ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Undergraduate nursing students may experience challenging behaviors in residents during their clinical placement in geriatric long-term care (GLTC) facilities. METHOD: Bachelor of Nursing students participated in an anonymous online questionnaire (n = 116). RESULTS: The students witnessed a wide range of challenging behaviors, also referred to as responsive behaviors, in GLTC residents. The most frequent behaviors included agitation/restlessness, repetitive talk, and wandering. Although behaviors such as physical aggression and disinhibited sexual behavior were experienced less frequently, students found these behaviors the most distressing. Students felt ill-prepared to manage these behaviors, which was associated with higher levels of distress. CONCLUSION: The students demonstrated good theoretical knowledge about responsive behaviors, but the lack of personal experience in managing such behaviors left the students feeling ill-prepared and distressed. Incorporating the opportunity to experience behaviors in a supported environment, such as in simulation, could reduce student distress and increase their sense of competency. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(10):623-627.].
Subject(s)
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate , Geriatric Nursing/education , Health Services for the Aged , Mental Disorders/psychology , Students, Nursing/psychology , Aged , Humans , Long-Term Care , Mental Disorders/nursing , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Globally, the population of elderly people is rising with an increasing number of people living with dementias. This trend is coupled with a prevailing need for compassionate caretakers. A key challenge in dementia care is to assist the person to sustain communication and connection to family, caregivers and the environment. The use of social commitment robots in the care of people with dementia has intriguing possibilities to address some of these care needs. This paper discusses the literature on the use of social commitment robots in the care of elderly people with dementia; the contributions to care that social commitment robots potentially can make and the cautions around their use. Future directions for programs of research are identified to further the development of the evidence-based knowledge in this area.
Subject(s)
Communication , Dementia/psychology , Robotics , Social Behavior , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , HumansABSTRACT
In 2010, approximately 500,000 Canadians suffered from a dementia-related illness. The number of sufferers is estimated to double in about 25 years. Due to this growing demographic, dementia (most frequently caused by Alzheimer's disease) will increasingly have a significant impact on our aging community and their caregivers. Dementia is associated with challenging behaviours such as agitation, wandering, and aggression. Care providers must find innovative strategies that facilitate the quality of life for this population; moreover, such strategies must value the individual person. Social commitment robots - designed specifically with communication and therapeutic purposes - provide one means towards attaining this goal. This paper describes a study in which Paro (a robotic baby harp seal) was used as part of a summer training program for students. Preliminary conclusions suggest that the integration of social commitment robots may be clinically valuable for older, agitated persons living with dementia in long-term care settings.