The Association Between new Nurses’ Gerontological Education, Personal Attitudes Toward Older Adults, and Intentions to Work in Gerontological Care Settings in Ontario, Canada

2021 ◽  
pp. 084456212110637
Author(s):  
Jessica Smith ◽  
Monakshi Sawhney ◽  
Lenora Duhn ◽  
Kevin Woo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Education ◽  
Care Setting ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Clinical Placements ◽  
Long Term Care Facility ◽  
Attitudes Toward Older Adults ◽  
Personal Attitudes

Background The older adult population in Canada is increasing, and many will require care within an acute geriatric unit (AGU) or long-term care facility (LTCF). However, the nursing workforce is not growing at the same pace as the population is aging. New graduate nurses may be able to fill this gap; therefore, it is important to understand their intentions of working in gerontological care settings (i.e., AGU or LTCF). Aim To examine if nursing education and personal attitudes toward older adults influence newly registered nurses’(RNs) intentions to work in a gerontological care setting. Method Nurses (n= 1,103) who registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario for the first time in 2018 were invited to complete a questionnaire. Results The majority of participants (n = 181) reported a positive attitude toward older adults. However, only 14% reported an intention to work in a gerontological care setting. Participants who completed multiple geriatric focused clinical placements were more likely to report an intention to work in these settings. Conclusion This study provides some information regarding the attitudes and intentions of newly RNs toward a career in gerontological care settings. Further research is needed to understand nurses’ intentions regarding working in AGUs or LTCFs.

scholarly journals Overcoming existential loneliness: a cross cultural study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Betty PM Chung ◽  
Jonas Olofsson ◽  
Frances KY Wong ◽  
Margareta Ramgard
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Long Term Care Facility ◽  
Existential Loneliness ◽  
Meaningful Existence ◽  
Meaningful Experiences

Abstract Moving into a long-term care facility (LTCF) can alter the way older adults see themselves and reduce their ability to engage in meaningful experiences and roles. They experience a shrinkage in their social network when they move away from home, a reduction in the frequency of their social contacts and the number of people from whom they receive emotional support. These changes and losses can lead to feelings of loneliness. However, the loneliness these older adults experience may be more than having the difficulty with expressing the feelings of loneliness or the loss of social roles, as common examined in the loneliness literature. Rather, this loneliness stemmed from the intolerable emptiness and lack of meaningful existence attributed to all the losses they have experienced (i.e., existential loneliness (EL). The aim of this qualitative study was to describe the experience of EL in older adults from Eastern and Western cultures who were living in LTCFs and how they dealt with the experience. Methods: Open interviews were conducted with 13 Chinese and 9 Swedes living in the LTCF about the experience of EL. A qualitative study using Thorne’s (2004) interpretive description (ID) was conducted and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The core theme “overcoming EL’ captures the participants’ experience of EL. It describes a combined process of “feeling EL” and “self-regulating”. The study affirms that EL, was triggered as a common human condition in our study when the Chinese in Hong Kong, China and Swedes in Malmo, Sweden faced with life boundaries and crisis such as losses, frailty and mortality. Conclusions: EL is a very stress-inducing human phenomenon. Our study demonstrates that EL experience affects the fundamental structure of the ‘self’ unfolded by the experience of loss of control, isolation and meaningless in life. However, being EL allows the older adults of these two ethnics groups reaping the benefits that a ‘clearer’ sense of self provides, ranging from spirit of contentment to decreased distress. Thus, early and clear counselling support addressing the searching and meaning ascribed to EL should facilitate overcoming and better coping with the experience.

scholarly journals Clinical features and risk factors for mortality among long-term care facility residents hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Spain

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
José-Manuel Ramos-Rincón ◽  
Máximo Bernabeu-Whittel ◽  
Isabel Fiteni-Mera ◽  
Almudena López-Sampalo ◽  
Carmen López-Ríos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Functional Dependence ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Term Care Facility ◽  
Long Term Care Facility

Abstract Background COVID-19 severely impacted older adults and long-term care facility (LTCF) residents. Our primary aim was to describe differences in clinical and epidemiological variables, in-hospital management, and outcomes between LTCF residents and community-dwelling older adults hospitalized with COVID-19. The secondary aim was to identify risk factors for mortality due to COVID-19 in hospitalized LTCF residents. Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis within a retrospective cohort of hospitalized patients≥75 years with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to 160 Spanish hospitals. Differences between groups and factors associated with mortality among LTCF residents were assessed through comparisons and logistic regression analysis. Results Of 6,189 patients≥75 years, 1,185 (19.1%) were LTCF residents and 4,548 (73.5%) were community-dwelling. LTCF residents were older (median: 87.4 vs. 82.1 years), mostly female (61.6% vs. 43.2%), had more severe functional dependence (47.0% vs 7.8%), more comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index: 6 vs 5), had dementia more often (59.1% vs. 14.4%), and had shorter duration of symptoms (median: 3 vs 6 days) than community-dwelling patients (all, p<.001). Mortality risk factors in LTCF residents were severe functional dependence (aOR:1.79;95%CI:1.13-2.83;p=.012), dyspnea (1.66;1.16-2.39;p=.004), SatO2<94% (1.73;1.27-2.37;p=.001), temperature≥37.8ºC (1.62;1.11-2.38; p=.013); qSOFA index≥2 (1.62;1.11-2.38;p=.013), bilateral infiltrates (1.98;1.24-2.98;p<.001), and high C-reactive protein (1.005;1.003-1.007;p<.001). In-hospital mortality was initially higher among LTCF residents (43.3% vs 39.7%), but lower after adjusting for sex, age, functional dependence, and comorbidities (aOR:0.74,95%CI:0.62-0.87;p<.001). Conclusion Basal functional status and COVID-19 severity are risk factors of mortality in LTCF residents. The lower adjusted mortality rate in LTCF residents may be explained by earlier identification, treatment, and hospitalization for COVID-19.

Identifying roles in older adults’ emergency department transitions

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 685-689
Author(s):  
Megan E. Salwei ◽  
Hanna Barton ◽  
Nicole E. Werner ◽  
Rachel Rutkowski ◽  
Peter L.T. Hoonakker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Error Detection ◽  
Care Transitions ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Transitions Of Care ◽  
Adult Care ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Long Term Care Facility

Older adults frequently visit the emergency department (ED) and participate in multiple transitions of care following an ED visit. These transitions of care, e.g. to hospital, long-term care facility or home, represent patient safety risks because of communication and coordination failures between the various roles involved, but also provide opportunities for error detection and recovery and, therefore, resilience. The objective of this study was to identify and describe the multiple roles involved in older adult care transitions during an ED visit. As part of a large research project, we conducted patient-centered observations and interviewed ED clinicians and hospital administrators. We identified 16 ED roles involved in older adult care transitions out of the ED, including 4 roles solely focused on coordinating transitions. By better understanding the roles involved in ED care transitions, we can improve the design of team processes and technologies to support care of older adults throughout their care transitions.

scholarly journals Overcoming existential loneliness: a cross-cultural study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
B. P. M. Chung ◽  
J. Olofsson ◽  
F. K. Y. Wong ◽  
M. Rämgård
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Long Term Care Facility ◽  
Existential Loneliness ◽  
Meaningful Existence

Abstract Background Moving into a long-term care facility (LTCF) can reduce the ability for older adults to engage in meaningful roles and activities and the size of their social network. These changes and losses can lead them to experience existential loneliness (EL)—the intolerable emptiness and lack of meaningful existence resulted from the losses they have experienced. While EL has often been understood as a universal human experience, it has primarily been studied in people from Western cultures; little is known about how EL may be experienced by and manifested in people from Eastern cultures. Hence, this qualitative study aimed to describe the experience and coping of EL in Hong Kong Chinese and Swedish older adults living in LTCFs. Methods A qualitative study using Thorne’s (2004) interpretive description was conducted. Thirteen Chinese and 9 Swedes living in LTCFs in Hong Kong, China and Malmo, Sweden, respectively were interviewed about their experience of EL in two series of semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results The core theme of “overcoming EL” described the participants’ experience of EL, which came about through the combined process of “Feeling EL” and “Self-Regulating”. Both Chinese and Swedish participants had similar experience with EL. Realizing that they did not want to living with EL anymore, they coped by reframing their experience and identifying new meaning in their life. Conclusions The study findings suggested that early and clear counselling support that help older adults to define new meaning in life may help them cope. In addition, more opportunities should be available at the LTCFs to promote quality relationships, enable older adults to reflect on their lives with pride, and support their ability to do the things they enjoy.

scholarly journals Exploring the Attendance and Potential Benefits of Reducing Sitting Time for Residents in a Canadian Long-Term Care Setting: A Pilot Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 233372142098132
Author(s):  
Amanda Lee ◽  
Martin Sénéchal ◽  
Emily Read ◽  
Danielle R. Bouchard
Keyword(s):  
Functional Outcomes ◽  
Care Setting ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Walking Speed ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Sitting Time ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Long Term Care Facility ◽  
Potential Benefits

Background: This study aimed to assess the attendance to a novel intervention aiming to reduce sitting time in a long-term care facility and exploring the potential functional benefits. Methods: The intervention consisted of research staff visiting a resident to promote standing for 10-minute sessions, three times per day (morning, afternoon and evening), 4 days per week (Monday-Wednesday-Friday and Sunday) over 10 weeks. The main outcome was attendance. Functional outcomes included walking speed, power, and strength. Results: A total of 28 participants agree to participate and 24 completed the trial. The average attendance averaged four sessions per week and averaged 45 minutes of standing weekly out of 120 minutes offered. Attendance was highest during the morning session ( p = .02) and weekdays ( p < .01). There was a significant improvement in the 30-second chair stand test ( p < .05). Conclusion: Although well accepted, the attendance was low. Based on the information gathered suggestions can be made to improve the intervention, attendance, and potential benefits of such intervention.

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