Sustaining Oral And Systemic Health In Residential Aged Care Facilities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$181,065.00
Summary
Poor oral health is associated with many health problems. Community of Practice members will educate nurse-carer champions who then train direct care staff. The care staff will oversee 2-minutes of teeth cleaning after meals using regular or timed electric toothbrushes, or daily denture care. There will be audits of daily oral care by nurse-carer champions assisted by students, examination of used toothbrushes, regular analyses of gum-based oral bacteria.
Consumer Directed Care In Residential Aged Care: Transforming Practice Through The Resident At The Centre Of Care (RCC) Program
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$836,087.00
Summary
The impending introduction of Consumer Directed Care (CDC) into Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) will require organisations to respond rapidly in both ‘mindset’ and service delivery to radically change the nature of their current care practices. This project will allow our industry partners to implement and evaluate a CDC model of care that, if successful, will lead to a sustainable site specific implementation plan of CDC for RACFs across Australia with better outcomes for residents.
ELders AT Ease Program (ELATE): A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Sustainable And Scalable Mental Health Service For Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$999,551.00
Summary
Elders living in residential facilities suffer significant levels of depression or anxiety. This study examines an innovative program to improve mental health of residents living in such facilities. The program involves counselling, staff training and family support. The study uses a cluster randomised controlled trial of facilities to evaluate the impact of ELATE: Elders at Ease Program” on residents’ psychological wellbeing, staff knowledge, family carer stress and, health care costs.
A Population Based Study Of The Use Of Acute Hospital Services By Elderly People Living In Residential Care.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$127,000.00
Summary
This project will be the first population based Australian study to describe the pattern of utilisation of acute hospital services by elderly people living in residential care. It will provide much needed information on which to base health policy decisions relating to the acute care needs of the most frail elderly members of our community. Within a context of an ageing demographic profile of the Australian population, it is essential that the dynamic interplay between acute care services and th ....This project will be the first population based Australian study to describe the pattern of utilisation of acute hospital services by elderly people living in residential care. It will provide much needed information on which to base health policy decisions relating to the acute care needs of the most frail elderly members of our community. Within a context of an ageing demographic profile of the Australian population, it is essential that the dynamic interplay between acute care services and the residential aged-care sector be elucidated, both for current service provision and for better prediction of future service requirements. This study will make use of existing linked health data sources in WA to achieve the following aims: 1. To provide health service planners with information about the rates, patterns, causes, outcomes and costs of acute emergency department and in-patient hospital services for elderly persons living in residential care in Perth, Western Australia. 2. To develop a population model to determine future acute hospital requirements for elderly persons living in residential care. 3. To estimate the potential impact of alternate modes of integration of acute and long-term care on the utilisation of acute hospital services by hostel and nursing home residents.Read moreRead less
Predictors Of Home Telehealth Adoption In The Aging Population: Consumer Perspectives
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$325,255.00
Summary
Care of the aging population will place a huge burden on the Australian healthcare system. It is now possible for health services to be provided across the Internet (telehealth) into the aged person’s home. The problem is there has been a slow uptake of telehealth services. What is needed is a clear understanding of aged consumers’ perspectives on telehealth and why they would engage in such services. These findings will assist in planning health care services for the aged into the future.
A National Aged Care Medication Roundtable - Translating Aged Care Data Into Action To Improve Quality Of Care Through Collaboration And Co-design
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,444,499.00
Summary
Older Australians with the most complex health needs live in residential care. Greater than 80% of residents are on five or more medications daily, and 40% are taking 10 or more. Poor medication management is the greatest source of complaint to the Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission. This project will provide timely information to a group of providers and consumers about the medicines residents receive, identify problem areas and trial innovative interventions to address these issues.
A compartive study of an education intervention to promote family involvement in residential dementia care. This study aims to test a collaborative model of care for nursing home residents with irreversible dementias. The Family involvement in care (FIC) model aims for family caregiver(s) and nurses to participate in ongoing negotiation and establishment of a partnership of cooperative role relationships. The intervention aims to reduce stressors for family and staff caregivers along the course ....A compartive study of an education intervention to promote family involvement in residential dementia care. This study aims to test a collaborative model of care for nursing home residents with irreversible dementias. The Family involvement in care (FIC) model aims for family caregiver(s) and nurses to participate in ongoing negotiation and establishment of a partnership of cooperative role relationships. The intervention aims to reduce stressors for family and staff caregivers along the course of the deteriorating dementing illness, and to illuminate nursing interventions that relieve stress and increase positive attitudes. The research has the potential to inform evidence-based dementia care and to improve staff retention.Read moreRead less
Use Of Emergency Departments By Vulnerable Groups During Their Last Year Of Life
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Summary
Vulnerable people in their last year of life who attend Emergency Departments (EDs) could often be better cared for elsewhere. Our severely overcrowded EDs, and the staff who work in them, are poorly equipped to provide appropriate end-of-life care. This research describes how these groups use the ED, the impact of this use upon ED services and how the provision of adequate community care may be a more appropriate and economically viable option for people at the end-of-life.
Partnership Centre: Dealing With Cognitive And Related Functional Decline In Older People
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$12,500,000.00
Summary
The focus of this Partnership Centre is how to better apply our existing knowledge and how to create new knowledge that will directly improve support to those elderly suffering from cognitive decline, their carer’s (formal and informal) and the various agencies delivering services for them. This Partnership Centre’s Investigator Team will engage in a range of activities to improve aged care service planning (including continuity of care and risk assessments of community care); develop and implem ....The focus of this Partnership Centre is how to better apply our existing knowledge and how to create new knowledge that will directly improve support to those elderly suffering from cognitive decline, their carer’s (formal and informal) and the various agencies delivering services for them. This Partnership Centre’s Investigator Team will engage in a range of activities to improve aged care service planning (including continuity of care and risk assessments of community care); develop and implement new approaches to support informal carer’s; reduce stigma around cognitive decline in both the health care and community context; improve the size and quality of the aged care workforce; assist with decision making, rights, citizenship and related ethics through education; improve aged care regulation; promote responsible medication management; develop and disseminate up-to-date clinical guidelines; and implement proven models of care.Read moreRead less
Keeping my place in the community: achieving successful ageing-in-place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This project, in partnership with aged care and disability agencies across two states, aims to examine ways the aged care, social and health needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities may be met in rural and urban settings. It will explore mechanisms that will lead to a better integration of the aged care and disability sectors.