Challenges in handling elder abuse in community care. An exploratory study among nurses and care coordinators in Norway and Australia.

Aim And Objective: The aim of this study was to explore how nurses and care coordinators in community care in Norway and Australia experienced and handled cases of abused older clients, including the support they received in clinical interventions.

Background: Norway and Australia base their approaches to elder abuse problems on similar philosophies. The Australian Government, however, has taken a more active position on this issue by focusing on structures and policies that might influence professionals' handling of abuse cases.

Dementia and loneliness: an Australian perspective.

Aim: To explore the perceptions of loneliness according to people with early-stage dementia, living in community and long-term care and also the views of their family carers.

Background: Research that specifically explores the influence of loneliness on dementia is limited and indicates the prevalence of loneliness and the negative relationship between loneliness and cognitive decline. There is a paucity of research that explores loneliness from the perspective of the person with dementia.

Taking action to close the research/practice divide.

In this paper we focus at the level of individual project to explore aspects of the nexus between research and practice. Using a research project that sought to explore and understand care transitions for older people as the vehicle for our discussion, we examine how the process by which a research project itself is thought about, conceptualized, developed and conducted influences knowledge translation and ways to get research into practice, and conversely practice into research. Processes and strategies we engaged in throughout this research project to promote the transfer of knowledge both among and between researchers, practitioners and the wider practice community are highlighted.

'Nowadays you don't even see your neighbours': loneliness in the everyday lives of older Australians.

Loneliness is a pressing social issue for older people globally. Despite this, there is a paucity of studies on how older people themselves perceive loneliness and how service providers can support them. This study sought to address the gap using in-depth and semi-structured interviews with 60 older people and eight focus groups with aged care service providers in Australia in 2007.

From retirement village to residential aged care: what older people and their families say.

The majority of older Australians, some of whom live in retirement villages, wish to remain living in their own home, receiving care in the community when their health and/or other circumstances change. Current statistics show that 3.7% of people aged 65 years and over live in a retirement village in Australia.

Making sure the residents get their tablets: medication administration in care homes for older people.

Aim: This paper reports an exploratory study of issues concerning the nursing practice of altering medication dose forms prior to administration of medicines to residents in homes for older people.

Background: Medication use and administration is a major issue in residential homes for older people. Research suggests that the alteration of medication dose forms in these homes is a widespread practice.

Improving the retirement village to residential aged care transition.

Older Australians living in retirement villages are an increasing community segment. These people make choices both about the place at which they live and the support needed at that place to optimise health and wellbeing. However, for some, unmet support needs in the retirement village may result in a transition to a residential aged care facility.

Using education to promote research dissemination in nursing.

In order to maintain the highest standards of care, nurses need to be aware of the most recent and relevant research and use this to inform their practice. However, this is often difficult because of both the limited time available in which to access research and the need for advanced critical appraisal skills. Further, given the overload of complex research information, nurses may be overwhelmed by the extent of available research.

Factors influencing the decision of older people living in independent units to enter the acute care system.

Aims And Objectives: This South Australian-based study explored and described the factors influencing the decision of older people living in the community in independent living units to enter the acute care system.

Background: Community-based older Australians, an increasing population segment, make choices about support needed to optimize health and well-being. This includes when to enter the acute care system.

Making choices: how older people living in independent living units decide to enter the acute care system.

Older people living in independent living units make choices about where they live and the degree of support required to maximize their health and well-being. This can include when to enter the acute care system. Using a multimethod, multistage qualitative approach, this study aims to explore and describe the decision-making process of older people living in independent living units to enter the acute care system.

Factors influencing the implementation of quality use of medicines in residential aged care.

Background: In response to concerns about, and issues pertaining to, medication use practices in residential aged-care facilities (RACFs), the Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council (APAC) established a working party on quality use of medicines (QUM) in nursing homes and hostels. The APAC is a representative ministerial advisory forum bringing together key stakeholders from the medical, nursing and pharmacy professions, as well as pharmaceutical industry, consumer and government sectors. The working party developed the integrated best practice model for medication management in RACFs.

Ensuring excellence: an investigation of the issues that impact on the registered nurse providing residential care to older Australians.

The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive picture of the issues that impact upon the registered nurse providing residential aged care, in order to contribute to best practice initiatives to enhance both the health and well-being of older Australians and the professional working life of registered nurses working in this sector. The impact of an ageing population is being felt in Australia as in other western countries. In Australia, there is an estimated 12% of the population aged 65 and over, with a projected increase to 18% by 2021.

Providing residential care to older Australians: issues for registered nurses.

Contemporary nursing in residential aged care facilities poses many challenges. Issues impacting on registered nurses providing care to older Australians living in residential aged care settings are explored and described in this paper. Five broad themes emerged from the analysis of thirty interviews with Registered Nurses, eleven focus groups with participants who worked with registered nurses in the residential aged care facilities selected in the sample, and five nominal groups which consisted of key stakeholders from the aged care industry and professional nursing forums.