Older Adults In Nursing Homes Research Articles

Mortality in Newly Admitted Nursing Home Older Adults with Dementia in France: A Post Hoc Analysis from an Observational Study in the Bordeaux Region

Background/Objectives: A significant proportion of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders live in a long-term care facility. This study aimed to determine the time delay between admission and death for older adults with dementia. Methods: A post hoc analysis was conducted using data from a French observational cohort, identifying older adults with dementia who were admitted to nursing homes. This study assessed median survival times after admission to care facilities by using Kaplan–Meier models and evaluated factors potentially associated with the time until death by using Cox models. Results: A total of 201 individuals were included. The median survival time from admission to a nursing home to death was 39 months. Being male, an older age, and having higher cognitive impairment and comorbidities were associated with decreased survival rates. Conclusions: This study provides survival results for institutionalised older adults with dementia in France and provides elements for the definition of future public policies.

Culture of Nursing Care in Iranian Nursing Homes: An Ethnographic Study

Background: The aging of the population and an increase in the number of older adults require long-term care and a greater number of nursing homes (NHs). Consequently, identifying relevant cultural factors in NHs may contribute to meeting care needs. This study aimed to explore the culture of nursing care for older adults in NHs in Iran. Methods: This interpretive ethnographic study was conducted in two NHs in Kerman. The data were collected through fieldwork, participant observations, field notes, and semi-structured in-depth interviews with 26 staff and 7 residents. The collected data were analyzed through content analysis. Results: The culture of care in NHs revolves around 3 themes including "task-oriented care", "care deficiency", and "enthusiastic care". Conclusion: The results emphasized the value of the cultural atmosphere embedded in NHs. The provided care mostly met the physical and immediate needs of older adults (task-oriented care). In addition, establishing an emotional relationship with older adults can help them better accept care and reduce illness and disability in them.

Factors Associated with Frailty in Older Adults in Community and Nursing Home Settings: A Systematic Review with a Meta-Analysis.

Background: Frailty is a globally recognized issue. However, there is a lack of evidence exploring factors associated with frailty among older residents in community and nursing-home settings. Methods: To explore the prevalence and factors associated with frailty among older adults in community and nursing-home settings, we conducted a systematic search following the PRISMA guidelines across Web of Science, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane databases up until January 2024, selecting 38 studies which encompassed 150,642 participants. Results: Our findings showed higher frailty prevalence in nursing homes compared to communities. Frailty was significantly associated with sociodemographic (living alone, poor self-reported health), physiological (poor sleep, low activity of daily living), behavioral (physical inactivity) and disease (chronic conditions, depression) factors in both community and nursing-home settings. Conclusions: There are numerous factors associated with frailty in older adults in nursing-home and community settings. These factors underscore the significance of promptly identifying high-risk individuals and devising appropriate interventions to mitigate frailty among them.

Perspectives of older adults, adult children and caregivers on internet of things home care technologies in China: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Internet of Things (IoT) home care technologies have great potential to support older adults’ everyday activities and compensate for age-related changes. This study aims to explore older adults’ preferences for IoT home care technologies and factors influencing their acceptance from different perspectives. A total of 19 participants were purposively recruited, including 12 community-dwelling and nursing home older adults (74.8 ± 8.7 years), three adult children (48.3 ± 11.9 years), and four caregivers (43.8 ± 9.4 years). Their experiences and attitudes were explored through semi-structured interviews, assessing their general opinions toward IoT home care technologies and exploring what factors may hinder or facilitate their use. Twenty-two IoT home care services were included and the interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results revealed that community-dwelling older participants preferred entertainment services, while the nursing home group preferred safety services. Eight factors affecting older adults’ acceptance of IoT home care technologies were extracted: personality traits, self-health assessment, adult children support, roommate influence, affordability, credibility, compatibility, and substitutability. The impact of generational thrifty personality, adult children’s support, and service credibility are highlighted in the Chinese cultural context. Promotion of and education on using IoT services among older adults’ and their children is recommended.

Exploring the chain mediating roles of frailty and depressive symptoms in the relationship between pain and cognitive function among nursing home older adults.

The prevalence of cognitive decline is high among nursing home older adults. Pain is a vital factor in cognitive function. Furthermore, the current literature lacks the complex association between pain, frailty, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function. The aim of this study was to explore the chain mediating roles of frailty and depressive symptoms in the association between pain and cognitive function among nursing home older adults. This is a population-based cross-sectional study, conducted in China, of 210 nursing home older adults aged 64-98 years old, who completed the measurements of sociodemographic information, pain, frailty, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function. Mediation analyses tested the indirect effect of frailty and depressive symptoms in the relationship between pain and cognitive function by PROCESS macro. Pain, frailty, as well as depressive symptoms, were negatively related to cognitive function. Frailty mediated the association between pain and cognitive function. Importantly, mediation analyses showed that frailty and depressive symptoms acted as sequential mediators of pain and cognitive function. These findings have crucial clinical implications, as they suggest targeting physiological and psychological factors in older adults with chronic pain to alleviate cognitive decline.

Effets d’un programme de marche rapide chez le sujet institutionnalisé sur l’activité du système nerveux ­autonome

Introduction: The age-related decline of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity is a well-known risk factor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes that can be prevented through regular physical activity (PA) but PA engagement remains too low in older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 9-month brisk walking training on the ANS activity assessed through the measure of heart rate variability (HRV). Methods: Sixty-one older adults aged 60 and over were recruited among 14 French nursing homes to participate in a randomized control trial that consisted of a 9-month brisk walking training. They were randomized into three intervention groups: 1 exercise session per week, 3 exercise sessions per week, and a control group. HRV was measured at baseline and at the 3, 6, and 9-month visits. Results: Compared with individuals from the control group and those who exercised 1 day per week, older adults who performed 3 sessions per week exhibited a significant improvement in HRV indices of parasympathetic activity (root mean square of successive differences – RMSSD). Conclusion: Regular PA performed 3 times per week is effective in enhancing cardiac autonomic drive in nursing home older adults aged 60 and over.

Optimism and subjective well-being in nursing home older adults: The mediating roles of gratitude and social support

ObjectivesTo examine the level of subjective well-being (SWB) and the mediating roles of gratitude and social support in the relationship between optimism and SWB amongst older Chinese people in nursing homes. MethodsA total of 354 older adults in Chinese nursing homes completed the World Health Organization's well-being index, Life Orientation Test-Revised, Gratitude Questionnaire-Six-Item Form, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the relationships between optimism, gratitude, social support and SWB. ResultsThe mean SWB score of the older people was (63.14 ±15.31), with 21.0% of subjects reporting low SWB. Gratitude and social support in serial partially mediated the relationship of optimism with SWB (total indirect effect: Standardized β = 0.157, 95% CI [0.109,0.216], p<0.001). ConclusionThese findings provide good evidence for the inter-relationship mechanism amongst the protective factors of SWB, suggesting the need to prioritize positive psychological nursing interventions to promote SWB in older people in residential care.

Attitudes and beliefs of older adults and caregivers towards deprescribing in French-speaking countries: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

Successful deprescribing requires understanding the attitudes of older adults and caregivers towards this process. This study aimed to capture these attitudes in four French-speaking countries and to investigate associated factors. A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted by administrating the French version of the revised Patients' Attitudes Towards Deprescribing (rPATD) questionnaire in Belgium, Canada, France, and Switzerland. Community-dwelling or nursing home older adults ≥ 65years taking ≥ 1 prescribed medications and caregivers of older adults with similar characteristics were included. Multivariate logistic regressions were carried out to examine factors associated with willingness to deprescribe. A total of 367 older adults (79.3 ± 8.7years, 63% community-dwelling, 54% ≥ 5 medications) and 255 unrelated caregivers (64.4 ± 12.6years) of care recipients (83.4 ± 7.9years, 52% community-dwelling, 69% ≥ 5 medications) answered the questionnaire. Among them, 87.5% older adults and 75.6% caregivers would be willing to stop medications if the physician said it was possible. Reluctance to stop a medication taken for a long time was expressed by 46% of both older adults and caregivers. A low score for the factor "concerns about stopping" (older adults: aOR: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.07-0.59), and a high score for the factor "involvement" (older adults: aOR: 2.66; 95% CI: 1.01-7.07; caregivers: aOR: 11.28; 95% CI: 1.48-85.91) were associated with willingness to deprescribe. A significant proportion of older adults and caregivers of French-speaking countries are open to deprescribing. Despite this apparent willingness, deprescribing conversations in clinical practice remains marginal, emphasizing the importance of optimizing the integration of existing tools such as rPATD.

Effectiveness of a resilience-targeted intervention based on “I have, I am, I can” strategy on nursing home older adults' suicidal ideation: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundDespite the potential for benefit, resilience remains an emergent area in late-life mental health care, and evidence of resilience intervention for suicide among nursing home residents is especially limited. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a resilience-targeted program based on the “I have, I am, and I can” strategy on suicidal ideation and related problems. MethodsFrom the 562 nursing home residents who were contacted, 68 with suicidal ideation were recruited and then randomly assigned to a resilience intervention group (eight-week resilience training; n = 34) or a wait-list control group (eight-week health education; n = 34). Self-reported suicidal ideation, and depression and anxiety symptoms as outcomes, and resilience as potential mediators were assessed at baseline, postintervention, and one-month follow-up. ResultsResilience training participants reported significant improvement in suicidal ideation (group × time interaction x2=12.564, p = 0.002) and depression symptoms (x2=9.441, p = 0.009) compared to wait-list control group participants. Changes in resilience mediated the intervention's effects on changes in suicidal ideation and depression symptoms.LimitationsThe observed effects must be considered preliminary due to the small sample size. ConclusionsThe findings support the benefits of resilience training based on the “I have, I am, and I can” strategy in reducing suicidal ideation and suicide-related symptoms in nursing home older adults, and provide insight into possible mechanisms.

Association between body mass index, multi-morbidity and activities of daily living among New Zealand nursing home older adults: a retrospective analysis of nationwide InterRAI data

BackgroundObesity is a well-established risk factor for multi-morbidity and disability among older adults in the community and acute care settings. However, nursing home residents with body mass index (BMI) below 18.5 kg/m2 and above 25.0 kg/m2 have been understudied. We examined the prevalence of multi-morbidity and disability in activities of daily living (ADL) by BMI category and further investigated the association between BMI, multi-morbidity, and disability of ADL in a large cohort of older adults in nursing homes in New Zealand.MethodsA retrospective review of nursing home residents’ data obtained from the New Zealand International Resident Assessment Instrument national dataset from 2015 to 2018. One hundred ninety-eight thousand seven hundred ninety older adults (≥60 years) living in nursing homes were included. BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms (kg) divided by height in meters squared (m2). Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of ≥2 health conditions. The risk of disability was measured by a 4-item ADL self-performance scale. The prevalence ratio (PR) of the association between BMI and multi-morbidity and between BMI and disability in ADL was assessed using Poisson regression with robust variance.ResultsOf the 198,790 residents, 10.6, 26.6, 11.3 and 5.4% were underweight, overweight, obese, and extremely obese, respectively. 26.4, 31.3 and 21.3% had one, two and three disease conditions, respectively, while 14.3% had four or more conditions. 24.1% could perform only one ADL, and 16.1% could perform none. The prevalence of multi-morbidity increased with increasing BMI, whereas mean disability in ADL decreased with increasing BMI. The risk of multi-morbidity was higher for the overweight (PR, 95%CI: 1.03, 1.02–1.03) and obese (PR, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.06–1.08) compared to normal weight after controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, and region. BMI was inversely associated with mean ADL; β, 95% CI for overweight (− 0.30, − 0.32, − 0.28) and obese − 0.43, − 0.45, − 0.40 compared to normal weight.ConclusionBeing underweight was associated with a decline in the performance of ADL in nursing home residents. In contrast, being overweight and obese positively affected functional performance, demonstrating that the obesity paradox plays an important role in this population. The observed associations highlight areas where detection and management of underweight and healthy aging initiatives may be merited.

Weight loss in nursing home older adults during the first covid-19 pandemic wave: viral infection or disruption of nutritional care organization?

Rationale: During the first COVID-19 pandemic wave, older adults living in nursing homes were severely affected by the viral disease and by disruption of the nutritional care organization at the time of containment. We aimed to measure the residents’ weight change and identify the factors involved in weight loss during this period.

Loneliness and frailty among nursing home older adults: the multiple mediating role of social support and resilience.

Loneliness has been considered as a risk factor for frailty. Social support (as an external protective resource) and resilience (as an inner protective resource) might play protective roles on the association between loneliness and frailty. In this study, the mediating roles of social support and resilience between loneliness and frailty were explored among older adults living in nursing homes. Older adults (N=210) from three nursing homes in China were recruited in this cross-sectional study. Information for sociodemographic variables, frailty, loneliness, social support and resilience were collected. The bootstrap analyses by PROCESS macro were conducted to test the multiple mediating role of social support and resilience between loneliness and frailty. The prevalence of frailty was 34.8% among older adults in nursing homes. Also, social support and resilience mediated the association between loneliness and frailty, respectively. Furthermore, the multiple mediating testing results showed that social support and resilience played sequential mediating roles in the link of loneliness to frailty. The findings underscore the protective role of social support and resilience of loneliness and frailty among nursing home older adults.

The effect of the group-based Otago exercise program on frailty among nursing home older adults with cognitive impairment

This study investigated the effect of the group-based Otago exercise program (OEP) on frailty and physical function in older adults with cognitive impairment. We recruited eighteen older adults with cognitive impairment from a nursing-home to perform the OEP three times a week, for a period of three months in a nursing home. The intervention was feasible with attending an average of 21 out of 36 sessions. The frailty score decreased significantly (p<0.05). Physical function including Time Up and Go test (TUG), 30 seconds Sit-To-Stand Test (30 s-SST) and Four-Stage Balance Test was significantly positive after intervention (all p<0.001). The group-based OEP is a potentially effective strategy for reversing frailty and improving physical function among older adults with cognitive impairment.

Nursing Home Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective:To help older adults living in nursing homes (NHs) while educating medical and physician assistant (MD/PA) students during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:Using a multicomponent iterative process, we piloted multiple student led service-learning projects in 2 NHs and 1 hospice agency in the Midwest. Pre-post online student surveys were completed to match student interests with facility needs and to assess learning and obtain feedback regarding their experiences.Results:All 12 interested students completed the initial survey; n = 23 ultimately volunteered (word of mouth); n = 11 (48%) completed the follow-up survey. Opportunities were medical record transfer, grounds beautification, resident biographies, window entertainment, and No-One-Dies-Alone program. Students averaged 9.2 volunteer hours; stated the opportunities were enjoyable, clinically applicable, and socially distanced; and reported learning about unique experiences of older adults in NHs.Discussion:Despite limitations created by the pandemic, mutually beneficial and safe opportunities remain for education in the NH setting.

Assessing Functional Need of Minority Older Adults Across Two Long-Term Services and Supports Settings

Research has suggested that growth in Black and Hispanic older adults’ nursing home (NH) use may be the result of disparities in options for long-term services and supports (LTSS). To investigate this issue, we aimed to determine whether there were no differences in the functional needs of racial and ethnic groups who received care in NHs versus the community. We identified respondents aged ≥65 years in the 2016 Health and Retirement Study who reported requiring caregiving help. We compared the site of care for Black and Hispanic older adults (minority group) to White older adults (comparison group). We performed unadjusted analyses to assess the association of functional need with community vs. NH care. Functional need was operationalized using a functional-limitations score and six individual activities of daily living (ADL). There were 186 minority older adults (community=78%, NH=22%) and 357 White older adults (community=50%, NH=50%). Across settings, minority older adults did not differ in age, marital status, and income, but a greater percentage of men were in NHs (48% versus 28%; p=0.01). The functional-limitations score was higher in NHs than in the community for both groups. Functional needs for the minority group were similar across the two settings in 2/6 ADLs (dressing p=0.11, toileting p=0.09), while White older adults in NHs were more impaired in all ADLs. Functional need for minority older adults primarily differed by setting while demographics did not. These are important factors to consider when implementing programs to keep older adults out of NHs and in the community.

Malnutrition and Physical Frailty among Nursing Home Residents: A Cross-Sectional Study in China.

To assess the association between malnutrition and physical frailty among nursing home older adults in China. A cross-sectional study in 15 nursing homes in Changsha, China. A total of 705 nursing home residents who were aged 60 and older. Physical frailty was identified based on the following five components: slow gait speed, low physical activity, weight loss, exhaustion, and low grip strength. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between nutritional status and physical frailty. The mean (SD) age of the participants was 82.5 (8.1) years old (range, 60-106 years), and 226 (32%) was men. Of those participants, 5.1% and 55.6% were malnourished and at risk of malnutrition, respectively; 60.3% and 36.2% were identified as being frail and prefrail, respectively. Compared with participants who were well-nourished, those who were at risk of malnutrition or malnourished were two times more likely to be physically frail (adjusted odds ratio 2.66, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 7.00), after adjustment for age, education level, cognitive status, depressive symptoms, and disability in activities of daily living. No significant association was observed between malnutrition and physical prefrailty. Our findings suggest that poor nutritional status and physical frailty are highly prevalent in nursing home older adults in China, and that poor nutritional status is associated with increased odds of physical frailty.

Joy-of-life in cognitively intact nursing home residents: the impact of the nurse-patient interaction.

The nursing-home population is at a high risk of declined well-being and quality of life. Finding approaches to increase well-being among older adults in nursing-homes is highly warranted. Responding to this need, the approach framed 'Joy-of-Life-Nursing-Homes' (JoLNH) was developed in Norway. To investigate the association between nurse-patient interaction and joy-of-life in the nursing-home population. Cross-sectional data were collected in 2017 and 2018 using the Nurse-Patient Interaction Scale and the Joy-of-Life Scale. A total of 204 cognitively intact nursing-home residents met the inclusion criteria and 188 (92%) participated. A structural equation model (SEM) of the relationship between nurse-patient interaction and joy-of-life was tested by means of STATA/MP 15.1. Ethical approval was given and each participant provided voluntarily written informed consent. The SEM-model yielded a good fit with the data (χ2 =162.418, p=0.004, df=118, χ2 /df=1.38, RMSEA=0.046, p-close 0.652, CFI=0.97, TLI=0.96, and SRMR=0.054). As hypothesised, nurse-patient interaction related significantly with joy-of-life (γ1,1=0.61, t=7.07**). The cross-sectional design does not allow for conclusions on causality. The fact that the researchers visited the participants to help fill in the questionnaire might have introduced some bias into the respondents' reporting. Relational qualities of the nurse-patient interaction should be essential integral aspects of nursing-home care. Consequently, such qualities should be emphasised in clinical practice, and research and education should pay more attention to nurse-patient interaction as an important, integral part of the caring process promoting joy-of-life and thereby well-being.

90 The Effectiveness of Volunteer-Led Physical Activity Interventions in Improving Health Outcomes for Community-Dwelling Older People: A Systematic Review

Abstract Introduction Physical activity (PA) is important for older people to maintain functional independence and healthy ageing. PA interventions for community-dwelling older adults are often delivered by healthcare professionals, fitness instructors or trained members of a research team. Innovative approaches are needed to ensure that these interventions are practical and sustainable. This systematic review explores the effectiveness of volunteer-led PA interventions in improving health outcomes for community-dwelling older people. Methods Following PRISMA recommendations, five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PEDro, Cochrane library) were systematically searched until May 2019, for studies using trained volunteers to deliver PA interventions for community-dwelling older people aged ≥ 65 years, reporting on participant outcomes. Meta-analysis was not conducted due to included study heterogeneity. Results Twelve papers (eight studies including three randomised controlled trials (RCTs)) were included in the review; five papers reported different outcomes from the same RCT. Intervention settings included community exercise groups (n=4), home (n=2) and care homes (n=2). All eight studies included strength and balance exercises and frequency of PA ranged from once daily to weekly sessions. The three RCTs showed improvement in grip strength, nutritional and frailty status, and reduction in fear of falling, among 39 older adults (mean age 83 years) who received a physical training and nutritional intervention; improvement in grip strength and activity of daily living scores among 56 nursing home older adults (mean age 78 years) who received resistance exercise training; and a significantly higher proportion of older adults (n = 193, 9% improvement vs 0.5% in the control group) achieved the recommended target of 150 minutes of moderate vigorous PA per week using the Falls Management Exercise intervention. Two studies compared volunteer and health professional-delivered PA interventions and reported that both interventions were equally effective in reducing fear of falls and improving quality of life. Two quasi-experimental studies reported improvement in functional outcomes including functional reach, timed up and go test, and chair stand. A large prospective cohort study (n = 1620) reported a reduction in disability among older adults who received volunteer-led exercise compared to control, with a hazard ratio of 0.73 (95% CI 0.62-0.86) for development of disability. Conclusions Trained volunteers can lead PA interventions among community-dwelling older adults with some evidence of improved health outcomes including nutritional, functional and frailty status.

RACIAL-ETHNIC DISPARITY IN DENTAL CARE IN NURSING HOMES

Minority older adults are at higher risks of poor oral health. Little is known about the extent of and the contributing factors to racial/ethnic disparity in dental care quality in the long-term care settings. Previous studies suggest that organizational and system-level factors are key determinants of oral health among minority older adults. We examined the racial/ethnic disparity in dental care delivery in nursing homes (NHs) by facility and market characteristics. We analyzed the 2000-2016 national Inspection Survey data for all certified-NHs (n=248,975 facility-years). Two designated deficiency citations were used to measure dental care performance. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare the rates of deficiency citations among NHs in different quartiles of the share of minority residents, adjusting for facility characteristics, market characteristics, year and state fixed effects. Overall, compared to NHs in the lowest quartile of the share of minority residents (average % minority residents =0.24%), NHs in the highest quartile of the share of minority residents (average % minority residents = 46.5%) and those in the second highest share (average % minority residents=13.9%) had 46.8% and 31.2% higher odds of receiving dental care citations(p<0.001 for both), respectively. The increased citation rates persisted over time (p=0.40) and were greater among for-profit NHs (p=0.02). Our study suggests that minority older adults in NHs are disproportionately affected by poorer dental care performance. There is a great need to improve quality of dental care in NHs, particularly for those that are for-profit and those that disproportionately serve minority residents.

Food bolus-forming ability predicts incidence of aspiration pneumonia in nursing home older adults: A prospective observational study.

Food boluses in the pharynx without enough bolus formation sometimes cause aspiration among older adults; however, the relationship between food bolus-forming ability and incidence of aspiration pneumonia is unclear. To investigate the relationship between food bolus-forming ability and incidence of aspiration pneumonia by evaluating the condition of chew-swallow managing food transported into the pharynx. A prospective observational study conducted in a nursing home for the elderly between April 2016 and February 2018. Seventy-three residents who swallowed thickened liquids and consistent boluses without aspiration were included. Food boluses were graded into three categories in the pharynx using videoendoscopic evaluation. Boluses that retained their original shape were defined as Grade 1. A mixture of large and small boluses was defined as Grade 2. Boluses that had completely transformed into a paste were defined as Grade 3. The relationship between the bolus formation grade and incidence of aspiration pneumonia over 6-month follow-up was investigated. Seventeen residents developed aspiration pneumonia. The incidence rate of aspiration pneumonia was highest among residents with Grade 1 boluses, at an incidence rate of .187 cases per person-month (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.097-0.359). Cox regression showed residents with Grade 1 boluses had a hazard ratio of 4.548 (1.393-14.85) for incidence of aspiration pneumonia compared with residents who had Grade 2 or 3 boluses. Insufficient food bolus-forming ability predicted high incidence of aspiration pneumonia. Healthcare professionals should evaluate the food bolus-forming ability, as well as swallowing function, to prevent aspiration pneumonia.