Aim: The aim of this study is to explore patients' and (in)formal caregivers' perspectives on their role(s) and contributing factors in the course of unplanned hospital readmission of older cardiac patients in the Cardiac Care Bridge (CCB) program. Design: This study is a qualitative multiple case study alongside the CCB randomized trial, based on grounded theory principles. Methods: Five cases within the intervention group, with an unplanned hospital readmission within six months after randomization, were selected. In each case, semi-structured interviews were held with patients (n = 4), informal caregivers (n = 5), physical therapists (n = 4), and community nurses (n = 5) between April and June 2019. Patients' medical records were collected to reconstruct care processes before the readmission. Thematic analysis and the six-step analysis of Strauss & Corbin have been used. Results: Three main themes emerged. Patients experienced acute episodes of physical deterioration before unplanned hospital readmission. The involvement of (in)formal caregivers in adequate observation of patients' health status is vital to prevent rehospitalization (theme 1). Patients and (in)formal caregivers' perception of care needs did not always match, which resulted in hampering care support (theme 2). CCB caregivers experienced difficulties in providing care in some cases, resulting in limited care provision in addition to the existing care services (theme 3). Conclusion: Early detection of deteriorating health status that leads to readmission was often lacking, due to the acuteness of the deterioration. Empowerment of patients and their informal caregivers in the recognition of early signs of deterioration and adequate collaboration between caregivers could support early detection. Patients' care needs and expectations should be prioritized to stimulate participation. Impact: (In)formal caregivers may be able to prevent unplanned hospital readmission of older cardiac patients by ensuring: (1) early detection of health deterioration, (2) empowerment of patient and informal caregivers, and (3) clear understanding of patients' care needs and expectations.
As the population ages, the risk of becoming malnourished increases. Research has shown that poor oral health can be a risk factor for malnutrition in institutionalized elderly. However, it remains unclear whether oral health problems, edentulousness and health-related quality of life also pose a risk for malnutrition in community-dwelling older adults. In this cross-sectional observational study, 1325 community-living elderly (≥75 years) were asked to complete questionnaires regarding nutritional status, oral status (edentulous, remaining teeth, or implant-supported overdentures), oral health problems, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), frailty, activities of daily living (ADL) and complexity of care needs. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed with nutritional status as dependent variable. Of the respondents, 51% (n = 521) were edentulous, 38.8% (n = 397) had remaining teeth and 10.2% (n = 104) had an implant-supported overdenture. Elderly with complex care needs were malnourished most frequently, followed by frail and robust elderly (10%, 4.5% and 2.9%, respectively). Malnourished elderly reported more frequent problems with chewing and speech when compared with well-nourished elderly (univariate analysis). However, multivariate analysis did not show an association between malnutrition and oral health problems and edentulousness, although HRQoL was associated with malnutrition (odds ratio (OR) 0.972, confidence interval (CI) 0.951–0.955). Based on the results of this cross-sectional study, it can be concluded that poor HRQoL is significantly associated with malnutrition; however, edentulousness and oral health problems are not.
(A) BACKGROUND: Home-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an attractive alternative for frail older patients who are unable to participate in hospital-based CR. Yet, the feasibility of home-based CR provided by primary care physiotherapists (PTs) to these patients remains uncertain.(B) OBJECTIVE: To investigate physiotherapists' (PTs) clinical experience with a guideline-centered, home-based CR protocol for frail older patients.(C) METHODS: A qualitative study examined the home-based CR protocol of a randomized controlled trial. Observations and interviews of the CR-trained primary care PTs providing home-based CR were conducted until data saturation. Two researchers separately coded the findings according to the theoretical framework of Gurses.(D) RESULTS: The enrolled PTs (n = 8) had a median age of 45 years (IQR 27-57), and a median work experience of 20 years (IQR 5-33). Three principal themes were identified that influence protocol-adherence by PTs and the feasibility of protocol-implementation: 1) feasibility of exercise testing and the exercise program; 2) patients' motivation and PTs' motivational techniques; and 3) interdisciplinary collaboration with other healthcare providers in monitoring patients' risks.(E) CONCLUSION: Home-based CR for frail patients seems feasible for PTs. Recommendations on the optimal intensity, use of home-based exercise tests and measurement tools, and interventions to optimize self-regulation are needed to facilitate home-based CR.
De inzet van blended care in de zorg neemt toe. Hierbij wordt fysieke begeleiding (face-to-face) met persoonlijke aandacht door een zorgprofessional afgewisseld met digitale zorg in de vorm van een platform of mobiele applicatie (eHealth). De digitale zorg versterkt de mogelijkheden van cliënten om in hun eigen omgeving te werken aan gezondheidsdoelen en handvatten tijdens de face-to-face momenten. Een specifieke groep die baat kan hebben bij blended care zijn ouderen die na revalidatie in de geriatrische revalidatiezorg (GRZ) thuis verder revalideren. Focus op zowel bewegen (door fysio- en oefentherapeut) en voedingsgedrag (door diëtist) is hierbij essentieel. Echter, na een intensieve zorgperiode tijdens hun opname wordt revalidatie veelal thuis afgeschaald en overgenomen door een ambulant begeleidingstraject of de eerste lijn. Een groot gedeelte van de ouderen ervaart een terugval in fysiek functioneren en zelfredzaamheid bij thuiskomt en heeft baat bij intensieve zorg omtrent voeding en beweging. Een blended interventie die gezond beweeg- en voedingsgedrag combineert biedt kansen. Hierbij is maatwerk voor deze kwetsbare ouderen vereist. Ambulante en eerste lijn diëtisten, fysio- en oefentherapeuten erkennen de meerwaarde van blended care maar missen handvatten en kennis over hoe blended-care ingezet kan worden bij kwetsbare ouderen. Het doel van het huidige project is ouderen én hun behandelaren te ondersteunen bij het optimaliseren van fysiek functioneren in de thuissituatie, door een blended voeding- en beweegprogramma te ontwikkelen en te testen in de praktijk. Ouderen, professionals en ICT-professionals worden betrokken in verschillende co-creatie sessies om gebruikersbehoefte, acceptatie en technische eisen te verkennen als mede inhoudelijke eisen zoals verhouding face-to-face en online. In samenspraak met gebruikers wordt de blended BITE-IT interventie ontwikkeld op basis van een bestaand platform, waarbij ook gekeken wordt naar het gebruik van bestaande en succesvolle applicaties. De BITE-IT interventie wordt uitgebreid getoetst op haalbaarheid en eerste effectiviteit in de praktijk.
Observationele studie
De samenwerking tussen de onderzoeksgroep FRIA van de Vrije Universiteit Brussel, afdeling oudergeneeskunde van het UMCG Groningen en de onderzoeksgroep (lectoraat) Healthy Ageing, Allied health Care and Nursing van de Hanzehogeschool Groningen is gericht op onderzoek naar bewegingsstoornissen bij veroudering. In het bijzonder wordt gekeken naar paratonic, een bewegingsstoornis bij dementie.The International Joint Research group ‘Move in Age’ concluded in a systematic review that paratonia still is a barely understood and devastating phenomenon in dementia and revealed the urgency of gaining more insight in the pathophysiology. Paratonia, a distinctive change in muscle tone, starts in early stages of dementia and develops further with progress of the disease. Resulting in severe discomfort for patients, but also affecting caregivers since daily care becomes increasingly difficult. It is hypothesized that changes in motor control due to dementia influences peripheral neurological control and biomechanical muscle structures (by crosslinking and inflammation caused by advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).This IJRG started in 2018 and aims to develop a long-term comprehensive research program on movement-related impairments at higher age. The three partners have a strong track record on research in the area of movement-related impairments in older persons; however, each focusing on a specific aspect. In fact, the Frailty in Ageing research group (FRIA) of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is running focused research program on the triad sarcopenia-dynapenia-inflammation with mainly a bio-gerontological and bio-psycho-medical approach; the department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) has anongoing research line on the medical aspects of mobility impairments in frail elderly persons and in elderly dementia patients; and finally Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing of the Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen (HUAS) developed a research program on physical, psycho-cognitive and social dimensions of frailty including the functional impact of mobility impairments. In the first 3-5 years, the focus will be on the movement-related impairments that occur in patients with dementia and in specific on paranoia. The programme will be extended towards movement-related impairments in the context of other geriatric syndromes.
