What are healthcare workers' (HCWs’) perceptions and experiences in communicating with older adults (≥ 50 years) about vaccination?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Burch ◽  
Judith Hammerschmidt
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthcare Workers

scholarly journals Promoting Participation in Daily Activities Through Reablement: A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Trine A. Magne ◽  
Kjersti Vik
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
The Social

A well-known prediction is that the growing elderly population will place a strain on our healthcare systems. At the same time, healthcare is becoming increasingly patient-centered and individualized, with the patient becoming an active participant rather than a mere object of healthcare. The need for change may be met by using a reablement service, utilizing the rehabilitation mindset through home-based services. Rehabilitation and reablement aim to provide opportunities for individuals to participate to a maximum of their potential. This study is part of a larger research project exploring different aspects of reablement in municipalities. It aims to describe how older adults engage in daily activities within the context of reablement and to explore participation in daily activities. A qualitative design was chosen, and the study is explorative in nature due to limited research on participants’ experience with reablement. Ten older adults age 70 to 94 years old were recruited and interviewed. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using systematic text condensation (STC) strategies. This study provides insights on how older adults experience participation in daily activities and important aspects for performing these activities and living independently as long as possible. Based on the older adults’ experiences, three main themes were identified when receiving reablement. First, what to achieve with reablement and feeling a sense of security to participate in daily activities. Second, how to carry out wanted activities using different skills and last, how the social network is important for enabling active living. This calls for healthcare workers to address and facilitate these in reablement. Our findings show the importance of collaborating with the social network and strengthening participation in daily activities to establish and develop existing reablement services.

scholarly journals Older Adults Mount Less Durable Humoral Responses to a Two-dose COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Regimen, but Strong Initial Responses to a Third Dose

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis M. Mwimanzi ◽  
Hope R. Lapointe ◽  
Peter K. Cheung ◽  
Yurou Sang ◽  
Fatima Yaseen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Vaccine Dose ◽  
Chronic Health Conditions ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Chronic Health ◽  
Neutralizing Activity ◽  
Antibody Decline ◽  
Over Time

Background. Two-dose mRNA vaccines reduce COVID-19 related hospitalization and mortality, but immune protection declines over time. As such, third vaccine doses are now recommended, particularly for older adults. We examined immune response durability up to 6 months after two vaccine doses, and immunogenicity after a third vaccine dose, in 151 adults ranging in age from 24 to 98 years. Methods. Specimens were collected from 81 healthcare workers (median age 41 years), 56 older adults (median 78 years) and 14 COVID-19 convalescent individuals (median 48 years), at one, three and six months following the second dose, and from 15 HCW, 28 older adults and 3 convalescent individuals at one month following a third dose. Binding antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain were quantified using a commercial immunoassay. Virus neutralizing activity was assessed using a live SARS-CoV-2 infection assay. Results. Compared to healthcare workers, older adults displayed ~0.3 log10 lower peak binding antibodies one month after the second dose (p<0.0001) and modestly faster rates of antibody decline thereafter (p=0.0067). A higher burden of chronic health conditions was independently associated with faster rates of antibody decline after correction for age, sociodemographic factors, and vaccine-related variables. Peak neutralizing activity was 4-fold lower in older adults one month after the second dose (p<0.0001) and became undetectable in the majority of individuals by six months. One month after a third dose, binding antibodies and neutralizing activities surpassed peak values achieved after two doses in both healthcare workers and older adults, and differences between these groups were no longer statistically significant. Compared to both naive groups, convalescent individuals displayed slower rates of binding antibody decline (p<0.006) and maintained higher neutralizing activity six months after the second dose. Conclusions. Immune responses to two-dose COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are overall weaker in older adults, and also decline more quickly over time, compared to younger adults. A third COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose enhanced binding and neutralizing antibodies to levels higher than those observed after two vaccine doses, but the rate of decline of these responses should be monitored, particularly in older adults with a higher burden of chronic health conditions.

scholarly journals Gerontology and Nursing in the Emergency Department

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard Charles ◽  
Sophia Lau Pei Wen ◽  
Muhammad Saifuddin Bin Supandi
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Care Process ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Ageing Society ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Future

Background: With a rapid rise in our older adult population globally and due to their multimorbidities, our older adults are more likely to engage in the services provided in the emergency department at a higher rate than younger adults. The current emergency service delivery model may be ineffective against such an ageing phenomenon. Research reports most older adults having one or more co-morbidities including functional decline, dementia, and frailty. Studies have shown that older adults have been undertriaged with physicians not being able to comprehend their complex needs related to their presenting complaints in the emergency department. Geriatric emergency departments have incepted worldwide to better manage this care deficiency in the rapidly ageing society around the world. Data Sources: A search of published literature from 2010-2020 using (keywords) as described below was undertaken of which, relevant literature were selected for an informed review. Implications for Nursing: Understanding geriatric emergencies can enable healthcare workers to reduce undertriaging and provide appropriate care that improves patient's health outcomes currently and in the future in the emergency department. Further education in gerontology can also be a platform for our nurses to enhance their care and thought process, likewise upskilling themselves for the future geriatric population seeking treatment. Older healthcare workers will also be able to enhance their current job scope before retirement. In-house teachings from trained gerontologists or certified programs can shed light on the special care needs of our senior citizens globally. Conclusion: With our rapidly increasing population, we can expect an influx of our older patients both from home and long-term care facilities to present to the emergency department with a wide range of geriatric emergencies. By being able to create a geriatric screening process and tailored care models, healthcare workers will be able to understand their care process and in turn, improve patients' health outcomes and provide a quicker transition of care.

scholarly journals Development and Implementation of Couple-Based Collaborative Management Model of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus for Community-Dwelling Chinese Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuyang Liu ◽  
Xiaocun Xiao ◽  
Chaonan Peng ◽  
Tianyi Zhao ◽  
Yanjuan Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Management Model ◽  
Collaborative Management ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Community Healthcare ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Community Healthcare Workers

Background: To mobilize family's positive involvement in improving and sustaining self-management activities of older adults with diabetes, we developed a couple-based collaborative management model (CCMM) for community-dwelling older Chinese.Methods: The model was developed stepwise through applying theoretical models, interviewing older couples and community healthcare workers, as well as incorporating expert reviews. A 3-month pilot study was conducted to test the model's feasibility and its treatment effects by linear regression on 18 pairs of older couples aged 60 years+, who were equally divided into a couple-based intervention arm and a patient-only control arm.Results: The developed CCMM covered four theory-driven intervention modules: dyadic assessment, dyadic education, dyadic behavior-change training, and dyadic monitoring. Each module was delivered by community healthcare workers and targeted at older couples as the management units. Based on interviews with older couples and healthcare workers, 4 weekly education and training group sessions and 2-month weekly behavior change booster calls were designed to address older adults' main management barriers. These modules and session contents were evaluated as essential and relevant by the expert panel. Furthermore, the CCMM showed good feasibility and acceptability in the pilot, with non-significant yet more positive changes in physiological outcomes of diabetic participants and couples' well-being and exercise levels of these in the intervention arm than their controlled counterparts.Conclusion: We systematically developed a couple-based collaborative management model of diabetes, which was well-received by healthcare practitioners and highly feasible among older Chinese couples living in the community. The model's treatment effects need to be verified in fully powered randomized controlled trials.Clinical Trial Registration:http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=42964, identifier: ChiCTR1900027137.

scholarly journals Leveraging Disruptions to Create an Equitable, Age-Friendly, Learning Health System

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 291-291
Author(s):  
Eric Lenze ◽  
Brian Carpenter ◽  
Nancy Morrow-Howell ◽  
Beth Prusaczyk
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health System ◽  
Health Equity ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Learning Health System ◽  
External Evidence ◽  
Rapid Changes ◽  
Innovative Solutions

Abstract In a learning health system, the system’s own data and the experiences of its workforce are integrated with external evidence to provide better care. In an age-friendly health system, core principles of age-friendly care are integrated into every point in the system. Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the innovations that addressed them, present an opportunity to discuss how these two frameworks may be combined and leveraged to transform care for older adults. We will present examples of pandemic-related disruptions, including rapid changes in how patients and providers move within and between facilities and the significant toll on healthcare workers’ mental health. We will also highlight innovative solutions to these disruptions that could transform healthcare systems. Critical to these points is a discussion of how these disruptions have disproportionately impacted healthcare workers and patients of color and how the innovations must be implemented using an anti-racist, health equity lens.

scholarly journals Embedding engineers in elderly care homes when researching new technologies for care

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-144
Author(s):  
Greet Baldewijns ◽  
Tom Croonenborghs ◽  
Bart Vanrumste
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
New Developments ◽  
Healthcare Market

As the number of people above 65 continuously grows the demand for appropriate support to allow this group of people to live independently increases as well. Consequently, a lot of research effort is focused on the development of new technologies that can provide this support. In contrast, only a limited number of these new developments are successfully launched on the healthcare market. In order to facilitate this penetration of the healthcare market, an intense collaboration strategy between healthcare workers, older adults, informal caregivers and engineers is proposed in this paper.

scholarly journals Impact of Virtual Reality on Healthcare Provider Empathy for Older Adults With Sensory Impairment

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 61-62
Author(s):  
Suzanne Dutton
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Sensory Impairment ◽  
High Frequency Hearing Loss ◽  
Test Study ◽  
Change Behavior ◽  
Post Test

Abstract Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative technology that can simulate dual sensory impairment so that healthcare providers and others can experience this affliction common in older adults. This study investigated whether VR simulation could increase empathy among healthcare workers. Healthcare providers experienced a 7-minute scenario from the viewpoint of “Alfred”, a 74-year-old with macular degeneration and high frequency hearing loss on a commercial VR headset (Oculus Rift). Using a one-group pre/post-test study design, we measured knowledge, changes in empathy, and assessed participants’ self-reported behavior change. Results showed that participants increased their knowledge and that 9 of 14 empathy items had statistically significant increases. Additionally, 97% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they would utilize the information learned in their work with patients. In conclusion, evidence suggests VR is an effective intervention to increase empathy and positively change behavior to support persons with sensory impairment.

scholarly journals Ageing on the Frontlines: Examining the Experiences of Older Frontline Healthcare Workers in Singapore General Hospital During The COVID-19 Pandemic.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard Charles ◽  
Sophia Lau Pei Wen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
General Hospital ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Risk Area ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Flu Vaccination ◽  
Singapore General Hospital ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers

Abstract Objectives: The first aim of this study was to understand the psychosocial impacts faced by our older healthcare frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore General Hospital. Secondly, we hoped to explore the issues faced by an ageing healthcare workforce and recommend improvements in daily operations for future health crises. Lastly, we wanted to analyse ageist attitudes and misconceptions of being an older adult and recommend future changes in organizational policies.Methods: This is a mixed-methods cross-sectional survey. A self-designed questionnaire was developed by the study team through FormSG. It consists of 9 open and 45 closed-ended questions. Data were collected during the months of December 2020 and January 2021. Healthcare workers aged 62 years old and above were eligible to participate in this study by scanning a QR code or via weblink.Results: Participants had expressed mixed feelings while working during the COVID-19 pandemic such as uncertainty (75%), anxiety (58%), fear (42%), stress (25%), and sadness (25%). 75% of the participants went on to acknowledge that due to their job, their loved ones would be at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Similarly, 75% responded that they were determined to do their duty as a frontline healthcare worker despite fears of being diagnosed with COVID-19 present amongst 33% of the participants. 25% of participants felt motivated to be frontline healthcare workers with no reports of any form of discrimination from the public. 92% of the participants were aware that due to their age, they stood a much higher chance of contracting COVID-19 and had not considered being deployed to a lower risk area in fears of their health. All participants had taken part in the annual flu vaccination program, with 58% of responses indicating they believe the annual flu vaccination can prevent them from contracting COVID-19.Conclusion: Older adults bring forth a wealth of experiences in any organisation, however, as much experience as there may be, the ageing process is also accompanied by a myriad of complex challenges. Having strong social, professional, and familial support has allowed older adults to tide through this pandemic psychosocially. It is of utmost importance to understand the strengths and unique challenges that come with working in an intergenerational workforce, despite so the intergenerational economy can flourish with proper management skills and job re-designing, re-tooling, and re-skilling resources to ensure the right fit to employability skills and staff loyalty. Moreover, even younger staff will age through time.

scholarly journals Evidence for the 4Ms: Interactions and Outcomes across the Care Continuum

2021 ◽  
pp. 089826432199165
Author(s):  
Kedar Mate ◽  
Terry Fulmer ◽  
Leslie Pelton ◽  
Amy Berman ◽  
Alice Bonner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Fall Risk ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Expert Panel ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Healthcare Improvement ◽  
Literature Evidence ◽  
Evidence Based Care ◽  
What Matters

Objectives: An expert panel reviewed and summarized the literature related to the evidence for the 4Ms—what matters, medication, mentation, and mobility—in supporting care for older adults. Methods: In 2017, geriatric experts and health system executives collaborated with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to develop the 4Ms framework. Through a strategic search of the IHI database and recent literature, evidence was compiled in support of the framework’s positive clinical outcomes. Results: Asking what matters from the outset of care planning improved both psychological and physiological health statuses. Using screening protocols such as the Beers’ criteria inhibited overprescribing. Mentation strategies aided in prevention and treatment. Fall risk and physical function assessment with early goals and safe environments allowed for safe mobility. Discussion: Through a framework that reduces cognitive load of providers and improves the reliability of evidence-based care for older adults, all clinicians and healthcare workers can engage in age-friendly care.

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