Quality Of Life For Seniors Research Articles

Developing Architectural Lighting Designs to Improve Sleep in Older Adults

This paper discusses a proposed 24-hr lighting scheme for older adults that can positively impact the aging vis- ual, circadian and perceptual systems. New lighting was installed in eight private rooms in an assisted living facility. Measurements of residents' sleep quality and circadian rest-activity patterns were obtained, before and after the new light- ing was installed. Consistent with predictions based upon previous research, the subjects who completed the study showed an improvement in sleep quality and rest/activity rhythms under the new 24-hr lighting scheme. In addition, all study par- ticipants reported a strong preference for the 24-hr lighting. The new lighting not only provides older adults with good lighting for performing their routine visual tasks, but also promotes high circadian light stimulation during the day and low circadian light stimulation at night. Although not studied here, but also discussed as part of the 24-hr lighting scheme, is the impact of a previously studied, novel night-light system that provides older adults with enhanced perceptual cues for nighttime navigation within the room. The new 24-hr lighting scheme appears to have important practical implications for improving the quality of life for seniors and will hopefully be adopted by architects, lighting specifiers and engineers.

Rural Seniors' Perceptions of Quality of Life

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of quality of life (QoL) among seniors in a rural region in the United States. Two men and two women aged 65 and older participated in qualitative interviews to reflect on their perceptions of their QoL. Data were analyzed using a phenomenological method. Six themes emerged including autonomy, altruism, engagement in occupation, responsibility for own life, sense of community, and changes in relationships. The seniors' values and attitudes may influence health care workers and community leaders in developing programs aimed at maintaining good QoL for seniors in rural areas.

High-Tech Devices Show Long-Term Potential

High-Tech Devices Show Long-Term Potential

Assessment Helps Lower Fall Risk

Just as there are many causes for falls among older adults, there also are many prevention strategies. The key to finding the right ones for each patient is to perform a thorough fall risk assessment, according to experts speaking in a Web-based conference sponsored by ECRI, a nonprofit health services research agency. Effective fall prevention can make a big difference in quality of life for seniors and give residents and caregivers a greater sense of peace. And, as with all safety measures, effective fall prevention also can mean savings for long-term care facilities. The majority of falls (60%) occur in the home environment, and 30% of falls occur in an institutional setting. It's estimated that 30% of falls in acute care facilities and 20% of falls in long-term care facilities result in “serious injury,” said Karen Holloway, a risk management analyst at ECRI and primary author of the organization's new guide “Falls Prevention Strategies in Healthcare Settings.” Of those who sustain hip fractures, 50% never return to their normal level of functioning. The cost of treating the 20% of falls resulting in serious injury in long-term care facilities in 2005 is estimated at $4.9 billion, excluding physician fees, according to the Center for Injury Prevention and Control and Treatment Costs data. Defensive barriers form the core of fall prevention strategies, according to Patricia Quigley, Ph.D, deputy director of the Veterans Health Administration's Patient Safety Center of Inquiry in Tampa. Fall prevention with defensive barriers may best be described through the “Swiss cheese theory,” she said. Defensive barriers to falls can be thought of as holes in a block of Swiss cheese. For a fall to occur, all of the holes have to line up—in other words, all of the barriers have to fail. Fall prevention assessments can be invaluable in pulling together the most effective defensive barriers for each patient. One effective model has been established at several VA centers, where fall risk assessments are performed for all patients at these clinics. The assessment team spans several disciplines, including a geriatrician, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, a physical therapist (who specializes in balance problems), and a pharmacist. The 2-hour fall risk assessment attempts to identify potential causes for falls and includes evaluations of vital signs, visual acuity and depth perception, and deep tendon reflexes, lower extremity sensory testing, a neurologic assessment, laboratory tests, and imaging. In an ongoing analysis of the reasons patients were referred to her falls clinic, accident and environmental factors accounted for 37%, followed by weakness and balance and gait disorders (12%), dizziness and vertigo (8%), and orthostatic hypotension (5%). Other reasons (acute illness, confusion, poor eyesight, and drugs) together accounted for 18%. Certain medications also contribute to fall risk, especially psychotropics, diuretics, antiarrhythmics, and digoxin. When assessing the home environment, an assessment team looks for uneven ground, and scrutinizes steps or ramps into the house and entry stairs. It also looks for clutter, throw rugs, problem floor surfaces, quality of lighting, and bathroom issues such as nonslip shower mats and grab bars. The team also tries to determine whether assistive devices are being used or are appropriate. Once the assessment is completed, the team evaluates the findings to develop an individualized fall prevention plan. In cases where a fall has occurred, the mnemonic SPLATT (Symptoms, Previous Falls, Location, Activity, Time, and Trauma) can provide a framework for doing a postfall evaluation to identify risk factors for additional falls. The algorithm could help narrow in on interventions to reduce fall risks, Dr. Quigley said. The ECRI guide is available for purchase by visiting www.ecri.org/Products_and_Services/Products.

Assisted living in public housing: A case study of mixing frail elderly and younger persons with chronic mental illness and substance abuse histories

Since the Fair Housing Act of 1988, younger chronically mentally ill and substance abuse residents have been admitted to subsidized senior housing. This policy’s main purpose was to furnish housing for younger homeless individuals and to improve rental income streams for senior facilities. The policy was also meant to promote age integration, improve social engagement, and enhance informal support in these developments. Younger persons with chronic mental illness and substance abuse histories have proven to be incompatible neighbors, diminishing the quality of life for seniors and creating management problems for facility staff. A Decatur, Illinois, case study covered three years of mixing younger individuals into a public housing facility for frail seniors. After the younger persons were admitted, quality of life diminished and management became difficult. Results indicate that careful tenant screening and sensitive and extended management are vital for any chance of successful age integration in subsidized housing.