Chinese Nursing Home Residents Research Articles

Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Older Chinese Adults in Nursing Homes: The Mediating Roles of Self-Efficacy and Social Support.

With an aging global population, there has been a growing interest in the subjective well-being (SWB) of older people. As a positive emotion, gratitude has been found to be significantly and positively associated with SWB. However, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between gratitude and SWB remain poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the mediating effects of social support and self-efficacy in the relationship between gratitude and SWB among older Chinese adults in nursing homes. A cross-sectional study. A sample of 354 older adults in nursing homes aged 60 years and above was recruited across three nursing homes in Guangzhou, China. Participants completed the Gratitude Questionnaire-Six-Item Form, the World Health Organization's well-being index, the General Self-efficacy questionnaire and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the relationships between gratitude, self-efficacy, social support and SWB. A bootstrap test was performed to test mediating roles of self-efficacy and social support. Gratitude was found to be significantly and positively associated with SWB (β = 0.294, p < 0.001). Self-efficacy and social support independently mediated the relationship between gratitude and SWB (indirect effect of self-efficacy: Standardised β = 0.105, 95% CI [0.061, 0.157]; indirect effect of social support: Standardised β = 0.116, 95% CI [0.444, 0.191], all p < 0.001). Additionally, the results indicated that the mediating effect of self-efficacy was not significantly different from that of social support in the link between gratitude with SWB. These findings presented strong evidence that self-efficacy and social support provided the underlying mechanisms through which gratitude was associated with SWB in Chinese nursing home residents. This highlighted the need to develop interventions aiming at increasing gratitude, self-efficacy and social support to promote SWB among elderly people. No patient or public contribution.

Development and validation of a screening tool for sarcopenia in Chinese nursing home residents

Development and validation of a screening tool for sarcopenia in Chinese nursing home residents

Validation of the Barthel Index in Chinese nursing home residents: an item response theory analysis.

The Barthel Index (BI) is used to standardize the grading of assessments for clinical needs, insurance support, and long-term care resource allocation in China. However, its psychometric properties among nursing home residents remain unclear. Therefore, this study aims to assess and modify the psychometric properties of BI in nursing home residents. A total of 1,402 individuals undergoing evaluation in a nursing home facility in China were included in this study from November 2021 to November 2022. Correlations between items were examined to identify the potential multicollinearity concerns. The unidimensional item response theory (IRT) was used to validate and modify the single structure of BI. Furthermore, the logistic regression/IRT hybrid DIF detection method was conducted to assess differential item functioning (DIF) between the dementia group and the normal group. The pairing of items 5 ("bowl control") and 6 ("bladder control") revealed a local dependence issue, leading to their consolidation. Items 56 (bowel and bladder control) and 9 (mobility) both displayed poor fit indices and underwent category collapsing. Through the application of the generalized partial credit model, the adjusted scale displayed better fit indices, demonstrating a robust discriminative power (DC >1.5) and orderly thresholds. Furthermore, non-uniform DIF was identified in item 2 (bathing) between the dementia group and the normal group. The modified BI demonstrated favorable psychometric properties and proved to be suitable for evaluating nursing home residents experiencing moderate functional impairment, which may provide a precise evaluation for long-term care resource allocation. Future studies could explore integrating supplementary measurements, such as objective indices, to assess a broader spectrum of functional statuses to potentially enhance the limited precision width observed in BI.

Identifying and Addressing the Spiritual Needs of Older Adults in Care Facilities: Administrators of Chinese Nursing Homes Relate Their Perspectives.

Addressing the spiritual needs of older adults is a central component of holistic service provision. Using a qualitative description design, this study identified: (1) common spiritual needs among Chinese nursing home residents, including the needs of residents with dementia, (2) the process staff use to identify these needs when residents are unable to verbalize them, and (3) the strategies staff implement to meet the identified needs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 nursing home administrators. Analysis produced five themes, including the need for older adults to express their faith, receive love and care, have contact with their children, interact with others, and participate in activities. For residents with dementia who are unable to verbalize their concerns, staff used two primary strategies to identify spiritual needs: careful observation and communication with family members. To address the identified spiritual needs, multiple strategies were offered including arranging clergy visits and personalizing care.

The protective influence of family support on anxiety, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation among elderly Chinese nursing home residents: A study of serial mediation.

In light of the aging demographic in China, heightened attention is warranted for the mental well-being of elderly individuals. Nevertheless, the prevalence of suicidal ideation among older residents in Chinese nursing homes and the nuanced impact of family support on this phenomenon, mediated by anxiety and depressive symptoms, remain unclear. A cohort of 506 Chinese elderly adults participated in the study. Psychosocial traits were assessed using the Perceived Social Support from Family scale (PSS-Fa) for family support, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) for anxiety symptoms, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. A structural equation model (SEM) was employed to execute a serial mediation model. The analysis of 506 elderly adults revealed that 8.1% reported varying levels of suicidal ideation within Chinese nursing homes. The pathway from family support to anxiety symptoms (standardized beta = -0.025, P = .241), family support to depressive symptoms (standardized beta = -0.072, P < .05), and family support to suicidal ideation (standardized beta = -0.082, P < .05) were explored. Additionally, pathways from anxiety symptoms to suicidal ideation (standardized beta = 0.364, P < .001), anxiety symptoms to depressive symptoms (standardized beta = 0.647, P < .001), and depressive symptoms to suicidal ideation (standardized beta = 0.369, P < .001) were examined. This study elucidated the underlying mechanisms connecting family support to suicidal ideation, with depressive symptoms partially mediating this association. Additionally, our discoveries shed light on the partial mediation of anxiety symptoms by depressive factors when it came to the realm of suicidal ideation.

SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF ELDERLY IN CHINESE FAITH-BASED NURSING HOME: ADMINISTRATOR VIEWS

Abstract Objectives Recognizing and addressing the spiritual needs of elderly individuals constitutes a crucial facet of comprehensive caregiving. Despite China’s immense aging population, research on the spiritual needs of Chinese seniors remains limited. This study aimed to: 1) delineate prevalent spiritual needs among Chinese nursing home residents, including those with dementia; 2) elucidate the method employed by staff to identify these needs in non-verbal residents; and 3) expound on the strategies utilized by staff to fulfill these identified needs. Methods In this qualitative exploration, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 administrators from faith-based nursing homes, chosen for their potential concentration of residents with dementia. Encompassing establishments across 14 Chinese provinces, interviews were conducted in the participants’ native language, subsequently translated into English. Utilizing a constant comparative approach, the collected data underwent analysis to uncover recurring themes. Results The analysis yielded five interconnected themes concerning the spiritual needs of older adults: expression of faith, reception of love and care, familial interaction, social engagement, and participation in activities. For individuals with dementia unable to articulate their needs, staff employed careful observation and communication with family members as means of identification. In response to identified needs, staff harnessed local resources and personalized services whenever feasible. Discussion The findings offer practical insights for holistic caregivers catering to the spiritual needs of Chinese elderly. This study fills an existing gap, aiding in the provision of culturally sensitive care that addresses the spiritual aspects of aging Chinese individuals.

STRESSORS &amp; COPING STRATEGIES OF ADMINISTRATORS IN CHINESE FAITH-BASED DEMENTIA CARE FACILITIES

Abstract Objectives Identifying and meeting the spiritual needs of older adults is a central component of holistic service provision. China has more older adults than any other nation, yet a paucity of research exists on the spiritual needs of Chinese older adults. The purpose of this study was to identify: 1) common spiritual needs among Chinese nursing home residents, including the needs of residents with dementia, 2) the process staff use to identify these needs when residents are unable to verbalize them, and 3) the strategies staff use implement to meet the identified needs. Methods To perform this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 administrators of faith-based nursing homes, representing facilities that may be disproportionately likely to have residents with dementia. The nursing homes spanned 14 Chinese provinces. Interviews were conducted in the study participants’ native language, translated into English, and analyzed using a constant comparative methodology to identify themes. Results Analysis produced five interrelated themes regarding older adults’ spiritual needs, which included the need to: express their faith, receive love and care, have contact with their children, interact with others, and participate in activities. Regarding For residents with dementia who are unable to verbalize their concerns, staff used two strategies to identify spiritual needs: careful observation, and communication with family members. To address the identified needs, staff drew from local resources and attempted to personalize services whenever possible. Discussion The findings offer guidance to individuals providing holistic care that addresses Chinese older adults’ spiritual needs.

Chewing difficulty and frailty trajectories in Chinese nursing home residents: A prospective cohort study.

To investigate frailty trajectories in nursing home residents, and to test whether chewing difficulty was a significant factor associated with frailty trajectories. This is a 1-year prospective cohort study. Data were collected from 27 nursing home residents in China at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Latent class growth modeling was used to identify frailty trajectories. Multilevel multinomial logistic regression was used to test the relative risk ratios (RRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the chewing difficulty assessed at baseline on frailty trajectories. In total, 269 nursing home residents were included in the analysis. Three frailty trajectories identified were non-frailty trajectory (n = 181, 67.3%), stable frailty trajectory (n = 52, 19.3%), and progressive frailty trajectory (n = 36, 13.4%). Chewing difficulty was found among 138 (51.3%) nursing home residents. With the non-frailty trajectory group as the reference, residents with chewing difficulty were more likely to demonstrate stable frailty trajectory (RRR = 2.55, 95% CI [1.28-5.11]) or progressive frailty trajectory (RRR = 3.46, 95% CI [1.47-8.15]). Changes in the frailty of nursing home residents are heterogeneous and chewing difficulty should be assessed and addressed on a routine basis in nursing homes to prevent the deterioration of frailty or reverse it. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 803-808.

Quality of life of older people in nursing homes in China\u2013evaluation and application of the Chinese version of the life satisfaction questionnaire

BackgroundChinese and global populations are aging, and more older people are living in nursing homes in China. However, there is a lack of research measuring nursing home residents’ quality of life (QOL), and especially associations with nursing home types (publicly versus privately run). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the construct validity and internal consistency of the Chinese version of the life satisfaction questionnaire (LSQ-Chinese) and determine the associations between nursing home types (publicly versus privately run), residents’ sociodemographic characteristics, and their QOL.MethodsA cross-sectional survey measuring QOL among older people living in nursing homes was conducted (n = 419). Confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha were used to assess the construct validity and reliability of the LSQ-Chinese. In addition, multivariate regression analysis was used to examine these associations.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable goodness-of-fit statistics for the seven-factor LSQ solution. All factors and the total scale had good internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha values > 0.70. The two factors with the highest QOL scores (higher scores indicate a more desirable state) were “physical symptoms” and “socioeconomic situation,” and those with the lowest QOL scores were “quality of close-friend relationships” and “quality of daily activities fun”. Residents living in privately run nursing homes had higher LSQ scores overall and for all factors except “physical symptoms” and “sickness impact” compared with publicly run nursing homes. Multivariate analyses indicated that marital status, number of chronic diseases, education level, main source of income, and nursing home type significantly contributed to the variance in the total LSQ scores. The associated sociodemographic variables differed between the factors, and the variable publicly versus privately run was significant for five of the seven factors.ConclusionsThe LSQ is a suitable instrument for measuring the QOL of Chinese nursing home residents. The total LSQ score was higher among residents in privately run nursing homes than in publicly run ones. According to residents’ needs, staff should work for person-centered activities, and facilitate residents’ social interactions with friends, as both these aspects were scored relatively low.

Association between Depression Severity and Physical Function among Chinese Nursing Home Residents: The Mediating Role of Different Types of Leisure Activities.

Despite strong evidence associating depression with poor physical function, the underlying mechanisms of this association remain unknown. This study aimed to ascertain whether different types of leisure activities mediate the effect of depression severity on physical function. This cross-sectional descriptive study included 353 Chinese nursing home residents (aged ≥ 60 years; 197 female) from nursing homes of five districts (Lixia, Tianqiao, Huaiyin, Shizhong, and Licheng) in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, from March to June 2018. Multiple-mediation analyses, including regression and bootstrap analyses, were conducted to evaluate the association of depressive symptoms’ severity and active or passive leisure activities with physical function. Active, but not passive, leisure activities significantly mediated the effect of moderate/severe depressive symptoms on physical function compared to those without depressive symptoms. In contrast, there was no significant association between mild depressive symptoms and physical function. This study demonstrates that leisure activities affect the association between depressive symptoms’ severity and physical function, and its protective role depends on the type of leisure activities. Interventions for physical function should be designed by focusing on active leisure activities among older adults, especially those with moderate/severe depressive symptoms, to delay physical function and improve overall well-being.

Physical disability, low self-esteem, and suicidal ideation among Chinese nursing home residents: the moderating role of resilience

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between physical disability and suicidal ideation, and whether the mediation effect was moderated by resilience among nursing home residents. Methods Participants were 538 nursing home residents recruited from 37 nursing homes in Jinan, China (mean age = 78.13 years, SD = 8.72). The Lawton and Brody Activities of Daily Living Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, 10-item version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Beck Suicidal Ideation Inventory-Chinese Version were used. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were performed using Models 4 and 15 of the PROCESS macro for SPSS. Results The prevalence of suicidal ideation among the nursing home residents was 14.90%. The mediation analysis showed that self-esteem partially mediated the association between physical disability and suicidal ideation. Resilience was a protective factor for suicidal ideation and moderated the relationship between physical disability and suicidal ideation, and between self-esteem and suicidal ideation. Conclusion Both physical disability and lower self-esteem are important in understanding the development of suicidal ideation among nursing home residents. Improving resilience may be crucial for suicide prevention.

Resident- and Institutional-Level Factors, Frailty, and Nursing Homes Residents.

Frailty is a major cause of adverse health outcomes, such as hospitalization, falls, disability, and morbidity, among older adults; the elucidation of factors affecting frailty trends over time may facilitate the development of effective interventions. This study aimed to examine the trend of frailty over time (at baseline, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up) among Chinese nursing home residents and identify associated resident- and institutional-level factors. This longitudinal study included 353 residents who were admitted into 27 nursing homes in Jinan, China. Frailty was defined based on the seven self-reported components of the FRAIL-NH scale, which was designed for nursing home residents. Information was gathered using scales that assessed resident-level (sociodemographic characteristics and physical, psychological, and social factors) and institutional-level characteristics (hospital affiliation, fitness sites, green space, occupancy percentage, staff-resident ratio, and staff turnover rate). These data were subjected to a multilevel linear analysis. Frailty was identified in 49.7% of residents at baseline and exhibited a progressively worsening trend over 1 year. Among institutional-level characteristics, the provision of fitness sites in nursing homes was a protective factor for frailty. Among resident-level characteristics, undernutrition was a significant independent risk factor and played a key role in increasing frailty over time. Other risk factors for frailty included younger age, poorer self-rated health, lower physical function, chewing difficulty, loneliness, anxiety, and being less active in leisure activities. Frailty was highly prevalent among Chinese nursing home residents and gradually increased over time. The results of this study could be used to inform the development of interventions targeted at modifiable risk factors and shape public health policies aimed at promoting healthy aging and delaying frailty and its adverse outcomes.

Advance care planning preferences in Chinese nursing home residents: results from two cross-sectional studies in Hong Kong and Taiwan

BackgroundThe proportion of hospital deaths has declined in the past few decades, while the proportions of nursing home deaths have increased. This trend of increasing deaths in long-term care facilities underlines the importance of improving end-of-life care provisions in these settings to meet individual preferences and needs. Under these circumstances, a comprehensive understanding of end-of-life care preferences in local nursing home residents can help healthcare professionals and policymakers develop strategies to increase the advance directive completion rate and quality of care. This study aimed to explore and compare advance directive and end-of-life care preferences of nursing home residents in Hong Kong and Taiwan.MethodsA structured questionnaire was developed by the research team to investigate advance directive and end-of-life care preferences in older Chinese nursing home residents. Nursing home residents with frail or pre-frail status and over the age of 64 were invited to participate in the study, and information on demographics, functional status, advance directive experiences, and end-of-life care expectations was collected through questionnaire interviews.ResultsA total of 325 eligible participants from 32 facilities completed the survey, including 238 older residents in Hong Kong and 87 in Taiwan. A significantly lower proportion of the Hong Kong residents had completed an advance directive compared with the Taiwanese (3 vs. 13%, p = 0.001). Among participants who did not have an advance directive, 46% of the Taiwanese participants said they would consider completing one in the future, compared with 20% of the Hong Kong participants (p < 0.001). A total of 79% of the Hong Kong participants and 80% of the Taiwanese participants responded that prolonging life in the given hypothetical dying scenario was “not important” (p = 0.76). Only 14% of participants in Hong Kong and 18% of participants in Taiwan reported prior occurrence of end-of-life care discussions with family members or health professionals (p = 0.37).ConclusionsThis paper adds evidence in support of improving end-of-life communication and the advance directive completion rate in nursing homes in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Further research is necessary to explore cross-cultural differences in end-of-life preferences and its applications in predicting decision-making and the quality of end-of-life care.

Social support moderates suicidal ideation among Chinese nursing home residents with limited activities of daily living and loneliness

Rare studies are available exploring the impact of limited activities of daily living (ADL), loneliness on suicidal ideation, and protective effect of social support on their relationships in nursing home residents. This study aims to examine these links in a sample of older adults from nursing homes. A stratified random sampling was adopted to recruit 538 respondents from 37 nursing homes in Jinan. Suicidal ideation, limited ADL, social support and loneliness were assessed through instruments of Beck Suicidal Ideation Scale, ADL scale, Perceived Social Support Scale and UCLA Loneliness Scale. Relationships of latent variables were tested using Path Analysis in this cross-sectional study. The mediating effect of loneliness was significant on the association between limited ADL and suicidal ideation, and the mediation model was multiply moderated by social support with significant coefficients and acceptable model fitness. This study demonstrated the multiple moderating role of social support in the effect of limited ADL and loneliness on suicidal ideation among nursing home residents. More efforts are suggested in providing more available external resources to seniors' mental health for reducing risk of influencing factors of suicidal ideation.

How Loneliness Worked on Suicidal Ideation among Chinese Nursing Home Residents: Roles of Depressive Symptoms and Resilience.

Suicide in later life is becoming severe under rapid population aging, especially for nursing home residents. Loneliness, an increasingly represented issue among nursing home residents, is found to be a risk factor for depressive symptoms. Both loneliness and depressive symptoms may contribute to the development of suicidal ideation. According to the Protective Factor Model, resilience can act as a moderating role interacting with risk factors to buffer the negative effects on the outcome. The present study aimed to assess the mediating role of depressive symptoms and the moderating effect of resilience on the risk factors of suicidal ideation to attenuate the adverse contribution among nursing home residents. A total of 538 nursing home residents participated in this cross-sectional study, and their suicidal ideation, resilience, loneliness, and depressive symptoms were measured. The mediating effect and moderated mediation model were tested using the Macro Process of SPSS 21.0. Statistics showed that 19.7% of participants had suicidal ideation. The mediating model (H1: B = 0.477, p < 0.001; H2: B = 0.325, p < 0.001; H3: B = 0.308, p < 0.001) and the moderating effect of resilience interacting loneliness (H4: B = −0.133, p < 0.001; H6: B = −0.109, p < 0.001) and depressive symptoms (H5: B = −0.077, p < 0.001) were statistically significant. The findings indicated the protective effect of resilience in alleviating the negative influence of risk factors for suicidal ideation, suggesting that positive psychological interventions for resilience building might be effective in suicide prevention among nursing home residents.

Psychosocial Reactions to Relocation to Nursing Homes in Chinese Older Adults

This study aimed to elicit psychosocial reactions to relocation to nursing homes from older adults’ perspectives with a qualitative interview design. Narratives from 23 Chinese nursing home residents from Fuzhou, China in a life review program were recorded, transcribed into sentences, and analyzed with the qualitative content analysis. It revealed five stages of psychosocial reactions to relocation to nursing homes as fear, struggle, compromise, acceptance, and contribution. The first stage resulted from negative labels attached to nursing homes, disconnection to the society, difficulties in establishing new relationships, and being abandoned by their families. The second stage described the behaviors of struggle: complain about family members, think of going back home, pray to have a change, and take action to leave. The third stage described the keys to compromise: choices between maintaining the harmony in family relation and companionship of relatives, choices between professional care and family care, and choices between costs and effects of family care and nursing home care. The fourth stage described how they accept nursing home life: accept the life and yet with worries, affirm benefits of living in nursing homes, and embrace the nursing home life. The last stage resulted from sense of ownership and giving full play to self-worth. This study generated new insights into the knowledge on psychosocial reactions to relocation to nursing homes and provided both family members and nursing home staff with a direction for how to promote a smoother relocation process.

Effect of pain on depression among nursing home residents: Serial mediation of perceived social support and self-rated health. A cross-sectional study.

AimThe aim of this study was to investigate how perceived social support and self‐rated health together could mediate the relationship between pain and depression among Chinese nursing home residents with pain.MethodsThe study was conducted in 38 nursing homes in 13 cities in China. A convenience sample of 2154 older adults responded to the questionnaire survey. A mediation analysis was performed on the data of 990 participants with pain. The data were collected by a questionnaire consisting of socio‐economic and demographic characteristics, the Geriatric Depression Scale‐15, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Self‐rated Health Scale and the Numerical Rating Scale of pain. The sample was subdivided by sex. Descriptive analysis, t‐tests, chi‐squared tests, Mann–Whitney U‐tests, Spearman correlation analyses and the bootstrap method were used to analyze data.ResultsThe prevalence rate of pain and depression among nursing home residents were 46.0% and 20.7% respectively. Pain, perceived social support and self‐rated health were all significantly correlated with depression (r = 0.217, P < 0.01; r = −0.216, P < 0.01; r = 0.385, P < 0.01, respectively). Perceived social support and self‐rated health independently and in series partly explained the relationship between pain and depression.ConclusionsThe results of the study showed that pain was associated with low perceived social support first, and then poor self‐rated health, which was in turn related to the development of depression among nursing home residents with pain. For nursing home residents, perceived social support and self‐rated health as an internal resource can affect the ability to overcome the suffering of pain and reduce the level of depression. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 1234–1240.

Prevalence and risk factors of dysphagia among nursing home residents in eastern China: a cross-sectional study.

BackgroundDysphagia is a common health care problem and poses significant risks including mortality and hospitalization. China has many unsolved long-term care problems, as it is a developing country with the largest ageing population in the world. The present study aimed to identify the prevalence and risk factors of dysphagia among nursing home residents in China to direct caregivers towards preventative and corrective actions.MethodsData were collected from 18 public or private nursing homes in 9 districts of Nanjing, China. A total of 775 older adults (aged 60 ~ 105 years old; 60.6% female) were recruited. Each participant underwent a standardized face-to-face interview by at least 2 investigators. The presence of risk of dysphagia was assessed using the Chinese version of the EAT-10 scale. The Barthel Index (BI) was used to evaluate functional status. Additionally, demographic and health-related characteristics were collected from the participants and their medical files. Univariate analyses were first used to find out candidate risk factors, followed by binary logistic regression analyses to determine reliable impact factors after adjusting for confounders.ResultsOut of 775 older adults, the prevalence of dysphagia risk was calculated to be 31.1%. A total of 85.0% of the older adults reported at least one chronic disease, and diseases with the highest prevalence were hypertension (49.5%), stroke (40.4%), diabetes (25.5%) and dementia (18.2%). Approximately 11.9% of participants received tube feeding. The mean BI score was 56.2 (SD = 38.3). Risk factors for dysphagia were texture of diet (OR = 2.978, p ≤ 0.01), BI level (OR = 1.418, p ≤ 0.01), history of aspiration, pneumonia and heart attack (OR = 22.962, 4.909, 3.804, respectively, p ≤ 0.01), types of oral medication (OR = 1.723, p ≤ 0.05) and Parkinson disease (OR = 2.566, p ≤ 0.05).ConclusionsA serious risk of dysphagia was observed among Chinese nursing home residents. Overall, nursing home residents were moderately dependent, according to the BI level. The risk for dysphagia increased with thinner diet texture, worse functional status, history of aspiration, pneumonia and heart attack, more oral medications and Parkinson disease. The findings of our study may serve to urge nursing home staff to pay more attention to the swallowing function of all residents and to take more actions in advance to prevent or reduce dysphagia.

Psychosocial reactions to relocation to a nursing home among Chinese older adults

ObjectivesThis study aimed to describe the psychosocial reactions to relocation to a nursing home from the perspective of older adults. MethodThis study applied a qualitative interview design. Narratives from 23 Chinese nursing home residents in a life review program in Fuzhou, China were recorded, transcribed into sentences, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. ResultsThe following psychosocial reactions to relocation to a nursing home emerged: fear, struggle, compromise, acceptance, and contribution. The fear resulted from negative labels attached to nursing homes, fear of disconnection to society, fear of difficulties in establishing new relationships, and fear of being abandoned by their families. The behaviors of ‘struggle’ were complaining about family members, thinking of returning home, praying for change, and taking action to leave. The keys to compromise were a choice between maintaining harmony in family relations and the companionship of relatives, a choice between professional care and family care, and a choice between the cost and effectiveness of family care and nursing home care. The process of acceptance included accepting life yet with worries, affirming the benefits of living in a nursing home, and embracing nursing home life. Contribution was mainly reflected in two aspects, a sense of ownership and bring into full play their self-worth. DiscussionsThis study generates new insights into knowledge on the psychosocial reactions to relocation to a nursing home. It provides both family members and nursing home staff with direction on how to ensure a smoother relocation process.

Effect of humour intervention programme on depression, anxiety, subjective well-being, cognitive function and sleep quality in Chinese nursing home residents.

To evaluate the effect of an 8-week humour intervention programme on reducing depression and anxiety and improving subjective well-being, cognitive function and sleep quality in nursing home residents. A single-blinded and quasi-experimental design with repeated measures. Seventy-four older adults were recruited from May 2018-September 2018, with 37 older adults in the humour group received humour intervention and 37 in the control group received no intervention. The intervention was an 8-week humour intervention programme for older adults to learn to use humour and release their emotions. Primary outcomes include depression, anxiety and subjective well-being and secondary outcomes were cognitive function and sleep quality. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the differences of outcome measures between the two groups. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 8 and 16weeks. There was no significant difference between the two groups at baseline. The adherence to the sessions of humour intervention over the 8-weeks was 97.6%. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant improvement in depression, anxiety, subjective well-being and sleep quality during the postintervention (8weeks) and follow-up (16weeks) periods in the humour group versus the control group. However, a significant time×group interaction for cognitive function was only found during postintervention. The humour intervention programme was effective in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms and increasing subjective well-being, cognitive function and sleep quality in older adults. Physical and mental health problems are common among older adults in nursing homes. The study demonstrated that humour intervention has feasibility and potential to be used as an effective non-pharmacological intervention in improving well-beings of Chinese nursing home residents. ChiCTR1800016148.