scholarly journals Designing virtual natural environments for older adults in residential care facilities

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Rikard Lundstedt ◽  
Carita Håkansson ◽  
Mare Lõhmus ◽  
Mattias Wallergård

BACKGROUND: Spending time in natural environments is beneficial for mental health and cognitive function. Unfortunately, many elderly citizens, who would potentially gain from these beneficial effects, have limited or no access to natural environments. Virtual reality may provide the experience of being present in a natural environment without the need of transportation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to acquire an understanding of how residents and staff at a residential care facility may use and experience different virtual natural environments, and thus aid the design of virtual natural environments. METHODS: We used qualitative method, collecting data through interviews and observations. The data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Exposure to virtual natural environments provoked various emotional reactions, and promoted skill development and social interaction among participants. The staff perceived virtual natural environments as potentially useful for, for example, improving residents’ anxiety. We identified several user interface improvements. CONCLUSIONS: The present study discusses how various aspects of virtual natural environments work in relation to the experience of a user and how this might affect wellbeing in older adults. These aspects may be valuable to consider in the design of virtual natural environments for use at residential care facilities.

Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janita P Chau ◽  
Suzanne Hoi Shan Lo

Background and Purpose: Our previous study of 265 stroke survivors recruited immediately before discharge from two regional rehabilitation hospitals found state self-esteem, social support satisfaction, discharge location (home, residential care facility), and gender significantly accounted for 49% of the variance in depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges of promoting participation in life activities for stroke survivors. Methods: A qualitative study with individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted. Adult managerial persons who were responsible for the development of community, rehabilitation or residential care services for stroke survivors were recruited. All participants were asked to share the mission of their institutions, types of care services for stroke survivors, perceived importance of, barriers to and facilitators of promoting participation in life activities, and opportunities for enhancing stroke care services. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis. Results: A total of 11 participants were interviewed. Five were in-charge persons of stroke support groups, two were legislators, two from residential care facilities, and two from community-based organisations. Four key themes were generated: (1) Being institutionalized was found associated with lower levels of psychosocial health, (2) Stroke survivors’ physical and cognitive limitations were perceived as key challenges in promoting participation in life activities, (3) Healthcare providers placed more emphasis on promoting physical rehabilitation than social participation, and (4) Physical environment particularly in residential care facilities posed greater challenges to promoting participation in real life activities. Conclusions: This highlights major challenges for healthcare professionals who care for stroke survivors in residential care facilities. Further studies that investigate the associations between environmental barriers, psychological morbidity and participation restriction is needed.


1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Voges ◽  
Hannelore Pongratz

ABSTRACTChange of residence from a private household to a residential care facility, implying the relinquishing of household activities, is as critical a life event for older women as retirement from employment outside the home is for older men. This transition terminates many of the activities that had structured the older women's lives for decades, and implies modification of patterns of lifestyle. Based on interviews with female residents of residential care facilities in the Munich area, a close relative who had observed the transition and an employee at the facility, the impacts of the move on dimensions/aspects of lifestyle were analysed, as well as the success with which adaptation to the new setting was made. The positive relationship posited by the continuity hypothesis between continuity in lifestyle and contentment with life situation were generally upheld, although the compensation for a dimension of lifestyle disrupted by the transition by another dimension often occurred.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 143-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Ericson-Lidman

Living in residential care facilities for older people is described in both positive and negative terms. To maintain care quality of a vulnerable group in a constantly changing care context, it is important to continually describe their experiences. This qualitative study aims to describe residents’ experiences of living in a residential care facility for older people in Sweden. Six residents were interviewed and the interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The analysis resulted in nine sub-categories, two categories and one overall theme. Living in a residential care facility for older people is revealed as ‘Struggling between a sense of belonging and a sense of alienation’. It is of great importance for care providers to explore and try to understand what individuals perceive as factors for feelings of belonging, thereby preventing alienation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 568-568
Author(s):  
Dovrat Harel

Abstract The transition to residential care facility may symbolize the joining into the 'community of older people'. This may influence the ways men in late life construct their identities and the intersection of aging and masculinity. Due to some barriers, this experience may be difficult to express explicitly. Bibliotherapy aims to bridge this gap by using literature to address diverse issues in the form of reading and writing activities. In this presentation we will present "The Literary Parliament" project, in which bibliotherapy and poetry groups of men in late life were conducted in residential care facilities in Israel. We will present findings of a qualitative research which explored poems written by group participants, and the way these helped participants to express their perceptions and feelings of ageing and masculinity in the context of residential care. The use of bibliotherapy to encourage psychological discourse among men in late life will be discussed.


Author(s):  
Mónica P. Oliveira ◽  
Liliana X. Sousa

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are a major reason for institutionalization, and high demanding for staff in Residential Care Facilities. This article reports the design, implementation, and evaluation of a Validation Therapy pilot-training program (VALIDA) for staff members of a residential care facility in Aveiro, Portugal. This pilot study involved 22 members of the staff, including qualified professionals and nonqualified direct care workers, who were involved in the design. The pilot-training program comprises two components: training sessions in group and individual monitoring between those sessions. The evaluation indicates that the structure of the pilot-program was well accepted, and participants reported positive impacts in professional (better skilled to deal with residents with dementia) and personal (better trained to deal with elderly relatives) lives. This pilot-training program shows potential to be used in residential care facilities and needs to be replicated.


1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Bear

ABSTRACTThis research extends the study of social network analysis and labelling theory into the context of adult residential care facilities (ARCFs). Network density, reciprocity, and intensity are hypothesized to explain who labels the frail elderly ‘out of place’ in their homes and refers them to an adult residential care facility. Using data from interviews with 81 new, elderly ARCF residents and 75 of their closest others, logistic regression analyses indicate that network intensity is related to the differential involvement of professionals and informal network members in the ARCF entry process. Findings suggest further research on the networks of the elderly's relatives may explain the role of density in ARCF labelling and referral. Practice implications incorporating a network strategy are addressed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 24-36
Author(s):  
Caz Hales ◽  
◽  
Isaac Amankwaa ◽  
Lesley Gray ◽  
Helen Rook ◽  
...  

Little is known about the level of service demand and preparedness of Aotearoa New Zealand’s aged residential care facilities to care for older adults with extreme obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the current state of bariatric (extreme obesity) services within aged residential care. An environmental scan was conducted to identify bariatric resident needs and gaps in service provision to inform the development of policy and service provision. Observational and interview data from three facilities in Aotearoa New Zealand was collected along with a retrospective review of national resident admissions over a three-year period. Poor environmental design that included infrastructure deficiencies and financial barriers impacted on the ability to deliver safe and equitable care for this population. Specifically, equipment procurement and safe staffing ratios were of concern to the sector. There is an increasing need for bariatric level support within aged care, necessitating more equipment and staff, adaptation of physical care environments, and enhanced funding. Significant investment is required to address care concerns of older adults with extreme obesity at government and organisational levels.


2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. e72-e83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Granbom ◽  
Nancy Perrin ◽  
Sarah Szanton ◽  
Thomas K.M. Cudjoe ◽  
Laura N Gitlin

Abstract Objectives It is unclear how home environmental factors influence relocation decisions. We examined whether indoor accessibility, entrance accessibility, bathroom safety features, housing type, and housing condition were associated with relocations either within the community or to residential care facilities. Methods We used prospective data over 4 years from the nationally representative National Health and Aging Trends Study in the United States of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older living in the community (N = 7,197). We used multinomial regression analysis with survey weights. Results Over the 4 years, 8.2% of the population moved within the community, and 3.9% moved to residential care facilities. After adjusting for demographics and health factors, poor indoor accessibility was found to be associated with moves within the community but not to residential care facilities. No additional home environmental factors were associated with relocation. Discussion One-floor dwellings, access to a lift, or having a kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom on the same floor may help older adults age in place. Understanding which modifiable home environmental factors trigger late-life relocation, and to where, has practical implications for developing policies and programs to help older adults age in their place of choice.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Mallidou ◽  
Anne-Marie Boström ◽  
Daphne Kaitelidou ◽  
Jennifer Brett ◽  
Sara John Fowler ◽  
...  

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.


Author(s):  
Jane Lyons

In the book<em> Bullying Among Older Adults</em>, Bonifas examines bullying among older adults in senior centers and residential care facilities. Bonifas clearly describes bullying behaviors and presents a practical guide for assessment of bullying and antibullying intervention.


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