scholarly journals Learning Together During a Pandemic Lockdown: Connecting Older Mentors with Nursing Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 951-951
Author(s):  
Alison Phinney ◽  
Frances Affleck
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Education ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Older People ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Nursing education tends to focus on complex clinical issues affecting older adults who are acutely ill or in long-term care. This creates challenges for educators wanting to expose students to a greater range of experience, including realities of healthy aging. Opportunities to do things differently were presented when an established undergraduate nursing course on complex aging care underwent significant adjustment in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the course was condensed and moved online and clinical sites closed, invitations were extended to community-dwelling older people who wanted to “help teach nursing students about aging”. The response was overwhelming; over nine days, 118 people (ages 65-94) volunteered to be mentors. Through weekly online/ phone conversations, each person guided their assigned student to learn about diverse experiences of aging. Post-survey results showed the impact of these conversations. Over 90% of mentors felt they had contributed in a meaningful way to student learning and would do it again and recommend it to others. 85% of students felt it was a meaningful experience, offering comments like: “I am more mindful of my assumptions now” and “I learned to approach interactions with older adults as a collaboration; we have so much to give each other”. These results provide a needed counterpoint to the predominant COVID discourse of older people as “isolated, helpless, and needy”. Students came to understand that older people were also “engaged, active, and contributing” and identified how this had changed their view of aging. Implications for nursing education are explored.

scholarly journals Curricula Innovation to Positively Influence Preference for Working With Older Adults: A Review of the Literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 546-546
Author(s):  
Christine Brewer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Education ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Education Interventions ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Few nursing students show preference in working with older adults. The purpose of this study was to review the U.S. nursing education evidence-based literature to determine curricula innovation to positively influence preference for working with older adults. CINAHL, Medline, Ovid Emcare, PsychInfo, and PubMed databases were searched for relevant U.S studies published between 2009 and 2020 using the search terms “nursing students”, “geriatrics OR gerontology OR older adults OR elderly OR aging”, “career OR work”, and “choice OR preference OR attitude”. Nine studies were eligible for inclusion. Nursing education may play a role in influencing how students perceive and prefer to work with older adults. Promising interventions include stand-alone gerontology courses, intergenerational service-learning experiences, and clinical experiences with community dwelling older adults. More evidence-based research with larger sample sizes are needed to determine effective nursing education interventions to improve nursing students’ attitude and preference for working with older adults.

scholarly journals Digital Health Interventions for Healthy Aging: A Qualitative User Evaluation and Ethical Assessment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello Ienca ◽  
Christophe Schneble ◽  
Reto Kressig ◽  
Tenzin Wangmo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Functional Independence ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Healthy Ageing ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract BackgroundDigital health technologies are being increasingly developed with the aim of allowing older adults to maintain functional independence throughout the old age, a process known as healthy ageing. Such digital health technologies for healthy ageing are expected to mitigate the socio-economic effects of population ageing and improve the quality of life of older people. However, little is known regarding the views and needs of older people regarding these technologies. AimThe aim of this study is to explore the views, needs and perceptions of community-dwelling older adults regarding the use of digital health technologies for healthy ageing. MethodFace-to-face, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with community-dwelling older adults (median age 79.6 years). The interview process involved both abstract reflections and practical demonstrations. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to inductive content analysis. ResultsThree main themes and twelve sub-themes emerged. The three main themes revolved around the following thematic areas: favorable views and perceptions on technology-assisted living, usability evaluations and ethical considerations. ConclusionsOur study reveals a generally positive attitude towards digital health technologies as participants believed digital tools could positively contribute to improving their overall wellbeing, especially if designed in a patient-centered manner. Safety concerns and ethical issues related to privacy, empowerment and lack of human contact also emerged as key considerations.

scholarly journals EAST MEETS WEST: IMPROVING HEALTH AND LONG-TERM CARE FOR OLDER ADULTS IN THE U.S. AND CHINA

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S243-S244
Author(s):  
Bei Wu ◽  
Jie Hua Lu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Panel Discussion ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Spousal Caregiving ◽  
Pragmatic Clinical Trials ◽  
The U.S

Abstract As the number of older adults in the U.S. and China continues to increase, promoting healthy aging is essential for individuals, family, and society. Both countries face many similar issues due to their aging populations, including prolonging healthy life expectancy and providing quality of care. However, the change in demographics brings with it unique challenges for both the U.S and China. This forum invites scholars and researchers from these two countries to share their knowledge and insights on promoting healthy aging and improving care for older adults. This forum includes five presentations and one-panel discussion. Two presentations will focus on long-term care (LTC) in China, one is to forecast the needs of LTC in the next five decades, and the other is to evaluate the current LTC needs and discuss LTC policy. Using the data from the Health and Retirement Study, the third presentation aims to re-conceptualize spousal caregiving as a dyad-level phenomenon and provides a dynamic view of the spousal caregiving experiences. The last two presentations will focus on promoting healthy aging through clinical interventions. The fourth one is to evaluate the effectiveness of adaptive computer-based cognitive training among community-dwelling older adults in China. The last presentation provides some examples of using pragmatic clinical trials to improve the care of older adults in skilled nursing facilities in the U.S. After the five presentations, the three panelists will provide feedback to the presentations and share their views on healthy aging with the audience.

scholarly journals Implementing a Positive Learning Experience Related to Older Adults for Undergraduates: A Toolkit

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 546-546
Author(s):  
Ann Scheve ◽  
Elizabeth Bruderle
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Clinical Setting ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Intergenerational Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing Students ◽  
Constructive Feedback ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing ◽  
Practical Guidelines

Abstract Undergraduate nursing students are frequently exposed to older adults in the clinical setting, where they assess and manage their diseases and its consequences. But that is not enough! To support healthy aging, students need positive intergenerational learning experiences with older adults to discover the gifts of aging early in their curriculum. The goal of these experiences is to help students reflect on their thoughts about aging and reframe how they view older adults. During this presentation we will provide a tool kit based on our experience incorporating positive intergenerational learning early in our curriculum, offer practical guidelines and share constructive feedback.

scholarly journals Disability and Long-Term Care in Singapore

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 705-705
Author(s):  
Cynthia Chen Huijun ◽  
Ngee Choon Chia
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
International Comparisons ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Life Lessons ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Public systems for long term care (LTC) redistribute resources between generations. Population aging is one of the most significant transformations in the 21st century, where the number of older persons aged 60 years and above is expected to double by 2050, rising to 2.1 billion. We used the Future Elderly Model (FEM) to project the impact of population aging in Singapore up to the year 2050. The FEM is a dynamic economic and demographic microsimulation model. By 2050, the total number of older adults with potential limitation in activities of daily living (ADL) was projected to increase to 275 thousand (18.9%). With the increasing prevalence of disability and chronic diseases, older adults might not have sufficient savings to meet future needs sustainably, despite the expansion of disability insurance from ElderShield to CareShield Life. Lessons and best practices for LTC could be transferred from our experiences to other aging cities globally. Part of a symposium sponsored by International Comparisons of Healthy Aging Interest Group.

scholarly journals Addressing Needs of Older Adults in Low-Income Independent Living Facilities in Community Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 328-329
Author(s):  
Lisa Rauch ◽  
Toby Adelman ◽  
Daryl Canham ◽  
Nancy Dudley
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Complex Care ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing ◽  
Complex Care Needs ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Access to quality care in long-term care settings including independent living facilities is needed for a diverse high-risk aging U.S. population. There is an urgent need to assess and address complex care needs of older adults living longer with chronic conditions and serious illness. However, a system to assess and identify health problems, intervene, and evaluate outcomes is lacking. This session presents learnings from a pilot study developed in collaboration with Nurse Managed Centers at low-income independent living facilities for older adults and undergraduate nursing students in community health practice. We will discuss the adaptation of the Omaha System for provision of care in independent living facilities to address complex care needs. Finally, we will discuss the impact of this project and its potential for healthcare transformation in independent living facilities and transformation of education in undergraduate nursing programs.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Attitudes towards Older People in Undergraduate Nursing Students

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1231
Author(s):  
Lourdes López-Hernández ◽  
Francisco Miguel Martínez-Arnau ◽  
Elena Castellano-Rioja ◽  
Marta Botella-Navas ◽  
Pilar Pérez-Ros
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Older People ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Previous Experience ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing Students ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing

Background: The population of older people is increasing worldwide. The social and healthcare systems need many nurses to care for the elderly. Positive attitudes increase the preference to work with older people and improve the quality of care. This study describes attitudes towards the elderly in a sample of nursing students, and analyzes the potential factors influencing these attitudes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in nursing students during the academic course 2017–2018. Kogan’s Attitude Toward Old People Scale was used to assess student attitudes towards older people. Results: The study included 377 undergraduate nursing students, of which 75.9% were women. The mean age was 22.23 (5.69) years. Attitude proved positive, with a mean Kogan’s score of 131.04 (12.66). Women had higher scores than men, with a mean difference of 7.76 (95% CI: 4.87–10.66; p < 0.001). The male sex, age ≥ 25 years, and previous experience with institutionalized older adults worsened attitudes, while studying the subject of geriatrics, each higher course within the degree, work placements in hospitals and nursing homes, and previous experience with community older adults or with older relatives favored a more positive attitude. Participants with no interest in working with older adults yielded lower scores. Conclusions: Attitudes towards the elderly among nursing students are positive. Women have a more positive attitude. Analyzing the factors that improve attitudes in nursing students is suggested, as it may contribute to improve nursing care.

scholarly journals 443Factors associated with frailty in a relatively healthy community-dwelling older adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A R M Saifuddin Ekram ◽  
Joanne Ryan ◽  
Sara Espinoza ◽  
Anne Newman ◽  
Anne Murray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Study Cohort ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Frailty Status ◽  
Healthy Cohort ◽  
Trial Participants

Abstract Background Frailty is gaining importance as a predictor of disability and mortality in aged adults, and becoming frail poses a challenge for healthy aging. We investigated the prevalence and factors associated with pre-frail and frail status in a large study cohort of community-dwelling healthy older adults from Australia and the United States. Methods A total of 19,114 individuals (87% Australian and 56% women) aged 65 years or older enrolled in a primary prevention clinical trial were evaluated. Frailty status was classified using the modified Fried phenotype criteria comprising exhaustion, body mass index, grip strength, gait speed and physical activity. Prevalence and factors associated with frailty status (e.g., demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors) were reported using descriptive statistics along with a logistic regression model. Results At baseline, 39.0% (95% CI: 38.3, 39.7) of older trial participants were pre-frail and 2.2% (95% CI: 2.0, 2.4) were frail, respectively. Women were more likely to be frail (65.1% vs. 36.9%) and prefrail (58.0% vs. 42.0%) than men. Lower levels of education (&lt;12 years), living alone, ethnic minorities, current smoking and past alcohol use were some of the factors which were common among frail or prefrail. Conclusions Despite being a relatively healthy cohort, more than one-third of the older trial participants were pre-frail, which was more prevalent among specific subgroups of individuals. This study emphasizes the high burden of the prefrailty status even among a healthy cohort of community-dwelling older people. Key messages The burden of prefrailty is high, even among a healthy cohort of older people in the communities.

scholarly journals Presbyphagia to Dysphagia: Multiple Perspectives and Strategies for Quality Care of Older Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (03) ◽  
pp. 227-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashwini M. Namasivayam-MacDonald ◽  
Luis F. Riquelme
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Functional Changes ◽  
Critical Components ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe aging population is rapidly growing, requiring speech–language pathologists to better manage a caseload that includes older adults who have a variety of needs. The purpose of this review is to summarize and discuss the current available evidence that will allow speech–language pathologists to make informed clinical decisions when working with older adults. To facilitate this, this article first establishes an understanding of both normal and disordered swallowing physiology in older adults, including how to differentiate between functional changes to swallowing (presbyphagia) and dysphagia. Other important factors to consider, such as caregiver burden, are also discussed so that clinicians can learn how to best support aging in place. Best practices for screening both community-dwelling older adults and residents of long-term care are identified as part of a framework introduced to guide decision making. The critical components of clinical swallow assessments are reviewed, including the adoption of an ethnographic approach and why nutritional status, urinary tract infections, and delirium are important considerations when working with older adults. Factors contributing to, and associated with, aspiration and aspiration pneumonia are also discussed so that clinicians better understand how to take a comprehensive approach to care, as well as consider the impact and influence of a temporary dysphagia versus a more chronic presentation. Finally, the evidence for management of dysphagia in this specialized population is reviewed, highlighting the importance of identifying physiological deficits, feedback, and taking a multidisciplinary approach to care.

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