Zeitschrift Fur Gerontologie Und Geriatrie最新文献

Background and objective: One possible approach to counter singularization and loneliness of older adults is the development and implementation of socially interactive robots. Little is known about the expectations and experiences of older adults with socially interactive humanoid robots.

Material and methods: In a mixed-methods design study, user expectations before interaction and the experience and evaluation of verbal and non-verbal communication after interaction with a robot were assessed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted after the interaction.

Results: The majority of older adults expected verbal communication. After the interaction the evaluation of the quality of verbal communication differed. Participants did not expect any form of nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication was highlighted as particularly positive. Gestures, facial expressions, and body movements were described as confidence building.

Conclusion: The robot's ability to communicate nonverbally might positively influence older adults' experience of communication with the robot. In the development of socially interactive robots non-verbal communication should be given more consideration in order to contribute to successful human-robot interaction.

The socioeconomic and technological developments of the past decades have enabled unique progress associated to increased life expectancy and better health for a large part of the world's population; however, multimorbidity, frailty and disability are also on the rise. Geroscience as the new biology of aging is based on the evidence that the main risk factor for noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCD) is the aging process; however, its technology is mostly used for the scientific study of longevity and its interaction with aging medicine and geriatrics is still limited. In this perspective, the need for a tighter exchange between geroscience and geriatrics for longer health span and intrinsic capacity is discussed in the context of existing evidence and knowledge gaps.

Background: Public reporting is supposed to be helpful in differentiating between well and poorly performing nursing homes; however, hospital patients often have difficulties to deal with quality information. Discharge planners (DP) can support them in comparing quality and, by influencing patients' decision, lead to better provision of care in nursing homes.

Objective: This study investigated the choice behavior of DP, their use of quality information and the potential to impact the decision-making of patients.

Material and methods: A total of 70 DP from German hospitals with a geriatric department participated in an online survey. They were asked about information preferences and tools used for nursing home searches. In addition, they assessed quality information items from the new German quality reporting on a Likert scale. To test their comprehension participants were given a case scenario of a typical patient, were shown nursing homes displayed based on a medical comparison portal navigator (AOK-Pflegenavigator) and were asked to select nursing homes in a 3-round experiment.

Results: When looking for a nursing home, DP primarily rely on internal nursing home directories (n = 62; 92.5%). The 3 preferred criteria for decision are: distance to the family (n = 55; 28.80%), bed availability (n = 51; 26.7%) and wishes of patients/relatives (n = 41; 21.47%). The consent score for public reporting was 46.28% and the comprehension ratio was 82.24%.

Discussion: The DP do not advise hospital patients on the performance of nursing homes and rely on the decision-making of patients. This results in a lack of impact on patients' decisions and consequently in a loss of potential for public reporting to lead to better care in nursing homes.

Background and objective: Digital support systems are becoming increasingly more important in long-term inpatient care facilities. Welfare technologies have the potential to make a valuable contribution to maintaining independence in advanced age. At the same time the technologies can support professional caregivers. The aim of the study was to describe the expectations and experiences with a new technology, using the example of a fall sensor system, from the perspective of professional caregivers.

Method: We used a qualitative design with semistructured interviews in two long-term inpatient care facilities. In one facility, three individual interviews took place, while in the other long-term care facility, a group interview with three nursing professionals was conducted. Additionally, one individual interview was conducted with a person in a leadership role in each facility. The time from implementation of the fall sensors to the interviews was between 1 and 3 months. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis in MAXQDA.

Results and discussion: The study demonstrated that there was a correspondence between expectations of and retrospective experiences with the new technology among professional nurses. The main facilitating factors of the implementation that were identified were timely information about the risk of falling or a fall that has occurred, maintenance of residents' autonomy and freedom of movement as well as the enhancement of the sense of security among nursing professionals and the associated psychological relief effect. The inhibiting factors of the implementation were compulsory presetting, false alarms and faulty handling of the technology due to missing knowledge.

This case report details the assessment and interdisciplinary collaboration in the management of an 81-year-old patient presenting with acute visual impairment, dizziness, general weakness, gait disturbances and fear of falling. A holistic geriatric evaluation revealed orthostatic dysregulation and an underlying multifactorial gait disorder exacerbated by visual impairment. Ophthalmological findings included left central retinal artery branch occlusion and cataracts. A comprehensive geriatric assessment showed frailty, impaired mobility and decreased functional abilities. Subsequent patient-centered interdisciplinary approaches included treatment for retinal ischemia, orthostatic testing, medication reconciliation, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. This case emphasizes how interdisciplinary collaboration between ophthalmology and geriatrics enables proactive assessment and intervention to reduce the risk of functional decline and loss of autonomy in visually impaired patients, which is of particular relevance considering the increasing prevalence of visual impairment in the ageing population.

Background: The ageing female body is particularly exposed to the social gaze. While it should remain fit and durable as well as attractive and desirable, there is the danger of ridicule through supposedly too youthful or too outlandish performance. Women's clothing practices can conform to social expectations, can circumvent them, can actively protest against them, and possibly change social demands. In every part of the process, i.e., the experience of bodily changes, the experience of social expectations, consumer choices, the practices of clothing and reactions to clothing choices, the body and getting dressed becomes a site of new feelings of vulnerability.

Objective: This article asks how these vulnerabilities are presented in the clothing practices of older women, are expressed in the materiality of clothes and in the practices of getting dressed.

Material and methods: Data from a study that followed a situational analysis methodology and used semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation, were re-examined through the lens of vulnerability.

Results: Different aspects to vulnerability are presented in this article. Interviewees had to come to terms with bodily changes and made arrangement to the way they dressed that in turn could collide with subjective and social expectations of normative femininity. In this process of acquiescing, new vulnerabilities were produced; however, interviewees developed clothing strategies that provided them with experiences of their own attractiveness. They also had to adapt to changing circumstances to present themselves as fashionable and attractive due to age.

Conclusion: Practitioners can address feelings of vulnerabilities when talking about gendered clothing practices, for example through biographical work.

Background: Shared housing arrangements (SHA) are alternatives to long-term care facilities for care-dependent people. The collective perspective of nursing professionals working in SHA in dealing with death and dying is missing in recent studies. This study aimed to investigate the perspective of professionals concerning a palliative (farewell) culture in SHA.

Methods: In this study two group discussions were conducted with nurses and nursing assistants working in SHA. Data were analyzed using the documentary method, with the aim of working out the professional orientation framework concerning a collective palliative culture.

Results: Nurses enable a palliative (farewell) culture. This leads to the fact that hospice services are not used in these SHA. The distance to relatives as well as a short dying process or incomplete dying support can make a successful palliative culture difficult. Depending on the conscious assumption of responsibility for a palliative culture in the nursing concept of SHA, death and dying are discussed at an early stage with the relatives and care-dependent people.

Discussion: The constantly progressing palliative culture in SHA is based on nurses' experiences, general practitioners (GP) and relatives. The family carers' role is ambiguous. If they do what they are supposed to do from the professional nurses' point of view and are closely connected to the nurses, they are viewed positively and as enablers of a palliative culture. If family carers' responsibilities are not communicated and they are not in close contact with professional nurses, they are viewed as opponents of a palliative culture. The GPs are seen as enablers of a palliative culture in both discussions. A timely discussion on what might happen in the end of life phase, formalized or not, helps all involved groups to be prepared.