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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)
Loneliness and the health of older people
- Authors:
- O'LUNANAIGH Conor, LAWLOR Brian A.
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 23(12), December 2008, pp.1213-1221.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The intense focus on major psychiatric disorders in both contemporary psychiatric research and clinical practice has resulted in the relative neglect of less definable constructs such as loneliness and how such entities might impact on health outcomes. The purpose of this review is to raise awareness among physicians and psychiatrists of the medical impact and biological effects of loneliness as well as making the argument that loneliness should be a legitimate therapeutic target. Using Pubmed a search was conducted for research and review papers looking at loneliness as a construct, how it is measured and its health effects. Relevant papers are reviewed and their main findings summarised. Loneliness has strong associations with depression and may in fact be an independent risk factor for depression. Furthermore loneliness appears to have a significant impact on physical health being linked detrimentally to higher blood pressure, worse sleep, immune stress responses and worse cognition over time in the elderly. There is a relative deficiency in adequate evidence based treatments for loneliness. Loneliness is common in older people an is associated with adverse health consequences both from a mental and physical health point of view. There needs to be an increased focus on initiating intervention strategies targeting loneliness to determine if decreasing loneliness can improve quality of life and functioning in the elderly.
Characterisation of user-defined health status in older adults with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- STARR J. M., MARSDEN L.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 52(6), June 2008, pp.483-489.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Older adults with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) have an excess disease burden that standard health assessments are designed to detect. Older adults with ID have a broader concept of health with dimensions of well being in addition to absence of disease in line with the World Health Organization's health definition. This study sought to characterise user-defined health status in a sample of older adults with ID. A user-led health assessment was administered to 57 adults with ID aged 40 years and over. Cluster analysis on user-defined health themes of participation, nutrition and hygiene/self-care identified clear separation of participants into a healthier and a less healthy group. Disease burden and medication use were greater in the less healthy group. The healthier group were taller, stronger and had better vision than the less healthy group. Constipation, urinary incontinence and faecal incontinence were commoner in the less healthy group. There were few significant differences between health groups on the majority of standard physical-examination items. There is considerable overlap between user-defined health and that assessed by standard instruments. In addition, user-defined health encompasses aspects of physical fitness not captured by traditional disease-based health models.
The single assessment process in primary care: older people's accounts of the process
- Authors:
- POWELL Jackie, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 37(6), September 2007, pp.1043-1058.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Recent government policies have been active in addressing social inclusion and active participation of older people in many aspects of societal life. Drawing on a feasibility study of the Single Assessment Process as a ‘case-finding’ approach, this paper presents findings drawn from older people’s accounts of this experience. These accounts indicate the potential of the process for identifying ‘low-level’ need, whilst raising issues of access to formal services and resource constraint; also they underline the importance of understanding how older people seek ways of managing their own health and well-being, whilst continuing to contribute to the social cohesion of society by providing support to their peers and to younger generations. Interdependence, it is suggested, rather than dependence should underlie any approach to assessing older people’s needs, if we are to appreciate and build upon the complexity of older people’s strategies for actively managing their lives.
The assessment gap
- Authors:
- CLARKSON Paul, CHALLIS David
- Journal article citation:
- Community Care, 15.7.04, 2004, pp.38-39.
- Publisher:
- Reed Business Information
The single assessment process (SAP) is intended to overcome the difficulties with assessments of older people, avoid duplication, and promote and effective response to needs. This article examines the relevance of recent research for the debates leading up to the deadline for full implementation in April this year. The study, undertaken by the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) at the University of Manchester, looked at 256 older people on the value of integrating the specialist assessments of secondary health care clinicians with those of care managers. Argues that integrating assessment practice between health and social care will require more than the breaking down of professional barriers. Joint structures, providing incentives for collaboration, are just as important.
Adjusting the focus
- Author:
- ELLINOR Rebecca
- Journal article citation:
- Care and Health Magazine, 57, 2004, pp.6-9.
- Publisher:
- Care and Health
Two years ago guidance was issued telling health and social care professionals about a new way of assessing the needs of older people. Looks at whether organisations are now ready to implement the single assessment process (SAP).
When anxiety becomes a danger
- Author:
- HOPKINS Graham
- Journal article citation:
- Community Care, 16.5.02, 2002, pp.46-47.
- Publisher:
- Reed Business Information
When an older woman became to anxious to carry out daily tasks, her house became very unhygienic and there was substantial risk to her health. Looks at the decisions taken to help her regain some confidence.
Race equality
- Author:
- BUTT Jabeer
- Journal article citation:
- Research Matters, October 2001, pp.48-50.
- Publisher:
- Community Care
Reports on research which uses the 1991 to 1996 General Household Surveys to explore the health status of ethnic minority older people. The article looks at the findings on self-reported health status and how they compare with previous studies before looking at the explanations for the situation.
High prevalence of anxiety symptoms in hospitalized geriatric patients
- Authors:
- KVAAL Kari, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 16(7), July 2001, pp.690-693.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Examines the prevalence of anxiety symptoms in hospitalized geriatric patients using a controlled cross-sectional study of ninety-eight geriatric in-patients and 68 healthy home-dwelling controls of similar age recruited from senior citizen centres in Norway. The geriatric patients scored significantly higher than the controls. Applying Spielberger's recommended cut-off of 39/40 on the STAI sumscore, 41% of the female and 47% of the male geriatric patients might be suspected of suffering from significant anxiety symptoms. Concludes that STAI proved feasible for use in the elderly. The scoring on the STAI is high in geriatric in-patients. Further studies are needed to clarify to what extent this relates to a high prevalence of anxiety disorders.
Simple measures for assessing the physical, mental and social functioning of older people
- Authors:
- LOWLES Ruth V., PHILP Ian
- Journal article citation:
- Generations Review, 11(2), June 2001, pp.12-14.
- Publisher:
- British Society of Gerontology
This literature review aims to identify the shortest, simplest and cheapest measures for assessing physical, mental and social functioning of older people.