scholarly journals The geriatric workforce: is there anybody out there to care in Romania?

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M I Ungureanu ◽  
L Paina ◽  
M G Brînzac ◽  
A Forray ◽  
V Donca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
Healthcare Facility ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Team Work ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Professional Collaboration ◽  
Market Framework ◽  
Health Labour Market

Abstract Background Demographic changes - such as population ageing - pose great challenges to health systems around the world. For the Romanian health system, challenges might be particularly difficult to address. Facing a severe under-funding and significant workforce maldistribution, the health system in Romania is called to care about both the ageing population and the workforce taking care of the elderly. The aim of this paper is to apply the health labour market framework to the geriatric workforce in Romania. Methods The paper describes the composition and distribution of the geriatrics workforce in Romania based on data in the Healthcare Facility Activity report, policy documents and available reports. Results Geriatric care is provided in Romania mainly by geriatricians employed by public hospitals. The team around geriatricians is limited to nurses only, with other professions - such as psychologists, physiotherapists and social workers - almost absent. Even though the number of geriatricians has increased country-wide over recent years (from 149 to 242), there are significant differences in their distribution at a county level. Eleven counties out of the 41 reporting to have only 1 geriatrician for populations of hundreds of thousands. Training curricula for geriatrics residents fall short of addressing team work and inter-professional collaboration. Reports show growing concern over geriatrician burnout, caused in part by inadequate team work. Faced with burnout risk, many of them report considering changing specialties, which would further aggravate the lack of comprehensive elderly care. Conclusions The geriatrics workforce in Romania is poorly developed, and significant efforts are still needed to develop policies addressing geriatrics production, inflows and outflows, and maldistribution and inefficiencies. Moreover, addressing burnout by improving teamwork and collaboration is vital for maintaining and improving the workforce morale and motivation.

scholarly journals The geriatric workforce in Romania: the need to improve data and management

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. iv28-iv31
Author(s):  
Marius-Ionuţ Ungureanu ◽  
Monica Georgiana Brînzac ◽  
Alina Forray ◽  
Ligia Paina ◽  
Lucreţia Avram ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Workforce Development ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Healthcare Facility ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Adequate Care ◽  
Health Labour Market ◽  
High Workload ◽  
Comprehensive Health ◽  
Front Line Workers

Abstract Facing severe under-funding and significant workforce maldistribution, the health system in Romania is challenged to provide adequate care for the ageing population. The aim of this article is to connect health labour market data of the geriatrics workforce in Romania with individual perceptions of front-line workers in geriatrics in order to better understand the ‘human’ factors of effective health workforce development. Comprehensive health workforce data are not available; we therefore used a rapid scoping review and interviews to combine quantitative and qualitative data sources, such as the ‘Healthcare Facility Activity Report’, policy documents and available reports. They show that despite a consistent increase in the overall number of geriatricians, their majority is based in Bucharest, the capital city. The initial review points to possible geriatrician burnout, caused in part by high workload. The geriatrics workforce in Romania is poorly developed. Significant efforts are still needed to create policies addressing inflows and outflows, training, maldistribution and inefficiencies related to their practice. Addressing burnout by improving teamwork and collaboration is vital for maintaining and improving the workforce morale and motivation. Two major policy recommendations emerged: an urgent need for better health workforce data in Romania and development of more effective workforce management.

scholarly journals Exploring the facet of elderly care centre in multiethnic Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Filzah Md Isa ◽  
Shaista Noor ◽  
Goh Wei Wei ◽  
Sharifah Diyana Binti Syed Hussain ◽  
Hairunnisa Mohamad Ibrahim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Trained Staff ◽  
The Government

Purpose Malaysia is considered to be a relatively young country as compared to other older countries such as Japan, China and Australia in terms of the ageing population. However, until 2035, Malaysia will be in the ageing group countries as 15% of the entire population will be above 60 years of age. This situation is quite alarming as more and more ageing care centres will be required to fulfill the ongoing demands of the ageing population. The elderly care centres in Malaysia are categorised as public (sponsored by the government), private, and charity based that comes under religious centres. Currently, there are about 365 registered elderly care centres working in the main states of Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak, two states of the East Malaysia. Due to the importance of ageing population issues, the present study is conducted to explore the demographics facet of Malaysian’s elderly care centres. The main reason behind that lies on the fact that many of these centres are still labelled as being not well equipped and lacking behind in trained staff, equipment and also suffering from severe financial constraints but some still capable of working on a sustainability basis. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative Research Strategy has been adopted, and 28 centres throughout Malaysia are included in this study. About 18 Operators from different centres and 15 caregivers were interviewed to get the holistic view of ageing care and facilities in their respective centres. Findings The results highlight that the majority of centres are not receiving any financial help from the government, and few centres are doing small business such as supplying consumable medical and non-medical items and providing renting and rehabilitation centres facilities to sustain. The caregivers are facing issues such as excess workload, less salary, peer conflicts and non-cooperative centre leadership. Originality/value The present study may help to provide useful information to the policymakers, which enables them to formulate the strategies for ageing care centres in Malaysia. As this study provides insight of components that have an impact on the overall wellbeing of elderly care centres, hence, it could help the care services providers to act as a rising star for Malaysian’s social life comfort.

scholarly journals Medgeneracijsko sodelovanje: interes mladih za delo in pomoč starostnikom

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goran Vukovič ◽  
Andrej Raspor ◽  
Nuša Erman ◽  
Bojan Macuh
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Older People ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
Institutional Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Social Gerontology ◽  
Professional Career ◽  
Homes For The Elderly ◽  
Trained Staff

The aim of the research is to present an interest of young people in giving help to the elderly through institutional and non-institutional care. We live in a time when global and consequently also Slovenian society became strongly aware of importance of the elderly as one of its consisting part. So, it has to be stressed that additional study programmes should be introduced which will bring education in various fields of social gerontology. This need was particularly emphasized during the COVID-19 epidemic, when all homes for the elderly faced the lack of trained staff. The aim of the paper is examination of a topic summarized in a questionnaire which was used to find out how well present and future students know problems of older people and their ways of life. We also asked them, whether they would be willing to dedicate their professional career to dealing with ageing population. We realised that young people know that work with the elderly is strenous. They are acquainted with problems of ageing and ways of older people living. Furthermore, they are aware that dealing with the elderly requires much benevolence, empathy and personal respect to other people. It is recommended that offer of education in a field of elderly care gets improved and upgraded. It would lead to a higher number of young people who would decide to enrol into educational programmes of social gerontology.

scholarly journals Myten om eldrebølgen

2018 ◽  
pp. 75-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Christensen
Keyword(s):  
Old Age ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
The Public ◽  
Demographic Challenges ◽  
The World ◽  
Working Age ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Over Time

Title: The myth of the “Elder Boom”. Summary: The ageing population represents today one of the most central demographic challenges in many countries of the world, including Norway. In the public debate about the ageing population, the metaphor “Elder Boom” is increasingly being used. This article gives insight into the discussion in Norway and shows that the metaphor “Elder Boom” does not represent a constructive contribution to the ageing-population debate. The article provides arguments against two implications of the “Boom” metaphor: that ageing people are unwanted in society, and that older people represent a huge and increasing amount of welfare dependency. It shows how society over time has strived to control diseases (such as tuberculosis) in order to increase life expectancy. Society does, in fact, see old age as one of its major achievements, not as a problem as implied in the “Elder Boom” metaphor. The article also demonstrates how social policies implemented in the elderly-care sector in Norway have increasingly reduced services to elderly people while increasing allocation to younger people still of working age. By pointing out these changes in old age and elderly care over time, the article is a contribution to put an end to the myth of an “Elder Boom”. Overall, it contributes to the understanding of how this myth, bolstered by the Western world’s ideal of (welfare) independence, both stigmatizes and misconstrues elderly people’s dependency on the welfare state, which is in fact decreasing for various reasons.

scholarly journals State responsibility in caring for elderly people

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Nahid Ferdousi
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Senior Citizens ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Legal Rights ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Private And Public

Elderly is an obvious reality and last stage of human life cycle. In practice, most of the elderly people in our country suffer from some basic human problems, such as poor financial support, absence of proper health and medicine facilities, family negligence, deprivation, and socioeconomic insecurity. Moreover, there are no separate facilities for the old people in public transports, at ticket counters, banks and hospitals etc. In both private and public hospitals, there are no separate geriatrics departments for elderly care. It is the responsibility of the society to give these elderly people      priorities in getting all civic services, including hospitals, banks, offices and courts. In Bangladesh, there are resource constraints, capacity problems, infrastructural   weaknesses, education deficiencies, and poor attitudes and expectations in relation to caring for elderly people. Elderly people mostly suffer from some physical illness and they need comprehensive medical care services. Provision of health care for elderly people at various sites such as hospitals, nursing homes, old age homes and other places of shelter should be within the umbrella of legislative protection of rights and effective legal redress mechanism should be in place to guard against violations of rights. It is an ethical and moral responsibility to extend best care towards senior citizens so that they can pass their ending days of life with respect, proper care, and security. There is need to establish standards for service care providers, including in-home, community-based and residential settings. Every social policy should include a policy of active aging for elderly population. In addition, concerned personnel should assist the senior citizens so that they can enjoy their legal rights properly.

scholarly journals Identifying latent needs in elderly digital literacy: the PROADAS study

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Prodromou ◽  
G Lavranos
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Learning Material ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Ict Skills ◽  
Delphi Approach

Abstract Background According to the Digital Agenda for Europe (2014 - 2020) enhancing digital literacy, skills and inclusion is one of the main priorities. All European elderly people must become e-seniors as soon as possible. On the hand, active ageing means that senior citizens activate themselves in order to be as independent as possible. As a result, triggering these new digital tools and ICT skills can assist the elderly to be a more integrated part of our society. The Erasmus+ Proadas project promotion of Active Digital Ageing Skills aims at tackling the gap between ageing population and digital literacy and strengthening and reinforcing the stakeholders, experts and practitioners, by identifying the needs of elderly people and their carers regarding technology. Methods The study was conducted in January 2019 in all six countries participating in the Proadas project. 35 carers and their assigned seniors were selected via convenience sampling by a minimum of three best practices- centres of excellence per country. A twelve-question close format questionnaire was developed, using a Delphi approach and completed by all participants. All data was analysed using SPPS 20. Results A total of 188 responders from all six countries agreed to participate response rate 89.5% of which 51.5% women. Age varied significantly between 20-75 years. Regarding existing ICT skills participants in all countries were familiar with basic use of computer and internet but very few used advance services. There was unanimous agreement that learning is facilitatedwith the help of family or friends. A combination of traditional and digital learning format was deemed most appropriate. The main obstacles involved lack of trainers, motivation and suitable educators. Conclusions There is latent need for the integration of ICT in elderly care. The development of suitable learning material and the involvement of motivated carers are key strategies for the successful implementation of such a reform. Key messages ICT is insufficiently used for elderly health education. Digital health can be beneficial for the elderly and their carers.

A survey of assistive robots and systems for elderly care

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthik Kumar Santhanaraj ◽  
Ramya M.M. ◽  
Dinakaran D.
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Holistic Care ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Aged People ◽  
To Come

Purpose The rousing phenomenon of the ageing population is becoming a vital issue and demanding fulminant actions. Population ageing is a resultant of the enhanced health-care system, groovy antibiotics, medications and economic well-being. Old age leads to copious amounts of ailments. Aged people, owing to their reduced mobility and enervating disabilities, tend to rely upon caretakers and/or nursing personnel. With the increasing vogue of nuclear families in the society, the elderly are at the risk of being unveiled to emotional, physical and fiscal insecurities in the years to come. Caring for those seniors will be an enormous undertaking. Design/methodology/approach There is a dire need for an intelligent assistive system to meet out the requirements of continuous holistic care and monitoring. Assistive robots and systems used for elderly care are studied. The design motivation for the robots, elderly–robot interaction capabilities and technology incorporated in the systems are examined meticulously. Findings From the survey, it is suggested that the subsystems of an assistive robot revamped for better human–machine interactions will be a potential alternative to the human counterpart. Affirmable advancements in the robot design and interaction methodologies that would increase the holistic care and assistance for aged people are analyzed and listed. Originality/value This paper reviews the available assistive technologies and suggests a synergistic model that can be adopted for the caring of the elderly.

Ageing and Elderly Care in Kerala

China Report ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 354-373
Author(s):  
S. Irudaya Rajan ◽  
Aneeta Shajan ◽  
S. Sunitha
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Care For The Elderly ◽  
Basic Care ◽  
Care Response ◽  
Suitable Environment

This article presents an overview of the elderly in Kerala and describes various dimensions of elderly care and concerns, based on data from the Kerala Ageing Survey (KAS) 2013, conducted by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The article looks into the main issues, policies and programmes related to ageing and elderly care practices in Kerala and also addresses the basic care response at three levels: household, institutional and society. The ageing process in Kerala is witnessing an increase in the ratio of elderly population along with fundamental changes in families and communities. Hence, in order to accommodate the needs of the ageing population in society, various systems need to be reconstructed. The concerns and issues surrounding the ageing population requires long-term attentiveness and forward planning, where policies must be adopted with consideration for cultural and social contexts. Care for the elderly should focus on a holistic combination of health care, socio-economic protection and provision of a suitable environment for better quality of life.

Leadership and decision making challenges among elderly care centre operators: case of multi-ethnic Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 512-526
Author(s):  
Filzah Md Isa ◽  
Shaista Noor ◽  
Nik Maheran Nik Mohammad ◽  
Mohd Muttaqin Mohd Adnan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Care Centre ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Challenges ◽  
The Government

Purpose The ageing population is a rising issue worldwide, including in Malaysia, which leads to an increase in older people compared to children. Malaysia is a relatively “younger” country compared to its Asian counterparts such as Japan and China. The demographic projections by the Department of Statistics of Malaysia state that by 2035 approximately 15% of its population would be above 60 years old. The powerful demographic trend of the ageing of the Malaysian population has consequences for the entire society and its economy. One of the biggest challenges for the Malaysian Government is to provide adequate facilities to the elderly in terms of care and support. For this purpose, around 365 registered and various unregistered centres are working throughout Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak. The government, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and various religious organisations run these centres. These centres provide residential and health-care services to elderlies, whereas the centre’s operators face multiple challenges in the overall operation of the centre. The purpose of this study to highlight the leadership and decision making challenges among elderly care centre operators. Design/methodology/approach The result highlights that both men and women operators face leadership and decision-making challenges for centre management. Regarding decision-making, women are experiencing more failures in proper decision-making than men. However, women operators are keen to learn from failures for appropriate decision-making. Findings The result highlights that both men and women operators face leadership and decision-making challenges for centre management. Regarding decision-making, women are experiencing more failures in proper decision-making than men. However, women operators are keen to learn from failures for appropriate decision-making. The present study will help the new operators to persevere in their business ventures, and policymakers look into the best supports to enhance elderly care centre operator’s success. Originality/value The present study will help the new operators to persevere in their business ventures, and policymakers look into the best supports to enhance elderly care centre operator’s success.

scholarly journals The community residents’ NIMBY attitude on the construction of community ageing  care service centres: a cross-sectional study 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Yu ◽  
Yue-Hong Han ◽  
Yin Sun ◽  
Xu-Dong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Care Service ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Perceived Benefit ◽  
Community Residents

Abstract Background: China is the country with the largest elderly population. To actively respond to this ageing population, China has proposed the Community Aged Care Service Centre (CACSC) network as the major elderly care development policy. However, many residents resisted the development of the CACSC network, which affected its smooth implementation. Based on the theory of “Not in My Backyard” (NIMBY), this paper proposes a model of the influencing factors of community residents on the opposition to the construction of CACSCs. Methods: In this study, residents of urban communities over the age of 20 in mainland China were the research target. After a total of 509 questionnaires were collected through online surveys, using IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 and IBM SPSS Amos 24.0 to analyse the data. Results: The research results show that superstition, the NIMBY attitude, and perceived risk have a significant positive impact on the opposition to the construction of CACSCs, while the negative impact of perceived benefit on the opposition intention is not significant. Moreover, perceived knowledge has a significant positive impact on perceived benefit and a significant negative impact on superstition and perceived risk. Conclusions: Strengthen policy advocacy on ageing, clarify the service content of CACSC and encourage young people to participate in public welfare activities for the elderly can reduce the opposition of community residents to the construction of a CACSC.

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