A study of Family Councils in nursing homes.

Unlabelled: Families can remain actively involved in the care of their residents by participating in a Family Council within the nursing home (NH). A Family Council is an independent, self-determining group of NH residents' families and friends and often includes a nursing facility liaison.

Problem: Less than half of NHs has an active council.

Hospital discharge of older adults. How nurses can ease the transition.

When an older adult is discharged from the hospital, she or he should have an individualized, comprehensive discharge plan to help prevent unnecessary complications and rehospitalization. But the large number of older adults who are hospitalized and their typically greater needs can make creating such a plan a challenge for clinicians. Clear communication among hospital personnel, patients, family members, case managers, and community caregivers (such as home health care nurses and long-term care staff) is essential.

Relocation stress syndrome in older adults transitioning from home to a long-term care facility: myth or reality?

Relocation stress syndrome is a nursing diagnosis characterized by symptoms such as anxiety, confusion, hopelessness, and loneliness. It usually occurs in older adults shortly after moving from a private residence to a nursing home or assisted-living facility. The primary purpose of this study was to validate the symptoms of relocation stress syndrome.

Educational needs of employed family caregivers of older adults: Evaluation of a workplace project.

Family members provide 80% of care for older adults in the United States. Many family caregivers are employed either full or part time. For employed caregivers, personal health, job performance, and the ability to advance their career are affected by the weight of their caregiving responsibilities.

Teaching older adults to self-manage medications: preventing adverse drug reactions.

Older adults use more prescription and OTC medications than any other age group. Because their medication regimens often are complicated by many medications and different doses, times, and administration methods, older adults are at high risk for medication mismanagement. The most common errors associated with medication mismanagement include mixing OTC and prescription medications, discontinuing prescriptions, taking wrong dosages, using incorrect techniques, and consuming inappropriate foods with specific medications.