scholarly journals Recreational Therapy in Nursing Homes: History, Regulations, COVID-19, and Beyond

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarah Loy ◽  
Dawn DeVries ◽  
M. Jean Keller
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Recreational Therapy ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
Nursing Home Setting ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Future Practice

The current pandemic has changed the way allied health professionals, including recreational therapists, provide care in the nursing home setting. This article aims to address concerns for older adults residing in nursing homes by reviewing the history of nursing homes, analyzing the impact regulations have had on the recreational therapy profession, and offering considerations for future practice in a COVID-19 world.

scholarly journals The Impact of Isolation on Healthcare Worker Contact and Compliance With Infection Control Practices in Nursing Homes

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 683-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Pineles ◽  
Chris Petruccelli ◽  
Eli N. Perencevich ◽  
Mary-Claire Roghmann ◽  
Kalpana Gupta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Healthcare Worker ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
Prevention Behavior ◽  
Nursing Home Setting ◽  
Hygiene Compliance ◽  
The Impact

OBJECTIVETo directly observe healthcare workers in a nursing home setting to measure frequency and duration of resident contact and infection prevention behavior as a factor of isolation practiceDESIGNObservational studySETTING AND PARTICIPANTSHealthcare workers in 8 VA nursing homes in Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Washington, and TexasMETHODSOver a 15-month period, trained research staff without clinical responsibilities on the units observed nursing home resident room activity for 15–30-minute intervals. Observers recorded time of entry and exit, isolation status, visitor type (staff, visitor, etc), hand hygiene, use of gloves and gowns, and activities performed in the room when visible.RESULTSA total of 999 hours of observation were conducted across 8 VA nursing homes during which 4,325 visits were observed. Residents in isolation received an average of 4.73 visits per hour of observation compared with 4.21 for nonisolation residents (P<.01), a 12.4% increase in visits for residents in isolation. Residents in isolation received an average of 3.53 resident care activities per hour of observation, compared with 2.46 for residents not in isolation (P<.01). For residents in isolation, compliance was 34% for gowns and 58% for gloves. Healthcare worker hand hygiene compliance was 45% versus 44% (P=.79) on entry and 66% versus 55% (P<.01) on exit for isolation and nonisolation rooms, respectively.CONCLUSIONSHealthcare workers visited residents in isolation more frequently, likely because they required greater assistance. Compliance with gowns and gloves for isolation was limited in the nursing home setting. Adherence to hand hygiene also was less than optimal, regardless of isolation status of residents.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:683–687

scholarly journals The Impact of a Cycled Lighting Intervention on Nursing Home Residents: A Pilot Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 233372141989745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oonagh M. Giggins ◽  
Julie Doyle ◽  
Ken Hogan ◽  
Mable George
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Activity Monitor ◽  
Circadian System ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
Nursing Home Setting ◽  
Robust Measurements ◽  
The Impact

Purpose: Achieving adequate levels of illumination to stimulate the circadian system can be difficult in a nursing home. The aim of this study was to examine the impact that a 4-week cycled lighting intervention had on activity, sleep, and mood in older adults living in a nursing home. Patients and methods: Ten residents were given an activity monitor to objectively measure activity and sleep, and subjective mood scores were also recorded during the study period. The cycled lighting intervention was designed to mimic normal natural daylight. Results: Some participants responded positively to the lighting intervention showing improvements in activity levels, sleep, and mood, while others showed no change or a continued decline. Conclusion: Although the results are inconclusive, a cycled lighting intervention remains a potentially promising intervention in the nursing home setting. Further studies with more robust measurements and a larger, more homogeneous cohort are required to investigate this further.

scholarly journals Importance of safety climate, teamwork climate and demographics: understanding nurses, allied health professionals and clerical staff perceptions of patient safety

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e000433
Author(s):  
Shahram Zaheer ◽  
Liane R Ginsburg ◽  
Hannah J Wong ◽  
Kelly Thomson ◽  
Lorna Bain
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Safety Climate ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Senior Leadership ◽  
Staff Perceptions ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Leadership Support ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundThere is growing evidence regarding the importance of contextual factors for patient/staff outcomes and the likelihood of successfully implementing safety improvement interventions such as checklists; however, certain literature gaps still remain—for example, lack of research examining the interactive effects of safety constructs on outcomes. This study has addressed some of these gaps, together with adding to our understanding of how context influences safety.PurposeThe impact of staff perceptions of safety climate (ie, senior and supervisory leadership support for safety) and teamwork climate on a self-reported safety outcome (ie, overall perceptions of patient safety (PS)) were examined at a hospital in Southern Ontario.MethodsCross-sectional survey data were collected from nurses, allied health professionals and unit clerks working on intensive care, general medicine, mental health or emergency department.ResultsHierarchical regression analyses showed that perceptions of senior leadership (p<0.001) and teamwork (p<0.001) were significantly associated with overall perceptions of PS. A non-significant association was found between perceptions of supervisory leadership and the outcome variable. However, when staff perceived poorer senior leadership support for safety, the positive effect of supervisory leadership on overall perceptions of PS became significantly stronger (p<0.05).Practice implicationsOur results suggest that leadership support at one level (ie, supervisory) can substitute for the absence of leadership support for safety at another level (ie, senior level). While healthcare organisations should recruit into leadership roles and retain individuals who prioritise safety and possess adequate relational competencies, the field would now benefit from evidence regarding how to build leadership support for PS. Also, it is important to provide on-site workshops on topics (eg, conflict management) that can strengthen working relationships across professional and unit boundaries.

scholarly journals Biopsychopharmacosocial approach to assess impact of social distancing and isolation on mental health in older adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 231-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Baker ◽  
Louise L Clark
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Severe Illness ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Impact

It is impossible to predict or comprehend the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The UK Government's advice for vulnerable people, including older adults, to move towards self-isolation and social distancing is likely to reduce rates of transmission, the risk of severe illness and the impact on the acute health services. Although justified and necessary, this process of isolation is likely to have a negative impact on the mental health of these vulnerable groups, especially older people. It will become increasingly important for community health professionals to assess subtle changes in older persons' mental health, as the duration of this period of isolation remains unclear. The biopsychopharmacosocial model provides one method of assessing mental health and planning health and social care needs. This article hopes to guide community health professionals through the specifics of this assessment model in relation to the growing COVID-19 pandemic.

A Two Year Follow up of Nutrition Status Among Veterans in a Nursing Home Setting: The Impact on Mortality

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. B20
Author(s):  
Douglas Faulder ◽  
Anne-Marie Boström ◽  
Deanna Van Soest ◽  
Betty Kolewaski ◽  
Douglas Faulder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Home ◽  
Nutrition Status ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
Nursing Home Setting ◽  
The Impact

Intrusion and Confusion—The Impact of Medication and Health Professionals after Acute Myocardial Infarction

2005 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona From Attebring ◽  
Johan Herlitz ◽  
Inger Ekman
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Acute Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Secondary Prevention ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
History Of ◽  
Previously Treated ◽  
Positive Feelings ◽  
The Impact

Background: Secondary prevention is important in preventing new cardiovascular events after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Aim: To explore patients' experiences of secondary prevention after a first AMI. Methods: A qualitative approach with hermeneutical analysis of in depth interviews was used. Results: Twenty patients (12 men and 8 women, aged 34–79 years) were interviewed. None of the patients was previously treated for cardiovascular disease except one that had a history of angina pectoris. Two main themes emerged from the analysis. 1) Impact of medication: patients interpreted bodily sensations as a consequence of being medicated rather than as a result of their heart attack. The medication led to feelings of being intruded upon but also to positive feelings of security. 2) Impact of health professionals: communication with health professionals resulted in confusion about both treatment and the severity of the coronary disease. Patients expressed a need of being reassured by their physician regarding their physical status. Conclusions: Health professionals need to consider the impact of pharmacological treatment on patients' life, at least in patients who suffer from a first AMI. The point of departure in secondary preventive work must be patients' beliefs about their condition and the treatment they receive. Nurses and physicians must be aware of the information each patient has been given, and from this starting point, they have to be in concordance with one another. From the patients' perspective it is deemed necessary for the physicians to discuss the disease and the consequences it may have, both in the near future and in the long run, as soon as possible.

COVID-19 and older adults in Israel – common challenges and recommendations

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-216
Author(s):  
Jiska Cohen-Mansfield
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Older Population ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Systemic Problems ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The impact of COVID-19 has most dramatically affected the older population, and nursing homes have become infection hotspots. As a response, governments have ordered isolation of older adults in geriatric institutions owing to the high risk of critical illness and mortality. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential impact of current policies on nursing homes and community-based care and provide suggestions for improvement in care. Design/methodology/approach Taking the situation in Israel as an example, the author discussed major systemic problems pertaining to long-term care facilities and to community based care; the neglect of mental health; systemic deficiencies in end of life care; and the need to revise communications concerning COVID-19. Findings Within each of the identified areas, recommended changes in strategy, policy and practice can help mitigate the dramatic impact of COVID-19 on the living experience of the older population. Originality/value Drawing on the Israeli experience, this paper presents current shortcomings in the policy response to COVID-19 regarding nursing homes and community-based care and provides recommendations that are applicable to other contexts as well. Although some of these have been suggested or even practiced in some locations, many continue to be neglected and have not been discussed even as COVID-19 continues to infect societies around the globe.

scholarly journals Assessing the Impact of an Original Soft Communicative Robot in a Nursing Home in Japan: Will Softness or Conversations Bring more Smiles to Older People?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuko Obayashi ◽  
Naonori Kodate ◽  
Shigeru Masuyama
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
User Centered Design ◽  
Psychosocial Burden ◽  
Monitoring Camera ◽  
Increasing Demand ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIt has been reported that robotics-aided care can contribute to enhancing older people’s social participation and quality of life in nursing homes, while simultaneously reducing the burden on care professionals at nighttime. Due to increasing demand for social care and the relative workforce shortage, it is likely that a greater number and variety of robots will be introduced and implemented in the future. While the benefits of applying robots and assistive technologies are recognized, the current limitations and weaknesses have also been identified. One of these is the difficulty associated with a user-centered design, involving older adults with impaired cognitive and sensory abilities in nursing homes. In order to overcome this challenge, a project was carried out to develop a soft and compact bedside communication robot with an input/output device, connected to existing technologies (e.g. monitoring camera, biological sensor). Drawing on the principle of gemba (deference to frontline professionals’ experience, expertise and skills), users’ feedback was reflected in the iterative steps of robot development. The original soft and communicative robot was introduced and its effectiveness was tested by measuring older people’s reactions and changes in their behaviors and engagement levels. The article reports the development process and results of a small-scale evaluation study, comparing the impact of this original soft-type robot with and without its communicative functions. The human–robot interactions were captured on video, and the analysis revealed that while communicative robots reduced the psychosocial burden on older adults, positive emotional, verbal, visual and behavioral engagement was generated with the help of the non-verbal plush toy.

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