scholarly journals Enhanced Dialog between Formal and Informal Caregivers: Following a User-centered Design for Personas' Development

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annita Varella ◽  
Ioanna Dratsiou ◽  
Evangelia Romanopoulou ◽  
Ourania Pinaka ◽  
Evlampia Routa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
User Preferences ◽  
Target Group ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Stress Scale

Abstract Background The unprecedented increase in ageing population in recent decades has led to a shift in the epidemiological profile of societies, resulting in an increased prevalence of chronic diseases, cognitive impairments, and sensory loss in older adults and their elevated reliance on both formal and informal caregiving. Caregivers hold a vital role in older adults’ healthcare, yet their health and well-being needs are often undermined. This paper ventures the exploration of both formal and informal caregivers’ profiles through the development of personas. Methods Formal caregivers (N = 71) and informal caregivers (N = 54) were recruited in the study participating both in quantitative surveys and ad-hoc interviews including the measures Job Stress Scale, Zarit Burden Interview, Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Persona Perception Scale. Results Upon the analysis of the Persona Perception Scale and Job Stress Scale, the findings revealed high reliability scores, designating that the formal caregiver persona ‘’Daphne’’ could adequately represent the actual target group. The results also showed that the informal caregiver persona ‘’Elle’’ was an accurate reflection of the corresponding target group, after analyzing the findings retrieved from quality of life measurements and caregivers’ burden. Conclusions User personas can enhance a deeper understanding of the target group and apprehend user preferences and experiences. To this end, personas can potentially provide empathetic and expansive benefits and be exploited as artifacts in attempting to successfully liaise with policy-makers and care providers in aligning key strategies and policies that will conclusively improve the quality of life of both care recipients and caregivers.

scholarly journals Evaluating the provision of Further Enabling Care at Home (FECH+) for informal caregivers of older adults discharged home from hospital: protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e046600
Author(s):  
Anne-Marie Hill ◽  
Rachael Moorin ◽  
Susan Slatyer ◽  
Christina Bryant ◽  
Keith Hill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Care At Home ◽  
Randomised Controlled

IntroductionThere are personal and societal benefits from caregiving; however, caregiving can jeopardise caregivers’ health. The Further Enabling Care at Home (FECH+) programme provides structured nurse support, through telephone outreach, to informal caregivers of older adults following discharge from acute hospital care to home. The trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of the FECH+ programme on caregivers’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after care recipients’ hospital discharge.Methods and analysisA multisite, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial with blinded baseline and outcome assessment and intention-to-treat analysis, adhering to Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines will be conducted. Participants (N=925 dyads) comprising informal home caregiver (18 years or older) and care recipient (70 years or older) will be recruited when the care recipient is discharged from hospital. Caregivers of patients discharged from wards in three hospitals in Australia (one in Western Australia and two in Queensland) are eligible for inclusion. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups. The intervention group receive the FECH+ programme, which provides structured support and problem-solving for the caregiver after the care recipient’s discharge, in addition to usual care. The control group receives usual care. The programme is delivered by a registered nurse and comprises six 30–45 min telephone support sessions over 6 months. The primary outcome is caregivers’ HRQOL measured using the Assessment of Quality of Life—eight dimensions. Secondary outcomes include caregiver preparedness, strain and distress and use of healthcare services. Changes in HRQOL between groups will be compared using a mixed regression model that accounts for the correlation between repeated measurements.Ethics and disseminationParticipants will provide written informed consent. Ethics approvals have been obtained from Sir Charles Gairdner and Osborne Park Health Care Group, Curtin University, Griffith University, Gold Coast Health Service and government health data linkage services. Findings will be disseminated through presentations, peer-reviewed journals and conferences.Trial registration numberACTRN12620000060943.

scholarly journals Biosocial and disease conditions affecting the quality of life among older adults in Eastern Nepal

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uday Narayan Yadav ◽  
Tarka Bahadur Thapa ◽  
Sabuj Kanti Mistry ◽  
Saruna Ghimire ◽  
Godfred O. Boateng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Cluster Sampling ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Lower Likelihood

Abstract Background The ageing population in most low-and middle-income countries is accompanied by an increased risk of non-communicable diseases culminating in a poor quality of life. However, the factors accelerating this poor quality of life (QOL) have not been fully examined. Therefore, this study examined the factors influencing the quality of life of Nepali older adults.Methods Data from a previous cross-sectional study, conducted between January and April 2018 in eastern Nepal, was used. The analytical sample included 794 older adults aged ≥60 years, selected by a multi-stage cluster sampling approach. QOL was measured using the Older People’s Quality of Life tool; dichotomized as poor and good QOL. Other measures used included age, gender, ethnicity, religion, marital status, physical activity and chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and depression. The factors associated with quality of life were examined using mixed-effects logistic regression.Results Seven in ten respondents (70.4%) reported a poor quality of life. At the bivariate level, increasing age, unemployment, intake of alcohol, lack of physical activity as well as osteoarthritis, COPD and depression were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of a good quality of life. The adjusted model showed that older age (AOR=0.50, p<0.05), the Christian religion (AOR=0.38, p<0.01), and being from an Indigenous, Dalit, or Madheshi background were associated with a lower likelihood of good quality of life. However, higher income of >Nrs 10,000 (AOR=3.34, p<0.001), daily physical activity (AOR=3.33, p<0.001), and the absence of osteoarthritis and depression were associated with a higher odds ratio of good quality of life.Conclusion The findings of this study echo the need to develop and implement policies aimed at improving the socio-cultural and disease conditions that catalyse poor quality of life in this population.

scholarly journals eHealth Literacy and Capability in the Context of the Pandemic Crisis

2022 ◽  
pp. 109-129
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Kokkinakis
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Complex Information ◽  
Health Promoting

AbstractThe rapidly increasing size of the ageing population, and in particular older adults living alone, requires the incorporation of eHealth into social and healthcare services, in order to choose the best way to manage their needs and demands for health and medical care. The purpose of this brief scoping study is to describe and identify an important dimension in this context, namely eHealth literacy (eHL) and its relation to health-promoting behaviours among older adults within the capability theoretical framework. The chapter examines some aspects of eHL and recent research highlighting the importance of eHL and the direct correlation between eHL and quality of life for older adults within the capability context. To make this more specific and explicit, this study takes into consideration outstanding circumstances, such as those caused by a pandemic crisis, namely the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since the COVID-19 pandemic has required urgent action and rapid containment, it offers a unique opportunity to test and evaluate the readiness of healthcare systems and to rapidly develop, scale up and enhance eHealth for the benefit of older people. However, this comes with a price, which is the necessity to quickly and effectively navigate complex information environments and manage behavioural changes and health.

scholarly journals Biosocial and disease conditions are associated with good quality of life among older adults in rural eastern Nepal: Findings from a cross-sectional study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0242942
Author(s):  
Uday Narayan Yadav ◽  
Tarka Bahadur Thapa ◽  
Sabuj Kanti Mistry ◽  
Saruna Ghimire ◽  
Krishna Kumar Yadav ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Factors Associated

Background The ageing population in most low-and middle-income countries is accompanied by an increased risk of non-communicable diseases culminating in a poor quality of life (QOL). However, the factors accelerating this poor QOL have not been fully examined in Nepal. Therefore, this study examined the factors associated with the QOL of older adults residing in the rural setting of Nepal. Methods Data from a previous cross-sectional study conducted among older adults between January and April 2018 in in rural Nepal was used in this study. The analytical sample included 794 older adults aged ≥60 years, selected by a multi-stage cluster sampling approach. QOL was measured using the Older People’s Quality of Life tool; dichotomized as poor and good QOL. Other measures used included age, gender, ethnicity, religion, marital status, physical activity, and chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and depression. The factors associated with QOL were examined using mixed-effects logistic regression. Results Seven in ten respondents (70.4%) reported a poor QOL. At the bivariate level, increasing age, unemployment, intake of alcohol, lack of physical activity as well as osteoarthritis, COPD and depression were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of a good QOL. The adjusted model showed that older age (AOR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.28–0.90), the Christian religion (AOR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.20–0.70), and of an Indigenous (AOR: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.14–0.47), Dalit (AOR: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.10–0.56), and Madheshi (AOR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.14–0.60) ethnic background were associated with lower odds of good QOL. However, higher income of >NRs 10,000 (AOR = 3.34, 95% CI: 1.43–3.99), daily physical activity (AOR: 3.33; 95% CI: 2.55–4.34), and the absence of osteoarthritis (AOR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.09–3.49) and depression (AOR: 3.34; 95% CI: 2.14–5.22) were associated with higher odds of good QOL. Conclusion The findings of this study reinforce the need of improving QOL of older adults through implementing programs aimed at addressing the identified biosocial and disease conditions that catalyse poor QOL in this older population residing in rural parts of Nepal.

Psychosocial aspects of work: impact on the quality of life of professionals of a public emergency hospital

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1306
Author(s):  
Moisés Kogien ◽  
José Juliano Cedaro
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Psychosocial Aspects ◽  
Life Assessment ◽  
Emergency Hospital ◽  
Stress Scale ◽  
Calidad De Vida ◽  
Public Emergency ◽  
Porto Velho

ABSTRACTObjective: to analyze the impact of psychosocial aspects of work on the quality of life of health care professionals who work in a public emergency hospital in Porto Velho – Rondonia, Brazil. Method: it is a quantitative, descriptive, and transversal study with a survey design. This work was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Universidade Federal de Rondonia (CAAE: 6563.0.000.047-10) in December 2010. The instruments used for the data collection were three self-applicable and independent questionnaires: 1) questionnaire of sociodemographic and labour characterization (developed by the authors); 2) instrument for quality of life assessment (WHOQOL-BREF); 3) brief instrument for psychosocial aspects of work assessment (Job Stress Scale). Elements of descriptive statistics will be used in the analysis, according to the instructions provided by the editors of these research tools. After the individual statistical analysis of each instrument is concluded, the results found will be discussed. Descriptors: quality of life; workers; emergency medical services, psychologyRESUMOObjetivo: analisar o impacto dos aspectos psicossociais do trabalho sobre a qualidade de vida de profissionais da saúde, que trabalham em um pronto-socorro do serviço público de Porto Velho – Rondônia. Método: trata-se de estudo quantitativo, descritivo e transversal que utiliza delineamento de levantamento (survey). Trabalho aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Universidade Federal de Rondônia (CAAE: 6563.0.000.047-10), em dezembro de 2010. Os instrumentos para a coleta de dados são três questionários auto-aplicáveis e independentes: 1) questionário de caracterização sócio-demográfica e laboral (elaborado pelos autores); 2) instrumento para avaliação de qualidade de vida (WHOQOL-BREF); 3) instrumento abreviado para avaliação de aspectos psicossociais do trabalho (Job Stress ScaleI). Para a análise serão utilizados elementos de estatística descritiva, conforme orientação dos editores dessas ferramentas de pesquisa. Após a análise estatística individual de cada instrumento, os resultados obtidos serão correlacionados. Descritores: qualidade de vida; trabalhadores; pronto-socorro; psicologiaRESUMENObjetivo: evaluar el impacto de los aspectos psicosociales del trabajo sobre la calidad de vida en profesionales de asistencia a la salud de una unidad de emergencia publica de Porto Velho – Rondônia. Método: estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo, transversal, utilizando el delineamiento de levantamiento o survey; el estudio fue aprobado por el Comité de Ética en Investigación de la Fundación Universidad Federal de Rondônia en 10 de diciembre de 2010 (CAAE: 6563.0.000.047-10) y ha sido desenvuelto teniendo en cuenta todas las recomendaciones de la Resolución 196/96 do Consejo Nacional de Salud. Para la recopilación de datos tres cuestionarios auto-aplicables y independientes serán aplicados: cuestionario de caracterización socio-demográfica y laboral (preparado por los autores); instrumento para evaluación de calidad de vida – WHOQOL-BREF y el instrumento abreviado para evaluación de los de aspectos psicosociales del trabajo – Job Stress Scale. Para análisis estadística serán utilizados elementos de estadística descriptiva recomendados por los autores de los respectivos instrumentos. Después de la análisis estadística individual de cada instrumento, los resultados obtenidos serán tratados de manera correlaciónale. Descriptores: calidad de vida; trabajadores; servicios médicos de urgencia; psicología.

scholarly journals NEEDS AND EXPERIENCES OF CAREGIVERS TO PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA WHO HAVE LOST THEIR DRIVING PRIVILEGES

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S111-S112
Author(s):  
Stephanie Yamin ◽  
Cassandre Gratton
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Driving Cessation

Abstract The ability to drive a motor vehicle for most older adults is associated with a sense of independence, well-being, quality of life and identity. For many older adults, driving cessation eventually becomes inevitable. This is especially the case for older adults with a diagnosis of dementia. Driving cessation has been shown to negatively impact individuals’ mobility and, consequently, quality of life. Informal caregivers (i.e., family caregivers) can mitigate the negative consequences associated with driving cessation in persons with dementia (PWD) by meeting their mobility needs and by offering emotional support. The purpose of this study was to examine the experience and needs of informal caregivers of PWD who had recently lost their driving privileges. Ten informal caregivers of PWD were recruited from a tertiary memory disorders clinic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and transcribed. Transcripts of interviews were thematically analyzed using a grounded theory approach. The major themes emerging from the experience of caregivers included being overwhelmed by responsibility, overwhelmed by the emotional response of their care recipient and feeling resentment towards their care recipient. Similarly, the major themes emerging from the needs of caregivers included having the need for mobility training, psychoeducation on how to best attend to the emotional needs of their care recipient and the need for coping strategies. These experiences and needs expressed by caregivers indicate that driving cessation of the care recipient is a difficult experience for caregivers and that a therapeutic intervention based on the reported needs may be beneficial.

scholarly journals Psychobiotic Supplementation of PS128TM Improves Stress, Anxiety, and Insomnia in Highly Stressed Information Technology Specialists: A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu-I Wu ◽  
Chien-Chen Wu ◽  
Pei-Joung Tsai ◽  
Li-Hao Cheng ◽  
Chih-Chieh Hsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Severity Index ◽  
Trial Period ◽  
Stress Scale ◽  
Mood Symptoms

Background: Information technology (IT) is an industry related to the production of computers, information processing, and telecommunications. Such industries heavily rely on the knowledge and solutions provided by IT specialists. Previous reports found that the subjective stress scores were higher in IT specialists who developed diabetes, hypertension, and depression. Specific probiotics, known as psychobiotics, may alleviate stress and mood symptoms. This study aimed to examine whether an 8-week intervention of a novel psychobiotic, Lactobacillus plantarum PS128TM (PS128TM), improved self-perceived stress and mood symptoms among high-stress IT specialists.Methods: This open-label, single-arm, baseline-controlled study included IT specialists from a large IT company in Northern Taiwan. Participants with a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) 10-item version score of 27 or higher were included. Participants were asked to take two capsules containing PS128TM powder, equivalent to 20 billion colony-forming units, daily. Self-report measures, such as the Job Stress Scale, Visual Analog Scale of Stress, the Insomnia Severity Index, the State and Trait Anxiety Index, the Questionnaire for Emotional Trait and State, the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, and Gastrointestinal Severity Index were compared at baseline and at the end of the trial period. The primary outcome was a 20% reduction in the PSS score at endpoint. Objective measures included salivary levels of stress biomarkers, including cortisol, α-amylase, immunoglobulin A, lactoferrin, and lysozymes, as well as results of the Test of Attentional Performance.Results: Of the 90 eligible IT specialists, 36 met the inclusion criteria. After the 8-week trial period, significant improvements in self-perceived stress, overall job stress, job burden, cortisol level, general or psychological health, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, quality of life, and both positive and negative emotions were found.Conclusion: Our results suggest that PS128TM has the distinct advantage of providing stress relief and can improve mental health for people with a high-stress job. Future placebo-controlled studies are warranted to explore the effect and underlying mechanisms of action of PS128TM.Clinical Trial Registration:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ (identifier: NCT04452253-sub-project 2).

scholarly journals Quality of Life Among Informal Caregivers of Patients With Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study

10.2196/12381 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e12381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Daniel Mowforth ◽  
Benjamin Marshall Davies ◽  
Mark Reinhard Kotter
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Disease Severity ◽  
Informal Care ◽  
Cervical Myelopathy ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Simple Relationship ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy

Background Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a common, chronic neurological condition that severely affects individuals by causing a range of disabling symptoms, frequently at a time around the peak of their careers. Subsequently, individuals with DCM often become dependent on informal care arrangements. The significant economic contribution of informal care and its burden on care providers are becoming increasingly recognized. Objective This study aimed to measure the quality of life of DCM informal caregivers and provide preliminary insight into possible contributing factors. Methods Carers of individuals with DCM completed a Web-based survey hosted by Myelopathy.org, an international DCM charity. Carer quality of life was assessed in the form of caregiver happiness and 7 dimensions of carer burden using the Care-Related Quality of Life (CarerQol) instrument. The relationships between patient disease severity, patient pain, and carer quality of life were investigated. Differences in carer quality of life were assessed across patient and carer demographic groups, including between UK and US carers. Results DCM caregivers experienced substantial burden as a result of their caregiving (mean CarerQol-7D=64.1; 95% CI 58.8-69.5) and low happiness (mean CarerQol-VAS [Visual Analog Scale]=6.3; 95% CI 5.7-6.9). Burden was high and happiness was low in DCM carers when compared with a large, mixed-disease study of adult informal carers where CarerQol-7D was 79.1 and CarerQol-VAS was 7.1. No significant relationship was found between DCM carer quality of life and patient disease severity and pain scores. DCM carer quality of life appeared uniform across all patient and carer demographic groups. Conclusions Caring for individuals with DCM is associated with reduced quality of life in the form of significant burden and reduced happiness. Reductions appear greater in DCM than in other diseases investigated. However, no simple relationship was identified between individual patient or carer factors and carer quality of life.

scholarly journals Enhancing Health for the Growing Number of Older Cancer Survivors: Designing Innovative Behavioral Interventions

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 649-650
Author(s):  
Heather Derry ◽  
Claire Conley ◽  
Kelly Trevino
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
User Preferences ◽  
Adult Cancer Survivors ◽  
After Cancer

Abstract By 2040, there will be an estimated 26.1 million cancer survivors in the United States, with 73% over age 65. Compared to younger survivors and those without cancer, older adult cancer survivors have an elevated comorbidity burden. Lifestyle interventions can play a key role in preventing and managing chronic health conditions and promoting quality of life during and after cancer treatment. Yet, behavioral interventions for maximizing health are under-utilized in older adults with cancer. At times, older adults may have unique needs that require tailoring to increase accessibility, optimization, and uptake of behavioral interventions. This symposium will showcase innovative approaches for enhancing health among older adult cancer survivors during and after cancer treatment. Dr. Bluethmann will discuss design considerations for using geriatric assessment in an ongoing exercise trial to manage side effects of aromatase inhibitors. Dr. Gell will present data on older survivors’ preferences regarding text messaging to support physical activity maintenance from an intervention study. Dr. Leach will discuss the use of technology to facilitate lifestyle change in older cancer survivors, presenting data on older adults’ user preferences and benefits from an eHealth tool. The discussant, Dr. Trevino, will summarize how these interventions can be leveraged to promote engagement in managing older survivors’ health and to inform next steps in intervention development. Collectively, this multidisciplinary group of speakers will provide practical information and “lessons learned” from designing behavioral and technology-based interventions, and highlight the promise that these approaches hold for improving quality of life in aging cancer survivors. Cancer and Aging Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

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