Nurses' perceptions of the impact of the aged care reform on services for residents in multi-purpose services and residential aged care facilities in rural Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. E18-E23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Henderson ◽  
Eileen Willis ◽  
Lily Xiao ◽  
Luisa Toffoli ◽  
Claire Verrall
Keyword(s):  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Residential Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Nurses Perceptions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rural Australia

Evaluation of a mobile X-ray service for elderly residents of residential aged care facilities

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Montalto ◽  
Simon Shay ◽  
Andy Le
Keyword(s):  
General Practitioners ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
First Year ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Residential Aged Care Facilities ◽  
The Impact

Objective The Royal Melbourne Hospital established a mobile X-ray service (MXS) in 2013. The goal of the MXS is to address the radiology needs of frail, elderly or demented residents of residential aged care facilities (RACFs) who would otherwise require transportation to attend for X-ray. The present study describes the activity of the MXS, and the impact of the MXS on emergency department (ED) attendances by residents of RACFs. Methods The study is a descriptive study and uses a before-and-after cohort approach. Activity for the first year of operation was collected and described. At the end of the first year of operation, the top 30 RACF users of the MXS were identified. The hospital Department of Radiology database was examined to find all plain X-rays performed on any patient presenting from the same 30 RACFs for the 1 year before commencement of the MXS (1 July 2012–30 June 2013) and for the 1 year period after the commencement of the MXS (1 July 2013–30 June 2014). Attendances were compared. Results The MXS delivered 1532 service attendances to 109 different RACFs. The mean age of patients receiving MXS services was 86 years (range 16–107 years). In all, 1124 services (73.4%) were delivered to patients in high-care RACFs. Most patients (n = 634; 41.4%) were bed or wheelchair bound, followed by those who required assistance to ambulate (n = 457; 29.8%). The most common X-ray examinations performed were chest, hip and pelvis, spine and abdomen. There were 919 service attendances to the top 30 RACFs using the MXS (60.0% of all attendances). There was an 11.5% reduction in ED presentations requiring plain X-ray in the year following the commencement of the MXS (95% confidence interval 0.62–3.98; P = 0.019). Conclusion The present study suggests a reduction in hospital ED attendances for high users of the MXS. This has benefits for hospitals, patients and nursing homes. It also allows the extension of other programs designed to treat patients in their RACFs. Special rebates for home-based radiology service provision should be considered. What is already known about this subject? Digital processing has changed the way radiology delivers services. The Australian community is in the middle of a shift towards an aging population, with a greater numbers of residents in RACFs. It has been suggested in previous studies that mobile X-ray reduces the rate of delirium in patients who require X-ray. What does this paper add? There is an unmet demand for MXS to residents of RACFs. MXS may reduce presentations by elderly residents of RACFs to hospital EDs for X-rays. MXS may assist general practitioners, and other innovative programs, such as Hospital in the Home and Inreach, to better manage care for patients in RACFs. What are the implications for practitioners? Providers of radiology services should examine the opportunities and benefits of establishing MXS. Funders of services should examine ways of rebating MXS to encourage further development. Hospitals (Hospital in the Home and Inreach services), RACFs and general practitioners should use mobile X-ray and integrate these services into their management of aged care delivered in RACFs.

Dementia in Aboriginal people in Residential Aged Care Facilities in Alice Springs: A Descriptive Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-179
Author(s):  
Bruce Hocking ◽  
Michael Lowe ◽  
Tricia Nagel ◽  
Caroline Phillips ◽  
Melissa Lindeman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Cognitive Assessment ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Aboriginal Populations ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Residential Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Clinical File

AbstractBackground:A high prevalence of dementia among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders has been reported but knowledge of underlying causes and associations remains limited.Objective:To identify the prevalence of factors that may be associated with the categories of Major neurocognitive disorders (Major NCDs) in Aboriginal people living in residential aged care facilities in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory (NT).Design and Setting:This descriptive cross-sectional study analysed clinical file and cognitive assessment data of participants who were identified as having cognitive impairment between January and June 2016.Method:Screening for the presence of cognitive impairment using the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (KICA) was undertaken and 58 of 84 Aboriginal people were admitted to the study. Using a clinical file audit, diagnoses of Major NCDs consistent with the DSM-5 classification were made and the prevalence of factors possibly associated with these diagnoses described.Results:Fifty of the 58 participants were diagnosed with a Major NCD. The most frequent diagnoses were Major NCD due to vascular disease (30%), Major NCD due to Alzheimer’s Disease (26%) and Major NCD due to brain injury (20%). Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and alcohol misuse were commonly reported together with hypothyroidism, hypoglycaemia and vitamin D deficiency.Conclusion(s):This study identified possible associations with Major NCDs in this population as well as a different spread of Major NCD diagnoses to previous studies in Aboriginal populations. There is a need for further research to understand the causes of dementia in Australian Aboriginal people and to use this information to appropriately tailor treatment and prevention programmes.

Enhancing palliative care in rural Australia: the residential aged care setting

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Mitchell ◽  
Caroline Nicholson ◽  
Keith McDonald ◽  
Anne Bucetti
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Residential Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Advance Care

The delivery of palliative care in residential aged care communities is challenging, even more so in rural areas due to workforce ageing and shortages. The objectives of the present study were to: (i) assess the needs of, and quality of palliative care delivered to residents of 16 residential aged care facilities in rural southern Australia; and (ii) identify the needs of care staff to facilitate the delivery of quality palliative care. A cross-sectional survey of all residents, assessing the degree of functional limitation, stage of palliative care, and the presence of several quality indicators was conducted. Separate focus groups of care staff and relatives of residents sought information on the quality of care delivered, perceived strengths and weaknesses of the care delivered, and education and training needs. Quality palliative care in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) is hampered by workforce shortages, with low ratios of registered nurses, limited access to general practitioners after hours, and some communication difficulties. Some staff reported low confidence in technical and psychosocial aspects of care, especially for relatives. Relatives described mostly appropriate care, while acknowledging workload constraints. Most residents whose condition was unstable, deteriorating or terminal received advance care planning, though family expectations and unwillingness to discuss end-of-life care did tend to delay planning. Unstable residents with a reasonable prognosis were more likely to be transferred to hospital than terminally ill residents. Palliative care in participating RACFs appears to be adequate. Provision of targeted education for health care providers and implementation of protocols for advance care planning and end-of life care pathways will enhance this care.

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