scholarly journals Strategies To Support Older Adults’ Mental Health During the Transition Into Residential Aged Care: A Qualitative Study of Multiple Stakeholder Perspectives

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meg Polacsek ◽  
Marta Woolford
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Major Life

Abstract BackgroundThe move from home into residential care is one of the most stressful life experiences for older adults. ‘Relocation stress’ is a significant risk factor for anxiety and/or depression in aged care residents. Whether long-term or recently diagnosed, these mood disorders are associated with a decline in overall well-being, daily functioning and independence. The mental health needs of older adults are often poorly recognised and supported, including during the transition into residential care. Despite growing interest in how to facilitate this major life transition, few studies have taken the perspective of multiple stakeholders. The aim of this study was to explore resident, relative and staff experiences of the transition into residential aged care, and to identify strategies to support the mental health of older adults at this time. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 aged care residents, relatives and staff, between January and April 2021. Participants were selected using purposive and convenience sampling. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed inductively and grouped into themes. ResultsResults were distilled into three main categories related to the overall transition experience, residents’ mental health needs and strategies to support residents’ mental health. A novel contribution of this study relates to the need to address a broad misunderstanding of the role of pastoral care and subsequent under-utilisation of a potentially valuable resource. ConclusionsBy describing transition experiences and the resources to support residents’ mental health, findings of this study provide practical, ‘real world’ suggestions for reducing relocation stress. New resources developed from the findings include guides, checklists and short question-and-answer films, in which current residents and staff describe strategies to support mental health and overall quality of life. Similar resources could be used to support transitions in other care settings.

Sustainable staff well-being within older adult mental health

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosie Blagg ◽  
Stephanie Petty
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Mental Health Setting ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Inpatient Mental Health ◽  
Challenging Environment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how staff attend to their well-being when working in an inpatient mental health setting with older adults with dementia and complex mental health needs; how staff understand the link between their well-being and the well-being of patients. Design/methodology/approach – A semi-structured group interview was held with 11 members of two multidisciplinary teams. The discussion was audio-recorded and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings – Staff reported managing their well-being by both connecting with and avoiding the difficult emotions of the work. The team avoided the gravity of the work through humour, a task-focus, an absence of thinking and the displacement of workplace frustrations onto an outgroup. Connecting with emotions was done in tolerable ways: in contained reflective spaces, in the presence of supportive others, through genuine connections with patients as people and when the organisation demonstrated care for the staff. Practical implications – Avoidant strategies appeared to represent short-term ways of maintaining staff well-being, while connecting with the gravity of the work appeared to represent what we hope is a more sustainable approach to managing well-being. A crucial premise for staff well-being is teams embedded within organisations that care for their employees. Originality/value – Poor staff well-being can have serious consequences for an organisation, particularly in the existentially challenging environment of dementia care. This study offers a unique opportunity to explore staff well-being in a UK inpatient mental health setting with older adults with dementia and complex mental health needs.

scholarly journals Supporting the emotional needs of young people in care: a qualitative study of foster carer perspectives

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e033317
Author(s):  
Rachel M Hiller ◽  
Sarah L Halligan ◽  
Richard Meiser-Stedman ◽  
Elizabeth Elliott ◽  
Emily Rutter-Eley
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Depth Information ◽  
Emotional Needs ◽  
Mental Health Systems ◽  
Mental Health Needs ◽  
Qualitative Focus Groups

ObjectivesYoung people who have been removed from their family home and placed in care have often experienced maltreatment and there is well-developed evidence of poor psychological outcomes. Once in care, foster carers often become the adult who provides day-to-day support, yet we know little about how they provide this support or the challenges to and facilitators of promoting better quality carer–child relationships. The aim of this study was to understand how carers support the emotional needs of the young people in their care and their views on barriers and opportunities for support.Design and participantsParticipants were 21 UK foster carers, recruited from a local authority in England. They were predominantly female (86%), aged 42–65 years old and ranged from those who were relatively new to the profession (<12 months’ experience) to those with over 30 years of experience as a carer. We ran three qualitative focus groups to gather in-depth information about their views on supporting their foster children’s emotional well-being. Participants also completed short questionnaires about their training experiences and sense of competence.ResultsOnly half of the sample strongly endorsed feeling competent in managing the emotional needs of their foster children. While all had completed extensive training, especially on attachment, diagnosis-specific training for mental health problems (eg, trauma-related distress, depression) was less common. Thematic analysis showed consistent themes around the significant barriers carers faced navigating social care and mental health systems, and mixed views around the best way to support young people, particularly those with complex mental health needs and in relation to reminders of their early experiences.ConclusionsFindings have important implications for practice and policy around carer training and support, as well as for how services support the mental health needs of young people in care.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Older Adults Living in Residential Care: Protocol for a Systematic Review (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phoebe Chan ◽  
Sunil Bhar ◽  
Tanya E. Davison ◽  
Colleen Doyle ◽  
Bob G. Knight ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Late Life Depression ◽  
Residential Settings

BACKGROUND The prevalence rates of depressive and anxiety disorders are high in residential aged care settings. Older adults in such settings might be prone to these disorders because of losses associated with transitioning to residential care, uncertainty about the future, as well as a decline in personal autonomy, health, and cognition. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is efficacious in treating late-life depression and anxiety. However, there remains a dearth of studies examining CBT in residential settings compared with community settings. Typically, older adults living in residential settings have higher care needs than those living in the community. To date, no systematic reviews have been conducted on the content and the delivery characteristics of CBT for older adults living in residential aged care settings. OBJECTIVE The objective of this paper is to describe the systematic review protocol on the characteristics of CBT for depression and/or anxiety for older adults living in residential aged care settings. METHODS This protocol was developed in compliance with the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). Studies that fulfill the inclusion criteria will be identified by systematically searching relevant electronic databases, reference lists, and citation indexes. In addition, the PRISMA flowchart will be used to record the selection process. A pilot-tested data collection form will be used to extract and record data from the included studies. Two reviewers will be involved in screening the titles and abstracts of retrieved records, screening the full text of potentially relevant reports, and extracting data. Then, the delivery and content characteristics of different CBT programs of the included studies, where available, will be summarized in a table. Furthermore, the Downs and Black checklist will be used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. RESULTS Systematic searches will commence in May 2018, and data extraction is expected to commence in July 2018. Data analyses and writing will happen in October 2018. CONCLUSIONS In this section, the limitations of the systematic review will be outlined. Clinical implications for treating late-life depression and/or anxiety, and implications for residential care facilities will be discussed. CLINICALTRIAL PROSPERO 42017080113; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=80113 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/70dV4Qf54) REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER RR1-10.2196/9902

SWiFT: A Rapid Triage Tool for Vulnerable Older Adults in Disaster Situations

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (S1) ◽  
pp. S45-S50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmel B. Dyer ◽  
Mor Regev ◽  
Jason Burnett ◽  
Nicolo Festa ◽  
Beth Cloyd
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Hurricane Katrina ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Rapid Determination ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Mental Health Needs

ABSTRACTBackground: In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused extensive damage to parts of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, causing many people, including vulnerable older adults, to evacuate to safe surroundings. Approximately 23,000 evacuees—many of them 65 years old or older, frail, and lacking family to advocate for their care—arrived at the Reliant Astrodome Complex in Houston, Texas. There was no method for assessing the immediate and long-term needs of this vulnerable population.Methods: A 13-item rapid needs assessment tool was piloted on 228 evacuees 65 years old and older by the Seniors Without Families Team (SWiFT), to test the feasibility of triaging vulnerable older adults with medical and mental health needs, financial needs, and/or social needs.Results: The average age of the individuals triaged was 66.1 ± 12.72 (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) years. Of these, 68% were triaged for medical and or mental health needs, 18% were triaged for financial assistance, and 4% were triaged for social assistance. More than half of the SWiFT-triaged older adults reported having hypertension.Conclusions: The SWiFT tool is a feasible approach for triaging vulnerable older adults and provides a rapid determination of the level of need or assistance necessary for vulnerable older people during disasters. The tool was only piloted, thus further testing to determine reliability and validity is necessary. Potentially important implications for using such a tool and suggestions for preparing for and responding to disaster situations in which vulnerable older adults are involved are provided. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2008;2(Suppl 1):S45–S50)

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