scholarly journals Preparation of residential aged care services for extreme hot weather in Victoria, Australia

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith A. McInnes ◽  
Joseph E. Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Family Education ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Hot Weather ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Process Method

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to describe preparations for extreme hot weather at Victorian public sector residential aged care services for the 2010−11 summer, and to examine the role of the Residential Aged Care Services Heatwave Ready Resource in this process. Method. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews of senior staff of Victorian public sector residential aged care services. Interviews were conducted at monthly intervals from November 2010 to March 2011, and data were analysed thematically. Results. All interviewees described pre-summer preparations for hot weather undertaken at the health services they represented. Staff awareness and experience, and having a heatwave plan, were reported to have facilitated heat preparedness, whereas challenges to preparations mainly concerned air conditioning. The Residential Aged Care Services Heatwave Ready Resource was used to inform heatwave plans, for staff and family education, and as an audit tool. Conclusions. An extensive and well-considered approach to minimisation of harm from extreme heat by a sample of residential aged care services is described, and the Residential Aged Care Services Heatwave Ready Resource is reported to have supported the heatwave preparedness process. What is known about the topic? Heatwaves cause illness and death and are likely to become more frequent and severe in the future. Residents of aged care services are particularly vulnerable to harm from heatwaves. The Residential Aged Care Services Heatwave Ready Resource has been developed to support staff of residential aged care services in Victoria to prepare for heatwaves. What does this paper add? This exploratory study provides insight into the types of preparations for extreme hot weather that are undertaken at Victorian residential aged care services before and during summer. What are the implications for practitioners? A combination of staff knowledge and experience, and having a heatwave plan, supported by a publication that includes educational resources and a checklist is reported to facilitate the preparedness of Victorian residential aged care services for extreme hot weather.

Senior staff perspectives of a quality indicator program in public sector residential aged care services: a qualitative cross-sectional study in Victoria, Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liam M. Chadwick ◽  
Aleece MacPhail ◽  
Joseph E. Ibrahim ◽  
Linda McAuliffe ◽  
Susan Koch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Executive Staff ◽  
Care Services

Objective The aims of the present study were to describe the views of senior clinical and executive staff employed in public sector residential aged care services (RACS) about the benefits and limitations of using quality indicators (QIs) for improving care, and to identify any barriers or enablers to implementing the QI program. Methods A cross-sectional qualitative study using semistructured interviews and direct observation of key informants involved in the QI program was performed across 20 public sector RACS in Victoria, Australia. Participants included senior clinical, executive and front-line staff at the RACS. The main outcome measures were perceived benefits and the enablers or barriers to the implementation of a QI program. Results Most senior clinical and executive staff respondents reported substantive benefits to using the QIs and the QI program. A limited number of staff believed that the QI program failed to improve the quality of care and that the resource requirements outweighed the benefits of the program, resulting in disaffected staff. Conclusions The QIs and QI program acted as a foundation for improving standards of care when used at the front line or point of care. Senior executive engagement in the QI program was vital to successful implementation. What is known about this topic? QIs measure the structures, processes or outcomes of care and identify issues that need further investigation or improvement. QIs are increasingly being adopted throughout the world. In Australia, the public sector RACS QIs project was implemented in 2006. It is yet to be formally evaluated. What does this paper add? Perceived benefits and limitations of the QI program were identified, together with barriers to successful implementation of the program and recommendations for future improvements. QI data were reported to improve quality culture and assist with identifying clinical areas for improvement. However, the QI program was associated with significantly increased workload and some stakeholders questioned its usefulness. The QI program studied could be improved through better access to education and training for those responsible for data collection and results dissemination to appropriate training and resources; and revision of the QI definitions and reporting methods. What are the implications for clinicians? QI data are useful for identifying opportunities for quality improvement. Despite data limitations, public sector RACS can use data for internal benchmarking, staff education and targeting of quality improvement interventions. At the policy level, revising the QI definitions and simplifying data collection and reporting would improve and strengthen the program. At the clinician and executive level, there is also a strong preference for QI data that allow comparison and benchmarking between facilities.

The role of medication advisory committees in residential aged care services

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 1401-1408
Author(s):  
Leonie Picton ◽  
Samanta Lalic ◽  
Taliesin E. Ryan-Atwood ◽  
Kay Stewart ◽  
Carl M. Kirkpatrick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Care Services

scholarly journals Food and Nutrition Champions in Residential Aged Care Homes Are Key for Sustainable Systems Change within Foodservices; Results from a Qualitative Study of Stakeholders

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 3566
Author(s):  
Danielle Cave ◽  
Karen Abbey ◽  
Sandra Capra
Keyword(s):  
Aged Care ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
Access Time ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Food Fortification ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Education Access ◽  
Sustainable Systems ◽  
Skills Education

The role of foodservices in aged care is difficult to understand, and strategies to improve the nutritional care of residents are often unsustainable. In particular, food-first strategies such as food fortification are poorly executed in everyday practice and its execution relies upon the foodservice system in aged care homes. The aim of this study was to explore the perspective of staff on the role of foodservices in aged care and gauge the level of skills, education, access, time, and ability to deliver food fortification. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with foodservice managers, foodservice workers, dietitians, carers, and other managers who work in aged care homes across Australia. Participants were recruited purposively through email and through snowballing. Interviews (n = 21) were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Three themes and six sub-themes were identified. The three themes include the role of foodservices being more than just serving food, teamwork between all staff to champion nutrition, and workplace culture that values continuous improvement. These themes identify how staff perceive the role of foodservices in aged care and provide an important perspective on the long-term sustainability of food fortification strategies and how to improve current practice.

“Consideration of patients as networked units to identify opportunities and motivation to enhance capability”: A mixed methods study to explore a personalised Digital Health Hub Model of Care for hip fractures in South Australia (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lalit Yadav ◽  
Tiffany K Gill ◽  
Anita Taylor ◽  
Jen DeYoung ◽  
Mellick J Chehade
Keyword(s):  
Hip Fractures ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Family Members ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Model Of Care ◽  
Factors Influencing

UNSTRUCTURED Introduction Majority of older people with hip fractures once admitted to acute hospital care are unable to return to their pre-fracture level of independence and a significant number are either newly admitted or return to residential aged care. Patient education involves family members and/or residential aged care staff as networked units, crucial for empowerment through improving health literacy. Advancement of digital technology has led to evolving solutions around optimising health care including self-management of chronic disease conditions and telerehabilitation. The aim of this study is to understand perspectives of older patients with hip fractures, their family members and residential aged carers, to inform the development of a digitally enabled model of care using a personalised digital health hub (pDHH). Methods A mixed methods study was conducted at a public tertiary care hospital in South Australia involving patients aged 50 years and above along with their family members and residential aged carers. Quantitative data, including basic demographic characteristics, access to computers and Internet were analysed using descriptive statistics. Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation was used to examine correlations between the perceived role of a pDHH in improving health and likelihood of subsequent usage. Whereas qualitative data included series of open-ended questions and findings were interpreted using constructs of capability, opportunity and motivation to help understand the factors influencing the likelihood of potential pDHH use Results Overall, 100 people were recruited in the study, representing 55 patients, 13 family members and 32 residential aged carers. The mean age of patients was 76.4 years (SD-8.4, age range 54-88) and females represented 60% of patients. Although a moderate negative correlation existed with increasing age and likelihood of pDHH usage (ρ= -0.50, p<0.001) the perceived role of the DHH in improving health had a strong positive correlation with the likelihood of pDHH usage by self (ρ=0.71, p<0.001) and by society, including friends and family members (ρ=0.75, p<0.001). Of particular note, almost all the patients (98%) believed they had a family member or friend /carer who would be able to help them to use a digital health platform. Whereas our qualitative findings suggest emphasising on complex interplay of capability, opportunity and motivation as crucial factors while designing a pDHH enabled model of care for hip fractures at a local context level. Conclusion Findings from this study contributed to understand the dynamics around capabilities, motivation and opportunities of patients, family members and formal carers as a “patient networked unit”. Future research recommendation must involve co-creation guided by iterative processes through improving understanding of factors influencing development and successful integration of complex digital healthcare interventions in real-world scenarios.

scholarly journals Factors impacting hospital avoidance program utilisation in the care of acutely unwell residential aged care facility residents

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Testa ◽  
Tayhla Ryder ◽  
Jeffrey Braithwaite ◽  
Rebecca J. Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Care Facility ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Nurse Specialist ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Aged Care Facility ◽  
Enabling Factors ◽  
Clinical Nurse ◽  
Residential Aged Care Facility

Abstract Background An existing hospital avoidance program, the Aged Care Rapid Response Team (ARRT), rapidly delivers geriatric outreach services to acutely unwell or older people with declining health at risk of hospitalisation. The aim of the current study was to explore health professionals’ perspectives on the factors impacting ARRT utilisation in the care of acutely unwell residential aged care facility residents. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two Geriatricians, two ARRT Clinical Nurse Consultants, an ED-based Clinical Nurse Specialist, and an Extended Care Paramedic. Interview questions elicited views on key factors regarding care decisions and care transitions for acutely unwell residential aged care facility residents. Thematic analysis was undertaken to identify themes and sub-themes from interviews. Results Analysis of interviews identified five overarching themes affecting ARRT utilisation in the care of acutely unwell residents: (1) resident care needs; (2) family factors; (3) enabling factors; (4) barriers; and (5) adaptability and responsiveness to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion Various factors impact on hospital avoidance program utilisation in the care of acutely unwell older aged care facility residents. This information provides additional context to existing quantitative evaluations of hospital avoidance programs, as well as informing the design of future hospital avoidance programs.

scholarly journals Self-regulation strategies of smartphone use during university self-study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Barron ◽  
Linda Katherine Kaye
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learned Helplessness ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Fear Of Missing Out ◽  
Self Study ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Regulation Strategies ◽  
Insight Into

The role of smartphones within education has received a lot of media and academic attention. This has typically focused on their use in the classroom, within tutor-directed sessions. However, less has been focused on how smartphone use is negotiated within self-study. Using semi-structured interviews, the current study sought to explore final year undergraduate students’ (N = 6) strategies for smartphone self-regulation during self-study time and the extent to which these strategies were effective. IPA revealed three main themes: “Urgency, Context and Consistency”, “Learned Helplessness” and “Fear of Missing out (FoMO)”. The findings extend our understanding of how conceptual frameworks such as self-regulation apply to smartphone regulation during self-study, and provide insight into the barriers for effective regulatory behaviour. Implications for both self-study efficacy and smartphone regulation are discussed.

Peruvian small and medium-sized enterprises and COVID-19: Time for a new start!

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Durst ◽  
Mariano Martin Genaro Palacios Acuache ◽  
Guido Bruns
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
The People ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose Crises of any type have become an integral part of business activity and responses to them could make the difference between survival and failure. This applies in particular to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Taking the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as a starting point, this study aims to investigate how Peruvian SMEs have been coping with COVID-19 so far. Based on that a conceptual framework is proposed which highlights the practice of SMEs trying to deal with a new type of crisis. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on an exploratory qualitative research design involving 25 semi-structured interviews conducted in Peruvian SMEs. Findings The findings demonstrate how the Peruvian firms studied to adapt to the new situation and initiate responses to increasing the chance of survival. Furthermore, the role of the companies’ decision-makers, as well as the role of crisis management and other related approaches in the companies are shown. Research limitations/implications The paper expands the underdeveloped body of knowledge regarding crisis management in Latin America in general and crisis management in SMEs by providing insight into how Peruvian SMEs perceive and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. Practical implications The findings presented in this paper have implications for both managers and managerial staff of SMEs but also for the people in charge of the curricula at universities and other teaching-focused institutes. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study of crisis management on the impacts of COVID-19 with a dedicated focus on SMEs from Latin America. It provides fresh insight into current reactions to the Pandemic.

The role of a residential aged care pharmacist: Findings from a pilot study

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole C. McDerby ◽  
Sam Kosari ◽  
Kasia S. Bail ◽  
Alison J. Shield ◽  
Gregory Peterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care
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