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A realist evaluation of a multifactorial falls prevention programme in care homesBACKGROUND: falls in care homes are common, costly and hard to prevent.Multifactorial falls programmes demonstrate clinical and cost-effectiveness, but the heterogeneity of the care home sector is a barrier to their implementation. A fuller appreciation of the relationship between care home context and falls programme delivery will guide development and support implementation. METHODS: this is a multi-method process evaluation informed by a realist approach.Data include fidelity observations, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, documentary review and falls-rate data. Thematic analysis of qualitative data and descriptive statistics are synthesised to generate care home case studies. RESULTS: data were collected in six care homes where a falls programme was trialled. Forty-four interviews and 11 focus groups complemented observations and document review.The impact of the programme varied. Five factors were identified: (i) prior practice and (ii) training may inhibit new ways of working; (iii) some staff may be reluctant to take responsibility for falls; (iv) some may feel that residents living with dementia cannot be prevented from falling; and, (v) changes to management may disturb local innovation.In some care homes, training and improved awareness generated a reduction in falls without formal assessments being carried out. CONCLUSIONS: different aspects of the falls programme sparked different mechanisms in different settings, with differing impact upon falls.The evaluation has shown that elements of a multifactorial falls programme can work independently of each other and that it is the local context (and local challenges faced), which should shape how a falls programme is implemented.
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Analysing the use of music to facilitate social interaction in care home residents with dementia: Narrative synthesis systematic reviewIntroductionIndividuals with dementia residing in care homes can rely heavily on care staff to access activities and meaningful interactions. Previous research suggests that care home interactions can be short, fragmented and task-orientated due to staff workload and residents? language impairments. However, music has the potential to be an alternative communication form that remains intact in the later stages of dementia. This systematic review aims to explore how care home music interventions can facilitate social interactions.MethodsA narrative synthesis was conducted to explore the mechanisms behind how and why care home music intervention facilitate social interactions. The four-element framework guided analysis; (1) Developing a theory, (2) Developing a preliminary synthesis, (3) Exploring relationships, (4) Assessing robustness.FindingsThe final synthesis included 23 articles. The studies consisted of music therapy sessions, personalised music listening, structured music singing or instrument playing sessions and music therapeutic care. Despite the difference in music interventions, most studies reported an increase in residents? sociable verbal and non-verbal communication and a decrease in unsociable communication. Music interventions allowed residents to reminisce, express themselves, focus and connect with others.DiscussionThe studies highlighted music interventions are accessible to all residents with dementia despite their impairments. The adaptability allows individuals to continue to connect and express themselves even when language deteriorates. More research is needed into the enablers and barriers to implementing interventions into practice, as this systematic review has highlighted that some form of music intervention for all residents can be highly beneficial. Care homes use of music could increase social interactions and meaningful activities.
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Hospital admissions and place of death of residents of care homes receiving specialist healthcare services: A systematic review without meta-analysisAbstract Aim To synthesize evidence on the ability of specialist care home support services to prevent hospital admission of older care home residents, including at end of life. Design Systematic review, without meta-analysis, with vote counting based on direction of effect. Data sources Fourteen electronic databases were searched from January 2010 to January 2019. Reference lists of identified reviews, study protocols and included documents were scrutinized for further studies. Review methods Papers on the provision of specialist care home support that addressed older, long-term care home residents? physical health needs and provided comparative data on hospital admissions were included. Two reviewers undertook study selection and quality appraisal independently. Vote counting by direction of effect and binomial tests determined service effectiveness. Results Electronic searches identified 79 relevant references. Combined with 19 citations from an earlier review, this gave 98 individual references relating to 92 studies. Most were from the UK (22), USA (22) and Australia (19). Twenty studies were randomized controlled trials and six clinical controlled trials. The review suggested interventions addressing residents? general health needs (p < .001), assessment and management services (p < .0001) and non-training initiatives involving medical staff (p < .0001) can reduce hospital admissions, while there was also promising evidence for services targeting residents at imminent risk of hospital entry or post-hospital discharge and training-only initiatives. End-of-life care services may enable residents to remain in the home at end of life (p < .001), but the high number of weak-rated studies undermined confidence in this result. Conclusion This review suggests specialist care home support services can reduce hospital admissions. More robust studies of services for residents at end of life are urgently needed. Impact The review addressed the policy imperative to reduce the avoidable hospital admission of older care home residents and provides important evidence to inform service design. The findings are of relevance to commissioners, providers and residents.
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Care homes for older peopleThe care home sector has changed significantly in recent years: the vast majority of care homes are now in the independent sector, funding of care is complex, with greater reliance on self-funders to ensure profitability, and regulation has shifted to a more targeted model. In terms of the care home population, as most people are admitted at a late stage of their illness trajectory, many have comorbid conditions and multiple needs. Frailty is a dominant issue, often combined with dementia and other problems, e.g. sensory impairment and incontinence. The dimensions of a positive care home culture include a well-managed transition into the home, a commitment to person-centred care, and a well-trained and supported workforce. Over the last few years there has been a growing interest in care homes as major providers of care to some of the UK’s most vulnerable citizens; this includes welcome attention to research.
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What are the risk factors for malnutrition in older-aged institutionalized adults?Malnutrition is common in older adults and is associated with functional impairment, reduced quality of life, and increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to explore the association between health (including depression), physical functioning, disability and cognitive decline, and risk of malnutrition. Participants were recruited from nursing homes in Italy and completed a detailed multidimensional geriatric evaluation. All the data analyses were completed using Stata Version 15.1. The study included 246 participants with an age range of 50 to 102 (80.4 ± 10.5). The sample was characterised by a high degree of cognitive and functional impairment, disability, and poor health and nutritional status (according to Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), 38.2% were at risk for malnutrition and 19.5% were malnourished). Using a stepwise linear regression model, age (B = −0.043, SE = 0.016, p = 0.010), depression (B = −0.133, SE = 0.052, p = 0.011), disability (B = 0.517, SE = 0.068, p < 0.001), and physical performance (B = −0.191, SE = 0.095, p = 0.045) remained significantly associated with the malnutrition risk in the final model (adjusted R-squared = 0.298). The logistic regression model incorporating age, depression, disability, and physical performance was found to have high discriminative accuracy (AUC = 0.747; 95%CI: 0.686 to 0.808) for predicting the risk of malnutrition. The results of the study confirm the need to assess nutritional status and to investigate the presence of risk factors associated with malnutrition in order to achieve effective prevention and plan a better intervention strategy. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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Developing the React to Falls resources to support care home staff in managing fallsObjectives: Care home residents are falling three times more often than elderly frail people living in their own homes and as such, the management of falls is an important area for care home staff to consider. This paper outlines the development of the 'React to Falls' training resources to support care home staff in the management of falls. Methods: The 'React to Falls' resources were developed in collaboration with falls prevention researchers, expert clinicians working in the field of falls management in care homes and care home staff and residents. Results: A freely accessible online and paper based resource was developed to meet the needs of different care home settings. Expert clinicians and care homes emphasised the importance of promoting activity and quality life and ensuring the resources were a learning tool that supported positive risk taking. Expert clinicians highlighted the need to convey the importance of continually reacting to reducing risk in the management of falls. Conclusions: This study has developed a set of training resources on falls management to support care home staff to continually react and consider the risks and management of falls. An evaluation of the impact of the resource on care staff behaviour and organisational changes is recommended.
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Music Interventions for Dementia and Depression in ELderly care (MIDDEL): protocol and statistical analysis plan for a multinational cluster-randomised trialINTRODUCTION: In older adults, dementia and depression are associated with individual distress and high societal costs. Music interventions such as group music therapy (GMT) and recreational choir singing (RCS) have shown promising effects, but their comparative effectiveness across clinical subgroups is unknown. This trial aims to determine effectiveness of GMT, RCS and their combination for care home residents and to examine heterogeneity of treatment effects across subgroups. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This large, pragmatic, multinational cluster-randomised controlled trial with a 2x2 factorial design will compare the effects of GMT, RCS, both or neither, for care home residents aged 65 years or older with dementia and depressive symptoms. We will randomise 100 care home units with >/=1000 residents in total across eight countries. Each intervention will be offered for 6 months (3 months 2 times/week followed by 3 months 1 time/week), with extension allowed if locally available. The primary outcome will be the change in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score at 6 months. Secondary outcomes will include depressive symptoms, cognitive functioning, neuropsychiatric symptoms, psychotropic drug use, caregiver burden, quality of life, mortality and costs over at least 12 months. The study has 90% power to detect main effects and is also powered to determine interaction effects with gender, severity and socioeconomic status. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained for one country and will be obtained for all countries. Results will be presented at national and international conferences and published in scientific journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS: NCT03496675; Pre-results, ACTRN12618000156280.
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Improving the quality of life of care home residents with dementia: Cost-effectiveness of an optimized intervention for residents with clinically significant agitation in dementiaINTRODUCTION: To examine whether an optimized intervention is a more cost-effective option than treatment as usual (TAU) for improving agitation and quality of life in nursing home residents with clinically significant agitation and dementia. METHODS: A cost-effectiveness analysis within a cluster-randomized factorial study in 69 care homes with 549 residents was conducted. Each cluster was randomized to receive either the Well-being and Health for people with Dementia (WHELD) intervention or TAU for nine months. Health and social care costs, agitation, and quality of life outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Improvements in agitation and quality of life were evident in residents allocated to the WHELD intervention group. The additional cost of the WHELD intervention was offset by the higher health and social care costs incurred by TAU group residents (mean difference, pound2103; 95% confidence interval, -13 to 4219). DISCUSSION: The WHELD intervention has clinical and economic benefits when used in residents with clinically significant agitation.
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Effects of care assistant communication style on communicative behaviours of residents with dementia: a systematic multiple case studyOBJECTIVESTo determine whether varying the communication style of care assistants, encouraging them to use direct instructions and allowing more time for residents' responses influenced the communicative behaviour of care home residents living with dementia.DESIGNThis study used a multiple systematic case study design. Participants were video-recorded during morning care routines in three communication conditions: usual communication, direct instructions and pacing (allowing more time for resident responses). Each dyad acted as its own control.SETTINGThe study took place in a residential care home in the East Midlands, UK.PARTICIPANTSThree dyads (person with dementia/care worker) MEASURES: The level of compliance with instructions was measured. Validated measures were used to rate positive communicative behaviour (engagement with care tasks, eye contact and initiation of interaction) and negative communicative behaviour (e.g. shouting and kicking).RESULTSCare assistants were able to employ direct instructions after brief training. The use of direct instructions was positively correlated with positive communicative behaviour from residents (p < 0.05). The pacing condition was not employed adequately to evaluate effectiveness. Negative communicative behaviour (resistiveness to care) was rare.CONCLUSIONThe use of direct instructions by care assistants holds promise for effective communication with people with dementia and warrants further investigation in larger samples and in varied contexts.
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Improving trial recruitment in care homes: The falls in care home (FinCH) experienceIntroduction: Recruitment into large care home studies has been recognised to be particularly challenging1. A ‘Falls in Care Home (CH) Multi-Centred Trial’ (FinCH) was not recruiting residents to time and target, and remedial action was needed. We report an initiative to increase resident recruitment rates.
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Addressing contamination in rehabilitation research trialsIntroduction: The Falls in Care Home (FinCH) study is a large (*87 care homes, 1698 resident across 10 UK sites) randomised controlled trial evaluating whether a systematic falls programmes called the Guide To Action Tool (GtACH) reduces falls for care home residents. Large complex rehabilitation trials, such as FinCH, are at risk of contamination bias which can occur when participants in the control group are inadvertently exposed to the intervention. Such trials are also at risk of the intervention being adopted into clinical practice before effectiveness has been established.
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How are rehabilitation interventions for older adults developed? A systematic review of frameworks that have been used to develop rehabilitation interventions for older adultsBackground: Interventions that focus on rehabilitation for older adults can be considered complex as they involve a number of interacting components, have multiple outcomes of interest and are influenced by a number of environmental and contextual factors. Interventions initially showing promise in small scale testing are often ineffective when scaled into large multicentre randomised-trials. This could be due to a lack of sound theoretical underpinning and understanding of the intervention through limited development work. The importance of rigorous intervention development prior to formal evaluation has been acknowledged by healthcare researchers and a number of frameworks developed that can inform and facilitate the development process. The Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance provides a structure to the development and evaluation process for complex interventions. However, the guidance is brief and falls short of the detail required for such a complex and diverse field. Are frameworks being used to guide the development process? If so, which and how are they being used for older adult rehabilitation?
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Supporting effective recruitment in a large rehabilitation trial through a research assistant networkIntroduction: Falls in Care Home (FinCH) is a large rehabilitation trial evaluating a falls management approach for care home residents with 10 sites across the UK participating. Recruitment is vital to the success of FinCH to ensure an appropriate and sufficient sample of care home staff and residents are included. The challenges of recruitment in the acute setting are widely acknowledged, however recruitment of care homes and residents in care homes is relatively new.
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Measuring health-related quality of life of care home residents, comparison of self-report with staff proxy responses for EQ-5D-5L and HowRu: protocol for assessing proxy reliability in care home outcome testingINTRODUCTIONResearch into interventions to improve health and well-being for older people living in care homes is increasingly common. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is frequently used as an outcome measure, but collecting both self-reported and proxy HRQoL measures is challenging in this setting. This study will investigate the reliability of UK care home staff as proxy respondents for the EQ-5D-5L and HowRu measures.METHODS AND ANALYSISThis is a prospective cohort study of a subpopulation of care home residents recruited to the larger Proactive Healthcare for Older People in Care Homes (PEACH) study. It will recruit residents ≥60 years across 24 care homes and not receiving short stay or respite care. The sample size is 160 participants. Resident and care home staff proxy EQ-5D-5L and HowRu responses will be collected monthly for 3 months. Weighted kappa statistics and intraclass correlation adjusted for clustering at the care home level will be used to measure agreement between resident and proxy responses. The extent to which staff variables (gender, age group, length of time caring, role, how well they know the resident, length of time working in care homes and in specialist gerontological practice) influence the level of agreement between self-reported and proxy responses will be considered using a multilevel mixed-effect regression model.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATIONThe PEACH study protocol was reviewed by the UK Health Research Authority and University of Nottingham Research Ethics Committee and was determined to be a service development project. We will publish this study in a peer-reviewed journal with international readership and disseminate it through relevant national stakeholder networks and specialist societies.
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Management of a patient with a coccyx ulcer in a nursing homeOlder people are at increased risk of developing pressure ulcers. They are also more likely to have comorbidities that increase the challenges of managing such a wound. This article reviews a complex case in which a 77-year-old woman with dementia and incontinence developed an ulcer on her coccyx. The ulcer became infected several times and proved resistant to several types of treatment before negative pressure wound therapy with Nanova was instigated.
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Optimal healthcare delivery to care homes in the UK: A realist evaluation of what supports effective working to improve healthcare outcomesIntroduction: care home residents have high healthcare needs not fully met by prevailing healthcare models. This study explored how healthcare configuration influences resource use. Methods: a realist evaluation using qualitative and quantitative data from case studies of three UK health and social care economies selected for differing patterns of healthcare delivery to care homes. Four homes per area (12 in total) were recruited. A total of 239 residents were followed for 12 months to record resource-use. Overall, 181 participants completed 116 interviews and 13 focus groups including residents, relatives, care home staff, community nurses, allied health professionals and General Practitioners. Results: context-mechanism-outcome configurations were identified explaining what supported effective working between healthcare services and care home staff: (i) investment in care home-specific work that legitimises and values work with care homes; (ii) relational working which over time builds trust between practitioners; (iii) care which ‘wraps around’ care homes; and (iv) access to specialist care for older people with dementia. Resource use was similar between sites despite differing approaches to healthcare. There was greater utilisation of GP resource where this was specifically commissioned but no difference in costs between sites. Conclusion: activities generating opportunities and an interest in healthcare and care home staff working together are integral to optimal healthcare provision in care homes. Outcomes are likely to be better where: focus and activities legitimise ongoing contact between healthcare staff and care homes at an institutional level; link with a wider system of healthcare; and provide access to dementia-specific expertise.
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Impact of person-centred care training and person-centred activities on quality of life, agitation, and antipsychotic use in people with dementia living in nursing homes: A cluster-randomised controlled trialBACKGROUNDAgitation is a common, challenging symptom affecting large numbers of people with dementia and impacting on quality of life (QoL). There is an urgent need for evidence-based, cost-effective psychosocial interventions to improve these outcomes, particularly in the absence of safe, effective pharmacological therapies. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a person-centred care and psychosocial intervention incorporating an antipsychotic review, WHELD, on QoL, agitation, and antipsychotic use in people with dementia living in nursing homes, and to determine its cost.METHODS AND FINDINGSThis was a randomised controlled cluster trial conducted between 1 January 2013 and 30 September 2015 that compared the WHELD intervention with treatment as usual (TAU) in people with dementia living in 69 UK nursing homes, using an intention to treat analysis. All nursing homes allocated to the intervention received staff training in person-centred care and social interaction and education regarding antipsychotic medications (antipsychotic review), followed by ongoing delivery through a care staff champion model. The primary outcome measure was QoL (DEMQOL-Proxy). Secondary outcomes were agitation (Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory [CMAI]), neuropsychiatric symptoms (Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Nursing Home Version [NPI-NH]), antipsychotic use, global deterioration (Clinical Dementia Rating), mood (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia), unmet needs (Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly), mortality, quality of interactions (Quality of Interactions Scale [QUIS]), pain (Abbey Pain Scale), and cost. Costs were calculated using cost function figures compared with usual costs. In all, 847 people were randomised to WHELD or TAU, of whom 553 completed the 9-month randomised controlled trial. The intervention conferred a statistically significant improvement in QoL (DEMQOL-Proxy Z score 2.82, p = 0.0042; mean difference 2.54, SEM 0.88; 95% CI 0.81, 4.28; Cohen's D effect size 0.24). There were also statistically significant benefits in agitation (CMAI Z score 2.68, p = 0.0076; mean difference 4.27, SEM 1.59; 95% CI -7.39, -1.15; Cohen's D 0.23) and overall neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPI-NH Z score 3.52, p < 0.001; mean difference 4.55, SEM 1.28; 95% CI -7.07,-2.02; Cohen's D 0.30). Benefits were greatest in people with moderately severe dementia. There was a statistically significant benefit in positive care interactions as measured by QUIS (19.7% increase, SEM 8.94; 95% CI 2.12, 37.16, p = 0.03; Cohen's D 0.55). There were no statistically significant differences between WHELD and TAU for the other outcomes. A sensitivity analysis using a pre-specified imputation model confirmed statistically significant benefits in DEMQOL-Proxy, CMAI, and NPI-NH outcomes with the WHELD intervention. Antipsychotic drug use was at a low stable level in both treatment groups, and the intervention did not reduce use. The WHELD intervention reduced cost compared to TAU, and the benefits achieved were therefore associated with a cost saving. The main limitation was that antipsychotic review was based on augmenting processes within care homes to trigger medical review and did not in this study involve proactive primary care education. An additional limitation was the inherent challenge of assessing QoL in this patient group.CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggest that the WHELD intervention confers benefits in terms of QoL, agitation, and neuropsychiatric symptoms, albeit with relatively small effect sizes, as well as cost saving in a model that can readily be implemented in nursing homes. Future work should consider how to facilitate sustainability of the intervention in this setting.TRIAL REGISTRATIONISRCTN Registry ISRCTN62237498.
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Facilitating Imagine Arts in residential care homes: The artists' perspectivesIntroduction: This study explores factors affecting the successful facilitation of a residential arts programme. The aim was to identify barriers and describe how they could be overcome, this was both formative, to help shape the programme, and summative, to inform best practice and future arts interventions. Methods: An exploratory qualitative design examined the views of the artists administering the arts programme. Results: Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes were identified; contextual factors, perceiving and responding to needs, facilitating relationships and building confidence. Conclusion: Findings provide insight into practical aspects of facilitating arts programmes in residential care. Some of the identified barriers may have simple solutions which can easily be incorporated into everyday best practice. This research provides a start for understanding the role of artists within care homes and how they aid the implementation and integration of arts programmes into the care of people with dementia.