employees are over 45 and six are in the 50-75 age bracket.

Vital Research worked with CAHSA staff and residents to develop a special resident satisfaction survey to satisfy the requirements of SB 309 for CCRCs to survey residents every two years. They have presented education programs at region meetings, including a Quality First program on Resident Satisfaction, and have helped CAHSA's advocacy efforts by participating in legislative visits during the Public Policy Conference.

VITAL RESEARCH WINS CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S AWARD

LOS ANGELES, June 17, 2003 - Los Angeles-based Vital Research, LLC, was honored at the 2003 Governor's Older Worker and Exemplary Employer Recognition Awards Luncheon as the recipient of this year's Exemplary Employer Award, which honors employers in the state who make commendable efforts to increase opportunities for older workers.

"We are quite honored to receive this award as our firm is committed to hiring employees with diverse backgrounds and from every age group," says Gwen C. Uman, R.N., Ph.D., Vital Research Partner. "This tribute is especially appropriate as our company's mission includes improving the quality of daily life for seniors."

The integration of ages, experiences and perspectives contribute to making our work environment stimulating and challenging."

The awards luncheon, hosted by the Senior Worker Advocate Office, is supported by a coalition of private and public organizations, including the California Employment Development Department, the California Department of Aging, the California Commission on Aging, the California Chamber of Commerce, and the California Employer Advisory Council.




Visit Us

AAHSA Conference

Vital Research will attend and exhibit at the 2008 Association of Homes and Services for the Aging Annual Conference and Exhibition. This year's conference will be held October 12th - October 15th in Philadelphia, PA

Our booth number is 1315. We look forward to seeing you!

VANHA Conference

Vital Research attended and exhibited at the 2008 Virginia Association of Nonprofit Homes for the Aging's 35th Annual Spring Conference. This year's conference was held May 20th - May 23rd at The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA.

NCANPHA Conference

We attended and exhibited at the 2008 North Carolina Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging's Annual Conference. This year's conference was held from May 27th - May 30 at The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC.


Conferences Attended

SCANPHA Conference


Vital Research attended and exhibited at the 2008 South Carolina Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging Conference. This year's conference and exhibition was held April 7th - April 9th in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Aging Services of California Conference

Vital Research attended and exhibited at the 2008 Aging Services of California Annual Conference and Exhibition. This year's conference was held May 5th - May 7th at the Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego, CA.