Project description:The four main models of long-term care (LTC) for older people in Taiwan are institutional care, community and home-based care, live-in migrant care and family care. This study aims to examine the factors associated with the four above-mentioned LTC models, using the Andersen model as its framework for analysis. Data were from the 2005 National Taiwanese Health Interview Survey (n = 30,680), and in this study, 592 over 65-year-old persons who require personal care in daily life were included. The findings showed that the majority of older people with care needs lived with family and were cared only by their family. The second largest group was those older people who were cared by migrant care workers, and the third group used institutional care. Only a very small proportion used community/home-based care services. If older people had intensive care needs, they either hired migrant care workers or used institutional care, depending on social and economic backgrounds. Multinomial logistic regression results showed that the way how disabled older people use different LTC models was affected by three components of the Andersen model: their needs (level of ADL and IADL), predisposing factors (age, education) and enabling factors (family networks). Results suggest that there is a need for LTC policies in Taiwan to provide more available and accessible community/home-based care services, particularly for older people with intensive care needs, in order to support their 'ageing in place' and to decrease the use of migrant care workers.
Project description:BACKGROUND: Older people in long-term residential care are at increased risk of medication prescribing and administration errors. The main aim of this study was to measure the incidence of medication administration errors in nursing and residential homes using a barcode medication administration (BCMA) system. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in 13 care homes (9 residential and 4 nursing). Data on all medication administrations for a cohort of 345 older residents were recorded in real-time using a disguised observation technique. Every attempt by social care and nursing staff to administer medication over a 3-month observation period was analysed using BCMA records to determine the incidence and types of potential medication administration errors (MAEs) and whether errors were averted. Error classifications included attempts to administer medication at the wrong time, to the wrong person or discontinued medication. Further analysis compared data for residential and nursing homes. In addition, staff were surveyed prior to BCMA system implementation to assess their awareness of administration errors. RESULTS: A total of 188,249 medication administration attempts were analysed using BCMA data. Typically each resident was receiving nine different drugs and was exposed to 206 medication administration episodes every month. During the observation period, 2,289 potential MAEs were recorded for the 345 residents; 90% of residents were exposed to at least one error. The most common (n = 1,021, 45% of errors) was attempting to give medication at the wrong time. Over the 3-month observation period, half (52%) of residents were exposed to a serious error such as attempting to give medication to the wrong resident. Error incidence rates were 1.43 as high (95% CI 1.32-1.56 p < 0.001) in nursing homes as in residential homes. The level of non-compliance with system alerts was very low in both settings (0.075% of administrations). The pre-study survey revealed that only 12/41 staff administering drugs reported they were aware of potential administration errors in their care home. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of medication administration errors is high in long-term residential care. A barcode medication administration system can capture medication administration errors and prevent these from occurring.
Project description:Background :Increasing evidence suggests that postoperative delirium may result in long-term cognitive decline among older adults. Risk factors for such cognitive decline are unknown. Methods :We studied 126 older participants without delirium or dementia upon entering the Successful AGing After Elective Surgery (SAGES) study, who developed postoperative delirium and completed repeated cognitive assessments (up to 36 months of follow-up). Pre-surgical factors were assessed preoperatively and divided into nine groupings of related factors ("domains"). Delirium was evaluated at baseline and daily during hospitalization using the Confusion Assessment Method diagnostic algorithm, and cognitive function was assessed using a neuropsychological battery and the Informant Questionnaire for Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) at baseline and 6-month intervals over 3 years. Linear regression was used to examine associations between potential risk factors and rate of long-term cognitive decline over time. A domain-specific and then overall selection method based on adjusted R2 values was used to identify explanatory factors for the outcome. Results :The General Cognitive Performance (GCP) score (combining all neuropsychological test scores), IQCODE score, and living alone were significantly associated with long-term cognitive decline. GCP score explained the most variation in rate of cognitive decline (13%), and six additional factors-IQCODE score, cognitive independent activities of daily living impairment, living alone, cerebrovascular disease, Charlson comorbidity index score, and exhaustion level-in combination explained 32% of variation in this outcome. Conclusions :Global cognitive performance was most strongly associated with long-term cognitive decline following delirium. Pre-surgical factors may substantially predict this outcome.
Project description:This study seeks to explore the sources of strength giving rise to resilience among older people. Twenty-nine in-depth interviews were conducted with older people who receive long-term community care. The interviews were subjected to a thematic content analysis. The findings suggest that the main sources of strength identified among older people were constituted on three domains of analysis; the individual-, interactional and contextual domain. The individual domain refers to the qualities within older people and comprises of three sub-domains, namely beliefs about one's competence, efforts to exert control and the capacity to analyse and understand ones situation. Within these subdomains a variety of sources of strength were found like pride about ones personality, acceptance and openness about ones vulnerability, the anticipation on future losses, mastery by practising skills, the acceptance of help and support, having a balanced vision on life, not adapting the role of a victim and carpe-diem. The interactional domain is defined as the way older people cooperate and interact with others to achieve their personal goals. Sources of strength on this domain were empowering (in)formal relationships and the power of giving. Lastly, the contextual domain refers to a broader political-societal level and includes sources of strength like the accessibility of care, the availability of material resources and social policy. The three domains were found to be inherently linked to each other. The results can be used for the development of positive, proactive interventions aimed at helping older people build on the positive aspects of their lives.
Project description:This scoping review aimed to explore the characteristics, strengths, and gaps in research conducted in Brazilian long-term care facilities (LTCFs) for older adults. Electronic searches investigating the residents (≥60 years old), their families, and the LTCF workforce in Brazil were conducted in Medline, EMBASE, LILACS, and Google Scholar, within the timescale of 1999 to 2018, limited to English, Portuguese, or Spanish. The reference lists were hand searched for additional papers. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used for critical appraisal of evidence. Data were reported descriptively considering the study design, using content analysis: 327 studies were included (n = 159 quantitative non-randomized, n = 82 quantitative descriptive, n = 67 qualitative, n = 11 mixed methods, n = 6 randomized controlled trials, and n = 2 translation of assessment tools). Regardless of the study design, most were conducted in a single LTCF (45.8%), in urban locations (84.3%), and in non-profit settings (38.7%). The randomized trials and descriptive studies presented the lowest methodological quality based on the MMAT. This is the first review to provide an overview of research on LTCFs for older people in Brazil. It illustrates an excess of small-scale, predominantly qualitative papers, many of which are reported in ways that do not allow the quality of the work to be assured.
Project description:As the relationship between delirium and long-term cognitive decline has not been well-explored, we evaluated this association in a prospective study.SAGES is an ongoing study involving 560 adults age 70 years or more without dementia scheduled for major surgery. Delirium was assessed daily in the postoperative period using the Confusion Assessment Method. General Cognitive Performance (GCP) and the Informant Questionnaire for Cognitive Decline in the Elderly were assessed preoperatively then repeatedly out to 36 months.On average, patients with postoperative delirium had significantly lower preoperative cognitive performance, greater immediate (1 month) impairment, equivalent recovery at 2 months, and significantly greater long-term cognitive decline relative to the nondelirium group. Proxy reports corroborated the clinical significance of the long-term cognitive decline in delirious patients.Cognitive decline after surgery is biphasic and accelerated among persons with delirium. The pace of long-term decline is similar to that seen with mild cognitive impairment.