scholarly journals - Perceptions regarding the quality of life among beneficiaries of home and residential care services

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-78
Author(s):  
Mihaela Ghenţa ◽  
◽  
Aniela Matei ◽  
Luise Mladen-MacoveI ◽  
Elen-Silvana Bobârnat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Care Services

Respecting privacy in care services

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 276-284
Author(s):  
Peter Bates ◽  
Brendan McLoughlin
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Data Privacy ◽  
Human Services ◽  
Right To Privacy ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Services

Purpose In care homes concerns about abuse have established a culture where all information pertaining to a person must be shared, and little attention is paid to privacy in its broader sense. The purpose of this paper is to take a human rights perspective and consider how information governance may impact on the health, well-being and quality of life of residents. It proposes a proactive approach and presents a template for a privacy impact assessment which services could use to improve their approach to privacy, protecting the human rights of those in their care, contributing to their independence and improving outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A review of historical and current thinking about the value of privacy in human services and wider society leads to a series of challenges to the way in which privacy is upheld in residential care services. Findings Recent preoccupations with data privacy have led to a myopic neglect of broader considerations of privacy. Whilst it continues to be important to protect the confidentiality of personal data and to ensure that residents are protected from abuse, human services that provide 24 hour care in congregated settings must not neglect broader components of privacy. Research limitations/implications Privacy impact assessments have been widely used to check whether data privacy is being upheld. The broader concept that might be termed “Big Privacy” is introduced within which data privacy is but one section. It is suggested that big privacy is severely compromised in residential care settings, thus denying residents their human right to privacy. The extent of such violation of rights should be investigated. Practical implications Having set out the potential reach of the human right to privacy, important work needs to be done to find out how privacy might be upheld in the real world of congregate residential care. Some service providers may have solutions to the organisational challenges, have addressed staff training needs and revised risk assessment strategies so that privacy is upheld alongside other rights. Social implications Nearly half a million people live in congregate residential care settings in England, and deprivation of privacy is argued to be a significant deprivation of human rights. Occasional tragedies and scandals in congregate settings create pressure for increasing the level of surveillance, and the right to privacy is sacrificed. This paper offers a challenge to this process, arguing that competing rights need to be balanced and privacy is an essential component of a decent quality of life. Originality/value Personal growth and development depends to some extent on choice and control over access to privacy. Recent changes in the law regarding data protection have narrowed our thinking about privacy until it is a small concept, largely concerned with data handling. This paper invites consideration of big privacy, and invites congregate residential care settings to consider how a deep and broad definition of privacy could transform these services.

Cost effectiveness in palliative care setting

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-71
Author(s):  
Henry O’Lawrence ◽  
Rohan Chowlkar
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Hospice Care ◽  
Home Health ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Services ◽  
The Cost

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the cost effectiveness of palliative care on patients in a home health and hospice setting. Secondary data set was utilized to test the hypotheses of this study. Home health care and hospice care services have the potential to avert hospital admissions in patients requiring palliative care, which significantly affects medicare spending. With the aging population, it has become evident that demand of palliative care will increase four-fold. It was determined that current spending on end-of-life care is radically emptying medicare funds and fiscally weakening numerous families who have patients under palliative care during life-threatening illnesses. The study found that a majority of people registering for palliative and hospice care settings are above the age group of 55 years old. Design/methodology/approach Different variables like length of stay, mode of payment and disease diagnosis were used to filter the available data set. Secondary data were utilized to test the hypothesis of this study. There are very few studies on hospice and palliative care services and no study focuses on the cost associated with this care. Since a very large number of the USA, population is turning 65 and over, it is very important to analyze the cost of care for palliative and hospice care. For the purpose of this analysis, data were utilized from the National Home and Hospice Care Survey (NHHCS), which has been conducted periodically by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. Descriptive statistics, χ2 tests and t-tests were used to test for statistical significance at the p<0.05 level. Findings The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilized for this result. H1 predicted that patients in the age group of 65 years and up have the highest utilization of home and hospice care. This study examined various demographic variables in hospice and home health care which may help to evaluate the cost of care and the modes of payments. This section of the result presents the descriptive analysis of dependent, independent and covariate variables that provide the overall national estimates on differences in use of home and hospice care in various age groups and sex. Research limitations/implications The data set used was from the 2007 NHHCS survey, no data have been collected thereafter, and therefore, gap in data analysis may give inaccurate findings. To compensate for this gap in the data set, recent studies were reviewed which analyzed cost in palliative care in the USA. There has been a lack of evidence to prove the cost savings and improved quality of life in palliative/hospice care. There is a need for new research on the various cost factors affecting palliative care services as well as considering the quality of life. Although, it is evident that palliative care treatment is less expensive as compared to the regular care, since it eliminates the direct hospitalization cost, but there is inadequate research to prove that it improves the quality of life. A detailed research is required considering the additional cost incurred in palliative/hospice care services and a cost-benefit analysis of the same. Practical implications While various studies reporting information applicable to the expenses and effect of family caregiving toward the end-of-life were distinguished, none of the previous research discussed this issue as their central focus. Most studies addressed more extensive financial effect of palliative and end-of-life care, including expenses borne by the patients themselves, the medicinal services framework and safety net providers or beneficent/willful suppliers. This shows a significant hole in the current writing. Social implications With the aging population, it has become evident that demand of palliative/hospice care will increase four-fold. The NHHCS have stopped keeping track of the palliative care requirements after 2007, which has a negative impact on the growing needs. Cost analysis can only be performed by analyzing existing data. This review has recognized a huge niche in the evidence base with respect to the cost cares of giving care and supporting a relative inside a palliative/hospice care setting. Originality/value The study exhibited that cost diminishments in aggressive medications can take care of the expenses of palliative/hospice care services. The issue of evaluating result in such a physically measurable way is complicated by the impalpable nature of large portions of the individual components of outcome. Although physical and mental well-being can be evaluated to a certain degree, it is significantly more difficult to gauge in a quantifiable way, the social and profound measurements of care that help fundamentally to general quality of care.

Resident perspectives of the determinants of quality of life in residential care in Ireland

2009 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 1029-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adeline Cooney ◽  
Kathy Murphy ◽  
Eamon O’Shea
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Residential Care

scholarly journals Agitated Behavior of Elderly and Alternative Simple Treatments: Individualized music – A feasibility study (the ABrEAST-iM feasibility study)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Mallidou ◽  
Anne-Marie Boström ◽  
Daphne Kaitelidou ◽  
Jennifer Brett ◽  
Sara John Fowler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Clinical Significance ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Residential Care Facilities ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Individualized Music

Abstract Background Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) influence older persons’ quality of life. Non-pharmacological interventions such as individualized music (iM) are promising to reduce BPSD and sustain interpersonal connectedness that contributes to quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the practicalities (e.g., process, results) of iM activities application on older adults over 65 years of age diagnosed with dementia living in residential care facilities. Our objectives were to: a) evaluate the recruitment process; b) explore the process of iM activity implementation; c) assess the clinical significance of the outcomes. Methods A concurrent mixed methods feasibility study designed and was conducted in two residential care facilities in British Columbia, Canada to assess the practicalities (i.e., recruitment, acceptability of the intervention, adherence to it, and clinical significance) of iM activities implementation on older adults diagnosed with dementia living in residential care facilities. Data were collected from residents, their families and staff using administrative records, observations, surveys, and interviews. Our primary outcomes were affect and quality of life. Results The observed iM activities were feasible, acceptable and adhered to by residents with clinical significance. Specifically, about 47% of eligible residents, their families and staff agreed to participate in and completed the study (recruitment); approximately 86% of participants enthusiastically received and were satisfied with the iM activity (acceptability); more than 70% of participants completed at least seven of the nine iM sessions (adherence); about 55% of participants experienced an increase in positive affect scores and 29% had a decrease in negative affect scores after the intervention; more than 43% of participants had a reduction in BPSD (clinical significance). Finally, participants reported improvement of quality of life and positive effects of iM intervention and provided insights and suggestions to improve it. Conclusions Individualized music activities can be successfully implemented (i.e., feasible, acceptable, adherent) with significant clinical outcomes. Participants reported positive affect emotions, increase in quality of life and well-being. With this feasibility study, we developed a process to identify challenges and their solutions that may assist us in a following pilot study with similar iM intervention.

scholarly journals A Causal Relationship of Home Care Services on the Quality of Life among Survivors of Stroke in Thailand

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patoomthip ADUNWATANASIRI ◽  
Siriorn SINDHU ◽  
Napaporn WANITKUN ◽  
Chukiat VIWATWONGKASEM
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Functional Status ◽  
Home Care Services ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Stroke Survivors ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Care Services

Survivors of stroke suffer impairments associated with a complex need of care from healthcare services after being discharged from hospital and returning home, and these impairments affect the quality of their lives. This cross-sectional study, aimed at evaluating the pathways linking home care services, patient factors, and quality of life (QOL), was carried out by conducting interviews and questionnaires with stroke survivors at their homes. Simple random sampling was used to select the settings for data collection, and multi-stage sampling was used to select the samples. In all, 317 stroke survivors admitted to 13 hospitals in rural and urban setting were selected for participation in the study. The data obtained were analyzed by using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The hypothetical model demonstrated a good fit (chi-square = 15.299, df = 9, p = 0.083, GFI = 0.98, CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.047). Statistically significant explanatory variables for the home care service had a direct effect on perceived self-management support, functional status, and QOL (β = 0.39, 0.12 and 0.11, respectively), while number of community supporters had a significant positive indirect effect on QOL through functional status (β = 0.13). The variables accounted for 56 % of the variance in QOL. This finding could be used by policy makers to make important policy development in home care services and help improve health outcomes. In particular, it is also recommended that policy makers push for policies that encompass self-management support and community support groups among stroke survivors in community settings.

Attitudes Toward Intelligent Technologies

2011 ◽  
pp. 231-252
Author(s):  
Lorenza Tiberio ◽  
Massimiliano Scopelliti ◽  
Maria Vittoria Giuliani
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Care Giving ◽  
Human Care

Nursing homes provide long-term care services and can help preserve the quality of life of elderly people subject to physical and cognitive impairments. In this chapter, we explore the role of intelligent technologies as a supplement to human care-giving and the potential to improve quality of life for both older adults and their caregivers in nursing homes. A study was conducted on elderly people’s and caregivers’ attitudes toward the use of intelligent technologies in nursing homes, with the aim of understanding in which domains of everyday activities the application of intelligent technologies can be more suitable. Results showed that attitude toward the application of intelligent technologies in nursing homes is positive, although multifaceted. Elderly people and caregivers considered intelligent technologies as relevant devices for the improvement of quality of life in different domains. Nonetheless, differences related to the role that technologies played in nursing homes clearly emerged.

Norway

2019 ◽  
pp. 211-218
Author(s):  
Knut Engedal
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Welfare State ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Tax System ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
At Home

Norway has 5 million inhabitants, of whom 200,000 are aged above 80 years. The country is a welfare state, with a tax system covering most health services for its citizens. It is estimated that 78,000 people in Norway suffer from dementia, of whom 60% live at home and the remainder in residential care. In 2007, the first National Dementia Plan was launched (2007–2015), and the second in 2016 (2016–2020). The main goals of the two Plans are to develop services across the country to improve the care and quality of life for all people with dementia and their family caregivers, as well as increase the knowledge of dementia among healthcare professionals. In addition, the Plans also aim to improve awareness of dementia in society as a whole and to develop and implement measures to help create a more dementia-friendly society.

scholarly journals The Impact of Urinary Incontinence on Quality of Life in Those Receiving Home Care Services

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-34
Author(s):  
Mahcube Cubukcu
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Urinary Incontinence ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Home Care Services ◽  
Care Services ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

This study aims to evaluate the impact of urinary incontinence on the quality of life in those receiving home care services and the factors that influence this. This cross-descriptive study was performed in 180 patients who were served from Home Care Services between 01 and 28 February 2018. An International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Short Form (ICIQ-SF) was implemented in person to those who gave their informed consent with orientation and cooperation. The mean age of a 180 patients was 74.40 ± 7.80 years (min = 18, max = 104), of which 55.2% were women. The mean ICIQ-SF score was found to be 12.42 ± 4.83 (min = 0, max = 21). The lowest points were given as responses to the question, “In your opinion, what amount of leakage do you experience?” The highest points, however, were given to the question of “How much does urinary leakage interfere with your everyday life?” It was seen that when quality of life is assessed with a visual analog scale within the ICIQ-SF, the quality of life for 66.6% of elderly individuals was affected moderately or significantly. The mean ICIQ-SF scores were higher in those with chronic diseases ( p < .005). Urinary Incontinence negatively affects quality of life to a moderate and significant degree in those receiving home care. The quality of life for those who have chronic diseases was worse. In this respect, there is a need to support patients in those receiving home care services.

Implementation of Pharmaceutical Care Services for Patients with Hyperlipidemias by Independent Community Pharmacy Practitioners

1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 713-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle CH Shibley ◽  
Carol B Pugh
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
Pharmaceutical Care ◽  
Low Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Therapeutic Goals ◽  
Care Services ◽  
A Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE: To implement and evaluate pharmaceutical care services for patients with hyperlipidemias in the community pharmacy setting, to evaluate the results of a pharmaceutical care training process for pharmacists by using an assessment quiz, and to measure patient outcomes resulting from provision of pharmaceutical care to patients with hyperlipidemia. DESIGN: A prospective study was conducted over a 1 -year period. Patients served as their own controls. SETTING: Two independent community pharmacies in Richmond, Virginia. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five adult patients with confirmed dyslipidemias completed the study. INTERVENTIONS: Study pharmacists assessed each patient and assisted in setting therapeutic goals; patients also completed a visit with a registered dietitian. Drug therapy recommendations were made to physicians by the pharmacist when appropriate. Follow-up was scheduled with the pharmacist to ensure positive outcomes and reduce adverse effects. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fasting lipoprotein profiles were measured initially and at 6 and 12 months. The SF-36 survey, the MacKeigan-Larson satisfaction survey, and a patient opinion survey were administered initially and at the conclusion of the study. RESULTS: Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values were significantly decreased at 12 months compared with either the baseline or 6-month values (p < 0.02). Significant improvement was found in several domains of the surveys; quality of life, patient satisfaction with pharmacy services, and patient opinions on the role of the pharmacist improved after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmaceutical care may positively affect lipid values, quality of life, and patient satisfaction.

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