Residential Settings Research Articles

Next-generation fall detection: harnessing human pose estimation and transformer technology

ABSTRACT Elderly falls are occurring at an alarming rate, with significant health risks for seniors. Current fall detection systems often lack accuracy, efficacy, and privacy considerations. This study examines three leading human pose estimation frameworks combined with transformer deep learning models to develop a lightweight, privacy-preserving fall detection system. Key features include: 1) It runs on low-power devices like Raspberry Pis; 2) It monitors seniors passively, without requiring active participation; 3) It can be deployed in any residential or senior care setting; 4) It does not rely on wearables; and 5) All processing occurs locally, ensuring privacy with only fall alerts transmitted to caregivers. In real-world tests, the model achieved 95.24% sensitivity, 89.80% specificity, 98.00% accuracy, a 90.91% F1 score, and 95.24% precision, highlighting its effectiveness in detecting falls among the elderly while maintaining privacy and security.

Residential care settings for children in the Philippines: Examining their transnational and neocolonial characteristics and the implications for children’s social welfare

Residential care settings for children in the Philippines: Examining their transnational and neocolonial characteristics and the implications for children’s social welfare

Interventions addressing care staff views of older LGBTQ+ people in residential and homecare settings: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionPrevious research has identified that lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ+) social care service users have concerns and/or negative experiences of their care due to staff views and attitudes...

Positive behaviour support in Irish residential services: Perspectives of frontline staff, management and clinicians on implementation challenges

ABSTRACT Background The current study explored the perspectives of staff working with adults with intellectual disabilities and behaviours that challenge. We sought insight into their understanding of procedural fidelity and challenges faced when implementing behaviour support. Method We interviewed 15 staff members supporting adults with intellectual disabilities in residential settings. Participants included five front-line staff, five residential managers, and five clinicians. Interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis conducted. Results Issues identified by the participants related to four main themes: (1) Organisational and environmental constraints; (2) Understanding and monitoring of procedural fidelity; (3) Theory versus practice; (4) There's nothing positive about behaviour support. Conclusion Across staff groups, lack of understanding of fidelity emerged, as well as minimal accountability regarding behaviour support. Front-line staff felt isolated and under pressure. Greater emphasis on partnership, practice leadership, and positive feedback may give front-line staff the support needed to use behavioural interventions with high fidelity.

A novel portable in situ analyzer for highly sensitive monitoring of organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides in food and environment

The presence of excessive residues of organophosphorus (OPs) and carbamate (CPs) pesticides in food and the environment poses a significant threat to human health and ecological sustainability. Herein, we reported a dual-readout, portable, and highly sensitive photoelectric analyzer (DPHP-analyzer) to achieve rapid and accurate monitoring of OPs and CPs. The dual signal strategy is mainly achieved by controlling the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the presence of OPs to catalyze acetylthiocholine (ATCh) and generate thiocholine (TCh), which specifically induced the conversion of colorless Ellman's reagent (DTNB) into yellow 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoic acid (TNB). Simultaneously, the utilization of positively charged TNB as an absorber can induce a dynamic fluorescence quenching effect based on energy transfer mechanism. Fully cooperating with the above mechanism, a CD like, disposable array-based chip manufactured by 3D printing (CD-AN-chip) was designed and integrated to deliver reagents. By use of this dual-output strategy, the analyzer and chip can provide good sensitivity and selectivity for the monitoring of diazinon and carbendazim (case analysis) with a LOD 0.38 ng/mL for carbendazim. And the reproducibility, stability and practicability analysis of real sample have been thoroughly validated simultaneously. Importantly, with the features of fluorescence fingerprint map, the detector could be employed for the distinction of various analytes and further be used for monitoring the nutritional environment within residential and public settings.

Validity, test-retest reliability, and responsiveness of the Indonesian version of FACIT-COST measure for subjective financial toxicity.

Financial toxicity describes the impairment of financial wellbeing in patients due to the burden of cancer diagnosis and care. The COST: A Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Measure of Financial Toxicity (FACIT-COST) is the most widely used cancer-specific measure of subjective financial toxicity, having been validated in multiple languages, but not in Indonesian. This study aimed to validate the Indonesian version of FACIT-COST in a breast cancer sample. A single-center prospective cohort study was performed in Indonesia. Female breast cancer patients aged ≥ 18 undergoing treatment at baseline were invited to participate and followed for up to six months. The survey included the official Indonesian version of FACIT-COST (v2) which was administered to the patients by interviewers. Clinical information (e.g., metastasis status, disease duration) was provided based on medical records. The following measurement properties of FACIT-COST were tested: distributional characteristics, structural validity (principal component [PCA] and confirmatory factor analyses [CFA]), internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega), known-groups validity (Mann-Whitney U or Kruskal-Wallis H test), test-retest reliability, and responsiveness to change. Overall, 300 female patients participated at baseline. No patients reported the best or worst possible FACIT-COST total scores. The PCA proposed a two-factor model structure for the instrument, which was confirmed by the CFA (RMSEA = 0.042, SRMR = 0.049, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99). The internal consistency reliability of the two factors was considered adequate (Cronbach's alpha = 0.774-0.882, McDonald's omega = 0.786-0.888). The FACIT-COST total score significantly discriminated across the following known-groups: age, education, residential setting, income, employment, metastasis status, number of symptoms, and financial coping strategies. The FACIT-COST demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96) and satisfactory responsiveness to change (standardized response mean and effect size ranges=|0.39| to |0.92|). This is the first study to validate the FACIT-COST in patients with breast cancer and to present the measurement properties of the Indonesian version of FACIT-COST. The Indonesian FACIT-COST demonstrates acceptable psychometric performance and shows potential as a valid measure of subjective financial toxicity. The instrument may serve as a valuable tool for informing health policies that focus on providing resource support to improve cancer care in Indonesia.

Residential Care Facilities for Users with Alzheimer’s Disease: Characterisation of Their Architectural Typology

The design and construction of residences for persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been based on the recommendations of design guides, the results of empirical tests with samples of the population, and the experience of architects and planners. The reiteration of certain patterns, criteria, and guidelines has given rise to a new type of building that has not yet been explicitly described. The aim of this paper is to determine the main characteristics of this typology. This research is based on a critical review methodology, analysing 30 care homes built over the last four decades across various global contexts. Detailed surveys of plans, projects, and buildings were carried out, allowing a comparative analysis of the architectural attributes to determine the most influential parameters for these buildings. The results indicate that environments designed with safety, accessibility, and opportunities for social interaction in mind—and, above all, those that are personalised to the needs of this collective—significantly enhance the behaviour, emotional state, and cognitive state of their residents. The main theoretical contributions include identifying and stating the key features of this type, such as small scale, basic cell housing, comprehensible organisation, and sensory stimulation of spaces, among others. The breakthrough of this study that differentiates it from other works in this field is that it provides concrete guidelines to approach the planning, design, and construction of these kinds of residences. The significance of this research lies in the definition of this unique typology, which is not characterised by its morphology, shape, or formal composition but rather focused on promoting an adequate cognitive and physiological reception of the space by the users. This building concept has important management implications, as its construction must provide for and integrate specific care services in a residential setting for people with AD.

A comparative study of different deep learning methods for time-series probabilistic residential load power forecasting

The widespread adoption of nonlinear power electronic devices in residential settings has significantly increased the stochasticity and uncertainty of power systems. The original load power data, characterized by numerous irregular, random, and probabilistic components, adversely impacts the predictive performance of deep learning techniques, particularly neural networks. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a time-series probabilistic load power prediction technique based on the mature neural network point prediction technique, i.e., decomposing the load power data into deterministic and stochastic components. The deterministic component is predicted using deep learning neural network technology, the stochastic component is fitted with Gaussian mixture distribution model and the parameters are fitted using great expectation algorithm, after which the stochastic component prediction data is obtained using the stochastic component generation method. Using a mature neural network point prediction technique, the study evaluates six different deep learning methods to forecast residential load power. By comparing the prediction errors of these methods, the optimal model is identified, leading to a substantial improvement in prediction accuracy.

"What Does 'Age-Friendly' Mean to You?" The Role of Microaggressions in a Retirement and Assisted Living Community.

In conversations about expanding age-friendly ecosystems, the concept of "age-friendliness" has not been explored in relation to residential settings. This multiple case study compared four residents' perspectives on the age-friendliness of a retirement and assisted living community, combining individual semi-structured interviews with observational data and organizational document analyses in a contextualist thematic examination. Three themes depict (A) existing experiences of the setting as "age-friendly" and the tension of the built design vs. identity; (B) resident-to-resident microaggressions, delineated into four sub-themes including identity-related, intergenerational, condition-related microaggressions and their influence on social isolation; and (C) desired experiences of the setting as "age-friendly" reflecting the social design. In cases of visibly perceptible diversity (white cane, darker skin tone), residents fared worse in experiencing microaggressions stemming from ableism, racism, and age differences. Conversely, in cases of visibly imperceptible diversity, residents had more positive or entirely positive experiences. Although the setting met many environmental and healthcare needs, it lacked design factors prioritizing meaningful social relationships between residents, impacting social isolation. Resident-to-resident social relationships are key in the experience of a retirement and assisted living community as age-friendly. Resident-to-resident microaggressions undermine perceptions of the community as age-friendly, and influence social isolation. We reflect on the organizational role in mitigating against negative social relationships and social isolation to maximize dignity.

Assessment of Student Quality of Life in Relation to University Campus

Background: There exists a scarcity of comprehensive studies on educational campuses, which integrate the effects of built environment satisfaction, university life experiences, and personal characteristics on QoL. The study’s main research problem is to investigate the extent, direction, and sequence of the influence of university life satisfaction (encompassing academic, social, and administrative perception)—as well as the university’s built environment of university (including both indoor and outdoor attributes of educational, social, recreational, and residential settings), in conjunction with student characteristics—on students’ QoL and the interactions among these factors. Aim: The main objective is to comprehensively analyze the impact and dominance of the built environment and various dimensions of university life, in addition to personal variables on student QoL, and explore the interaction between them. The sub-aims are to determine the dimensions that have the greatest effect on QoL and to make comparisons between them. Methodology: In line with the aim, a specific index for measuring student QoL on a university campus was developed, and a survey was conducted using a questionnaire developed based on the index. The case study is made in Bursa Uludag University, one of the oldest universities in Bursa, Turkey, which is known for being included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Data were recorded and analyzed by utilizing statistical analyses via SPSS (statistical package for social sciences) for Windows 22 and IBM AMOS 24.0 programs. Results: The data collected from the evaluation of questionnaires administered to 685 participants reveal that the sub-dimensions with the most-to-least impact on students’ QoL are satisfaction with campus life, education spaces, academic development, socio-physical amenities, social perception, administrative management, accessibility, transportation, and accommodation. Conclusions: QoL is a multidimensional judgment through which university students’ QOL perceptions are affected through the interaction between the university’s built environment, university life, individual characteristics, as well as administrative management.

Mathematical Model for Optimal Location of Cellular Transmission Towers

This paper applies a mathematical model for the optimal location of cellular signal transmission towers in a scenario different from the original scenario for which the model was developed. The proposed optimization aims to maximize the number of users served while maintaining a minimum signal quality standard. To validate the model, measurement campaigns were carried out at 44 points in a residential setting in the municipality of Castanhal-PA, at frequencies of 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz. The model outputs provide the received power, the average loss and the optimal location of the new tower to be installed.

Psychometric properties of Japanese version15D and cultural characteristics of quality of life undergoing patients with hip and knee arthroplasty

BackgroundHealth-related quality of life (HRQoL) following total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) may decline more in Asian countries due to lifestyle and housing factors compared with patients in Western countries. AimsTo evaluate the psychometric properties of the Japanese version of 15D and clarify the characteristics of HRQoL in Japanese patients who underwent THA/TKA compared with Finnish patients. MethodsThis longitudinal study included 182 patients between 2019 and 2021. Patients' HRQoL was measured using the 15D preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. Student's t-tests were used to compare lifestyles between Japan and Finland. ResultsThe Japanese version of the 15D showed good internal consistency, reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness. Patients with many steps inside their house had worse HRQoL in the dimensions of mobility, distress, and vitality in Japan. There were significant differences in mobility, distress, vitality, and sexual activity dimensions between Japan and Finland 3 months postoperatively. ConclusionsThe lower HRQoL in Japan in the dimensions of mobility, distress, and vitality is likely due to Japan's traditional housing structure with many steps. Identifying differences in cultural and psychological characteristics, as well as by residential setting, will enable health care providers to help patients improve their HRQoL.

Dysphagia Screening in Residential Long-Term Care Settings in the Republic of Ireland: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Dysphagia affects up to 70% of older adults living in residential long-term care settings (RLTCS) and may lead to serious complications if not identified and adequately managed. However, there is a dearth of clinical guidelines tailored to older adults at risk of dysphagia in RLTCS. An online survey consisting of 40 questions was conducted to identify dysphagia screening practices, referral patterns and interventions implemented by nurses in cases of suspected dysphagia, to quantify the number of residents with dysphagia, episodes of aspiration pneumonia in the previous year, and use of modified texture diets and fluids and explore differences between groups of RLTCS. The survey was developed using Qualtrics XM Platform and circulated via email, with one response per RLTCS sought. Data were analysed using RStudio. Of the 429 RLTCS contacted, 45 completed and returned the survey, a 10.5% response rate. Dysphagia screening practices, referral patterns, and dysphagia management interventions varied across participating RLTCS. All participants reported that they observe for signs and symptoms of dysphagia at mealtimes to identify residents at-risk of dysphagia. Ninety six percent of RLTCS reported referring residents with suspected dysphagia to speech and language therapy dysphagia services. A diagnosis of dysphagia was reported in 35.3% of residents. All participating RLTCS reported providing modified texture diets and fluids if residents had suspected dysphagia. The implementation of standardised and validated dysphagia screening protocols in RLTCS in the Republic of Ireland may be useful in supporting the identification of at-risk residents.

Passive Ventilation of Residential Buildings Using the Trombe Wall

The article explores passive systems for regulating microclimates in residential settings, with a focus on modular constructions. It investigates the use of the trombe wall system for passive ventilation to ensure comfort and hygiene. The study examines building designs that enable effective air circulation without using mechanical systems. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the passive system of using solar energy with the trombe wall as a ventilation device in modular houses has been experimentally confirmed. Although the research confirms the effectiveness of this solar system in modular homes, there is limited documentation regarding its overall efficiency, particularly concerning the impact of the surface pressure coefficient on ventilation. The study establishes the correlations governing the thermosiphon collector’s effectiveness at varying air layer thicknesses. Optimal parameters, such as maximum air consumption (L = 120 m3h−1), are identified at an air layer thickness (δ) of 100 mm and outlet openings area (F) of 0.056 m2. These findings pave the way for improving passive systems aimed at maintaining optimal thermal and air conditions in modern homes. The findings suggest the potential for more efficient and sustainable housing solutions. Further research is essential to understand how factors like building design and wind speed affect ventilation system efficacy.

Energy dataset of Frontier supercomputer for waste heat recovery

The Hewlett Packard Enterprise–Cray EX Frontier is the world’s first and fastest exascale supercomputer, hosted at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility in Tennessee, United States. Frontier is a significant electricity consumer, drawing 8–30 MW; this massive energy demand produces significant waste heat, requiring extensive cooling measures. Although harnessing this waste heat for campus heating is a sustainability goal at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the 30 °C–38 °C waste heat temperature poses compatibility issues with standard HVAC systems. Heat pump systems, prevalent in residential settings and some industries, can efficiently upgrade low-quality heat to usable energy for buildings. Thus, heat pump technology powered by renewable electricity offers an efficient, cost-effective solution for substantial waste heat recovery. However, a major challenge is the absence of benchmark data on high-performance computing (HPC) heat generation and waste heat profiles. This paper reports power demand and waste heat measurements from an ORNL HPC data centre, aiming to guide future research on optimizing waste heat recovery in large-scale data centres, especially those of HPC calibre.

Residential exposure to Aspergillus spp. is associated with exacerbations in COPD.

Sensitisation to Aspergillus fumigatus is linked to worse outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), however, its prevalence and clinical implications in domestic (residential) settings remains unknown. Individuals with COPD (n=43) recruited in Singapore had their residences prospectively sampled and assessed by shotgun metagenomic sequencing including indoor air, outdoor air, and touch surfaces (total: 126 specimens). The abundance of environmental A. fumigatus and the occurrence of A. fumigatus (Asp f) allergens in the environment were determined and immunological responses to A. fumigatus allergens determined in association with clinical outcomes including exacerbation frequency. Findings were validated in 12 individuals (31 specimens) with COPD in Vancouver, Canada, a climatically different region. 157 metagenomes from 43 homes were assessed. Eleven and nine separate Aspergillus spp. were identified in Singapore and Vancouver respectively. Despite climatic, temperature, and humidity variation, A. fumigatus was detectable in the environment from both locations. The relative abundance of environmental A. fumigatus was significantly associated with exacerbation frequency in both Singapore (r=0.27, p=0.003) and Vancouver (r=0.49, p=0.01) and individuals with higher Asp f 3 sensitisation responses lived in homes with a greater abundance of environmental Asp f 3 allergens (p=0.037). Patients exposed and sensitised to Asp f 3 allergens demonstrated a higher rate of COPD exacerbations at 1-year follow-up (p=0.021). Environmental A. fumigatus exposure in the home environment including air and surfaces with resulting sensitisation carries pathogenic potential in individuals with COPD. Targeting domestic A. fumigatus abundance may reduce COPD exacerbations.

Innovative energy solutions: Evaluating reinforcement learning algorithms for battery storage optimization in residential settings

The implementation of BESS (battery energy storage systems) and the efficient optimization of their scheduling are crucial research challenges in effectively managing the intermittency and volatility of solar-PV (photovoltaic) systems. Nevertheless, an examination of the existing body of knowledge uncovers notable deficiencies in the ideal arrangement of energy systems' timetables. Most models primarily concentrate on a single aim, whereas only a few tackle the intricacies of multi-objective scenarios. This study examines homes connected to the power grid equipped with a BESS and a solar PV system. It leverages four distinct reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms, selected for their unique training methodologies, to develop effective scheduling models. The findings demonstrate that the RL model using Trust Region Policy Optimization (TRPO) effectively manages the BESS and PV system despite real-world uncertainties. This case study confirms the suitability and effectiveness of this approach. The TRPO-based RL framework surpasses previous models in decision-making by choosing the most optimal BESS scheduling strategies. The TRPO model exhibited the highest mean self-sufficiency rates compared to the A3C (Asynchronous Advantage Actor-Critic), DDPG (Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient), and TAC (Twin Actor Cretic) models, surpassing them by ∼ 3 %, 0.72 %, and 3.5 %, correspondingly. This results in enhanced autonomy and economic benefits by adapting to dynamic real-world conditions. Consequently, our approach was strategically designed to deliver an optimized outcome. This framework is primarily intended for seamless integration into an automated energy plant environment, facilitating regular electricity trading among multiple buildings. Backed by initiatives like the Renewable Energy Certificate weight, this technology is expected to play a crucial role in maintaining a balance between power generation and consumption. The MILP (Mixed Integer Linear Programming) architecture achieved a self-sufficiency rate of 29.12 %, surpassing the rates of A3C, TRPO, DDPG, and TAC by 2.48 %, 0.64 %, 2 %, and 3.04 %, correspondingly.

OVERVIEW ON IMPLEMENTATION OF SMART GRID TECHNOLOGY

The Elevated energy consumption and a growing need for power in commercial, residential, and industrial settings have drawn researchers to explore novel solutions for the grid of the future. This review provides an overview on smart grid technology and its historical development from its conceptual beginnings to its today real-world implementation (intelligent networks). The review then analyzes the multifaceted impacts of smart grids such as social impact, user impact, security impact and environmental impacts. We also delve into their positive performance metrics, including enhanced reliability, efficiency, and resilience, with specific examples of improved power quality and increased renewable energy integration. Finally, the various challenges and opportunities that smart grids offer. We explore cutting-edge advancements like artificial intelligence, edge computing, & blockchain technology, showcasing their potential to overcome existing barriers and pave the way for a new era of intelligent energy management.

Concurrent Particulate Matter and Heat Exposure in Working and Non-Working Women in Rural Guatemala

High temperatures and air pollution exposure are individually known risks to human health, with amplifying adverse health effects during periods of co-exposure. This study compared co-occurring individual-level exposures to particulate matter (PM5, aerodynamic diameter of ≤5 μm) and heat among women in residential and agricultural settings in Guatemala. We measured personal and ambient exposure to PM5, temperature, and humidity among 21 female sugarcane workers in the fields and on their off days. We measured similar exposures among a group of 30 community members not involved in sugarcane work. We collected 171 personal PM5 measurements across 18 sampling days. The median workday personal PM5 concentration was 271 µg/m3, which was 3.6-fold higher than ambient area levels in the fields. The median personal PM5 concentration was 95.8 µg/m3 for off-work days and 83.5 µg/m3 for community days. The average workday individual-level temperature and humidity were 39.4 °C and 82.4%, respectively, with significantly lower temperatures on off-work and community days. The women workers and community members were exposed to high levels of PM5 and heat in both occupational and residential settings. Research needs to consider individual-level exposures at both work and home to help tailor more effective comprehensive prevention efforts to reduce risks.

Recovered or Not Recovered? A First Person Narrative Case for Non-Abstinent Recovery.

The purpose of this paper was to explore interlocking questions relating to how we deal with drugs and medication in crisis residential mental health settings. In particular, it examines issues related to overly medical and simplistic explanations of the relationship between cannabis and psychosis, the positive effects of drugs, the effects of having standard rules for diverse groups of people and the concept of non-abstinent recovery. I have used mental health and addiction services for 25 years and I have 6 years' experience as a peer worker, working with many people who use drugs. This is an opinion piece built around a first-person narrative. Drugs can have positive effects and an appreciation and understanding of these effects is essential to understanding persistent drug use. How can we integrate non-abstinent recovery as a valid and positive choice of recovery pathway?