Seniors housing & care journal最新文献

The problem: The availability and use of certain services that can compensate for older adults' decreased abilities and capabilities may help them maintain their independence and improve their psychological well-being. Therefore, this study investigated whether service availability and service use were associated with the psychological well-being of residents of residential care facilities and nursing homes.

The resolution: Residents who used services that provide help with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living were more likely to report a worse mood, poor psychological health, and low self-efficacy compared with those living in facilities where the services were not available. On the other hand, older residents who used social and wellness-related services were more likely to have a better mood, good psychological health, and high self-efficacy.

Tips for success: Senior living facilities should consider providing more social and wellness-related services and encourage residents' use of such services to improve their psychological well-being.

The problem: Hospitalizations and subsequent readmissions can produce significant challenges when trying to reduce costs and improve quality of care. This study describes hospitalizations and readmissions using residential care community data from the 2012 National Study of Long-Term Care Providers.

The resolution: About 61.0% of residential care communities had hospitalizations, and among these communities, 39.3% had readmissions. Residential care communities in the Northeast were more likely to have had hospitalizations and readmissions. Residential care communities located in a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) had a lower likelihood of hospitalizations, and communities that provided therapeutic services had a lower likelihood of readmissions.

Tips for success: An association with a CCRC and provision of therapeutic services were found to be protective against hospitalizations and readmissions, respectively.

The problem: Mental health issues such as depression and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) (e.g. agitation, aggression, rejection of care, wandering) are prevalent among residents in Assisted Living Facilities (ALF). Historically, these issues have only been treated with medications that can have a high risk of adverse effects in this population. This paper presents a scoping review of nonpharmacological interventions tested in ALFs for two of the most prevalent mental health issues: depression and NPS.

Key findings: Thirteen studies met inclusion criteria. Of those, eight (61.5%) found positive outcomes. Activity based and music therapy that utilize customization to interests and abilities showed the most promise.

Tips for success: Based on findings we offer five recommendations: 1) adopt evidence-based or evidence-informed interventions; 2) use tailored activity as a therapeutic modality; 3) adopt new training approaches for staff; 4) use emerging technologies for training and intervention; and 5) participate in practice based research.

The homeless population is aging faster than the general population in the United States. As this vulnerable population continues to age, addressing complex care and housing needs will become increasingly important. This article reviews the often-overlooked issue of homelessness among older adults, including their poor health status and unique care needs, the factors that contribute to homelessness in this population, and the costs of homelessness to the U.S. health care system. Permanent supportive housing programs are presented as a potential solution to elder homelessness, and Hearth, an outreach and permanent supportive housing model in Boston, is described. Finally, specific policy changes are presented that could promote access to housing among the growing older homeless population.

This group-randomized trial implemented and evaluated an intervention to reduce staff burden and improve family and resident outcomes by helping families create meaningful roles for themselves in residential care/assisted living and nursing homes. Across 24 sites, families (N = 490) and staff (N = 397) provided data over six months about family involvement, family and staff well-being and attitudes, and resident quality of life. Intervention subjects participated in workshops and created service plans to identify family roles. For families, the intervention decreased burden and improved resident quality of life but also increased guilt and conflict. Staff reported less burnout and greater partnership with families, and felt families were more empathic. Consequently, there are benefits to increasing family involvement, but attention must be paid to potential barriers and negative outcomes.

Historically, the assisted living (AL) industry has promoted a social, non-medical model of care. Rising health acuity of residents within AL, however, has brought about the need for providing increased health care services. This article examines the key staff role related to health care provision and oversight in AL, described as the health care supervisor. It briefly describes individuals in this role (N = 90) and presents their perspectives regarding their roles and responsibilities as the health care point person within this non-medical environment. Qualitative analyses identified four themes as integral to this position: administrative functions, supervision of care staff, provision of clinical and direct care, and clinical care coordination and communication. The article concludes with recommendations for AL organizations and practice of the emerging health care supervisor role in AL.