Transition into distance education: A scoping review protocol.

The number of students choosing to complete their studies online rather than in-person is on the rise. The transition to university is crucial for subsequent success, regardless of whether the learning is done face-to-face or remotely. If students can effectively handle the critical requirements associated with the transition to distance learning, their likelihood of success increases. However, thus far, little information is available on this topic. To gather existing sources, we will conduct a scoping review according to the guidelines of the research organization JBI. The review aims to systematically record, evaluate, and subsequently present the existing body of literature regarding the subject "transition into distance education". By answering the research question, "What is known about transition into distance education in higher education?" we hope to shed light on individual experiences, challenges, adaptation strategies, life situations, etc. of distance learners in a higher education context. The review will identify and categorize relevant concepts and terminologies in the research field, as well as outline the content-related boundaries. The findings derived from the scoping review will provide conceptual clarification, summarize the given theoretical and empirical knowledge in the field and offer practical implications for designing the initial phase in distance education. This article presents the a-priori study protocol that provides a detailed outline of the planned methodology for conducting the Scoping Review.

Wishes and Needs of Nursing Home Residents: A Scoping Review.

Falling birth rates and rising life expectancy are leading to global aging. The proportional increase in older people can be observed in almost all countries and regions worldwide. As a result, more people spend their later years in nursing homes. In homes where person-centered care is implemented, residents report greater satisfaction and quality of life. This approach is based on the wishes and needs of the residents. Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review is to explore the wishes and needs of nursing home residents. A scoping review of the literature was conducted in which 12 databases were systematically searched for relevant articles according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Both quantitative and qualitative study designs were considered. A total of 51 articles met the inclusion criteria. Included articles were subjected to thematic analysis and synthesis to categorize findings into themes. The analysis identified 12 themes to which the wishes and needs were assigned: (1) Activities, leisure, and daily routine; (2) Autonomy, independence, choice, and control; (3) Death, dying, and end-of-life; (4) Economics; (5) Environment, structural conditions, meals, and food; (6) Health condition; (7) Medication, care, treatment, and hygiene; (8) Peer relationship, company, and social contact; (9) Privacy; (10) Psychological and emotional aspects, security, and safety; (11) Religion, spirituality; and (12) Sexuality. Nursing home residents are not a homogeneous group. Accordingly, a wide range of needs and wishes are reported in the literature, assigned to various topics. This underscores the need for tailored and person-centered approaches to ensure long-term well-being and quality of life in the nursing home care setting.

Concordance of self- and informant-rated depressive symptoms in nursing home residents with Dementia: cross-sectional findings.

BACKGROUND: Depression is highly prevalent in nursing home residents living with moderate to severe dementia. However, assessing depressive symptoms in residents with dementia can be challenging and may vary by rater perspective. We aimed to investigate the concordance of, and factors associated with self- and informant-rated depressive symptoms in nursing home residents with dementia. METHODS: Cross-sectional data was collected from N = 162 nursing home residents with dementia (age: 53-100; 74% women). Self-ratings were assessed with the Geriatric Depression Scale, while the depression and anxiety items of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory were used for informant-ratings. Cohen's Kappa was calculated to determine the concordance of both measures and of each with antidepressant medication. Multivariate associations with sociodemographic variables, self- and informant-rated quality of life, dementia stage, neuropsychiatric symptoms, functional status and antidepressant medication were analysed with linear mixed models and generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Concordance between self- and single item informant-rated depressive symptoms was minimal (Cohen's Kappa = .22, p = .02). No concordance was found for self-reported depressive symptoms and the combined informant-rated depression-anxiety score. Self-reported depression was negatively associated with self-rated quality of life (ß = -.32; 95%CI: -.45 to -.19, p < .001), informant-rated quality of life (ß = -.25; 95%CI: -.43 to -.07, p = .005) and functional status (ß = -.16; 95%CI: -.32 to -.01, p = .04), whilst single item informant-rated depression revealed negative associations with informant-rated quality of life (ß = -.32; 95%CI: -.52 to -.13, p = .001) and dementia stage (ß = -.31; 95%CI: -.52 to -.10, p = .004). The combined informant-rated depression-anxiety score showed negative associations with self-rated quality of life (ß = -.12; 95%CI: -.22 to -.03, p = .01) and dementia stage (ß = -.37; 95%CI: -.67 to -.07, p = .02) and a positive association with neuropsychiatric symptoms (ß = .30; 95%CI: .10 to .51, p = .004). No concordance was found with antidepressant medication. CONCLUSIONS: In line with our expectations, low agreement and unique association patterns were found for both measures. These findings indicate that both instruments address different aspects of depression und underline the need for comprehensive approaches when it comes to detecting signs of clinically relevant depressive symptoms in dementia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered with the ISRCTN registry (Trial registration number: ISRCTN98947160 ).

Needs and Needs Communication of Nursing Home Residents with Depressive Symptoms: A Qualitative Study.

Nursing home residents are affected by depressive symptoms more often than elders living at home. There is a correlation between unmet needs and depression in nursing home residents, while met needs positively correlate with greater satisfaction and well-being. The study aims to examine the needs of nursing home residents with depressive symptoms and the communication of those needs, as no previous study has explicitly addressed the needs of this group of people and the way they are communicated. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 residents of three nursing homes and analyzed them using content-structuring content analysis. The residents reported diverse needs, assigned to 12 categories. In addition, barriers such as health impairments prevented the fulfillment of needs. As to the communication of needs, various interlocutors, facilitators, and barriers were identified. The findings reveal that residents can express their needs and are more likely to do so if the interlocutors are patient and take them seriously. However, lack of confidants, missing or non-functioning communication tools, impatience and perceived lack of understanding on the part of caregivers, and residents' insecurities limit communication of needs.

[Experiences and perspectives of nursing home residents with depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study]. / Erfahrungen und Sichtweisen von Pflegeheimbewohnenden mit depressiver Symptomatik während der COVID-19-Pandemie: eine qualitative Studie.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic requires extensive health protection interventions in order to prevent infections in the long-term care setting. These interventions impact residents' lives, including an increase in depressive symptoms and other negative concomitants. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to explore the experiences and perspectives of nursing home residents with depressive symptoms during the pandemic. METHODS: In this study nine guideline-based interviews were conducted with residents. These were analyzed using the content-structured content analysis according to Kuckartz. RESULTS: Three main themes were identified: perceptions and emotions related to the pandemic, changes and limitations due to the interventions and wishes in terms of the pandemic. The residents reported both emotional distress and not being afraid of infection and its consequences. In addition, some respondents reported unpleasant restrictions, such as wearing masks. In some cases their usefulness was critically questioned. Furthermore, various wishes of the residents in relation to the pandemic, such as leaving the nursing home, were identified. CONCLUSION: The study showed complex perceptions, changes, and wishes due to the pandemic and its interventions. Therefore, an individual approach to residents with depressive symptoms is necessary to avoid an increase in mental health problems. Against this background, there is a need for participatory implementation of health protection measures for the particularly vulnerable group of nursing home residents.