scholarly journals Promising best practices implemented in long-term care homes during COVID-19 pandemic to address social isolation and loneliness: a scoping review protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. e053894
Author(s):  
Idrissa Beogo ◽  
Eric Nguemeleu Tchouaket ◽  
Drissa Sia ◽  
Nebila Jean-Claude Bationo ◽  
Stephanie Collin ◽  
...  

IntroductionPrior to the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation and loneliness (SIL) affected at least one-third of the older people. The pandemic has prompted governments around the world to implement some extreme measures such as banning public gatherings, imposing social distancing, mobility restrictions and quarantine to control the spread and impact of the novel coronavirus. Though these unprecedented measures may be crucial from a public health perspective, they also have the potential to further exacerbate the problems of SIL among residents in long-term care homes (LTCHs). However, some LTCHs have developed promising best practices (PBPs) to respond to the current situation and prepare for future pandemics. Key aspects of such practices revolve around maintaining and strengthening social connections between residents and their families which helps to reduce SIL. This scoping review looks at existing PBPs that have been implemented to reduce SIL among LTCH residents during the most recent pandemics.Methods and analysisWe will follow Arksey and O’Malley’s framework of scoping review, further developed by Levac et al. In addition, we will also apply the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers’ ‘Methodology for Scoping Reviews’. Ten electronic databases and grey literature will be searched for articles published from January 2003 to March 2021 in either English or French. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts and then full texts for final inclusion. Data will be extracted using a standardised form from ‘Evidence for Policy and Practice Information’. The results will be presented in a tabular form and will be summarised and interpreted using a narrative synthesis.Ethics and disseminationFormal ethical approval is not required as no primary data are collected. Findings will be used to develop a solid knowledge corpus to address the challenges of SIL in LTCHs. Our findings will help to identify cutting edge practices, including technological interventions that could support health services in addressing SIL in the context of LTCHs and our ageing society.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Fiona Höbler ◽  
Katherine S. McGilton ◽  
Walter Wittich ◽  
Kate Dupuis ◽  
Marilyn Reed ◽  
...  

Background: Hearing loss is highly prevalent in older adults, particularly among those living with dementia and residing in long-term care homes (LTCHs). Sensory declines can have deleterious effects on functioning and contribute to frailty, but the hearing needs of residents are often unrecognized or unaddressed. Objective: To identify valid and reliable screening measures that are effective for the identification of hearing loss and are suitable for use by nursing staff providing care to residents with dementia in LTCHs. Methods: Electronic databases (Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, and CINAHL) were searched using comprehensive search strategies, and a stepwise approach based on Arksey & O’Malley’s scoping review and appraisal process was followed. Results: There were 193 scientific papers included in the review. Pure-tone audiometry was the most frequently reported measure to test hearing in older adults living with dementia. However, measures including self- or other-reports and questionnaires, review of medical records, otoscopy, and the whisper test were found to be most suitable for use by nurses working with older adults living with dementia in LTCHs. Conclusion: Although frequently used, the suitability of pure-tone audiometry for use by nursing staff in LTCHs is limited, as standardized audiometry presents challenges for many residents, and specific training is needed to successfully adapt test administration procedures and interpret results. The whisper test was considered to be more suitable for use by staff in LTCH; however, it yields a limited characterization of hearing loss. There remains an urgent need to develop new approaches to screen hearing in LTCHs.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. e051602
Author(s):  
Caitlin McArthur ◽  
Adria Quigley ◽  
Rebecca Affoo ◽  
Marie Earl ◽  
Elaine Moody

IntroductionPatient engagement is important when developing health guidelines to ensure high-quality and patient-centred recommendations. However, patient engagement in research and guideline development remains suboptimal, particularly for vulnerable populations, including residents with dementia living in long-term care (LTC) who are often not included in research and guideline development because of perceived and actual challenges with their health, memory, concentration and communication. Optimal strategies and methods for engaging LTC residents with dementia in research and guideline development remain unknown.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a scoping review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension to answer the research questions: (1) What methods have been used to engage LTC residents with dementia in research and guideline development? (2) What are the outcomes of resident engagement? (3) What are the barriers and facilitators to resident engagement? Systematic searches for peer-reviewed articles will be conducted in: Academic Search Premier (EBSCO), APA PsycINFO (EBSCO), CINAHL (EBSCO), Medline (OVID), Embase (Elsevier), Web of Science, and Cochrane Database and in grey literature. Two team members will screen articles and extract data. Results will be presented according to the research question they address. We will engage stakeholders including residents, family members, healthcare providers and representatives from relevant organisations throughout the study.Ethics and disseminationThe scoping review will synthesise what is known about resident engagement in research and guideline development. It may identify gaps in the literature about the optimal methods to engage residents in performing research and developing guidelines and reveal opportunities for new methods. The results will be helpful for researchers and policy-makers seeking to develop guidelines and researchers engaging in topics that reflect the priorities and experiences of people with dementia. Results of the scoping review will be disseminated via publication in a peer-reviewed journal and conference presentations, and a one-page lay summary will be shared with our engaged stakeholders.


Author(s):  
Sheila A. Boamah ◽  
Rachel Weldrick ◽  
Tin-Suet Joan Lee ◽  
Nicole Taylor

Objectives: A wealth of literature has established risk factors for social isolation among older people, however much of this research has focused on community-dwelling populations. Relatively little is known about how risk of social isolation is experienced among those living in long-term care (LTC) homes. We conducted a scoping review to identify possible risk factors for social isolation among older adults living in LTC homes. Methods: A systematic search of five online databases retrieved 1535 unique articles. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: Thematic analyses revealed that possible risk factors exist at three levels: individual (e.g., communication barriers), systems (e.g., location of LTC facility), and structural factors (e.g., discrimination). Discussion: Our review identified several risk factors for social isolation that have been previously documented in literature, in addition to several risks that may be unique to those living in LTC homes. Results highlight several scholarly and practical implications.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e032661
Author(s):  
Abimbola A Akintola ◽  
Wilco P Achterberg ◽  
Monique A A Caljouw

IntroductionEvidence concerning the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions that are applied to people with dementia living in long-term care facilities is inconsistent. The purpose of this protocol is to describe the methodological considerations that will guide the completion of a scoping review that will inventorise and assess the effectiveness of the various non-pharmacological interventions that are documented in literature for improving quality of life of people with dementia living in long-term care.Methods and analysisThis scoping review will combine the methodology outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews and Guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews by Peterset al. PubMed; MEDLINE; CINAHL; Embase; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; Emcare; Sociological Abstracts and PsycINFO databases will be searched. Grey literature databases will also be explored. A two-stage screening process consisting of a title and abstract scan and a full-text review will be used to determine the eligibility of studies. Studies, irrespective of design, will be included that quantitatively assess quality of life of long-term care residents who receive non-pharmacological interventions for dementia. A pair of reviewers will independently assess all articles for eligibility, and all eligible articles will be abstracted and charted using a standardised form. The extracted data will undergo a ‘narrative review’ or a descriptive analysis of the contextual or process-oriented data and quantitative analysis reflecting the objectives of this scoping review.Ethics and disseminationResearch ethics approval is not required for this scoping review. This review started off in October 2018, anticipated end date is June 2020. We plan to disseminate this research through publications, presentations at relevant national and international conferences and meetings with relevant stakeholders. This scoping review protocol has been registered at Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/tupbv).


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e021985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Crick ◽  
Douglas E Angus ◽  
Chantal Backman

IntroductionThis systematic scoping review will explore the role of regulation on the care of older people living with depression in long-term care. Depression presents a significant burden to older people living in long-term care. Regulation in the long-term care sector has increased, but there are still concerns about quality of care in the sector.Methods and analysisUsing Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review methodology as a guide, our scoping review will search several databases: Embase; MEDLINE (using the OVID platform); Psych info; Ageline; and CINAHL, alongside the grey literature. An expert librarian has assisted the research team, using the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies, to assess the search strategy. The research team has formulated search strategies and two reviewers will independently screen studies for final study selection. We will summarise extracted data in tabular format; use a narrative format to describe their relevance; and finally, identify knowledge gaps and topics for future research.Ethics and disseminationThis scoping review will outline the scope of the existing literature related to the influence of regulation on the care of older people living with depression in long-term care. The scoping review findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The findings will be useful to policy-makers, managers and clinicians working in the long-term care sector.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. e022498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve Thompson ◽  
Chloe Lyn Shindruk ◽  
Adebusola Abiodun Adekoya ◽  
Lisa Demczuk ◽  
Susan McClement

IntroductionThere is a growing demand for long-term care services for older adults that embrace a model of care centred on individual recipients of care. In long-term care, models of person, resident and relationship-centred care have been developed and implemented to promote independence, decision making and choices of residents. Although the concepts of centredness have been readily adopted in these environments, what constitutes centredness is often vague and lacks conceptual clarity and definition. The research questions guiding this scoping review are: (1) What are the defining attributes, conceptual boundaries and theoretical underpinnings of each centredness term in long-term care? (2) For what purposes have centredness directed models of care been used in this context? (3) What types of study designs have been used to examine centredness in this context? (4) What outcomes related to centredness have been reported or evaluated and how were they measured in long-term care?Methods and analysisThis review uses the methodological framework for conducting a scoping review by Arksey and O’Malley. The search strategy will be applied to nine bibliographic and citation databases, Google Scholar and the grey literature. Study selection will occur in a two-step process. First, the titles and abstracts of all search results will be screened by individual reviewers. Second, a full-text review will be conducted by a pair of reviewers. To be included articles must (1) define centredness in the context of long-term care; (2) describe the defining features of centredness; (3) explore the theoretical underpinnings of centredness; (4) outline outcomes of centredness or (5) use outcome measures related to centredness. Data will be extracted from included studies and analysed using thematic analysis as described by Braun and Clark.Ethics and disseminationResearch ethics approval is not required for this scoping review. Dissemination strategies will follow a targeted and tailored approach based on study findings.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
Megan Baxter, MDEM

Background: Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are defined as residential facilities that are home to elderly patrons who are no longer able to live independently. These facilities require comprehensive emergency planning to provide the best response to the threat of a disaster for their residents. However, LTCFs are often overlooked in disaster planning, leaving them to work independently to create suitable arrangements in the event of a disaster. This article examines the literature on evacuating and compares it to the literature on sheltering-in-place for LTCFs. Conclusions regarding best practices are also provided.Methods: A literature review and Internet search were completed in July 2016. Information was entered onto a spreadsheet listing the key points of each article, which was reviewed for emerging themes.Results: Out of the 399 acquired articles and grey literature found during the research portion of this article, 30 were deemed pertinent, 22 of which appear in this article. All included articles were peer reviewed. Themes emerging from these articles include the persistent absence of research into the best practices for LTCFs during emergencies and the difficulties of evacuating and sheltering-in-place with frail populations.Conclusion: While there is no one right answer for all scenarios, sheltering-in-place appears to be the default safe option for those in LTCFs—with the assumption that the facility has taken steps toward preparation, such as purchasing generators and securing enough food, water, and medical supplies to sustain the residents, staff, and families of both for 7 days. Additionally, a LTCF needs to devise contingency plans for evacuation if necessary, to be fully prepared for a catastrophic event.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 886-886
Author(s):  
Timothy Wood ◽  
Shannon Freeman ◽  
Alanna Koopmans

Abstract During the COVID-19 pandemic, the sense of loneliness and social isolation felt by older adults in long-term care facilities has been exacerbated. Although there has been an increase in the number of digital solutions to mitigate social isolation during COVID-19, facilities in northern British Columbia do not have sufficient information regarding the technologies to support social connectedness. To support evidence-based policy decisions, a scoping review was conducted to identify existing virtual technology solutions, apps, and platforms that promote social connectedness among older adults residing in long-term care. A combination of keywords and subject headings were used to identify relevant literature within PubMed, CINAHL EBSCO, PsychINFO EBSCO, Embase OVIDSP, and Web of Science ISI databases. DistillerSR was used to screen and summarize the article selection process. Twenty-three articles were identified for full-text analysis. A variety of technologies are described which can be used to mitigate the impacts of social isolation felt by long-term care residents. However, many of these digital solutions require stable highspeed internet. This remains a challenge for facilities in northern areas as many have limited access to reliable internet. Metrics used to evaluate social engagement in the context of long-term care are also outlined. This research provides the preliminary groundwork necessary to better inform policy decisions about which technologies are available and, of these, which are effective at enhancing social connectedness for older adults in long-term care.


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