Table 3 Measurements on living unit level

Conceptual domain

Operational definition

Number of items

Empirical measure

General characteristics

Number of beds in long term care / respite care

2

Free-text

Number of residents at day of data collection in long term care / respite care

2

Free-text

Staff characteristics

Staff divided in subgroups working on the ward at certain times (4) (registered nurses (RN) / nursing assistants (NA) / nursing students / additional care staff / facilitating services)

36

Free-text

RN and NA are constantly allocated to the unit

1

Yes/No

Service workers are constantly allocated to the unit

1

Yes/No

Continuous presence of a RN during day shift

1

Yes/No

Qualification of the head nurse of the unit (Psychogeriatrics / Psychiatry / Palliative care)

3

3-response option

Characteristics of living environment

Number of single / double / multi-shared rooms

3

Free-text

Dementia specific architecture

1

Yes/No

Time span since last modernization

1

6-response option

Permission of residents to bring own furniture

1

Yes/No

Furnishing of public rooms (more functional / functional and individual / more individual)

1

3-response option

Permission to bring a pet

1

Yes/No

Possibility to have contact with animals

1

Yes/No

Accessible (safe-guarded) outdoor area

1

Yes/No

Preparation of meals in the living-unit

1

Yes/No

* Preparation of breakfast / lunch / coffee & tea / dinner / snacks

5

Yes/No

Meal serving system (tablet / served by staff / buffet / home-like)

3

Yes/No

Living and Care Concept

Living arrangement (integrative/segregative)

1

2-response option

Structural segregation

1

Yes/No

Exit control

1

Yes/No

Special refinancation of segregative living unit (SLU)

1

Yes/No

* Scope of refinanciation (staff / concept / structure / others)

4

Yes/No

* Criteria for admission to SLU (diagnosis of dementia / care level / dementia severity / challenging behaviour / mobility / others)

6

Yes/No

Provision of dementiacare

Performance of case conferences (CC)

1

Yes/No

* Characteristics of CC: CC are following a structured procedure / CC are conducted multidisciplinary / an external moderator is involved if needed / invitation of residents / relatives / results are recorded / results are evaluated / during CC’s staff has no other duties

7

Yes/No

* Occupational groups invited to CC (residents / relatives / legal guardian / head nurse / nurses / additional care staff / physicians / therapists / others)

9

Yes/No

* Time schedule of CC

1

3-response option

* Location of case conference (conference room / nurses office / staff recreation room)

1

3-response option

* Frequency of disruptions of CC due to work demands on the living unit

1

4-response option

Snoezelen equipment on the living unit

1

Yes/No

Performance of physical activities (PA): duration

8

Free-text

Performance of PA: frequency

8

3-response option

PA for residents with mobility restrictions

1

Yes/No