VALIDITY OF THE ALBERTA ASSESSMENT AND PLACEMENT INSTRUMENT (AAPI) FOR USE IN ADMITTING LONG-TERM-CARE CLIENTS TO HOME CARE

The Alberta Assessment and Placement Instrument (AAPI), a multidimensi onal assessment, is used to assess clients for continuing care in Albe rta. We conducted a retrospective chart review to determine the validi ty of the AAPI items for use with long-term clients who are referred t o Home Care. We were also interested in determining the status of clie nts one year after they were admitted to home care. The charts of 60 c lients admitted to home care and 60 not admitted were randomly selecte d for the year 1992, the most recent year during which a duplication o f all AAPI results was kept. The groups did not differ in demographic characteristics, measures of perceived need, number of medications, nu trition, cognitive status, psychosocial status, and use of formal and informal care providers as described in the AAPI. However, they differ ed significantly in medication management: those admitted to home care required more assistance with medication management than those not ad mitted. Therefore, use of the AAPI alone does not determine whether or not a client is admitted to home care. When the charts were followed one year after the initial administration of the AAPI, only 18 per cen t of those admitted to home care remained on home care whereas 42 per cent of those not admitted to home care were now admitted. The admissi on of a client to home care was associated with an increased likelihoo d of being admitted to a long-term care institution (OR = 6.56) or bei ng deceased (OR = 5.36) one year later.