Life Of Elderly Residents Research Articles

Caregiver interactions, perceived control, and meaning in life of elderly: the moderating effect of the elderly-to-social worker ratio

BackgroundMeaning in life is a widely accepted aim in promoting psychosocial health in institutional care. However, how caregiver interaction and perceived control impact meaning in life among the elderly remains unclear. This study explores the effect of institutional caregiver interaction, family caregiver interaction, and perceived control on meaning in life among elderly residents in China, and the potential moderating effect of elderly-to-social worker ratio in these associations.MethodsMultistage random sampling was used to recruit a sample of 452 elderly residents from 4 elderly care homes in urban China. A structural equation model was used to test the study hypothesis.ResultsInstitutional caregiver interaction is positively related to meaning in life, and perceived control among elderly residents has a positive impact on meaning in life. Moreover, the elderly-to-social worker ratio moderated the relationship between institutional caregiver interaction and meaning in life, as well as between family caregiver interaction and meaning in life.ConclusionsIncrease elderly’s meaning in life is an important service target for the caring professions in institutional care. Social workers affect the effectiveness of interventions on elderly’s meaning in life in institutional care. A higher elderly-to-social worker ratio could improve the effectiveness of interventions on meaning in life for elderly residents.

Quality of life of elderly people living in a municipality with rural characteristics in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract Objective: to describe the quality of life of elderly residents of a rural municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Methods: a cross-sectional, descriptive study of a population of elderly persons was performed. Systematic probabilistic sampling was carried out. The sample was composed of 100 elderly persons, of whom 67 were female and 33 were male. Two questionnaires were used to collect the data, a sociodemographic and sample characterization survey, and the WHOQOL-BREF, in order to evaluate quality of life. The normality of the data was verified by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and analysis of mean and standard deviation was performed. Absolute and relative frequencies, Student T-test and Pearson correlation were also performed. Results: Quality of life in the physical domain was negatively impacted for both genders, whereas in the social relationships domain a good evaluation was identified, without significant difference between genders. The correlation of the WHOQOL-BREF domains with the age, weight and height of the women demonstrated, although weak, a positive and direct association in quality of life between environment and weight (r=0.277, p=0.024). When only men were evaluated, a strong inverse association with physical domain and age was found (r=0.725, p<0.001) as well as an inverse association of psychological domain with age (r=0.371, p=0.033). The psychological domain presented a positive association with BMI (r=0.36, p=0.039). Conclusion: It was concluded that elderly persons living in a rural environment who participated in this study had a good quality of life.

Relationship between Importance of Participation in Preventative Healthcare Classes and Attitude toward Life in Elderly Residents Living in a Metropolitan City

Relationship between Importance of Participation in Preventative Healthcare Classes and Attitude toward Life in Elderly Residents Living in a Metropolitan City

The Effects of a Cognitive Enhancement Program in Elderly Residents

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of cognitive enhancement program on cognitive function, depression and quality of life in elderly residents. A quasi-experimental with non-equivalent control group pretestposttest design was implemented. The participants were senior citizens over 65 years of age who received home visiting health service in community health center without dementia (experimental group: 24, control group: 22). The experimental group participated in the cognitive enhancement program for eight weeks developed in this study. After the intervention, the participants in the experimental group reported significant improvement in cognitive function, depression and quality of life when compared to those in the control group. These findings indicate that the cognitive enhancement program could be an effective intervention program to improve cognitive function in elders.

Periodontal status and oral health-related quality of life in elderly residents of aged care homes in Delhi.

The aim of the present study was to explore the associations between clinical periodontal findings and oral health-related quality of life in elderly people residing in the aged care homes of Delhi, India. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 500 residents of aged care homes across Delhi. Data were collected by carrying out clinical oral examinations and by filling a self-administered questionnaire. Oral health-related quality of life was assessed by a pretested Hindi version of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI-Hi). Periodontal status was assessed using the Community Periodontal Index - CPI, and loss of attachment and tooth mobility was assessed using a modified Miller's index. Of a total of 500 participants, 221 (44.20%) were men and 279 (55.80%) were women The mean additive score GOHAI score was 41.57 ± 6.07 and the mean number of negative impacts or mean simple count GOHAI score was 6.27 ± 1.54. Mean GOHAI scores were significantly higher among men than women, and were found to be decreasing continuously with the increasing age categories. Tooth mobility and loss of attachment scores were found to be significantly associated with oral health-related quality of life, whereas Community Periodontal Index scores showed a negative correlation with it. The geriatric population, especially those in aged care homes, is a special need group because of their inability to access dental care rather than some particular feature of their oral or general health The findings of the present study point to a need to improve access to oral healthcare for this elderly population.

Longitudinal studies and housing with care in England: a review

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the recent literature on housing with care in England where a longitudinal approach has been adopted and to identify possible new research projects that focus on gaps in the existing literature. Design/methodology/approach – The review of the relevant research literature draws in part on an earlier overview of the broader literature on housing with care, part of an NIHR School for Social Care Research project, Adult Social Services Environments and Settings (ASSET). Findings – The literature review suggests that the findings from longitudinal studies on housing with care in England have usually been based on administrative sources (such as assessments) rather than the primary focus being on the voice of residents and frontline staff. It is therefore suggested that further studies are required to reflect the views of everyday life in housing with care settings. Research limitations/implications – This literature review and the longitudinal qualitative framework for undertaking further inquiry forms the basis for a major bid for funds from the NIHR School for Social Care Research. This is a collaborative endeavour between the University of Bristol’s School for Policy Studies, the Association for Dementia Studies at the University of Worcester, the Personal Social Services Research Unit at the University of Kent and the Housing and Learning Improvement Network. The limitations of this paper reflect the paucity of past investigations on the contribution of social care to the quality of life of elderly residents in extra care housing. Practical implications – As noted above, the reviews of this draft paper have helped to determine the form of the bid for research funds. Informal discussions with commissioners and providers of extra care housing for older people indicate that access for fieldwork along the lines proposed should not prove to be a major barrier. One of the important implications is to add to the weight of evidence about the working conditions of care staff in extra care housing. The research is likely to highlight both good and poor practices, not least with consequences for the quality of life of elderly residents. Social implications – As indicated above, the paper draws attention to the need for a longitudinal qualitative study on the contribution of social care to the quality of life of older residents in extra care housing. Such a study would focus both on the details of everyday lives experienced by residents and the interaction in this setting between frontline staff and residents. In the context of major demographic change in the UK and planned further substantial cuts in public expenditure, this research is of high relevance for both policy and practice in this field of social care. Originality/value – The review indicated a reliance on administratively derived information about residents rather than focusing on the voice of residents and frontline staff. Future longitudinal research should pay attention to the latter.

The Effect of a Horticultural Activities Program on the Psychologic, Physical, Cognitive Function and Quality of Life of Elderly People Living in Nursing Homes

Objective: We examined the effects of a horticultural activities program on the psychologic, physical, and cognitive function and quality of life in elderly residents of nursing homes.

Qualidade de vida dos idosos: comparação entre os distritos sanitários de Uberaba–MG

This study aimed to compare the scores of quality of life of elderly residents in three health districts (DS) in Uberaba. This was a study of household survey, cross-sectional and observational, which interviewed 2,143 people. Data were collected through structured instruments, WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD. We used frequency distribution and ANOVA F (p<0.05). There was a preponderance of females, 60-70 years of age, married or living with a partner and a minimum wage income. The highest scores of quality of life, WHOQOL-BREF, were for social relations in the DSI and DSII, while in DSIII the psychological prevailed. WHOQOL-OLD, the highest score of the DSI was the facet death and dying and in DSII and DSIII, operation of the senses. The lowest scores in the three DS, went to the physical domain and facet autonomy. The DSI presented lower scores in the psychological and environmental and operational aspect of sense when compared to the DSII and DSIII. The DSII had lower scores on the facet of the operation when compared to the way DSIII that showed lower score in social relations. These results indicate the need to redirect the attention of local political health of the elderly according to their characteristics in each location.

Educational level, socio-economic status and relationship with quality of life in elderly residents of the city of Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil

The objective of this study was to verify the index of quality of life of elderly individuals belonging to groups, from different socioeconomic strata in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State. The research adopted a transversal model, used to collect data from the SF-36 questionnaire. The sampling is the intentional type and comprised: 61 elderly people in Class A, 80 in Class C, and 84 in Class E. The research was approved by the Committee of Ethics in Research/UFRGS. In relation to the quality of life, Class A presented higher scores than did Classes C and E on the pain, vitality, social aspect and mental health areas. The results also showed a significant difference in quality of life among university educated individuals versus the other schooling groups, on the pain, vitality, mental health and social aspect fields. Quality of life is a complex concept to study, but essential to improve the perception of health and welfare by the elderly.

INTERFERÊNCIA DA SAÚDE BUCAL NA VIDA AFETIVA E SEXUAL DO IDOSO

O crescimento da população idosa nos últimos anos impulsiona a produção de estudos voltados para essa faixa etária. O presente estudo teve por objetivo investigar a interferência da condição de saúde bucal na vida afetiva e sexual de idosos residentes na cidade de Governador Valadares. Para tanto, utilizou-se uma abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa. Os dados foram coletados a partir de um exame clínico da cavidade bucal, auto-avaliação de saúde bucal e entrevista psicológica. A condição de saúde bucal dos idosos participantes é insatisfatória. Tal situação gera impactos negativos referentes à qualidade de vida desses longevos. A maior parte dos idosos entrevistados possui vida sexual ativa. Entretanto, em seus depoimentos revelaram que a baixa condição de saúde bucal na qual se encontram, vem interferindo diretamente em momentos de trocas de carinhos com seus parceiros, afetando assim uma vivência saudável da sexualidade.

Avaliação da qualidade de vida em idosas residentes em ambientes urbano e rural

A expressão "qualidade de vida" tem sido utilizada sob diversos enfoques e é tema de pesquisas imprescindíveis na área da saúde. Muitas pesquisas têm-se dedicado a estudar a velhice sob novas óticas, mas a maioria desses estudos se refere a idosos que habitam ambientes urbanos, sendo poucas as pesquisas que abordam o tema do envelhecimento no ambiente rural. O instrumento utilizado foi o WHOQOL-OLD, modificado para pessoas idosas, com o objetivo de avaliar e comparar a qualidade de vida de idosas residentes em ambientes urbano e rural. A amostra foi constituída de 30 mulheres, com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos. O tratamento estatístico foi composto por análise descritiva e inferencial. Os dados foram analisados através SPSS, versão 13.0 para Windows. O nível de significância e erro estatístico considerado foi de 5% (p&lt;0,05). Após análise dos resultados, as idosas foram classificadas com média do Qvg-old igual ou superior a 13 como sendo detentoras de qualidade de vida suficiente; 46% das idosas residentes na área urbana apresentaram níveis iguais ou acima de 13, sobrepondo-se aos 40% dos indivíduos residentes na zona rural, que obtiveram níveis superiores a 13. Constatou-se que o fato de residir em regiões geograficamente diferentes não interferiu nos níveis de qualidade de vida. Recomenda-se a realização de outros estudos, a fim de complementar e comparar os resultados de qualidade de vida com idosos de outras regiões, na perspectiva de obter uma classificação qualitativa da qualidade de vida da população idosa com diversas características sócio-demográficas e culturais.

Leisure Life of Elderly Residents in China: A Case Study of Difference between Rural and Urban Area

This paper examined the current situation of leisure life of aging population in urban and rural area from an angle of history, policy, culture, and economy, revealing the differences in the leisure life between rural and urban elderly residents. While the Chinese government is proud of the achievement in making its people’s life longer, it has to tackle the challenge of how to make the leisure life of aging population as an important part of their later year’s life not just for the aged urban residents but especially for the aged rural residents. The underlying social and economic reasons that may account for such differences are discussed extensively. It is hoped the paper will be somewhat conducive to this area of study.

Reducing Stress in Long Term Care Facilities: Converting Research Into Practice

My dissertation research, "Stress and Adaptation Among Elders in Life Care Settings" grew out of my experience as a nursing assistant, working for more than eight years in geriatric long term care. When I first approached my undergraduate faculty in physical anthropology about studying the interplay between disabilities, environmental stressors and physiological responses to stress among the institutionalized elderly, I was discouraged. "That's not physical anthropology." As I began digging into the literature, however, I found an emerging field in human physiology and biological anthropology that examines the effects of psychosocial stressors on health. I had observed firsthand some recurrent problems and conflicts in care giving among elderly in long term care. If specific stressors can be identified, it may be possible to modify them and improve the quality of life for elderly residents in long term care. Also, if there are social or medical risk factors that predispose individual residents to stressful adaptation, targeting at-risk residents could improve their adjustment to institutional living. In doing this research, I encountered the problems of keeping the work role and the observer role separate, learned more about the care workers' stressors and about the difficulties of translating research into long term care practice.

Life in a Nursing Home for the Frail Elderly

This study forms part of a research project intended to shape the care of elderly residents in two nursing homes so that it better corresponds to their needs. The goal of this effort was to look at the life and treatment experiences of frail elderly residents. The data were collected by interviewing 31 residents and analyzed using continuous comparison methods. The results showed that the nursing staff was clearly preoccupied with daily activities, whereas the lives of elderly residents received less attention. There was a widespread feeling among residents that staff members were always pressed for time and did not want to talk with them. Nursing staff should encourage elderly patients to talk about their hopes, desires, and everyday thoughts. A closer familiarity with their patients' life stories will also help the nursing staff to understand and appreciate the hopes of their clients.