Perceptions of primary health care nurses and general practitioners in the care of older people with urinary incontinence.

AIMS: To identify the challenges and opportunities among primary health care nurses and general practitioners (GPs) in the care of older people with urinary incontinence (UI) and other chronic conditions in China. BACKGROUND: UI is highly prevalent among community-dwelling older people with chronic conditions but is underreported and poorly managed. Understanding the factors that affect primary health care professionals' practices in their care for this population is imperative to foster nurse-led UI care services. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study. METHODS: Four focus groups were held with 24 primary health care nurses and GPs in Changsha, Hunan Province, China, between July and September 2021. A reflective thematic analysis was used to identify themes. RESULTS: This study revealed misconceptions regarding older people living with UI and other chronic conditions in primary care health professional participants. Moreover, primary health care nurses had very limited autonomy in UI diagnosis and initiating care interventions for this patient population. By reflecting on practices, participants recognized various practical solutions to improve the detection and management of UI. Participants also identified barriers to accessing care services in older people with UI. They suggested changes in the health care system to achieve universal access to UI care services for older people. CONCLUSION: Nurse-led UI care services in primary health care for community-dwelling older people with chronic conditions are in high demand but are underdeveloped due to professional and health care system factors. IMPACT: Findings from this study provide new insights into challenges faced by primary health care professionals and illuminate practical solutions to address these challenges. REPORTING METHODS: Adherence to COREQ guidelines was maintained. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Perceptions and help-seeking behaviours among community-dwelling older people with urinary incontinence: A systematic integrative review.

AIM: To synthesize research evidence on perceptions and help-seeking behaviours in community-dwelling older people with urinary incontinence based on the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviours model. BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence is highly prevalent in community-dwelling older people, yet only a small proportion seek help from health professionals. Untreated urinary incontinence has a detrimental impact on older people's quality of life and distresses their caregivers. DESIGN: Systematic integrative review. DATA SOURCES: Ten databases were searched systematically between 9 November 2020 and 17 December 2020 including Medline (PubMed), CINAHL, Ageline, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, Psyclnfo, CNKI, Wanfang and Vip. REVIEW METHODS: Quality appraisal was applied to assess the quality of selected articles. Data relevant to the review aim were extracted from included articles for analysis. Convergent qualitative synthesis was used to synthesize findings. RESULTS: Twenty articles were included and two main themes with six sub-themes were identified. Theme one described three common perceptions including urinary incontinence as a part of normal ageing, a stigma and a health problem. Each perception had a profound impact on older people's motivation to self-report the problem to health professionals. Theme two revealed three main help-seeking approaches comprising self-help, help from friends and help from health professionals. Of these, self-help was the dominant approach used to conceal urinary incontinence and contributed to social isolation. CONCLUSION: Improving urinary incontinence management in community-dwelling older people requires the development of their capability and motivation, and increased opportunities to access and gain help from skilled health professionals. IMPACT: Findings can facilitate resource development to improve health literacy for the general public pertinent to urinary incontinence and associated stigma. Moreover, findings can inform a user-friendly reporting and referral system for the problem. In addition, findings can inform education and skill training for health professionals, older people and their caregivers to effectively manage the problem.

Optimising social conditions to improve autonomy in communication and care for ethnic minority residents in nursing homes: A meta-synthesis of qualitative research.

A large proportion of nursing home residents in developed countries come from ethnic minority groups. Unmet care needs and poor quality of care for this resident population have been widely reported. This systematic review aimed to explore social conditions affecting ethnic minority residents' ability to exercise their autonomy in communication and care while in nursing homes. In total, 19 studies were included in the review. Findings revealed that ethno-specific nursing homes create the ideal social condition for residents to express their care needs and preferences in a language of choice. In nonethno-specific nursing homes, staff cultural competence and nursing home commitment to culturally safe care are crucial social conditions that enable this group of residents to fulfil their autonomy in communicating and in participating in their care. In contrast, social conditions that undermine residents' ability to express their care needs and preferences include low levels of staff cultural awareness and cultural desire, negative attitudes towards residents and limited organisational support for staff to improve culturally responsive and culturally safe care. In conclusion, it is important to optimise the social conditions to support ethnic minority residents to communicate their care needs and preferences.

Stakeholders' perspectives on adapting the World Health Organization iSupport for Dementia in Australia.

BACKGROUND: In Australia, informal caregivers (family, friends and neighbours) play a crucial role in supporting people with dementia to remain at home. Within the community aged care policy, informal caregivers are acknowledged as assisting with managing care. However, they usually receive very limited dementia care education and training to support them in their role. The World Health Organization (WHO) developed iSupport for Dementia, a comprehensive online dementia education and skill training programme, to address the gap in supporting informal caregivers. AIM: The aim of the study was to identify stakeholders' perspectives regarding adapting the WHO iSupport for use by informal caregivers of people with dementia in Australia. METHODS: An interpretive description study design was used. Data were collected in focus groups with informal caregivers and care staff of dementia and aged care service providers conducted in May-July 2018. A thematic analysis was utilised to analyse data and identify findings. RESULTS: In total, 16 informal caregivers and 20 care staff participated in the study. Five themes were identified. First, informal caregivers perceived iSupport as an opportunity to provide an online one-stop shop to meet their education needs and their needs to manage care services. Second, both informal caregivers and care staff believed that an integrated caregiver network moderated by a health professional was much needed to enable informal caregivers to share learning experiences and enhance social support. Third, both informal caregivers and care staff strongly suggested that dementia and aged care service providers had a role to play in promoting the iSupport. Fourth, informal caregivers were concerned about the time commitment to participate in the iSupport programme. Finally, informal caregivers expected the iSupport to be user-friendly. CONCLUSION: Stakeholders perceived the adaptation of the WHO iSupport in Australia would strengthen informal caregiver education and optimise support for informal caregivers.

An integrative review: Challenges and opportunities for stroke survivors and caregivers in hospital to home transition care.

AIM: To identify challenges and opportunities for stroke survivors and caregivers in hospital to home transition care. BACKGROUND: Due to shortened hospital stays, stroke survivors and caregivers must take responsibility for complex care on discharge from hospital to home. Gaps exist in the literature that synthesizes studies on hospital to home transition care. DESIGN: A systematic integrated review. DATA SOURCES: Six databases were searched systematically between 18 June 2018 - 31 October 2018 including Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, ProQuest, Scopus and Science Direct. The search did not have a date limit. REVIEW METHODS: Studies that met the selection criteria were critically reviewed. Data were extracted from the studies for analyses. A convergent qualitative synthesis approach using inductive thematic synthesis was applied to the review. RESULTS: The analysis of 23 studies identified three major findings. First, health and social care systems influence transition care by either enabling stroke survivors and caregivers to manage transition care via well-coordinated services or preventing them from accessing services. Second, health professionals' partnership with stroke survivors and caregivers largely decides tailored support for them. Successful partnerships and engagements with stroke survivors and caregivers depend on organizational resources. Third, survivors and caregivers are at different levels of readiness to cope with challenges. Individualized support for them to develop resilience is highly regarded. CONCLUSION: Stroke survivors and caregivers encounter enormous challenges in self-management of hospital to home transition care. Further research is required to address their expectations of support during transition care. IMPACT: There is a lack of synthesis of studies on factors affecting hospital to home transition care for stroke survivors. Health and social care system designs, health professionals' commitment to individualized care and the self-management capability of stroke survivors and their caregivers have a profound influence on the transition care experiences.

Challenges and opportunities for the multicultural aged care workforce: A systematic review and meta-synthesis.

AIMS: To identify (a) the challenges for multicultural aged care teams; (b) the opportunities to facilitate teamwork; and (c) the strategies to assist team members in a multicultural work environment. BACKGROUND: High-income countries have an increasingly culturally diverse aged care workforce. Fostering teamwork in such an environment is challenging. METHODS: This systematic review of qualitative studies followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) meta-aggregation approach. Six databases were searched. Retrieved articles were screened by two reviewers. This review identified 111 findings that were aggregated into 15 categories and five themes. FINDINGS: Aged care workers' awareness of cultural diversity varies, and their knowledge of each other's cultural background is limited. However, cultural skills are demonstrated, contributing to teamwork. Their experience in cross-cultural encounters is broad, and enhanced team cohesion is desired. CONCLUSIONS: The cultural competence of the aged care workforce shapes team building, peer support opportunities and positive cross-cultural experiences. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Recommendations are provided for the adaptation of aged care workers to culturally diverse teams, fostering teamwork to enhance care outcomes for clients. Interventions for improvements in cross-cultural leadership and management, and staff experience of cross-cultural encounters are much needed.

Health professionals' knowledge and attitudes toward older people in primary care in Saudi Arabia.

Previous international studies have indicated that a range of factors influence knowledge and attitudes toward older people were education, past work experiences, and social contact with healthy older people. This article reports on the findings of a literature review in relation to attitudes toward older people among health professionals working in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this narrative literature are reported through 5 themes: the instruments used in the selected studies to measure attitudes toward older people; the instruments used to measure knowledge on ageing; attitudes toward older people; knowledge of the care of older people; and factors that influence knowledge and attitudes toward older people. Further investigation is needed to identify the level of knowledge on ageing, attitudes toward older people, and the factors which affect health professionals' knowledge and attitudes toward older people in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia.

Critical action research applied in clinical placement development in aged care facilities.

The aim of this study was to develop quality clinical placements in residential aged care facilities for undergraduate nursing students undertaking their nursing practicum topics. The proportion of people aged over 65 years is expected to increase steadily from 13% in 2006 to 26% of the total population in Australia in 2051. However, when demand is increasing for a nursing workforce competent in the care of older people, studies have shown that nursing students generally lack interest in working with older people. The lack of exposure of nursing students to quality clinical placements is one of the key factors contributing to this situation. Critical action research built on a partnership between an Australian university and five aged care organisations was utilised. A theoretical framework informed by Habermas' communicative action theory was utilised to guide the action research. Multiple research activities were used to support collaborative critical reflection and inform actions throughout the action research. Clinical placements in eight residential aged care facilities were developed to support 179 nursing students across three year-levels to complete their practicum topics. Findings were presented in three categories described as structures developed to govern clinical placement, learning and teaching in residential aged care facilities.