Usability of a Detector of Behavioural Disturbances to Monitor Patients with Dementia Living in Long-Term Care Homes: A Focus Group Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Amine Choukou ◽  
Sophia Mbabaali ◽  
Ryan East
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Current Practice ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
The People ◽  
High Level

BACKGROUND The number of Canadians with dementia is expected to rise to nearly 1 million individuals in the next decade. It is more than urgent to find a solution to monitor any unsafe behaviour that could be harmful to patients with dementia and the people around them such as other patients, professionals, or visitors. Current practice does not utilize systems to monitor behaviours of the patients with dementia (PwD) and send alerts when potential dangerous events occur. Events are reported randomly by non-professionals or when a professional notices an absence to a scheduled event. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the potential of implementing a detector of behavioural disturbances (DBD) in long-term care homes through a mapping of the perceptions of clinicians and staff members towards this technology. METHODS A focus group was conducted with 8 clinicians and staff members and 1 partner of a PwD. RESULTS Three themes emerged from a thematic analysis of the perspectives of the stakeholders: (A) capability of the DBD to detect relevant dementia-related behavioural disturbances, (B) characteristics of the DBD and clinical needs and (C) DBD modalities of use. CONCLUSIONS The results confirmed the adequacy of the DBD for their daily needs in terms of detecting hazardous behaviours or personal and interpersonal behavioural disturbances. The DBD has been considered useful and easy to use by the focus group participants, meaning that the DBD has a high level of usability. CLINICALTRIAL NA

Perceptions of family and staff on the role of the environment in long-term care homes for people with dementia

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 753-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda J. Garcia ◽  
Michèle Hébert ◽  
Jean Kozak ◽  
Isabelle Sénécal ◽  
Susan E. Slaughter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Disruptive Behaviors ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Staff Members

ABSTRACTBackground: Disruptive behaviors are frequent and often the first predictor of institutionalization. The goal of this multi-center study was to explore the perceptions of family and staff members on the potential contribution of environmental factors that influence disruptive behaviors and quality of life of residents with dementia living in long-term care homes.Methods: Data were collected using 15 nominal focus groups with 45 family and 59 staff members from eight care units. Groups discussed and created lists of factors that could either reduce disruptive behaviors and facilitate quality of life or encourage disruptive behaviors and impede the quality of life of residents. Then each participant individually selected the nine most important facilitators and obstacles. Themes were identified from the lists of data and operational categories and definitions were developed for independent coding by four researchers.Results: Participants from both family and staff nominal focus groups highlighted facility, staffing, and resident factors to consider when creating optimal environments. Human environments were perceived to be more important than physical environments and flexibility was judged to be essential. Noise was identified as one of the most important factors influencing behavior and quality of life of residents.Conclusion: Specialized physical design features can be useful for maintaining quality of life and reducing disruptive behaviors, but they are not sufficient. Although they can ease some of the anxieties and set the stage for social interactions, individuals who make up the human environment are just as important in promoting well-being among residents.

Nurses' Views on Infection Control in Long-Term Care Facilities in South Korea: A Focus Group Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi-Young Lee ◽  
Min-Hye Lee ◽  
Seong-Hyeon Lee ◽  
Yeon-Hwan Park
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Care Facilities

Communication Disordered: Program Implementation in Long-Term Care

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (15) ◽  
pp. 64-67
Author(s):  
George Barnes ◽  
Joseph Salemi
Keyword(s):  
Program Implementation ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Family Satisfaction ◽  
Regulatory Compliance ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Change Policy

The organizational structure of long-term care (LTC) facilities often removes the rehab department from the interdisciplinary work culture, inhibiting the speech-language pathologist's (SLP's) communication with the facility administration and limiting the SLP's influence when implementing clinical programs. The SLP then is unable to change policy or monitor the actions of the care staff. When the SLP asks staff members to follow protocols not yet accepted by facility policy, staff may be unable to respond due to confusing or conflicting protocol. The SLP needs to involve members of the facility administration in the policy-making process in order to create successful clinical programs. The SLP must overcome communication barriers by understanding the needs of the administration to explain how staff compliance with clinical goals improves quality of care, regulatory compliance, and patient-family satisfaction, and has the potential to enhance revenue for the facility. By taking this approach, the SLP has a greater opportunity to increase safety, independence, and quality of life for patients who otherwise may not receive access to the appropriate services.

“They don't just disappear”: Acknowledging death in the long-term care setting

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 241-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janine Maitland ◽  
Kevin Brazil ◽  
Bill James-Abra
Keyword(s):  
Long Term Care ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Long Term Care Facility ◽  
Qualitative Research Study ◽  
Staff Members

AbstractObjective:The purpose of this study was to describe the value of a formal room blessing ritual held within a long-term care facility, from the perspectives of staff, residents, and family members.Method:A qualitative research study involving interviews with staff, residents, and family members was conducted to examine the perceived value of a room blessing ritual.Results:Twenty-four room blessing attendees participated in the study (nine staff, eight residents, and seven family members). Attendees felt that the room blessing provided an opportunity to formally acknowledge the death of the resident and their grief; the majority felt that this was a positive experience and that it provided an element of closure. Staff members and residents expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to connect with family members of the deceased to express their condolences during the ritual. Participants also identified the inclusivity of the ritual (i.e., an open invitation to all staff, residents, and family members) as a positive aspect that served as a reminder that others shared in their grief. Staff members felt that blessing the room for the new resident was an important component of the ritual, helping to bridge the gap between mourning and welcoming a new person. Staff, residents, and family members felt that the room blessing positively reflected the mission and values of the facility. The most highly valued aspect of the ritual for all attendees was the sharing of stories about the deceased to celebrate that person's life.Significance of results:Long-term care facilities need to recognize that formal supports to manage the bereavement needs of staff and residents, such as a room blessing ritual, should be incorporated into their model for managing end-of-life care, given the relationship between the emotional health of staff and the quality of care provided for residents.

Combating Coronavirus Disease-2019 Outbreak in Long-Term Care Facilities for Frail Older Adults: Preventive Measures and Palliative Care Go Hand-in-Hand

2021 ◽  
pp. 082585972110393
Author(s):  
Hon Wai Benjamin Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Respiratory Illness ◽  
Term Care ◽  
The People ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

While the whole population is at risk from infection with the coronavirus, older people—often frail and subject to multimorbidity—are at the highest risk for the severe and fatal disease. Despite strict infection control and social distancing measures, frail adults in long-term care facilities may be at particular risk of transmission of respiratory illness. Treatment decisions are often complex attributed to the heterogeneity of this population with regards to different geriatric domains such as functional status, comorbidity, and poly-pharmacy. While measures must be taken to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading through these facilities, it is also essential that residents with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have access to the symptom management and support they want and deserve. What most nursing home residents want during the course of their illness is to be able to stay in their facilities, to be surrounded by the people they love most, and to feel relief from their physical and emotional pain. By addressing the limited access to hospice and palliative care delivery in nursing homes, we can prevent unnecessary suffering and pain from COVID-19 as well as lay the groundwork for improving care for all residents moving forward.

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