A study of the effectiveness of MP3 players to support family carers of people living with dementia at home.

BACKGROUND: Music can be therapeutic to people with dementia; however, little is known about its effect on the family carers. This project aimed to (1) assess the effects of MP3 player use by a person with dementia on caregivers' mental health and wellbeing, including their self-care and health-promoting behavior and (2) determine whether MP3 player use increases caregivers' self-reported capacity to cope with their role. METHODS: A pre-post quantitative and qualitative design was used. Carers completed a survey prior to commencing and four weeks after using the player. The survey included validated measures to assess the level of stress and coping among carers. Carers also kept a diary of the way they used the MP3 player. Half of the carers were interviewed about their experiences at the end of the study. RESULTS: Of 59 people who started using the MP3 player, 51 carers completed the four-week study period and surveys. Use of the MP3 player significantly decreased psychological distress, significantly improved the mental health and wellbeing of carers, significantly increased caregiver self-efficacy to manage symptoms of dementia, and was reported to provide valued respite from the high level of vigilance required for caring for a person with dementia. CONCLUSION: An MP3 player loaded with music can be a low cost and relatively simple and effective additional strategy to support families caring for people with dementia in the community.

Assessment of sexual health and sexual needs in residential aged care.

AIM: To investigate if, when and how assessments regarding residents' sexual health and needs occur within Australian residential aged care facilities. METHOD: A census of all Australian residential aged care facilities was conducted. A survey developed specifically for the project was posted to all 2766 residential aged care services in Australia. Eight weeks were allowed for the return of surveys. RESULTS: A total of 1094 completed surveys were returned, representing a 39.7% response rate. The type of information most often collected concerned disruptive sexual behaviour, and assessments most frequently occurred following disruptive behaviour. One-quarter of facilities reported having a sexual health/needs assessment form, although only 10 facilities provided evidence of this. CONCLUSION: Survey responses indicated that sexual health and needs are not routinely assessed in residential aged care, and facilities do not commonly have a dedicated sexual health/needs assessment form to guide them through an assessment process.

Staff-family relationships in residential aged care facilities: the views of residents' family members and care staff.

The aim of the study was to examine staff and family members' perceptions of each other's roles and responsibilities in the Australian residential aged care setting. Data was collected by interview and focus group from 27 staff and 14 family members at five residential aged care facilities in the state of Victoria, Australia. Findings highlight "communication" as the core category supporting the formation of constructive staff-family relationships, as described by three main themes; "building trust," "involvement," and "keeping the family happy." Staff attitudes, mutual cooperation, meaningful engagement, and shared expectations lay the foundation for relationships. Findings suggest that further efforts to establish and sustain good relationships with families are required by facilities. Characteristics, roles, and expectations of staff and family that can both promote and hinder the formation of constructive staff-family relationships are discussed.

The use of multi-sensory interventions to manage dementia-related behaviours in the residential aged care setting: a survey of one Australian state.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe the use of multi-sensory interventions in residential aged care services (RACS) for the management of dementia-related behaviours in residential aged care in Victoria, Australia. BACKGROUND: The popularity of multi-sensory interventions has spread worldwide, including for use in residential aged care, despite limited evidence to support their efficacy. DESIGN: This study reports the findings of the first stage of a two-stage project that was undertaken to describe and evaluate the use of multi-sensory interventions for the management of dementia-related behaviours in all residential aged care facilities in Victoria, Australia. METHODS: A computer-assisted telephone interview survey was developed and administered to residential aged care facilities in Victoria, Australia, to collect descriptive data on the use of multi-sensory interventions for the management of dementia-related behaviours. RESULTS: A diverse and eclectic range of multi-sensory interventions are currently being used by residential aged care facilities. The findings suggest the use of multi-sensory interventions are used in an ad hoc manner, and there is no universal definition of multi-sensory interventions, little formal training for staff administering the interventions and no guideline for their use, nor evaluation of their impact on residents' behaviour. CONCLUSION: Multi-sensory interventions have been widely adopted for use in RACS in Victoria, Australia, and are currently being used without formal guidelines and little evidence to support their use in clinical practice. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: In the absence of a formal definition of what constitutes a multi-sensory intervention, training for staff and careful assessment and monitoring of residents who receive multi-sensory interventions, we recommend further research and development of policy and procedures to safe guard the use of multi-sensory interventions for people with dementia.

Job satisfaction amongst aged care staff: exploring the influence of person-centered care provision.

BACKGROUND: There are challenges in attracting and sustaining a competent and stable workforce in aged care, and key issues of concern such as low staff job satisfaction and feelings of not being able to provide high quality care have been described. This study aimed to explore the association between person-centered care provision and job satisfaction in aged care staff. METHODS: Residential aged care staff (n = 297) in Australia completed the measure of job satisfaction and the person-centered care assessment tool. Univariate analyses examined relationships between variables, and multiple linear regression analysis explored the extent to whichperceived person-centredness could predict job satisfaction of staff. RESULTS: Perceived person-centred care provision was significantly associated with job satisfaction, and person-centred care provision could explain nearly half of the variation in job satisfaction. The regression model with the three person-centered care subscales as predictor variables accounted for 40% of the variance in job satisfaction. Personalizing care had the largest independent influence on job satisfaction, followed by amount of organizational support and degree of environmental accessibility. Personalizing care and amount of organizational support had a statistically significant unique influence. CONCLUSIONS: As person-centered care positively correlated with staff job satisfaction, supporting staff in providing person-centered care can enhance job satisfaction and might facilitate attracting and retaining staff in residential aged care. The findings reiterate a need to shift focus from merely completing care tasks and following organizational routines to providing high quality person-centered care that promotes the good life of residents in aged care.