The Heidelberg instrument for the assessment of quality of life in people suffering from dementia (HILDE.) -: dimensions of quality of life and methods of operationalization

The contribution is intended to describe the theoretical background and measurement approach of H.I.L.DE., a research project aimed to develop and validate a comprehensive assessment of quality of life in nursing home residents suffering from dementia. Proceeding from the assumption that emotions are felt even in advanced stages of dementia and can be interpreted on the basis of peoples' mimic expressions, three samples of participants were recruited from 11 nursing homes of varying maintenance: 121 nursing home residents suffering from dementia, 97 professional caregivers and 101 relatives participated in the first wave of this study. Operational definition of quality of life in H.I.L.DE. proceeds from the differentiation of eight dimensions of quality of life: physical environment, social environment, quality of care, behavioral competence, medical and functional status, cognitive status, psychopathology and behavior disturbances, and subjective experiences of physical and social environment and emotional well-being. Measures of the eight dimensions involve of the eight dimensions involve data from medical examination, interviews with residents, professional caregivers and relatives, ecopsychological assessment of physical environment and analysis of care documents. First results from the H.I.L.D.E.-study are used as an illustration of the potentials of such a comprehensive approach to the measurement of quality of life.