scholarly journals The integration of mixed methods data to develop the quality of life – aged care consumers (QOL-ACC) instrument

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Hutchinson ◽  
Julie Ratcliffe ◽  
Jenny Cleland ◽  
Ruth Walker ◽  
Rachel Milte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Older People ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Traffic Light ◽  
Validity Data ◽  
Final Instrument ◽  
Selection Of

Abstract Background This paper describes the collection and integration of mixed methods data to facilitate the final selection of items for the Quality of Life – Aged Care Consumers (QOL-ACC) instrument. The aim of the wider project is to develop a preference-based quality of life instrument that can be used for quality assessment and economic evaluation. Older people have been involved at every stage of the development of the QOL-ACC to ensure that the final instrument captures their perspectives and preferences. Methods Mixed methods data was collected on draft items for the QOL-ACC instrument across six key quality of life dimensions (mobility, pain management, emotional well-being, independence, social connections, and activities). Qualitative face validity data was collected from older people (aged 66 to 100 years) living in the community and in residential aged care via semi-structured interviews (n = 59). Quantitative data was collected from older people (aged 65 to 91 years) receiving aged care services in the community via an online survey (n = 313). A traffic light pictorial approach was adopted as a practical and systematic way to categorise and present data in a meaningful way that was easy for non-academic workshop members to understand and to be able to discuss the relative merits of each draft item. Results The traffic light approach supported the involvement of consumer and aged care provider representatives in the selection of the final items. Six items were selected for the QOL-ACC instrument with one item representing each of the six dimensions. Conclusions This methodological approach has ensured that the final instrument is psychometrically robust as well as meaningful, relevant and acceptable to aged care consumers and providers.

scholarly journals BEFRIENding for Depression, Anxiety and Social support in older adults living in Australian residential aged care facilities (BEFRIENDAS): randomised controlled trial protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen Doyle ◽  
Sunil Bhar ◽  
Christina Bryant ◽  
Briony Dow ◽  
David Dunt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older People ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Trial Registration ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Residential Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Randomised Controlled

Abstract Background This protocol describes an ongoing study of the impact of befriending on depression, anxiety and loneliness in older people living in residential aged care facilities in Australia. While systematic reviews of befriending have indicated positive benefits of befriending for people in a range of ages and settings, there have been no randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of befriending for older people living in residential aged care with depression and no studies of the cost effectiveness of befriending in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) in Australia. Methods and analysis We are conducting a single blind pragmatic RCT comparing two groups of older people living in RACFs, one receiving an intervention consisting of weekly befriending for 4 months from a trained volunteer and the other receiving treatment as usual. Participants undergo eligibility screening for depression (GDS-15 ≥ 4) and cognitive impairment (GPCog ≥ 4) and assessments at three measurement time points: baseline prior to randomisation, 2 months post-baseline and 4 months post-baseline. The primary outcome measure is depression, and secondary outcome measures are anxiety, loneliness, social isolation and quality of life. The economic evaluation will take the form of a cost-utility analysis based on the outcome of quality of life. The primary and secondary outcomes will be analysed using negative binomial and logistic regressions utilizing the Generalised Estimating Equations approach. Discussion To our knowledge, this is the first RCT evaluating the effectiveness of befriending on older people with depression living in residential aged care. It is expected that the befriending intervention will reduce the severity of depression symptoms experienced by older people living in residential aged care. If the intervention proves effective it may be incorporated into volunteer training programs and adopted as a way of supporting older people’s mental health. Trial registration Trial registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ANZCTR) Number: ACTRN12619000676112, registered 06/05/2019 – retrospectively registered.

scholarly journals Housing with support for older people: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 64
Author(s):  
Camille Coyle ◽  
Sarah Buggy ◽  
Olivia Cagney ◽  
Louise Farragher ◽  
Caitriona Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Older People ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Ovid Medline ◽  
The Impact ◽  
People’S Perceptions

Background: The implementation of housing with support is rapidly expanding, particularly as life expectancy is increasing throughout the world. This expansion is likely to intensify in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has revealed the risks of relying primarily on nursing homes. This mixed-methods systematic review aims to: 1) explore older people’s perceptions and experiences of housing with support and 2) examine the impact of providing housing with support for older people on their quality of life. Methods: The databases Ovid Medline, Ovid Social Policy & Practice, EBSCO CINAHL, and EBSCO SOCIndex will be searched, and grey literature will also be identified. Quality assessment will be carried out using Joanna Briggs Institute’s Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research as well as a tool from the National Institutes of Health for observational cohort studies. This review will employ convergent parallel design; as such, qualitative and quantitative findings will be synthesised separately in the initial stage of analysis. The results from the qualitative and quantitative syntheses will then be integrated in the final stage of the analysis. Conclusion: This systematic review will synthesise the evidence regarding older people’s perceptions and experiences of housing with support and the impact of providing housing with support for older people on their quality of life.

scholarly journals Clustered domestic residential aged care in Australia: fewer hospitalisations and better quality of life

2018 ◽  
Vol 208 (10) ◽  
pp. 433-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne M Dyer ◽  
Enwu Liu ◽  
Emmanuel S Gnanamanickam ◽  
Rachel Milte ◽  
Tiffany Easton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care

scholarly journals Evaluation of edna: arts and dance for older people

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Skingley ◽  
Stephanie De'Ath ◽  
Luci Napleton
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Older People ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Art Forms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact on health and well-being of participation in dance and arts activities by older people living in the community. Design/methodology/approach – A small-scale, mixed methods research design comprising pretest-posttest evaluation of a three month dance and arts programme. Two groups of older people underwent physical measures and completed a self-report quality of life questionnaire. Written comments and interview data were also gathered. Findings – Physical tests (n=14) demonstrated improvements in posture, shoulder mobility and balance in both groups following the intervention, with some measures reaching statistical significance. Quality of life evaluations (n=21) also showed improvement, with the mental health subscale reaching statistical significance. Qualitative data showed that participants enjoyed the programme and felt physical, psychological and social benefits. Research limitations/implications – The research involved only a small sample of volunteers and a limited programme length which limits its generalisability. The absence of a control group means that causality cannot be inferred. Future research should extend recruitment to a wider geographical area and a longer intervention which includes a control group. Practical implications – Future arts interventions for older people should include consultation prior to, and throughout the project. Commissioners should consider supporting arts for health projects, building in additional funding for evaluative work. Originality/value – This study has added to the evidence base through combining art forms within a mixed methods framework, illustrating the interplay between the art forms, the outcomes and the potential role of social context.

scholarly journals The Best Day of the Week: New Technology Enhancing Quality of Life in a Care Home

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Juul ◽  
Raelene Wilding ◽  
Loretta Baldassar
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
The Social ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Meaningful Engagement

Older people living in residential aged care facilities tend to be physically as well as socially inactive, which leads to poorer health and reduced wellbeing. A lack of recognition of the importance of social support, limited resources, lack of training and task-oriented work routines leave little time for staff to meet the social needs of residents. Through qualitative ethnographic fieldwork, this study investigates the potential for new technologies to enhance quality of life and facilitate meaningful engagement in physical and social activities among culturally and linguistically diverse residents and staff in care facilities. A continuum from nonparticipation to full participation among residents was observed when Touch Screen Technology activities were implemented. Data indicate that resident’s engagement is impacted by five interdependent factors, including environmental, organisational, caregiver, patient, and management- &government-related. Findings show that new technologies can be used to increase meaningful physical and social engagement, including transcending language and cultural barriers. However, the successful application of new technologies to enhance quality of life is dependent on their integration into the daily routine and social relationships of staff and residents, with the full support of management. Guidelines governing the use of new technologies to support meaningful engagement of older people in residential care are lacking: this project highlights the importance of attention to the social relational dimensions of technology interventions to support best practice in their use.

scholarly journals People living in residential aged care need to BE outside not just SEE outside: associations between quality of life and outdoor access: a cross-sectional study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Marie Dyer ◽  
Enwu Liu ◽  
Emmanuel Gnanamanickam ◽  
Stephanie Louise Harrison ◽  
Rachel Milte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Model Of Care ◽  
Cross Sectional

Abstract Background The value of providing access to outdoor areas for people living in residential aged care, including those living with dementia, in terms of mood, behaviour and well-being is increasingly acknowledged. This study examines associations between provision of independent access to outdoor areas and frequency of residents going outdoors with the quality of life (QoL) of nursing home residents and compares use of outdoor areas between alternative models of residential aged care. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted including 541 participants from 17 residential aged care homes in four states in Australia, mean age 85 years, 84% with cognitive impairment. Associations between having independent access to outdoors and the frequency of going outdoors and QoL (EQ-5D-5L) were examined using multi-level models. The odds of going outdoors in a small-scale home-like model of care compared to standard Australian models of care were examined. Results After adjustment for potential confounders (including comorbidities and facility level variables), living in an aged care home with independent access to the outdoors was not significantly associated with QoL (β=-0.01, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) -0.09 to 0.07, P=0.80). However, going outdoors daily (β=0.13 95%CI 0.06 to 0.21), but not multiple times a week (β=0.03, 95%CI -0.03 to 0.09), was associated with a better QoL. Residents living in a home-like model of care had greater odds of going outdoors daily (odds ratio 15.1, 95%CI 6.3 to 36.2). Conclusions Going outdoors frequently is associated with higher QoL for residents of aged care homes and residents are more likely to get outside daily if they live in a small-scale home-like model of care. However, provision of independent access to outdoor areas alone may be insufficient to achieve these benefits. Increased availability of models of residential aged care with staffing structures, training and design which increases support for residents to venture outdoors frequently is needed to maximise resident quality of life.

scholarly journals The Challenge of Medication-Induced Dry Mouth in Residential Aged Care

Pharmacy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 162
Author(s):  
William Murray Thomson ◽  
Moira B. Smith ◽  
Catherine Anna Ferguson ◽  
Geraldine Moses
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Older People ◽  
Symptomatic Relief ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Dry Mouth ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Randomised Control Trials ◽  
The Individual

With a reported prevalence between 20% and 30%, dry mouth is more common among older people than any other age group. The major risk factor for dry mouth is polypharmacy. Older people take more medications than any other age group, not only for symptomatic relief of various age-associated chronic diseases, but also to reduce the likelihood of the complications that may arise from those conditions. Most aged care residents take even more medications than older people who are living in their own homes. The greater the number of medications taken, the greater the associated anticholinergic burden, and the more likely it is that the individual will suffer from dry mouth. The condition not only affects the dentition and ability to wear dentures, but also the sufferers’ quality of life. Treating dry mouth is a considerable challenge for clinicians. As medication use is by far the most important risk factor, there is a need for pharmacists, doctors and dentists to work together to prevent this from occurring. Medication review and deprescribing is a key strategy, but there have not yet been any randomised control trials of its efficacy in reducing the occurrence of dry mouth.

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