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Systematic review of EASY-care needs assessment for community-dwelling older people
- Authors:
- CRAIG Christopher, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Age and Ageing, 44(4), 2015, pp.559-565.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Background: Undertaking comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGAs) combined with long-term health and social care management can improve the quality of life of older people. The EASY-Care tool is a CGA instrument designed for assessing the physical, mental and social functioning and unmet health and social needs of older people in community settings or primary care. It has also been used as a frailty assessment tool and for gathering population-level data. Objective: To review the evidence of reliability, validity and acceptability of EASY-Care and its appropriateness for assessing the needs of community-dwelling older people. Methods: systematic search of literature databases using pre-defined search terms (January 1994-May 2014) for English language articles reporting on the reliability, validity, acceptability and implementation of EASY-Care in primary care and community settings. Eligible articles were critically reviewed. Discussion papers mapping professionals’ use of the tool were also included as these could be considered an aspect of validity. Results: Twenty-nine papers met the inclusion criteria and underwent data extraction. A narrative synthesis was performed, because there was a variety of quantitative and qualitative outcomes and characteristics. Reliability evidence for EASY-Care is minimal. Evidence for validity is good, and it has received numerous positive endorsements of acceptability in international settings from older people and practitioners. Conclusion: Evidence supports the use of EASY-Care for individual needs assessment; further research is needed for other uses. Of the papers that made statements about who should administer EASY-Care, the majority indicated that nurses were preferable to self-completion. (Publisher abstract)
Making progress: older adult functional assessment wards: visit and monitoring report
- Author:
- MENTAL WELFARE COMMISSION FOR SCOTLAND
- Publisher:
- Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 28
- Place of publication:
- Edinburgh
This report details the findings from the visits to twenty four NHS wards providing acute assessment for older people with functional mental illness in Scotland and contains recommendations to improve patient care. Functional mental illness includes common conditions such as depression and anxiety, and rarer conditions such as schizophrenia, delusional disorder, bipolar affective disorder and obsessional compulsive disorder. The care of 128 individuals was reviewed, and attempts were made to hear their views where possible, including the views of 15 unpaid carers – most often family member or close friends. The review found that just about a quarter of care plans were felt to have a good amount of individualised and personalised content, with just over half having some individualised person centred content. The rest had non-individualised generic content. The majority of patients were able to give information about staff availability and felt staff were easily available and approachable. Nearly all patients were being reviewed at least weekly by their psychiatrist, with the remainder being reviewed every fortnight but there was considerable variation in levels of input from clinical psychologists in different wards. Only about half of patients said they had access to advocacy, half were either unaware of, or did not have access to, advocacy. Detained patients were more likely to be aware of advocacy. (Edited publisher abstract)
A new addition to quality monitoring? Development of a care home quality measure based on residents’ quality of life
- Author:
- UNIVERSITY OF KENT. Personal Social Services Research Unit
- Publisher:
- NIHR School for Social Care Research
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 4
- Place of publication:
- London
Reports on a study to explore if professionals felt there was a need for a new care home quality measure based on residents’ social care-related quality of life, as measured by the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT). Consultations were carried out with local authorities, care home providers and interest groups and the care homes regulator through a workshop, interviews and online survey. Stakeholders were asked what they would like the measure to support, and issues and features of importance. Using the ASCOT care home’s toolkit as a starting point, a new draft toolkit was developed and then tested by a local authority quality monitoring team in two homes for older adults. Feedback from the monitoring team was positive, especially about the domains of quality of life and the focus on observing the lived experience of residents. Local authorities and social care professionals felt the ASCOT measure would be useful for quality assurance, and that it could also be used as a feedback tool to improve care practice in homes. However, local authorities said they would be reluctant to publish ASCOT care home ratings on the grounds that they would not have the resources to keep them up-to-date. The toolkit will be piloted and evaluated in SSCR-funded study, Measuring Outcomes of Care Homes (MOOCH). (Edited publisher abstract)
Using ASCOT to improve care practice
- Author:
- UNIVERSITY OF KENT. Personal Social Services Research Unit
- Publisher:
- NIHR School for Social Care Research
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 3
- Place of publication:
- London
Reports on research to explore the use of the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) to assess the social care-related quality of life (SCRQoL) of residents in care homes and to examine whether the information collected could be used to provide feedback to staff and managers in those homes in order to improve practice. The research team measured the SCRQoL of 58 residents in four homes for older adults through observations and SCRQoL interviews with residents, family members and staff. Using ASCOT data, which measures quality of life in eight domains, the research team provided staff and management with feedback on the areas where residents have a good quality of life and why, the impact of care and support delivered, and areas of improvement. Staff and managers said they were able to use this to make changes to practice that would hopefully improve residents’ lives. Despite some changes to practice being make, no direct improvements in SCRQoL were identified in the homes when ASCOT assessments were repeated three months after giving the feedback. Possible reasons for this were the natural decline in residents' health and that three months may not be enough for changes to have taken effect. The study concluded that there may be scope to use ASCOT as a tool to improve practice if the feedback relates directly to individual residents and can then be used to improve their care. (Edited publisher abstract)
Reducing the risk of inpatient falls
- Author:
- OXTOBY Kathy
- Journal article citation:
- Nursing Times, 111(47), 2015, pp.22-23.
- Publisher:
- Nursing Times
A national audit of inpatient falls published in the Royal College of Physicians in October, features data on nearly 5,000 patients aged 65 and over, across 170 hospitals in England and Wales. This is the first overview of how well trusts and health boards are complying with official guidance on falls and prevention. Recommendations have been made by the audit team to reduce the risk of falling. (Edited publisher abstract)
Moving healthcare closer to home: case study: Older Persons Assessment and Liaison team: Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Author:
- MONITOR
- Publisher:
- Monitor
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 6
- Place of publication:
- London
This is one of a suite of case studies designed to increase awareness of schemes to move healthcare closer to home. The Older Persons Assessment and Liaison (OPAL) team provides early comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in the acute hospital to prevent avoidable admissions to inpatient wards and remove barriers that can lead to longer stays for older patients. Important features of the service are senior clinical leadership and working with partners. The team works closely with care homes and residential homes, and refers patients to support services to minimise their risk of readmission. It also develops care plans to help primary and social care teams support patients. (Edited publisher abstract)
Social work practice with LGBT elders at end of life: developing practice evaluation and clinical skills through a cultural perspective
- Author:
- ARTHUR Darren P.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 11(2), 2015, pp.178-201.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia
This article focuses on culturally sensitive clinical issues related to best practices with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) elder patients at end-of-life (EOL) at key points in the therapeutic relationship. Vital concepts, including practice evaluation and clinical skills, are presented through a cultural and oncology lens. There is a paucity of LGBT research and literature as well as a shortfall of MSW graduate school education specific to social work palliative and end-of-life care (PELC) practice with LGBT elders. The content of this article is designed to be adapted and used as an educational tool for institutions, agencies, graduate programmes, medical professions, social work, and students. Learning the unique elements of LGBT cultural history and their implications on EOL care can improve social work practice. This article provides an examination from assessment and engagement basics to advance care planning incorporating specific LGBT EOL issues. (Edited publisher abstract)
Carers' roles in personal budgets: tensions and dilemmas in front line practice
- Authors:
- MITCHELL Wendy, BROOKS Jenni, GLENDINNING Caroline
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 45(5), 2015, pp.1433-1450.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Adult social care in England emphasises the service and support preferences of disabled and older people. Personal budgets play a central role in this development. Carers in England have also secured rights to assessment and support in their care-giving roles. However, these policies have developed largely separately, with little consideration of the interdependencies between disabled and older people and their carers. There is limited evidence detailing current practice. This paper explores current practice, particularly how far social care practitioners recognise and balance the needs and interests of service users and carers, especially those with cognitive and/or communication impairments. The paper reports findings from nine qualitative focus groups (forty-seven participants) conducted in 2012 with practitioners involved in service user personalisation and carer assessments from older people and learning disability teams across three English authorities. Findings indicate inconsistencies in practice. Although practitioners felt they sought to involve carers, practices varied between authorities, teams and colleagues in the same team. Clear and timely links between processes for service users and carers were absent. Practice was discussed most frequently around service user assessments; other stages of personalisation appeared ad hoc. Areas of confusion and tension are identified. Future policy and practice developments and challenges are also considered. (Publisher abstract)
Handling the dilemma of self-determination and dementia: study of case managers’ discursive strategies in assessment meetings
- Authors:
- OSTERHOLM Johannes H., LARSSON Annika Taghizadeh, OLAISON Anna
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 58(6), 2015, pp.613-636.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
In assessment meetings concerning care services for people with dementia, Swedish case managers face a dilemma. On the one hand, according to the law, the right to self-determination of every adult citizen must be respected, but on the other hand cognitive disabilities make it difficult to fulfil obligations of being a full-fledged citizen. In this article, the authors examine 15 assessment meetings to identify discursive strategies used by case managers to handle this dilemma. The authors also examine how these affect the participation of persons with dementia, and indicate implications of their study for social work practice and research. (Edited publisher abstract)
Moving healthcare closer to home: case study: Older People’s Assessment and Liaison (OPAL) Service: Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Author:
- MONITOR
- Publisher:
- Monitor
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 4
- Place of publication:
- London
This is one of a suite of case studies designed to increase awareness of schemes to move healthcare closer to home. The Older People’s Assessment and Liaison (OPAL) Service at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ensures that older people presenting at the trust’s A&E receive comprehensive clinical assessment and care planning from a consultant geriatrician. An important feature is the OPAL consultants’ close working with the integrated discharge team to facilitate supported discharge and recovery at home. (Edited publisher abstract)