Nursing home social services directors and elder abuse staff training

Portuguese Older Persons' Views about Living in a Nursing Home: Challenges to the Rehabilitation of the Image of LTC in Post-Pandemic Times

This paper addresses the broad topic of what older people think about nursing homes in Portugal. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and considering the tragic events taking place in nursing homes, the challenge of reimagining the sector involves not only improving procedures and models of care, making sure they meet what citizens consider adequate, but also rehabilitating the image people have about nursing homes and rebuilding trust. Current and future decisions about how one meets LTC needs is influenced by the extent to which individuals see the alternatives as adequate. The paper presents evidence collected from a qualitative study run just before the COVID-19 pandemic began, with a sample of 45 community-dwelling individuals aged 60 plus, in Portugal. Opinions and views about nursing homes were collected and the results point to enduring negative aspects that are considered at odds with what constitutes adequate care. The paper discusses in length what those aspects are and concludes that future reforms of the nursing homes sector in Portugal need to consider what current and future users think and feel about that specific type of service. Debates in Portugal tend to be more focused on discussions about expanding the sector and less on aspects of quality of care. Views and opinions of interviewed participants, however, suggest that people may be more worried about quality of care.

Nursing home social services: A systematic review of the literature from 2010 to 2020

Nursing home (NH) social workers carry out person-centered care, guided by the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act. As the projected population of individuals requiring NH care is expected to grow and become more racially and ethnically diverse, the social worker in this setting becomes increasingly important. The aims of this study are to: (1) identify existing research that discusses the role of social work and nursing facilities, (2) synthesize findings to determine what is most often reported in the literature, and (3) present recommendations for practice, research, and policy. This study used the PICO framework and PRISMA guidelines to systematically search for articles published in English between 2010 and 2020 across 11 databases. A final sample of 23 articles discussed social work in the NH organized into three categories: (1) qualifications of the NH social worker (n = 5), (2) social worker responsibilities (n = 11), and (3) policy dictates practice (n = 7). Future research ought to include primary data collection methods with NH social workers, as well as NH residents and family, as residents must be at the center of their care. Considering policy modifications to further enhance the social work role of the interdisciplinary team is warranted.

Resident Aggression and Abuse in Assisted Living

This article estimates the prevalence and identifies risk factors of resident aggression and abuse in assisted living facilities. We conducted multivariate analyses of resident-level data from an analytic sample of 6,848 older Americans in the 2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities. Nationwide, 7.6% of assisted living residents engaged in physical aggression or abuse toward other residents or staff in the past month, 9.5% of residents had exhibited verbal aggression or abuse, and 2.0% of resident engaged in sexual aggression or abuse toward other residents or staff. Dementia and severe mental illness were significant risk factors for all three types of resident aggression and abuse. Resident aggression and abuse in assisted living facilities is prevalent and warrants greater attention from policy makers, researchers, and long-term care providers. Future research is needed to support training and prevention efforts to mitigate this risk.

Elder abuse in residential long-term care: an update to the 2003 National Research Council report

A synthesis of the last decade of literature on elder abuse in residential long-term care (i.e., Nursing Homes and Assisted Living) is discussed. Presented are definitions of abuse, theoretical and conceptual models, prevalence rates of abuse, outcomes and costs, and sources of abuse. The synthesis represents an update to the literature in the influential 2003 National Research Council report. We identify many of the same issues and concerns exist that were surfaced in this prior report. Many theoretical and conceptual models need further elaboration. Conflicting definitions of abuse are pervasive. Rates of abuse are generally inaccurate, and probably under-reported. However, we also identify progress in many areas. An increase in empirical studies that exist in this area (although very few in Assisted Living). Other forms and types of abuse have also been identified as important, such as resident-to-resident abuse. These areas are discussed, along with potential suggestions for additional research.