The Role of Nursing Homes Architectural Design in Mitigating the Risk of COVID-19 Pandemics: The Case of Slovenia

2022 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-66
Author(s):  
Vesna Žegarac Leskovar ◽  
Vanja Skalicky Klemenčič
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Older People ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Disproportionate Number ◽  
Role Of Nursing

Currently, many older people live in institutions for various social and health reasons. In Slovenia, this proportion is almost 5% of the population aged 65 and over. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the elderly proved to be the most vulnerable social group, as they are exposed to a number of comorbidities that increase the risk of mortality. At that time, nursing homes represented one of the most critical types of housing, as seen from a disproportionate number of infections and deaths among nursing home residents worldwide, including Slovenia. During the emergency, a number of safety protocols had to be followed to prevent the spread of infection. Unfortunately, it turned out that while the safety measures protected the nursing home residents, they also had a negative effect on their mental health, mainly due to isolation and social distancing. It follows that especially in times of epidemics of infectious respiratory diseases, the quality of life in nursing homes requires special attention. In this context, it is also necessary to consider whether and how an appropriate architectural design can help mitigating the spread of infections, while at the same time enable older people to live in dignity and with a minimum of social exclusion. To this end, the present study examined 97 nursing homes in Slovenia, analysing the number of infections in nursing homes and their correlation with the degree of infection in the corresponding region in Slovenia. Additionally, 2 nursing homes were studied in more detail with the use of newly developed “Safe and Connected” evaluation tool, analysing the architectural features of each building. The advantages identified so far include living in smaller units, single rooms with balconies, the possibility of using green open spaces and the use of an adequate ventilation. Conclusions of this study are useful for further consideration of design of new nursing homes and the refurbishment of existing ones.

Choosing to live in a nursing home: a culturally and linguistically diverse perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 239
Author(s):  
Cecilia A. Yeboah
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Older People ◽  
Cultural History ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Culturally And Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Cultural Origins ◽  
Diverse Perspective

As part of the findings of a study on culturally and linguistically diverse older people relocating to a nursing home, this paper contributes to our understanding of how older people draw on their cultural history to explain their decisions to relocate. Family reciprocity was identified by most participants as central to their decisions, regardless of their specific cultural origins. Using the grounded theory methodology, data were collected through progressive, semi-structured, repeated, in-person, individual interviews with 20 residents of four nursing homes in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) older people, regardless of specific cultural origin, make relocation decisions based on the importance and meaning of reciprocity within families. Understanding their decisions as reflecting a culturally valued reciprocity offered a sense of cultural continuity to the relocation and was comforting to the older adults involved in the study. This study also suggests that culturally and linguistically diverse older people are much more active participants in the decision to relocate to a nursing home than is commonly recognised. The four nursing homes in the northern suburbs of Melbourne and the 20 participants studied constitute only a small proportion of all culturally and linguistically diverse older nursing home residents in Australia. Therefore, the findings may not be pertinent to other culturally and linguistically diverse elderly. Nonetheless, this study makes an important contribution to future discussions regarding cultural diversity in the nursing home relocation of culturally and linguistically diverse older Australians. The study findings provide some insight into the conditions and contexts that impact nursing home relocation.

scholarly journals POLA PENATAAN RUANG PANTI JOMPO BERDASARKAN AKTIVITAS DAN PERILAKU PENGHUNINYA

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 31
Author(s):  
Evian Devi
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Other ◽  
Design Criteria ◽  
Physical Comfort ◽  
The Relationship

Title: Living Arrangement Pattern Nursing Home Occupants Based Activities and BehaviorPhysical comfort in a building can give an effect to the psychological inhabitans. In the design of nursing homes, where the residents are elderly, certainly they have a different physical comfort with a younger people. The degenerative disease on elderly cause the need for special attention in architecture, especially on safety and comfort. Currently the nursing homes, mostly do not noticed it well, so still discovered lots of the elderlies got an accident and depressed in a nursing home. This research purpose to know the relationship between the aspects of both comfort and safety for elderly in nursing home that can make the elderly feel comfortable and happy living in their residence. The methods of this research is as follows: first, understand the criteria of elderly in related literatures and observations regarding to the elderly and other related literatures that subscribe with safety and comfort. Second, the literatures study were used to analyze the case study such as Nursing Home Wisma Mulia (Jakarta), Nursing Home Senjarawi (Bandung), and Nursing Home Muara Kasih (Bogor). The results of analysis from the case studies based on the literature, produce an architectural design criteria for the review occupancy elderly. The results of this research concluded that the design of the comfortable and safe against risk of any accident that may occur to the elderly, provided a circulation which can be passes by two wheelchairs at once and freeway, provided handrail in the circulation, provided ramp in any difference level of floor, and using a contrast color but dominant in light and warm color. The other considerations are the availability nostalgic room, playroom for children and the other facility that make the frequency of their families, visiting more often.Keywords: Elderly , safety , comfort , nursing homes.

scholarly journals COVID Seroprevalence, Symptoms and Mortality During the First Wave of SARS-CoV-2 in Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Prabhat Jha
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Dried Blood Spots ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Antibody Testing

Background: Efforts to stem the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Canada can benefit from direct understanding of the prevalence, infection fatality rates (IFRs), and information on asymptomatic infection. Methods: We surveyed a representative sample of 19,994 adult Canadians about COVID symptoms and analyzed IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 from self-collected dried blood spots (DBS) in 8,967 adults. A sensitive and specific chemiluminescence ELISA detected IgG to the spike trimer. We compared seroprevalence to deaths to establish IFRs and used mortality data to estimate infection levels in nursing home residents. Results: The best estimate (high specificity) of adult seroprevalence nationally is 1.7%, but as high as 3.5% (high sensitivity) depending on assay cut-offs. The highest prevalence was in Ontario (2.4-3.9%) and in younger adults aged 18-39 years (2.5-4.4%). Based on mortality, we estimated 13-17% of nursing home residents became infected. The first viral wave infected 0.54-1.08 million adult Canadians, half of whom were <40 years old. The IFR outside nursing homes was 0.20-0.40%, but the COVID mortality rate in nursing home residents was >70 times higher than that in comparably-aged adults living in the community. Seropositivity correlated with COVID symptoms, particularly during March. Asymptomatic adults constituted about a quarter of definite seropositives, with a greater proportion in the elderly. Interpretation: Canada had relatively low infection prevalence and low IFRs in the community, but not in nursing homes, during the first viral wave. Self-collected DBS for antibody testing is a practicable strategy to monitor the ongoing second viral wave and, eventually, vaccine-induced immunity among Canadian adults.

scholarly journals An integrative counselling program to promote active ageing for older people in Thai nursing homes: an intervention mixed methods design

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jantana Juthavantana ◽  
Nanchatsan Sakunpong ◽  
Ujsara Prasertsin ◽  
Monthira Charupheng ◽  
Sheibon Hassakama Lau
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Older People ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Phase 2 ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Counselling Program

Abstract Background Active ageing has been a rapidly developing field of study in light of the growing population of older people. Acknowledgement of the lack of a counselling program to promote active ageing for the older people in nursing homes led to the development of this study which aims to investigate active ageing of the Thai elderly in a nursing home in addition to promoting active ageing for them through integrative counselling. Methods The study was conducted in a nursing home in Samut Prakan province, Thailand. The integrative counselling program referred to appropriate literature along with implementation of the Satir Model and Motivational Interviewing techniques. An intervention mixed methods design was applied in the study, which consisted of two phases. Phase 1 involved an investigation of the concept of active ageing, based on the context of older people in nursing homes by way of in-depth interviews, involving 5 participants. Phase 2 comprised of an investigation of the effects of an integrative counselling program to promote active ageing for older people in the same nursing home. There was a total of 16 participants in phase 2 which were divided equally into experimental and control groups respectively. Results Phase 1 of the study showcased qualitative results of the progress of active ageing development in older people that resulted in 4 sub-themes (Health development, spiritual development, active engagement and psychosocial support). Two parameters were used to analyze the results in phase 2. The quantitative results showed that the active ageing score of participants in the experimental arm increased significantly after enrollment (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the experimental group had a higher overall active ageing score in comparison to the control group. Qualitative results of phase 2 elicited factors promoting active ageing in the elderly which included activities, group facilitator and group atmosphere. Both quantitative and qualitative results of phase 2 proved to be significant, showing that the program managed to develop active ageing in participants. Conclusion Psychologists and multidisciplinary teams looking after older people in nursing homes are able to use this integrative counselling program for development of active ageing in the elderly population.

scholarly journals Living Arrangement Pattern Nursing Home Occupants Based Activities and Behavior

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-48
Author(s):  
Evian Devi
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Architectural Design ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Design Criterion ◽  
The Other ◽  
Physical Comfort ◽  
And Behavior

Physical comfort in a building can give an effect to the psychological inhabitans. In the design of nursing homes, where the residents are elderly, certainly they have a different physical comfort with a younger people. The degenerative disease on elderly cause the need for special attention in architecture, especially on safety and comfort. Currently the nursing homes, mostly do not noticed it well, so still discovered lots of the elderlies got an accident and depressed in a nursing home. This research purpose to know the relationship between the aspects of both comfort and safety for elderly in nursing home that can make the elderly feel comfortable and happy living in their residence. The methods of this research are as follows: first, understand the criteria of elderly in related literatures and observations regarding to the elderly and other related literatures that subscribe with safety and comfort. Second, the literatures study was used to analyze the case study such as Nursing Home Wisma Mulia (Jakarta), Nursing Home Senjarawi (Bandung), and Nursing Home Muara Kasih (Bogor). The results of analysis from the case studies based on the literature, produce an architectural design criterion for the review occupancy elderly. The results of this research concluded that the design of the comfortable and safe against risk of any accident that may occur to the elderly, provided a circulation which can be passes by two wheelchairs at once and freeway, provided handrail in the circulation, provided ramp in any difference level of floor, and using a contrast color but dominant in light and warm color. The other considerations are the availability nostalgic room, playroom for children and the other facility that make the frequency of their families, visiting more often.

scholarly journals Is there any correlation between Magnesium status and depression in elderly people? A descriptive-analytical study among Tehran-nursing home residents

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 632-639
Author(s):  
Lyly Nazemi ◽  
Ingmar Skoog ◽  
Ingvar Karlsson ◽  
Margda Waern ◽  
Agneta Yngve ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
Analytical Study ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Mini Nutritional Assessment ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Flame Atomic Absorption ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: Very few studies have shown the possible relationship between magnesium (Mg) status and depression. In the present study, the intracellular Mg status of the elderly population living in nursing homes (NHs) was assessed to determine its relationship with depression. Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was conducted on the elderly population living in nursing homes (Tehran-Iran; 2010-2012). Participants' demographic and clinical characteristics were collected and recorded in a checklist. Evaluating the participants’ nutritional status, Mini Nutritional Assessment Method was implemented. Determining participant's depressive symptoms, 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale was used. Final scores were classified into4 categories not depressed, mild, moderate, and severe depression. Mg level in leukocytes was also measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Results: Totally 113 elderly were included and only 9.8% of subjects were not depressed. About 21% of the subjects were well nourished. Of participants who suffered from heart disease, 80.2% were depressed (p=0.03). Regarding correlations between Mg status and depression, results showed no significant difference in Mg levels of two depressed and non-depressed participants (p=0.73). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed notable prevalence rates of depression and malnutrition among nursing home residents. It was also found that the relationship between intracellular Mg levels and depression was not significant. Further studies are needed to determine the major factors related to these preventable psychological and nutritional disorders among elderly NH residents.

APPROPRIATE PRESCRIBING FOR OLDER PEOPLE: A NEW TOOL FOR THE GENERAL PRACTITIONER

2013 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
E. LENAERTS ◽  
F. DE KNIJF ◽  
B. SCHOENMAKERS
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Older People ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Slight Reduction ◽  
Appropriate Prescribing ◽  
Prescribing Practice

Background:Appropriate prescribing for older people is a challenge. General practitioners (GPs) areaware of their key position in relation to prescribing practice in the elderly. However, they often feel powerlessand report a need for simple GP friendly tools to assess and support their prescribing practice. Objectives: In thisstudy such a tool is developed: the Appropriate Medication for Older people-tool (AMO-tool). The purpose of thestudy is to investigate whether GPs consider the use of the AMO-tool to be practically feasible and resulting inmore appropriate prescribing. Design:This pilot study with an interventional design was conducted over a periodof six months. Setting:The study was conducted in nursing homes visited by GPs. Participants:The studiedpopulation consisted of nine GPs and 67 nursing home residents. Intervention:The intervention consisted of theuse of the AMO-tool. Measurements:The Short Form (SF)-12 questionnaire was administered to the patients.Patients' medication lists were recorded. The GPs completed a semi-quantitative questionnaire on theirexperiences with the AMO-tool. A descriptive qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis was carried out on theGP questionnaire. The results of the SF-12 questionnaires and medication lists were analysed quantitatively. Amultivariate analysis was carried out. Results: In the perception of GPs, applying the AMO-tool to medicationlists of nursing home residents was feasible and resulted in more appropriate prescribing. A slight reduction wasrecorded in the number of medications prescribed. Self-reported well-being improved and rose in parallel withthe number of medication changes. Conclusion:According to GPs, the AMO-tool offers GPs the support in theirprescribing practice. Changes are made to medication lists and improvements occur in patients' self-reportedwell-being. Future research should objectify the appropriateness of prescriptions before and after using the tool.Furthermore, it should investigate the possible causal relationship between the use of the AMO-tool, an increasein appropriateness of medication lists and an improvement of general well-being.

Environmental satisfaction levels of the elderly individuals in nursing home gardens

2020 ◽  
pp. 1420326X2096772
Author(s):  
Emine Tarakci Eren ◽  
Tuğba Düzenli ◽  
Mustafa Var
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Correlation Analysis ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Home Gardens ◽  
Satisfaction Level ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Elderly Individuals

The present study presents a three-step methodology to determine the environmental satisfaction levels of the elderly individuals in nursing home gardens. The first step comprised the selection of seven nursing homes in five provinces in the Eastern Black Sea region in Turkey. In the second step, 130 participants were selected among the residents of these seven nursing homes via random sampling. In the third step, the satisfaction level of the nursing home residents with the institution gardens was determined. A correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between the environmental and individual characteristics ( r =  0.554; p < 0.01). Simple regression analysis was conducted to determine the effect of environmental characteristics on the satisfaction of individual needs, after determining the direction and level of the relationship between the environmental and the individual characteristics via correlation analysis. The analysis indicated a significant relationship between the environmental and individual characteristics ( R = 0.610; R2 = 0.373; F = 75.991; p <0.001). In conclusion, increased level of satisfaction with the existing physical characteristics of the gardens resulted in an increased level in meeting the psychosocial needs of the elderly individuals, thus, the environmental satisfaction level of nursing home residents increased as well.

scholarly journals Effect on secondary care of providing enhanced support to residential and nursing home residents: a subgroup analysis of a retrospective matched cohort study

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 534-546 ◽  
Author(s):  
Therese Lloyd ◽  
Stefano Conti ◽  
Filipe Santos ◽  
Adam Steventon
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Older People ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Rate Ratio ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Emergency Admissions ◽  
Hospital Use

BackgroundThirteen residential care homes and 10 nursing homes specialising in older people in Rushcliffe, England, participated in an improvement programme. The enhanced support provided included regular visits from named general practitioners and additional training for care home staff. We assessed and compared the effect on hospital use for residents in residential and nursing homes, respectively.MethodsUsing linked care home and administrative hospital data, we examined people aged 65 years or over who moved to a participating care home between 2014 and 2016 (n=568). We selected matched control residents who had similar characteristics to the residents receiving enhanced support and moved to similar care homes not participating in the enhanced support (n=568). Differences in hospital use were assessed for residents of each type of care home using multivariable regression.ResultsResidents of participating residential care homes showed lower rates of potentially avoidable emergency admissions (rate ratio 0.50, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.82), emergency admissions (rate ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.86) and Accident & Emergency attendances (0.57, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.81) than matched controls. Hospital bed days, outpatient attendances and the proportion of deaths that occurred out of hospital were not statistically different. For nursing home residents, there were no significant differences for any outcome.ConclusionsThe enhanced support was associated with lower emergency hospital use for older people living in residential care homes but not for people living in nursing homes. This might be because there was more potential to reduce emergency care for people in residential care homes. In nursing homes, improvement programmes may need to be more tailored to residents’ needs or the context of providing care in that setting.

Statin Intake and All-Cause Mortality among Older Nursing Home Residents

Gerontology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Anton De Spiegeleer ◽  
Jordi Van Migerode ◽  
Antoon Bronselaer ◽  
Evelien Wynendaele ◽  
Milan Peelman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Older People ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Absolute Risk Reduction ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
The Impact

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Statins are progressively accepted as being associated with reduced mortality. However, few real-world statin studies have been conducted on statin use in older people and especially the most frail, that is, the nursing home residents. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of statin intake in nursing home residents on all-cause mortality. <b><i>Method:</i></b> This is a cross-sectional study of 1,094 older people residing in 6 nursing homes in Flanders (Belgium) between March 1, 2020 and May 30, 2020. We considered all residents who were taking statins for at least 5 days as statin users. All-cause mortality during the 3 months of data collection was the primary outcome. Propensity score overlap-weighted logistic regression models were applied with age, sex, functional status, diabetes, and cardiac failure/ischemia as potential confounders. <b><i>Results:</i></b> 185 out of 1,094 residents were on statin therapy (17%). The statin intake was associated with decreased all-cause mortality: 4% absolute risk reduction; adjusted odds ratio 0.50; CI 0.31–0.81, <i>p</i> = 0.005. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The statin intake was associated with decreased all-cause mortality in older people residing in nursing homes. More in-depth studies investigating the potential geroprotector effect of statins in this population are needed.

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