Promoting activity and mobility in long-term care environments: A photo-elicitation study with older adults and nurses.

AIM(S): The aim of this research study is to collaboratively generate insights in the current institutional long-term care environment for activity and mobility of older adults, and of solutions that could be used to increase the activity and improve the mobility of the older adults. DESIGN: This research constitutes a qualitative study with a critical approach. METHODS: Data were collected using photo-elicitation in four long-term care units in Finland during the spring of 2022. Older adults participated in individual data collection sessions which combined photographing and discussion. Staff members individually took photographs and later participated in a group discussion based on the photographs. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse all data together. RESULTS: Ten older adults and 12 staff members participated in the research study. Four themes were identified: (1) facilities should be designed and equipped for their users, (2) moving in the institutional environment, (3) passivity as a norm, and (4) nurses should act differently and have the resources to do so. CONCLUSION: To increase the activity and improve the mobility of older adults, improvements are needed in terms of the design of facilities, opportunities for freedom of movement, outdoor activity, daily life activities, exercise, nurses' role in activating older adults and resources. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Increased attention to the support of activity and mobility could benefit older adults in institutional long-term care. Physical activity promotion should be incorporated as an integral part of nursing practice. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Directors of units were consulted when planning the study. Older adults and nurses contributed to the data collection and interpretation of data. IMPACT: (ADDRESSING): What problem did the study address? ○Older adults have recurrently been reported as living inactive lives in institutional long-term care. ○There is evidence of the relationship between the environment and the activity and mobility of older adults, but there seems to be a research-practice gap in terms of implementing activity- and mobility-promoting environments. ○Older adults and staff members are important in developing practice and change-oriented knowledge that can be used to increase the activity and improve the mobility of older adults in institutional long-term care. What were the main findings? ○Various environmental improvements are recommended to increase the activity and improve the mobility of older adults in institutional long-term care settings. ○Improvements for the design of facilities, opportunities for freedom of movement, outdoor activity, daily life activities, exercise, nurses' role in activating older adults and resources for activity support would benefit older adults' activity and mobility. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? ○Increasing the activity of older adults requires better activity promotion and mobility support by nurses in institutional care. Sufficient education and resources should be organized for activity promotion, in addition to a care and organizational culture that values activity. ○Environmental aspects to promote activity and mobility need to be considered already at the planning, building and renovating phases of facilities. ○Policymakers and care organizers should consider evidence of the harms and benefits of different institutional living environments when making decisions on organizing care. REPORTING METHOD: The study is reported using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).

Physical, social, and symbolic environment related to physical activity of older individuals in long-term care: A mixed-method systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Being active in old age is vital for health and well-being. Inactivity decreases functional ability, mobility, and increases care dependence and risk of falling. Worryingly, older individuals in long-term care settings spend most of their waking day sitting or lying down. The environment should be of special interest considering active life in long-term care. This review aimed to synthesize evidence and provide a comprehensive understanding of the environmental aspects related to the physical activity of older individuals in long-term care settings. METHODS: A mixed-method systematic review, registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021251899; May 30th, 2021) was conducted using four international scientific databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane, PsychInfo). The searches were conducted from the earliest possible date till Dec 31st, 2020. All empirical peer-reviewed studies published in the English language in scientific journals were included if they had investigated environmental aspects (physical, social, and/or symbolic) in relation to the physical activity of older individuals in long-term care facilities providing full-time care. Critical appraisal was conducted using Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal tools, and the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool. Abductive thematic analysis and a conceptual map were used to synthesize the evidence. RESULTS: Altogether 838 original articles were assessed for eligibility, resulting in 30 included studies. No studies were excluded based on quality. The mean age of residents was over 75 when reported. Their cognitive and physical functioning varied. The most frequent setting was nursing home. Three themes and corresponding descriptive themes were formulated, including 1) Physical environment: accessible and safe living environment, activating physical environment, 2) Social environment: supportive professionals, the role of other people, adequate activities to socialize and be active, and 3) Symbolic environment: policy at multiple levels, values of organizations and professionals. Different environmental aspects within and between the dimensions of the physical, social, and symbolic environment were related to each other. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive synthesis of current evidence was provided and may be used for the assessment and development of long-term care settings. However, some aspects may have been missed because they have been addressed with terminology not identified with the word environment or similar concepts. As increasing activity may require actions in multiple dimensions, experimental research should be conducted to develop and test the effects of widescale modifications to existing environments from the needs of residents and fitting for each context. The evidence should be used for the design of new facilities. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: New mixed methods systematic review develops a concept map of environmental aspects influencing the physical activity of older individuals in long-term care.

Environment in institutional care settings as a promoting factor for older individuals' mobility: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Mobility is important for health and well-being; however, older individuals in institutional care settings are relatively sedentary. The environment has an increased influence on mobility in older age due to changes in individual functioning; thus, environmental mobility support solutions for this population are needed. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review was to identify elements of the environment that have been used in the content and delivery of interventions to promote mobility and to assess the effects of these interventions on mobility outcomes. DESIGN: A systematic literature search was conducted using CINAHL and MEDLINE from the earliest date through 30 September 2020 for randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental and pre-post design studies. Inclusion and critical appraisal of articles were conducted by two independent researchers. Data were extracted and synthesised. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Studies were included if they had employed some element of the environment in the content and/or delivery of the intervention and had assessed mobility-related outcomes of older individuals in institutional long-term care settings providing full-time care. MEASURES: Studies were included if they reported data on mobility-related outcomes including aspects of physical activity, physical function, life space and functional autonomy. RESULTS: Eight studies were included. Physical, social and symbolic elements of the environment were utilised in the interventions. Positive effects on mobility outcomes were reported in exercise interventions utilising environmental elements mostly as supportive components. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Empirical evidence about effective mobility interventions employing elements of the environment as main intervention components is lacking. A serious dilemma exists about the need for older individuals' independence and mobile/active late life and the lack of support for such initiatives in long-term care. Given the emphasised relationship of the environment and mobility with age due to changes in functioning, environmental solutions require further examination.