Validation of the Environmental Audit Scoring Evaluation (Ease) Tool for LTC Households

Abstract

This poster will share the results from a research initiative funded by the National Institutes of Health to assess the validity of the Environmental Audit Scoring Evaluation (EASE) tool in its ability to distinguish between different types of skilled care models based on the environmental and operational practices that can be observed and documented. The EASE tool was compared against three existing tools; PEAP, TESS-NH, and EAT-HC. Twenty-eight living areas in nursing homes across the state of Kansas identified as a traditional, household, or hybrid model were observed. The scores of the EASE were compared against the scores of three existing tools in order to evaluate its construct validity. The EAT-HC was most closely related to the EASE, with an R-value of 0.8817. The PEAP and the TESS-NH were less correlated to the EASE, with R-values of 0.8175 and 0.7097, respectively. Results found that the EASE was able to distinguish between traditional and homelike settings, though it could not identify hybrid models with a high degree of certainty. The analysis of variance between homelike and traditional homes was significant at 0.016, while the variance between homelike and hybrid and between hybrid and traditional were not significant. Inter-rater reliability of the EASE was consistently high (.96 and above). The outcomes demonstrated the EASE tool was able to assess the homelike characteristics of the environment of nursing homes better than or equally as well as previously validated tools.

Evaluation of environmental assessment tools for settings for individuals living with dementia

“…Therefore, new tools should seek to specifically address the household model of design. It is worth noting that a new assessment tool, the Environmental Audit Scoring Evaluation (EASE), is currently undergoing psychometric evaluation, and it is specifically designed to focus on the household model as a deep expression of PCC values 68 . The EASE also incorporates the needs of staff more directly.…”

“…But there are differences in evaluating a design during its development versus a complete, built setting, and the field would benefit from more tools specifically designed to be used during design. To this end, the EASE, 68 described above, and a new version of the EAT called the EAT‐PLAN 70 are specifically geared to be used during the design process.…”