scholarly journals APPRAISING INDOOR THERMAL PERCEPTION OF ELDERLY IN HOT CLIMATES: An experimental investigation of free-running residential aged care homes in Colombo

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Rajapaksha ◽  
◽  
R.G.P. Sandamini ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Economies ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Thermal Perception ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Behavioural Adaptation ◽  
Hot Climate ◽  
Free Running

Rapid demographic transition with higher growth in ageing population demonstrate a major societal challenge in South Asia and Sri Lankans will age faster than other developing economies in the region. Climate shocks of people living in economically deprived countries will increase in future and elders are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of temperature extremes. The study experimentally investigated free-running residential care homes in hot climate of Colombo performing simultaneous personal monitoring and questionnaire surveys. Results explicitly prove overheated indoors with less air flow. Majority of elders confirmed thermally unacceptable interiors with warm thermal sensations and low air velocities of 0.1 to 0.29 m/s with predominant preference of more air movement proves inadequate passive airflow. A significant relationship between wind preference and presence of openings of their place of stay were evident. Staying away from a window or door instigated to practice a behavioural adaptation of moving towards transitional areas such as corridors, verandas, and outdoor spaces for more wind sensation. Since ageing is associated with physical inabilities and elders spend their life mostly in indoors, findings emphasize the importance of enhancing passive airflow and application of appropriate design strategies to ensure optimum air velocities and dispersion of airflow within interiors.

scholarly journals “A good death but there was all this tension around”- perspectives of residential managers on the experience of delivering end of life care for people living with dementia

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica A. L. Borbasi ◽  
Allison Tong ◽  
Alison Ritchie ◽  
Christopher J. Poulos ◽  
Josephine M. Clayton
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Advanced Dementia ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Care Managers

Abstract Background End of life care for residents with advanced dementia in the aged care setting is complex. There is prolonged and progressive cognitive decline, uncertain disease trajectory, significant symptom burden and infrequent access to specialist palliative care. Residential aged care managers offer a unique perspective in understanding the experience of providing end of life care for residents with advanced dementia. They bring insight from the coalface to the broader policy context. The aim of this study was to describe the experience and perspectives of residential aged care managers on providing end of life care for residents living with dementia. Methods Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with residential or care managers from various care homes from one dementia specific aged care organisation in Australia. A comprehensive sampling strategy was used in participating care homes. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Results 20 residential or care managers from 11 aged care homes in two states of Australia participated in two focus groups (total 16 participants) or individual interviews (4 participants). Six themes were identified: laying the ground work to establish what families understand about dementia, playing the peacemaker in the face of unrealistic family demands and expectations, chipping away at denial and cultivating a path towards acceptance of death, recruiting general practitioners as allies, supporting and strengthening the front line, and dedication to optimal care is relentless but rewarding. Conclusion Aged care manager participants described provision of end of life dementia care as a rewarding but sometimes fraught experience requiring persistent personalisation of care and communication to enable family acceptance of the resident’s terminal condition. The findings suggest that continuous front line aged care staff skill development, iterative family discussions, and partnership building between aged care staff and general practitioners, are all required to promote optimal end of life dementia care in residential aged care settings.

A systematic review protocol of educational programs for nursing staff on management of resident-to-resident elder mistreatment in residential aged care homes

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (8) ◽  
pp. 1975-1983
Author(s):  
Julie M. Ellis ◽  
Beatriz Paulina Ayala Quintanilla ◽  
Louise Ward ◽  
Fergus Campbell ◽  
Stav Hillel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Nursing Staff ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Educational Programs ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Systematic Review Protocol ◽  
Elder Mistreatment ◽  
Review Protocol

scholarly journals Corrigendum to: Who uses residential aged care now, how has it changed and what does it mean for the future?

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 983
Author(s):  
Diane Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Residential Care ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
Australian Bureau Of Statistics ◽  
Care System

ObjectiveThis paper presents past trends in resident characteristics and usage patterns in residential aged care and explores implications for the future.MethodsTime series analyses were undertaken of national aged care administrative datasets and the Australian Bureau of Statistics Surveys of Disability, Ageing and Carers.ResultsAlthough the number of people in residential care has continued to increase, resident profiles have changed as a result of higher growth rates in the number of men and of people aged 65–74 years and 90 years and over, and a decline in the number of women aged 75–89 years. Relative to population size, usage rates are declining across all age groups, the average length of stay is shortening, and dependency levels appear to be rising.ConclusionChanging trends in residential aged care use, when combined with key trends in the broader population of older Australians, offer useful insights in planning for the future.What is known about the topic?Trends in the changing characteristics of permanent aged care residents and patterns of use of Australian residential aged care have received sparse attention in scholarly journals. Government reports and databases contain useful statistics, but they do not provide a coherent analysis and interpretation of the implications of these trends or situate them in broader population patterns.What does this paper add?The analyses in this paper demonstrate patterns of change and continuity in the use of residential care over the past decade, and locate those changes in the context of broader trends in the ageing population. Together, this provides useful insights into current and likely future trends, as well as a basis for imagining an improved residential aged care system in the future.What are the implications for practitioners?These analyses illustrate how data on aged care services, demographic trends and disease patterns can be used to consider the challenges that have affected our residential aged care system in the past and how that may be addressed in the future.

scholarly journals People living in residential aged care need to BE outside not just SEE outside: associations between quality of life and outdoor access: a cross-sectional study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Marie Dyer ◽  
Enwu Liu ◽  
Emmanuel Gnanamanickam ◽  
Stephanie Louise Harrison ◽  
Rachel Milte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Model Of Care ◽  
Cross Sectional

Abstract Background The value of providing access to outdoor areas for people living in residential aged care, including those living with dementia, in terms of mood, behaviour and well-being is increasingly acknowledged. This study examines associations between provision of independent access to outdoor areas and frequency of residents going outdoors with the quality of life (QoL) of nursing home residents and compares use of outdoor areas between alternative models of residential aged care. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted including 541 participants from 17 residential aged care homes in four states in Australia, mean age 85 years, 84% with cognitive impairment. Associations between having independent access to outdoors and the frequency of going outdoors and QoL (EQ-5D-5L) were examined using multi-level models. The odds of going outdoors in a small-scale home-like model of care compared to standard Australian models of care were examined. Results After adjustment for potential confounders (including comorbidities and facility level variables), living in an aged care home with independent access to the outdoors was not significantly associated with QoL (β=-0.01, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) -0.09 to 0.07, P=0.80). However, going outdoors daily (β=0.13 95%CI 0.06 to 0.21), but not multiple times a week (β=0.03, 95%CI -0.03 to 0.09), was associated with a better QoL. Residents living in a home-like model of care had greater odds of going outdoors daily (odds ratio 15.1, 95%CI 6.3 to 36.2). Conclusions Going outdoors frequently is associated with higher QoL for residents of aged care homes and residents are more likely to get outside daily if they live in a small-scale home-like model of care. However, provision of independent access to outdoor areas alone may be insufficient to achieve these benefits. Increased availability of models of residential aged care with staffing structures, training and design which increases support for residents to venture outdoors frequently is needed to maximise resident quality of life.

scholarly journals Who uses residential aged care now, how has it changed and what does it mean for the future?

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 820
Author(s):  
Diane Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Residential Care ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
Australian Bureau Of Statistics ◽  
Care System

ObjectiveThis paper presents past trends in resident characteristics and usage patterns in residential aged care and explores implications for the future. MethodsTime series analyses were undertaken of national aged care administrative datasets and the Australian Bureau of Statistics Surveys of Disability, Ageing and Carers. ResultsAlthough the number of people in residential care has continued to increase, resident profiles have changed as a result of higher growth rates in the number of men and of people aged 65–74 years and 90 years and over, and a decline in the number of women aged 75–89 years. Relative to population size, usage rates are declining across all age groups, the average length of stay is shortening, and dependency levels appear to be rising. ConclusionChanging trends in residential aged care use, when combined with key trends in the broader population of older Australians, offer useful insights in planning for the future. What is known about the topic?Trends in the changing characteristics of permanent aged care residents and patterns of use of Australian residential aged care have received sparse attention in scholarly journals. Government reports and databases contain useful statistics, but they do not provide a coherent analysis and interpretation of the implications of these trends or situate them in broader population patterns. What does this paper add?The analyses in this paper demonstrate patterns of change and continuity in the use of residential care over the past decade, and locate those changes in the context of broader trends in the ageing population. Together, this provides useful insights into current and likely future trends, as well as a basis for imagining an improved residential aged care system in the future. What are the implications for practitioners?These analyses illustrate how data on aged care services, demographic trends and disease patterns can be used to consider the challenges that have affected our residential aged care system in the past and how that may be addressed in the future.

scholarly journals A screen-based simulation training program to improve palliative care of people with advanced dementia living in residential aged care facilities and reduce hospital transfers: study protocol for the IMproving Palliative care Education and Training Using Simulation in Dementia (IMPETUS-D) cluster randomised controlled trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Tropea ◽  
Christina E. Johnson ◽  
Debra Nestel ◽  
Sanjoy K. Paul ◽  
Caroline A. Brand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Simulation Training ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Advanced Dementia

Abstract Background Many people with advanced dementia live in residential aged care homes. Care home staff need the knowledge and skills to provide high-quality end-of-life (EOL) dementia care. However, several studies have found EOL dementia care to be suboptimal, and care staff have reported they would benefit from training in palliative care and dementia. Simulation offers an immersive learning environment and has been shown to improve learners’ knowledge and skills. However, there is little research on simulation training for residential care staff. This article presents the development and evaluation protocol of IMproving Palliative care Education and Training Using Simulation in Dementia (IMPETUS-D) - a screen-based simulation training program on palliative dementia care, targeted at residential care staff. IMPETUS-D aims to improve the quality of palliative care provided to people living with dementia in residential care homes, including avoiding unnecessary transfers to hospital. Methods A cluster RCT will assess the effect of IMPETUS-D. Twenty-four care homes (clusters) in three Australian cities will be randomised to receive either the IMPETUS-D intervention or usual training opportunities (control). The primary outcome is to reduce transfers to hospital and deaths in hospital by 20% over 6-months in the intervention compared to the control group. Secondary outcomes include uptake of goals of care plans over 6 and 12 months, change in staff knowledge and attitudes towards palliative dementia care over 6 months, change in transfers to hospital and deaths in hospital over 12 months. For the primary analysis logistic regression models will be used with standard errors weighted by the cluster effects. A mixed methods process evaluation will be conducted alongside the cluster RCT to assess the mechanisms of impact, the implementation processes and contextual factors that may influence the delivery and effects of the intervention. Discussion In Australia, the need for high-quality advanced dementia care delivered in residential aged care is growing. This study will assess the effect of IMPETUS-D a new simulation-based training program on dementia palliative and EOL care. This large multisite trial will provide robust evidence about the impact of the intervention. If successful, it will be distributed to the broader residential care sector. Trial registration ANZCTR, ACTRN12618002012257. Registered 14 December 2018.

scholarly journals Medication omission rates in New Zealand residential aged care homes: a national description

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie. M. Garratt ◽  
Ngaire. M. Kerse ◽  
Kathryn Peri ◽  
Monique. F. Jonas
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Residential Aged Care
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