Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 13
An evaluation of assessment tools used for older people with complex health and social care needs
- Authors:
- MCCORMACK B.G., et al
- Publisher:
- Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
- Publication year:
- 2007
- Pagination:
- 30p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Belfast
This study examined current assessment instruments used in Northern Ireland used to assess the abilities and needs of older people. To instruments general applicability according to accreditation principles outlined as good practice by the Department of Health were examined. The coverage of the instruments according to the nine domains and 40 sub-domains of the National Service Framework for Older people were also examined. Eleven instruments were received from all Trusts providing community health and social care services. The instruments were then analysed looking at areas of good practice and the domains of assessment. Findings include: general assessment did not capture the perceptions of an older person regarding their health and social care needs or how their quality of life is affected by loss of ability; the level of participation by the older person in their assessment was unclear; considerable variability in the level of coverage of all nine domains within different Trust documentation. The findings support the necessity for to develop a standardized instrument; standardized on the level of assessment on each domain and standardized across all trusts.
The usability of the Northern Ireland single assessment tool for the health and social care of older people
- Author:
- MCCORMACK B.
- Publisher:
- Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 30p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Belfast
The Northern Ireland Single Assessment Tool (NISAT) was developed for the National Service Framework for Older People. This comprised of three stands (Contact Screening, Core and Complex Assessment) supported by a number of specialists assessments (such as G.P assessment, Carers assessment, Specialist Assessment Summary). The NISAT was developed through a participatory process of engagement with front-line staff, and had acceptable psychometric properties. This study examined users options regarding the usability of the three components of the NISAT and invited comments on how best to implement training across the province. Assessors were given the opportunity to use the NISAT with a purposive sample of older people. The findings informed discussion with assessors regarding training, its structure, contents and format.
The reliability of the core element of the Northern Ireland single assessment tool (NISAT) for the health and social care of older people
- Authors:
- MCCORMACK B.G., et al
- Publisher:
- Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 26p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Belfast
The Northern Ireland Single Assessment Tool (NISAT) was developed to address the assessment process as highlighted in the NSF for Older People. The NISAT consists of three main parts: the Contact Screening; the Core NISAT; and the Complex NISAT. The Core assessment consists of eight domains covering all areas of the older people's life - mental health; communication and sensory functioning; personal care and daily tasks; mobility and movement; awareness and decision making; accommodation and living arrangements; employment, finance and leisure; and physical health and medication. This study used case studies with a purposive sample of trained assessors to determine the inter-rater reliability of the Core NISAT. The study aimed to: determine the reliability (percentage agreement) of quantitative measures between assessors; determine the statistical significance of the quantitative measures; and determine the overall reliability of the Core NISAT. A sample of twenty seven assessors participated in the study. The quantitative findings from each of the 27 completed assessments for each case study were analysed. Overall there was a high level of inter-rater reliability on the quantitative measures contained in the core NISAT. This high inter-rater reliability was consistent across each domain and in each case study. It can be concluded from the findings that the core NISAT is reliable as a measure of older peoples’ needs and abilities.
Care management for older people: does integration make a difference?
- Authors:
- CHALLIS David, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interprofessional Care, 20(4), August 2006, pp.335-348.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
England and Northern Ireland provide examples of different degrees of integration of health and social care within broadly similar administrative and funding frameworks. This paper examines whether integrated structures appear to impact upon the operation of care management, a key approach to providing coordinated care for vulnerable older people. It draws on a study undertaken by the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) and funded by the Department of Health to evaluate the different forms and types of care management that have emerged since the NHS and Community Care Act for two user groups: older people and people with mental health problems. Results found there appeared to be more evidence of integrated practice between health and social care in Northern Ireland than England, although some key features, such as intensive care management, were no more evident. It is concluded that further investigation is required as to the extent to which integrated structures have impacted upon patterns of professional working and underlying beliefs about roles.
The validity of the core element of the Northern Ireland single assessment tool (NISAT) for the health and social care of older people
- Authors:
- MCCORMACK B.G., et al
- Publisher:
- Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
- Publication year:
- 2007
- Pagination:
- 55p.
- Place of publication:
- Belfast
The Northern Ireland Single Assessment Tool (NISAT) was developed to address the assessment process as highlighted in the NSF for Older People. The NISAT consists of three main parts: the Contact Screening; the Core NISAT; and the Complex NISAT. The Core assessment consists of eight domains covering all areas of the older people's life - mental health; communication and sensory functioning; personal care and daily tasks; mobility and movement; awareness and decision making; accommodation and living arrangements; employment, finance and leisure; and physical health and medication. Each domain is measure using a combination of qualitative and quantitative measures. This study aimed to develop and test a measure of validity that incorporates both qualitative and quantitative measures. Assessors were trained how to use the draft NISAT instrument. The theoretical definition given to each domain was then rated against the assessors own views. All professional groups felt the core NISAT was valid. The findings did highlight the need for tailored and individualized training programmes n the use of the instrument. Appendices include sample instructions and scoring sheets for two domains.
The reliability of the complex element of the Northern Ireland single assessment tool for the health and social care of older people
- Authors:
- MCCORMACK B.G., et al
- Publisher:
- Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 34p.
- Place of publication:
- Belfast
The Northern Ireland Single Assessment Tool (NISAT) was developed to address the assessment process as highlighted in the NSF for Older People. The NISAT consists of three main parts: the Contact Screening; the Core NISAT; and the Complex NISAT. This study involved examining the reliability of information collected using the complex assessment instrument of the NISAT. Two measures were calculated: the ability of assessors to identify the themes contained in case studies; and the total number of themes identified by each assessor to provide information on the comprehensiveness of the assessments. A summary of results by case study are presented. Key findings supported the reliability of the complex NISAT; identified variability in the assessors’ ability to identify the themes/measures; highlight areas for potential modification; and identified assessors desire for comprehensive training and clear guidance on the correct way to complete the Complex NISAT. The study confirmed the reliability of the Complex NISAT and the use of case studies in the development and testing of assessment tools, especially in the healthcare setting. Appendices include details of the three case studies used.
Community pharmacists and people with dementia: a cross-sectional survey exploring experiences, attitudes, and knowledge of pain and its management
- Authors:
- BARRY Heather E., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(10), 2013, pp.1077-1085.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
A questionnaire was sent to community pharmacies in Northern Ireland to explore community pharmacists' experiences with and attitudes towards people with dementia, and to determine the knowledge they have about pain and its management in this patient population. The questionnaire comprising five sections, including the Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire, was mailed, on two occasions, during February and March 2011, to all community pharmacies in Northern Ireland (n = 530). The response rate was 34.3%. A greater proportion of pharmacists provided pharmaceutical care to people with dementia living at home (91.2%) than those living in care homes (40.1%). Respondents most frequently encountered queries relating to starting and stopping medications, compliance with medication, and availability of formulation types. The mean total score for the Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire measure was 72.8, indicating a positive attitude towards people with dementia, and respondents demonstrated a strong person-centred approach towards this patient population. The majority of respondents recognised the difficulty of assessing pain in people with dementia; however, younger pharmacists and pharmacists who provided pharmaceutical care to people with dementia were more likely to be aware of the pain assessment tools for use in people with dementia. Pharmacists appeared uncertain about how to appropriately manage pain in people with dementia. (Edited publisher abstract)
Developing an integrated assessment tool for the health and social care of older people
- Author:
- TAYLOR Brian J.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 42(7), 2012, pp.1293-1314.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Assessment tools have a key function in relation to co-ordinating care, communication between professionals and gathering data for monitoring and service improvement. There are challenges facing co-ordinated assessment processes in health and social care of older people because of the wide variety of care pathways in primary, acute, ‘intermediate’ and community care settings. This paper outlines the development of the Northern Ireland Single Assessment Tool (NISAT) for the health and social care of older people. The purpose of the tool is to facilitate access to appropriate health and social care interventions ranging from non-complex to complex co-ordinated care and to be suitable for use in primary, acute and community health and social care including intermediate care. The development involved stakeholders from a wide range of professions, older people and carers. The process included a survey of existing care management assessment tools, various working groups and testing reliability using vignettes and trained actors. Older people were engaged in a music, dance and visual arts project on the theme of assessment to inform the tool development. The components of the tool and their development are reviewed, including considering the role of social work in contributing to specialist assessment as distinct from the role of co-ordinating a holistic assessment process.
Survey of carers of older people in Northern Ireland
- Authors:
- MOONEY E., ORR J.
- Publisher:
- Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Community Information Branch
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 58p.
- Place of publication:
- Belfast
A survey of carers of older people was conducted in 2005, to both inform the Social Services Inspectorate inspection of social care services for older people and monitor the implementation of the Carers and Direct Payments Act for carers of older people. Each of the Health and Social Services Trusts providing a community service were given 50 self-completion questionnaires to distribute to carers who were in contact with Social Services in their Trust. In order to contact carers who may not have been in contact with Social Services, questionnaires were also distributed through contacts provided by Advice NI, an independent advice network which provides information on social issues affecting the community. A total of 294 completed questionnaires were returned. This publication describes the findings from the survey. It provides information on the characteristics of carers and the person cared for, the amount of time spent caring, whether carers were under stress, the services provided to carers by Social Services, carers’ assessments, contact and involvement with Social Services staff, and satisfaction with the amount and quality of services provided. A number of key findings are listed.
Developing assessment tools for planning community health and social care for older people: a literature review
- Authors:
- MCCORMACK B.G., et al
- Publisher:
- Northern Ireland. Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
- Publication year:
- 2006
- Pagination:
- 43p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Belfast
This literature review identifies approaches used elsewhere to assessment of older peoples' health and social care. The review was conducted to aid the development of a single assessment tool covering key policy issues, and principles from best practice such as person-centred care. It examines the policies leading to the development of single assessment instruments; identifies factors that are influential on the development of such instruments, such as theories of needs assessment; and examines the findings of research conducted aimed at mapping the implementation process surrounding the single assessment process in the U.K.