A Systematic Review of the Needs of Dementia Caregivers Across Care Settings

2021 ◽  
pp. 108482232110569
Author(s):  
Anne Mueller ◽  
Lesley Thao ◽  
Olivia Condon ◽  
Daniel Liebzeit ◽  
Beth Fields

The U.S. population of older adults living with dementia is projected to double by 2060. They rely on over 16 million family and unpaid caregivers to provide for their increasingly complex needs and care transitions. Caregivers frequently feel underprepared and without adequate support or access to resources. This systematic review seeks to identify the needs of family and unpaid caregivers of older adults living with dementia across various care settings in the U.S. A systematic search was conducted to identify articles pertaining to the needs of caregivers of older adults living with dementia. The data extraction tool was developed using aspects from the Care Transitions Framework and the Family Caregiver Alliance. Data were organized based on 3 domains of caregiver needs and the care setting(s) of the older adults living with dementia and their caregivers. A total of 31 articles were eligible for inclusion. The majority met the MMAT screening criteria, but more than half only met 2 or less of the 5 quality criteria. Caregivers’ needs were identified in the care settings of home/community-residing, assisted living, long-term care, skilled nursing, and memory care. Most articles either did not specify a care setting or included more than 1 and did not report the findings separately. Caregivers in each care setting, except memory care, identified needs in all 3 of the following domains: (1) social support—formal and informal, (2) confidence, competence, and strengths in the caregiving role, and (3) values and preferences.

2021 ◽  
pp. 084456212110637
Author(s):  
Jessica Smith ◽  
Monakshi Sawhney ◽  
Lenora Duhn ◽  
Kevin Woo

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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 992-999
Author(s):  
Iria Dobarrio-Sanz ◽  
José Manuel Hernández-Padilla ◽  
María Mar López-Rodríguez ◽  
Cayetano Fernández-Sola ◽  
José Granero-Molina ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Da Eun Kim ◽  
Hyang Kim ◽  
Junghee Hyun ◽  
Hyojin Lee ◽  
Hyehyun Sung ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S473-S474
Author(s):  
Charlene H Chu ◽  
Renee Biss ◽  
Afroza Sultana ◽  
Amelie Gauthier-Beaupré ◽  
Arezoo Talebzadeh

Abstract Introduction: Institutionalized older adults have high-rates of mobility decline resulting in reduced quality of life and increased dependency. Given the ageing population, there has been a proliferation of exergaming technology targeting older adults to maintain their physical activity (PA) levels and prevent decline. However, it is unclear if exergaming is effective to maintain or improve the PA of institutionalized older adults. Method: Four databases (MEDLINE/CINAHL/PsycINFO/Compendex) were systematically searched (key terms like “nursing homes”, exergaming”). Quantitative manuscripts examining the effects of exergaming on PA measures of institutionalized older adults published in English between 2006-present were eligible. Virtual reality was excluded from the search. No meta-analysis was conducted due to hetereogeneity of the results. Results: 11 studies were included from a search that yielded 208 results. The exergaming platforms that were used the most were the Kinect and Wii. The most commonly used PA measures were the Berg Balance Scale and the Timed-up-and-Go (n=4 studies) with no other measures being used in more than one study. Interventions ranged in exercise (e.g. cognitive-motor training, strength training, balance, etc), frequency, duration, and modality. Study designs were also heterogeneous. Articles were of very poor to poor quality. There was minimal reporting on adverse events. Older adults with cognitive impairment were commonly excluded. Challenges in current technology and studying this group are highlighted. Conclusion: Exergaming may be promising to maintain PA but more robust research is needed. More exergaming technology designed for long-term care to meet the specific complex needs of this population is warranted.


2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth E. Devore ◽  
Francine Grodstein ◽  
Eva S. Schernhammer

Context: Increasing evidence suggests that circadian and sleep parameters influence cognitive function with aging. Objective: To evaluate observational studies of sleep duration and cognition in older adults. Data Sources: A systematic review of OVID Medline and PsycINFO through September 2015, and review of bibliographies from studies identified. Study Selection: English-language articles reporting observational studies of sleep duration and cognitive function in older populations. Data Extraction: Data extraction by 2 authors using predefined categories of desired information. Results: Thirty-two studies met our inclusion criteria, with nearly two-thirds published in the past 4 years. One-third of studies indicated that extreme sleep durations were associated with worse cognition in older adults. More studies favored an association with long vs. short sleep durations (35 vs. 26% of studies, respectively). Four studies found that greater changes in sleep duration over time were related to lower cognition. Study design and analytic methods were very heterogeneous across studies; therefore, meta-analysis was not undertaken. Limitations: We reviewed English-language manuscripts only, with a qualitative summary of studies identified. Conclusions and Implications of Key Findings: Observational studies of sleep duration and cognitive function in older adults have produced mixed results, with more studies suggesting that long (rather than short) sleep durations are related to worse cognition. Studies more consistently indicate that greater changes in sleep duration are associated with poor cognition. Future studies should be prospectively designed, with objective sleep assessment and longer follow-up periods; intervention studies are also needed to identify strategies for promoting cognitive health with aging.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S243-S244
Author(s):  
Bei Wu ◽  
Jie Hua Lu

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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S841-S841
Author(s):  
Rungnapha Khiewchaum

Abstract Background/Purpose: Young and adult children have experienced caring for people who have been diagnosed with dementia. Caregiving needs affect family members who become the primary caregivers in care transition from hospital to home. This study aims to synthesize primary qualitative research on the experiences of children caregivers of older adults with dementia. Method: This is a systematic review describing young and adult child caregivers’ experiences in caring for patient with dementia in home-based care. Data sources were published literature written in English from CINAHL, Scopus, PubMed, and PsychoINFO (published from January 1976 to October 2018). The thematic synthesis approach was also applied to generate theory generating meta-synthesis research (TGMS). and to describe the process of caring for demented patients by caregivers. Result: Eight primary studies reporting 388 potential studies were included. Four themes emerged: 1) well-being which included encouraging and destructive well-being; 2) role transition which included positive or negative role transformations; 3) caregiver needs which included medical and nursing information or knowledges and health care services/community services; and 4) the challenge of dementia which included symptoms of dementia which were impairing. Conclusion The findings of this meta-synthesis study support evidence of well-being among adult children in caring for people with dementia in transition phases. We present thematic synthesis that could be useful to professionals working with caregivers and patients with dementia. We suggest that research importance should shift towards the development and evaluation of care transitions intervention, especially professionals preparing support after diagnosis.


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