Art Activities in Long-Term Care: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 000841742110644
Author(s):  
Evelyne Durocher ◽  
Janet Njelesani ◽  
Emily Crosby

Background: Outcomes of using art in therapy overlap with goals of occupational therapy with older adults in long-term care, which include improving and maintaining health and well-being through engagement in occupations. There is a lack of evidence about how art activities could complement or inform occupational therapy. Purpose: The purpose of this scoping review is to map existing literature about how art activities are used in long-term care. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched. Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria and were analyzed to identify patterns and discrepancies. Findings: The analysis suggests art activities can contribute to well-being by improving mood, promoting communication and reminiscence, and supporting the development and deepening of social relationships. Implications: Occupational therapists should consider incorporating art activities as these offer therapeutic benefits and can be adapted to individual strengths and preferred type and level of participation.

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-153
Author(s):  
Jennifer Bethell ◽  
Hannah M. O'Rourke ◽  
Heather Eagleson ◽  
Daniel Gaetano ◽  
Wayne Hykaway ◽  
...  

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on long-term care (LTC) homes in Canada. But the measures put in place to control infection within LTC homes have also had devastating impacts on the health and well-being of residents through the effects on social connection. Here, we offer guiding principles to enable social connection and promote health and quality of life for LTC residents during COVID-19 and beyond. These principles were generated by a working group of the CO­VID-19 and Dementia Task Force, convened by the Alzheimer Society of Canada to identify the urgent and emerging issues raised by COVID-19 for Canadians with dementia.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Lombard

PurposeInterpersonal skills are increasingly important tools in long-term care with older people, especially against the backdrop of loneliness affecting older people and expectations for a person-centred, joined-up approach. However, the term is used as a composite and its definition lacks shape and focus. In existing literature, participants appear to be selected on the basis of specific illnesses rather than age. Better understanding of the features of everyday communication processes associated with person-centred care can lead to improvements in policy and practice.Design/methodology/approachA scoping review examined communication features associated with person-centred care for older adults. This identified the extent and nature of literature. Several databases were searched; after screening and hand-searching, 31 were included. Findings were analysed for patterns and contradictions, against the objectives of person-centred and integrated care.FindingsEmotional intelligence and the ability to employ various communication styles are crucial skills of person-centred communication. Such approaches can have positive effects on the well-being of older people.Research limitations/implicationsSome studies' validity was weakened by methodological designs being founded on value judgements.Practical implicationsUsing personalised greetings alongside verbal and non-verbal prompts to keep residents emotionally connected during personal care is considered good practice. Stimulating feedback from people using services and their relatives is important.Originality/valueThe role of communication is highlighted in many professional guidance documents on person-centred and integrated care, but the process of implementation is decentralised to individual employers and workers. This paper draws on the findings of contemporary literature, grounded in naturalistic data, with implications for practice and policy.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e033240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Bethell ◽  
Jessica Babineau ◽  
Andrea Iaboni ◽  
Robin Green ◽  
Rachelle Cuaresma-Canlas ◽  
...  

IntroductionSocial well-being is associated with better physical and mental health. It is also important for quality of life, including from the perspectives of those living in long-term care (LTC) homes. However, given the characteristics of the LTC home environment and the people who live there, the nature and influence of social integration and loneliness, and strategies to address them, may differ in this population compared with those living in the community. The objective of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the nature and extent of research on social integration and loneliness among LTC home residents, including a summary of how these concepts have been operationalised and any evidence from specific groups.Methods and analysisThis study protocol describes the methods of a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature related to social integration and loneliness among LTC home residents. A literature search was developed by an Information Specialist and will be conducted in MEDLINE(R) ALL (in Ovid, including Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE(R) Daily) and then translated into CINAHL (EBSCO), PsycINFO (Ovid), Scopus, Sociological Abstracts (Proquest), Embase and Embase Classic (Ovid), Emcare Nursing (Ovid) and AgeLine (EBSCO). Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts of articles identified in the search. Two reviewers will then independently review full text articles for inclusion. Data extraction will also be carried out in duplicate. We will engage LTC home community members, including residents, family and staff, to refine the review questions, assist in interpreting the results and participate in knowledge translation.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not required. We will present findings at conferences and publish in a peer-reviewed journal. Ultimately, we hope to inform future observational and interventional research aimed at improving the health and quality of life of LTC home residents.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S808-S808
Author(s):  
Elizabeth P Howard ◽  
Tammy Retalic ◽  
Jessica Rogan

Abstract ArtOn the Brain is a mobile application that incorporates art history education, play and socialization for older adults. This pilot project examined its health and social impact among long term care residents. A convenience sample of 48 residents, 60+ years, with borderline intact to moderate cognitive impairment were recruited. Residents with mild or better cognitive status used the app individually on a tablet while the remaining participated in therapist-led group sessions. One-hour intervention occurred twice weekly. Primary outcomes, health and well-being, were measured with 5Q-5D-5L and Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being tools at baseline and after 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes were mood, cognition, function and overall satisfaction with activity options and personal relationships. Pre-post paired t-test analyses of data from EQ-5D-5L and Warwick tools did not show a significant difference. There were no notable declines with cognitive performance, functional ability and depression post-intervention. Four activity options and three personal relationship items had statistically significant improvements post-intervention. Activity options addressed engagement in enjoyable activities on weekends and evenings, and opportunity to, spend time with other like-minded residents and explore new skills, interests. Personal relationships items included engagement in activities helpful to others and having people to do things with. ArtOn the Brain is a novel application suitable for long term care residents. While 6 week intervention did not show improvement in overall health and well-being, there were significant improvements with residents’ reported engagement in activity options and improvement of personal relationships. Longitudinal evaluations are needed to examine changes in health status and well-being.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlyn Lem ◽  
Katherine S. McGilton ◽  
Katelynn Aelick ◽  
Andrea Iaboni ◽  
Jessica Babineau ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Social connection is recognized as an important determinant of health and well-being. The negative health impacts of poor social connection have been reported in research in older adults, however, less is known about the health impacts for those living in long-term care (LTC) homes. This review seeks to identify and summarize existing research to address the question: what is known from the literature about the association between social connection and physical health outcomes for people living in LTC homes? Methods A scoping review guided by the Arksey & O’Malley framework was conducted. Articles were included if they examined the association between social connection and a physical health outcome in a population of LTC residents. Results Thirty-four studies were included in this review. The most commonly studied aspects of social connection were social engagement (n = 14; 41%) and social support (n = 10; 29%). A range of physical health outcomes were assessed, including mortality, self-rated health, sleep, fatigue, nutrition, hydration, stress, frailty and others. Findings generally support the positive impact of social connection for physical health among LTC residents. However, most of the studies were cross-sectional (n = 21; 62%) and, of the eleven cohort studies, most (n = 8; 73%) assessed mortality as the outcome. 47% (n = 16) were published from 2015 onwards. Conclusions Research has reported positive associations between social connection and a range of physical health outcomes among LTC residents. These findings suggest an important role for social connection in promoting physical health. However, further research is needed to consider the influence of different aspects of social connection over time and in different populations within LTC homes as well as the mechanisms underlying the relationship with health.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1489
Author(s):  
Petra Boersma ◽  
Tjeerd van der Ploeg ◽  
Robbert J. J. Gobbens

This study sought to provide insight into how art activities influence the well-being of long-term care residents, and how artists and caregivers collaborate in offering these activities. In two long-term care facilities for people with dementia and one for older people with chronic psychiatric disorders, an uncontrolled pre- and post-test study was conducted using a mixed-method design. Forty-six residents participated in the study. Three art activities—(a) dance, (b) music and movement, and (c) visual arts—were studied and co-created with the residents and executed by artists and caregivers together in eight to ten weeks. The Face expression scale (FACE) was used to examine the extent to which participating in the art activity influenced resident mood. Qualitative data were collected via group discussions with artists, caregivers, residents, and an informal caregiver. The results indicated that participating in an art activity positively influenced resident mood (p < 0.000). p-values for the three art activities were: p < 0.000 for dance, p = 0.048 for music and movement, and p = 0.023 for visual arts. The qualitative data revealed that joining an art activity provided a positive effect, increased social relationships, and improved self-esteem for residents. The collaboration between artists and caregivers stimulated creativity, beauty, and learning from each other, as well as evoking emotions.


Author(s):  
Chiaki Ura ◽  
Tsuyoshi Okamura ◽  
Akinori Takase ◽  
Masaya Shimmei ◽  
Yukan Ogawa

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