Virtual Reality Therapy for Depression and Mood in Long-Term Care Facilities

Virtual reality (VR) describes a family of technologies which immerse users in sensorily-stimulating virtual environments. Such technologies have increasingly found applications in the treatment of neurological and mental health disorders. Depression, anxiety, and other mood abnormalities are of concern in the growing older population—especially those who reside in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). The transition from the familiar home environment to the foreign LTCF introduces a number of stressors that can precipitate depression. However, recent studies reveal that VR therapy (VRT) can promote positive emotionality and improve cognitive abilities in older people, both at home and in LTCFs. VR thus holds potential in allowing older individuals to gradually adapt to their new environments—thereby mitigating the detrimental effects of place attachment and social exclusion. Nevertheless, while the current psychological literature is promising, the implementation of VR in LTCFs faces many challenges. LTCF residents must gain trust in VR technologies, care providers require training to maximize the positive effects of VRT, and decision makers must evaluate both the opportunities and obstacles in adopting VR. In this review article, we concisely discuss the implications of depression related to place attachment in LTCFs, and explore the potential therapeutic applications of VR.

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Virtual Reality Therapy for Depression and Mood in Long-Term Care Facilities

10.20944/preprints202104.0280.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kevin Zhai ◽

Azwa Dilawar ◽

Mohammad S. Yousef ◽

Sean Holroyd ◽

Haithem El-Hammali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Place Attachment ◽

Long Term Care ◽

The Elderly ◽

Care Providers ◽

Term Care ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Care Facilities

Virtual reality (VR) describes a family of technologies which immerse users in sensorily-stimulating virtual environments. Such technologies have increasingly found applications in the treatment of neurological and mental health disorders. Depression, anxiety, and other mood abnormalities are of concern in the growing elderly population – especially those who reside in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). The transition from the familiar home environment to the foreign LTCF introduces a number of stressors that can precipitate depression. However, recent studies reveal that VR therapy (VRT) can promote positive emotionality and improve cognitive abilities in the elderly, both at home and in LTCFs. VR thus holds potential in allowing elderly individuals to gradually adapt to their new environments – thereby mitigating the detrimental effects of place attachment and social exclusion. Nevertheless, while the current psychological literature is promising, the implementation of VR in LTCFs faces many challenges. LTCF residents must gain trust in VR technologies, care providers require training to maximize the positive effects of VRT, and decision makers must evaluate both the opportunities and obstacles in adopting VR. Here, we concisely review the implications of depression related to place attachment in LTCFs, and explore the potential therapeutic applications of VR.

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Mealtimes as Active Processes in Long-term Care Facilities

Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research ◽

10.3148/66.1.2005.5 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 66 (1) ◽

pp. 5-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Amie J. Gibbs-Ward ◽

Heather H. Keller

Keyword(s):

Long Term Care ◽

Comparison Method ◽

Theory Approach ◽

Care Providers ◽

Term Care ◽

Individualized Care ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Care Facilities ◽

Active Processes

Mealtimes are central to the nutritional care of residents in long-term care facilities. There has been little Canadian research to guide interdisciplinary practice around mealtimes. This study included a grounded theory approach to explore mealtime experiences of 20 people with dementia living in two long-term care facilities, and the meal-related care they received from registered nurses, health care aides, and dietitians. Theoretical sampling directed the collection and analysis of data from mealtime observations in special care units and key informant interviews with care providers. The constant comparison method was used to analyze and conceptualize the data. A substantive theory emerged with three key themes: Each mealtime is a unique process embedded within a long-term care facility's environment. Residents are central to the process through their actions (i.e., arriving, eating, waiting, socializing, leaving, and miscellaneous distracted activities). Internal (i.e., residents’ characteristics) and external (i.e., co-resident, direct caregiving, indirect caregiving, administrative, and government activities) influences affect residents’ actions at mealtimes. The theory suggests that optimal mealtime experiences for residents require individualized care that reflects interdisciplinary, multi-level interventions.

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Linking Incidents in Long-Term Care Facilities to Worker Activities

Workplace Health & Safety ◽

10.1177/2165079916680366 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 65 (10) ◽

pp. 457-466

Author(s):

Rose McCloskey ◽

Cindy Donovan ◽

Alicia Donovan

Keyword(s):

Health Care Providers ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Occupational Injury ◽

Worker Safety ◽

Care Providers ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Term Care ◽

Care Facilities ◽

The Impact

This article reports on a study examining staff activities being performed when incidents were reported to have occurred. The risk for injury among health care providers who engage in patient handling activities is widely acknowledged. For those working in long-term care, the risk of occupational injury is particularly high. Although injuries and injury prevention have been widely studied, the work has generally focused on incident rates and the impact of specific assistive devices on worker safety. The purpose of this study was to examine reported staff incidents in relation to staff activities. A multicenter cross-sectional exploratory study used retrospective data from reported staff incidents (2010, 2011, and 2012) and prospective data from 360 hours of staff observations in five long-term care facilities during 2013. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data. A total of 898 staff incidents were reviewed from the facilities. Incidents were most likely to occur in resident rooms. Resident aides were more likely to be engaged in high-risk activities than other care providers. Times when staff incidents were reported to have occurred were not associated with periods of high staff-to-resident contact. Safe handling during low and moderate risk activities should be promoted. Education on what constitutes a reportable incident and strategies to ensure compliance with reporting policies and procedures may be needed to ensure accuracy and completeness of incident data.

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A Randomized Trial of Exercise Programs Among Older Individuals Living in Two Long-Term Care Facilities: The FallsFREE Program

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society ◽

10.1046/j.1532-5415.2001.49174.x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 49 (7) ◽

pp. 859-865 ◽

Cited By ~ 132

Author(s):

Mary Patricia Nowalk ◽

John M. Prendergast ◽

Constance M. Bayles ◽

Frank J. D'Amico ◽

Gerald C. Colvin

Keyword(s):

Randomized Trial ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Exercise Programs ◽

Term Care ◽

Care Facilities

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The Importance of a Complete Allergy Assessment in Clinical Stewardship

The Senior Care Pharmacist ◽

10.4140/tcp.n.2019.510 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (8) ◽

pp. 510-513

Author(s):

Vanessa Moreno ◽

Charlie L. Nguyen ◽

Amie Taggart Blaszczyk

Keyword(s):

Health Care Providers ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Care Providers ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Term Care ◽

Care Facilities ◽

The Right ◽

Potential Challenge ◽

Selection Of

National agencies have championed stewardship initiatives to enhance antimicrobial and opioid use in long-term care facilities. Health care providers for these residents have been given the task to ensure "the right drug is used for the right indication at the right time and duration." One potential challenge to this is incorrect or incomplete documentation of allergies. Many long-term care facilities have traditionally, and currently, used a "list format" of allergies in, or on, the resident's chart. This approach is incomplete as it rarely provides detailed information about the reaction to a particular drug. Senior care pharmacists and their students can play a role within long-term care facilities by helping ensure the optimal selection of drugs by providing a detailed allergy assessment that documents detailed reaction information, whenever possible.

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The role of unregulated care providers in managing heart failure patients in long-term care facilities

Journal of Clinical Nursing ◽

10.1111/jocn.13413 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (5-6) ◽

pp. 849-861 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

George A Heckman ◽

Veronique M Boscart ◽

Teresa D'Elia ◽

Sharon Kaasalainen ◽

Carrie McAiney ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Care Providers ◽

Term Care ◽

Heart Failure Patients ◽

Care Facilities

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Substance Abuse Policies in Long-Term Care Facilities: A Survey with Implications for Education of Long-Term Care Providers

Educational Gerontology ◽

10.1080/03601277.2014.986400 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 41 (7) ◽

pp. 519-526 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

John B. White ◽

David F. Duncan ◽

Dana Burr Bradley ◽

Thomas Nicholson ◽

John Bonaguro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Substance Abuse ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Care Providers ◽

Term Care ◽

Care Facilities

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Perceived Stress among Health Care Providers in Long Term Care Facilities

Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences ◽

10.36348/sjhss.2020.v05i10.012 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (10) ◽

pp. 669-673

Author(s):

Sruthi Sivaraman ◽

Dr. Sherin P Antony

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Care Providers ◽

Term Care ◽

Care Facilities

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Job Satisfaction among Care Aides in Residential Long-Term Care: A Systematic Review of Contributing Factors, Both Individual and Organizational

Nursing Research and Practice ◽

10.1155/2015/157924 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Janet E. Squires ◽

Matthias Hoben ◽

Stefanie Linklater ◽

Heather L. Carleton ◽

Nicole Graham ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Job Satisfaction ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Organizational Factors ◽

Individual Factors ◽

Care Providers ◽

Term Care ◽

Care Facilities ◽

Care Aides ◽

Residential Long Term Care

Despite an increasing literature on professional nurses’ job satisfaction, job satisfaction by nonprofessional nursing care providers and, in particular, in residential long-term care facilities, is sparsely described. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the evidence on which factors (individual and organizational) are associated with job satisfaction among care aides, nurse aides, and nursing assistants, who provide the majority of direct resident care, in residential long-term care facilities. Nine online databases were searched. Two authors independently screened, and extracted data and assessed the included publications for methodological quality. Decision rules were developed a priori to draw conclusions on which factors are important to care aide job satisfaction. Forty-two publications were included. Individual factors found to be important were empowerment and autonomy. Six additional individual factors were found to benotimportant: age, ethnicity, gender, education level, attending specialized training, and years of experience. Organizational factors found to be important were facility resources and workload. Two additional factors were found to benotimportant: satisfaction with salary/benefits and job performance. Factors important to care aide job satisfaction differ from those reported among hospital nurses, supporting the need for different strategies to improve care aide job satisfaction in residential long-term care.

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