Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities: A Scoping Review (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Parniak ◽  
Vince G DePaul ◽  
Clare Frymire ◽  
Samuel DePaul ◽  
Catherine Donnelly

BACKGROUND As Canada’s population ages there is a need to explore community-based solutions to support older adults. Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), defined by Hunt and Gunter-Hunt in 1986 as buildings or areas not specifically designed for, but which attracts, older adults and associated supportive service programming (NORC-SSP) have been described as potential resources to support aging-in-place. However, while the body of literature on NORCs has been growing since the 1980s, no synthesis of this work has been done to date. OBJECTIVE The goal of this scoping review was to highlight the current state of NORC literature to inform future research and to offer a summarized description of NORCs and how they have and can support older adults to age-in-place. METHODS Using a published framework, a scoping review was conducted searching twelve databases (CINAHL, Ovid Medline, HealthSTAR, Embase, APA PsycInfo, AMED, Johanna Briggs Institute, REHABDATA, Sociofile, Education Source, ERIC, Urban Planning, and the Cochrane Library) from earliest date of coverage to July 2020. We included English peer and non-peer reviewed scholarly journal publications that described, critiqued, reflected on, or researched NORCs. Aging-in-place literature with little to no mention of NORCs were excluded, as were articles that recruited from NORCs but did not connect findings to the setting. A qualitative content analysis of the literature was conducted, guided by Greenfield et al.’s 2012 conceptual framework to examine the promise of NORC programs to promote aging-in-place. RESULTS From 762 publications, we included 61 articles. All publications were North American and most used a descriptive approach (49/61; 80.3%). Just over half provided a specific definition of a NORC (32/61; 52.5%); of those, almost half (14/32; 43.8%) used Hunt and Gunter-Hunt’s 1986 definition; yet there were discrepancies in the defined proportions of older adults that constitutes a NORC (e.g. 40%, 50%). Six articles (6/61; 9.8%) described processes for identifying NORCs. Thirty-seven articles (37/61; 60.7%) specifically described Articles about NORC SSPs, described both external partnerships with organizations for service delivery (30/61; 49.2%), and internal resources, including staff (19/61; 31.1%), volunteers (13/61; 21.3%), or neighbours (5/61; 8.2%). Identified key components of a NORC-SSP included activities fostering social relationships (24/61;39.3%) and access to resources and services (24/61;39.3%). Sustainability and funding of NORC-SSPs was described (25/61; 40.9%), particularly as challenges to success. Initial outcomes, including self-efficacy (6/61; 9.8%) and increased access to social and health supports (14/61; 22.9%) were cited; however, long-term outcomes were lacking. CONCLUSIONS This review synthesizes the NORC literature to date and demonstrates that NORCs with programming (NORC-SSPs) have potential as an alternative model of supporting aging-in-place. Longitudinal research exploring the impacts of both NORCs and NORC-SSPs on older adult health and well-being is recommended. Future research should also explore ways to improve the sustainability of NORC-SSPs.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Chum ◽  
Griffin Fitzhenry ◽  
Kali Robinson ◽  
Michelle Murphy ◽  
Delyth Phan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and Objectives With the global population aging, there is a demand for older adults to age in place, that is, to live and age well in their home and community with some level of independence. Community-based housing models exist and may support this process. This scoping review aimed to describe and synthesize the ways in which community-based housing models relate to older adults’ aging in place and identify strengths and gaps in the literature. Research Design and Methods The housing models explored were villages, naturally occurring retirement communities, congregate housing and cohousing, sheltered housing, and continuing care retirement communities. This exploratory scoping review examined international peer-reviewed literature published from 2004 to 2019. Six databases were searched using terms related to housing models and older adults. Forty-six articles met the inclusion criteria. Descriptive numerical summary and thematic analysis were used to synthesize study characteristics and findings. Results Our analysis revealed 4 themes relating to aging in place in the housing models: Social Relations, Health and Well-being, Sense of Self and Autonomy, and Activity Participation. Further analysis identified housing-specific characteristics that appeared to pose barriers to, or enable, aging in place. Discussion and Implications To best support aging in place, the findings of the review suggest multiple characteristics worth considering when developing or relocating to a community-based housing model. Further research is required to understand how facilitating characteristics can promote aging in place for community-dwelling older adults.


2021 ◽  
pp. 155982762110012
Author(s):  
Fei-Chi Yang ◽  
Aishwarya B. Desai ◽  
Pelareh Esfahani ◽  
Tatiana V. Sokolovskaya ◽  
Doreen J. Bartlett

Background. Tai Chi is a form of exercise that is accessible to people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, making it a potentially valuable activity for health promotion of older adults. Purpose. The objective of this scoping review was to summarize the current knowledge about the effectiveness of Tai Chi for older adults across a range of general health outcomes from published, peer reviewed, unique meta-analyses. Methods. Meta-analyses were retrieved from Medline, Embase, AMED, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, PsychINFO, Web of Science, PubMed Health, and the Cochrane Library from database inception to late August 2019. Multistage deduplication and screening processes identified eligible full-length meta-analyses. Two people independently appraised 27 meta-analyses based on the GRADE system and organized results into 3 appendices subsequently collated into heterogeneous, statistically significant, and statistically insignificant tables. Results. “High” and “moderate” quality evidence extracted from these meta-analyses demonstrated that practicing Tai Chi can significantly improve balance, cardiorespiratory fitness, cognition, mobility, proprioception, sleep, and strength; reduce the incidence of falls and nonfatal stroke; and decrease stroke risk factors. Conclusions. Health care providers can now recommend Tai Chi with high level of certainty for health promotion of older adults across a range of general health outcomes for improvement of overall well-being.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e054308
Author(s):  
Michelle Iris Jakobsen ◽  
Ole Jakob Storebø ◽  
Stephen Fitzgerald Austin ◽  
Jimmi Nielsen ◽  
Erik Simonsen

IntroductionThe atypical antipsychotic clozapine has shown superior efficacy compared with other antipsychotics and is the gold standard for treating otherwise treatment resistant schizophrenia. However, multiple studies have found that clozapine is underutilised in most parts of the world. A few reviews of literature addressing barriers to clozapine prescribing have been conducted. While there is some variation in the literature included in these reviews, a common feature of the studies included is that they primarily focus on clinical staff’s attitudes and perceived barriers for prescribing. Studies of patient perspectives are only sparsely included. A preliminary literature search revealed though, that additional literature on the subject exists, including literature on patient perspectives. It is therefore difficult to conclude if the formerly synthesised literature is representative of current evidence or if the topic has been adequately investigated to inform clinical practice. A scoping review is warranted in order to map and synthesise primary literature on patients’ and psychiatrists’ perspectives on clozapine treatment, and to identify gaps for future research.Methods and analysisThe electronic databases Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, Psychinfo, MEDLINE and EMBASE will be searched for relevant publications, supplied with searches of Google scholar, The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations and OpenGrey. Citation tracking of selected studies will furthermore be undertaken. Two researchers will independently screen and extract data. Data will be collated to provide a descriptive summary of the literature, along with a qualitative content analysis of key findings. Identified gaps in research will be accompanied by recommendations for future investigations.Ethics and disseminationFindings will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal and conference presentations. The scoping review does not require ethics approval.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e027633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doug Cary ◽  
Kathy Briffa ◽  
Leanda McKenna

ObjectivesThe objectives of this scoping review were to identify (1) study designs and participant populations, (2) types of specific methodology and (3) common results, conclusions and recommendations from the body of evidence regarding our research question; is there a relationship between sleep posture and spinal symptoms.DesignScoping review.Data sourcesPEDro, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, Medline, ProQuest, PsycINFO, SportDISCUS and grey literature from inception to 10 April 2018.Data selectionUsing a modified Arksey and O’Malley framework, all English language studies in humans that met eligibility criteria using key search terms associated with sleep posture and spinal symptoms were included.Data extractionData were independently extracted by two reviewers and mapped to describe the current state of the literature. Articles meeting the search criteria were critically appraised using the Downs and Black checklist.ResultsFrom 4186 articles, four articles were identified, of which three were epidemiological and one interventional. All studies examined three or more sleep postures, all measured sleep posture using self-report and one study also used infrared cameras. Two studies examined symptoms arising from the lumbar spine, one the cervical spine and one the whole spine. Waking pain and stiffness were the most common symptoms explored and side lying was generally protective against spinal symptoms.ConclusionsThis scoping review highlights the importance of evaluating sleep posture with respect to waking symptoms and has provided preliminary information regarding relationships between sleep posture and spinal symptoms. However, there were not enough high-quality studies to adequately answer our research question. It is recommended future research consider group sizes and population characteristics to achieve research goals, that a validated measure be used to assess sleep posture, that characteristics and location of spinal symptoms are clearly defined and that the side lying posture is subclassified.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S72-S72
Author(s):  
Sijia Wei ◽  
Eleanor S McConnell ◽  
Kayla Wright-Freeman ◽  
Amanda Woodward ◽  
Bada Kang ◽  
...  

Abstract Social networks impact the health and wellbeing of older adults. The importance of social networks drives the need to reliably measure social networks. Advancements and innovations in the internet, electronic and digital devices, social media and health care technology enriches our ability to collect social network and health data to overcome limitations in social network measurement. This scoping review will review approaches utilizing technology to assist the measurement and analysis of social networks among older adults in the context of health and social care. Joanna Briggs Institute methodology was followed; PubMed (MEDLINE), Sociological Abstracts, SocINDEX, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched for related articles. Conference abstracts and proceedings were included. We discuss the gaps and advances in measurement of social networks of older adults using technology and implications for future research in social networks of older adults as a lever for improving health and well-being.


Pain Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daly Geagea ◽  
Zephanie Tyack ◽  
Roy Kimble ◽  
Lars Eriksson ◽  
Vince Polito ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Inadequately treated pain and distress elicited by medical procedures can put children at higher risks of acute and chronic biopsychosocial sequelae. Children can benefit from hypnotherapy, a psychological tailored intervention, as an adjunct to pharmacological agents to address the multiple components of pain and distress. Despite providing evidence on the effectiveness and potential superiority of hypnotherapy to other psychological interventions, research on hypnotherapy for paediatric procedural pain and distress has been predominantly limited to oncology and needle procedures. Plus, there is a lack of reporting of intervention manuals, factors influencing hypnotic responding, pain unpleasantness outcomes, theoretical frameworks, adverse events, as well as barriers and facilitators to the feasibility of delivering the intervention and study procedures. The proposed review aims to map the range and nature of the evidence on hypnotherapy for procedural pain and distress in children to identify gaps in literature and areas requiring further investigation. Methods This review will follow the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) methodology and incorporate additional scoping review recommendations by The Joanna Briggs Institute and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses. Relevant studies will be identified through searching published literature databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science) and grey literature in addition to hand-searching of reference lists and key journals. Two authors will independently screen titles and abstracts of search results followed by full-texts review against eligibility criteria. Conclusion Findings are anticipated to guide future research and inform the development of tailored hypnotic interventions in children.


2021 ◽  
pp. 016402752110050
Author(s):  
Kirstie McAllum ◽  
Mary Louisa Simpson ◽  
Christine Unson ◽  
Stephanie Fox ◽  
Kelley Kilpatrick

As unpaid family caregiving of older adults becomes increasingly prevalent, it is imperative to understand how family caregivers are socialized and how they understand the caregiving role. This PRISMA-ScR-based scoping review examines the published literature between 1995–2019 on the socialization of potential and current unpaid family caregivers of older adults. Of 4,599 publications identified, 47 were included. Three perspectives of socialization were identified: (1) role acculturation; (2) role negotiation and identification; and (3) specialized role learning. The findings show how socialization involves different contexts (e.g., cultures), imperatives for action (e.g., circumstances), socialization agents (e.g., family), processes (e.g., modeling), and internal (e.g., normalization) and external (e.g., identification) consequences for caregivers. Future research could fruitfully explore how caregivers manage key turning points within the socialization process, disengage from the caregiving role, and negotiate the socialization and individualization processes within diverse cultural and funding contexts.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e041894
Author(s):  
Joyce Kibaru ◽  
Pinky Kotecha ◽  
Abdulkarim Muhammad Iya ◽  
Beth Russell ◽  
Muzzammil Abdullahi ◽  
...  

IntroductionBladder cancer (BC) is the 10th common cancer worldwide and ranks seventh in Nigeria. This scoping review aims to identify the gaps in clinical care and research of BC in Nigeria as part of the development of a larger national research programme aiming to improve outcomes and care of BC.Methods and analysisThis review will be conducted according to Arksey and O’Malley scoping review methodology framework. The following electronic databases will be searched: Medline (using the PubMed interface), Ovid Gateway (Embase and Ovid), Cochrane library and Open Grey literature. Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts and subsequently screen full-text studies for inclusion, any lack of consensus will be discussed with a third reviewer. Any study providing insight into the epidemiology or treatment pathway of BC (RCTs, observations, case series, policy paper) will be included. A data chart will be used to extract relevant data from the included studies. Results will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews. A consultation process will be carried out with a multidisciplinary team of Nigerian healthcare professionals, patients and scientists.Ethics and disseminationThe results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications. By highlighting the key gaps in the literature, this review can provide direction for future research and clinical guidelines in Nigeria (and other low-income and middle-income countries), where BC is more prevalent due to local risk factors and healthcare settings.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e047034
Author(s):  
Javiera Navarrete ◽  
Nese Yuksel ◽  
Theresa J Schindel ◽  
Christine A Hughes

ObjectivesPharmacists are increasingly providing patient-focused services in community pharmacies, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Specific SRH areas have been the focus of research, but a broader perspective is needed to position pharmacists as SRH providers. This review explored research that described and evaluated professional pharmacy services across a broad range of SRH areas.DesignScoping reviewData sourcesMedline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library (January 2007–July 2020).Study selectionStudies reporting on the description and evaluation of professional pharmacy SRH services provided by community pharmacists.Data extractionTwo investigators screened studies for eligibility, and one investigator extracted the data. Data were analysed to primarily describe professional pharmacy services and intervention outcomes.ResultsForty-one studies were included. The main SRH areas and professional pharmacy services reported were sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections (63%) and screening (39%), respectively. Findings showed that pharmacists’ delivery of SRH services was feasible, able to reach vulnerable and high-risk groups, and interventions were highly accepted and valued by users. However, integration into daily workflow, pharmacist remuneration, cost and reimbursement for patients, and policy regulations were some of the barriers identified to implementing SRH services. Studies were primarily in specific areas such as chlamydia screening or hormonal contraception prescribing, while studies in other areas (ie, medical abortion provision, long-acting reversible contraception prescribing and vaccine delivery in pregnant women) were lacking.ConclusionThis scoping review highlights the expansion of pharmacists’ roles beyond traditional product-focused services in a number of SRH areas. Given the potential feasibility, users’ acceptability and reach, pharmacists are ideally situated to enhance SRH care access. Future research describing implementation and evaluation of professional pharmacy services in all SRH areas is needed to promote access to these services through community pharmacies and position pharmacists as SRH providers worldwide.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2308
Author(s):  
Pascale Heins ◽  
Lizzy M. M. Boots ◽  
Wei Qi Koh ◽  
An Neven ◽  
Frans R. J. Verhey ◽  
...  

Social isolation in community-dwelling older adults with dementia is a growing health issue that can negatively affect health and well-being. To date, little attention has been paid to the role of technology in improving their social participation. This systematic review aims to provide a systematic overview of the effects of technological interventions that target social participation in community-dwelling older adults with and without dementia. The scientific databases Medline (PubMed), PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched and independently screened by two reviewers. Results were synthesized narratively. The methodological quality of included studies was independently assessed by two reviewers. In total, 36 studies of varying methodological quality were identified. Most studies evaluated social networking technology and ICT training programs. Three studies focused on people with dementia. Quantitative findings showed limited effects on loneliness, social isolation, and social support. Nevertheless, several benefits related to social participation were reported qualitatively. Social interaction, face-to-face contact, and intergenerational engagement were suggested to be successful elements of technological interventions in improving the social participation of community-dwelling older adults. Rigorous studies with larger sample sizes are highly needed to evaluate the long-term effects of technology on the multidimensional concept of social participation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document