Showing papers by "Mike Nolan published in 2006"

The Senses Framework: improving care for older people through a relationship-centred approach. Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) Report No 2.

Abstract: This document is the author deposited version. You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it. Published version NOLAN, M. R., BROWN, J., DAVIES, S., NOLAN, J. and KEADY, J. (2006). The Senses Framework: improving care for older people through a relationship-centred approach. Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) Report No 2. Project Report. University of Sheffield.

Transitions in care homes: towards relationship‐centred care using the ‘Senses Framework’

Abstract: Long‐term care in general, and care homes in particular, have never enjoyed high status as a place to live and work. This remains the case. In large part this marginalised position is due to the continued failure to value the contribution that care homes make to supporting frail and vulnerable older people. In order to promote a more positive vision of what can be achieved in care homes, this paper argues for the adoption of a relationship‐centred approach to care. The need for such a model is described, and how it might be applied using the ‘Senses Framework’ is considered. It is argued that adopting such a philosophy will provide a clearer sense of therapeutic direction for staff working in care homes, as well as more explicitly recognising the contribution that residents and relatives can make to creating an ‘enriched environment’ of care.

Erfahrungen von pflegenden Angehörigen älterer Menschen in Europa bei der Inanspruchnahme von Unterstützungsleistungen

Abstract: In diesem Beitrag werden ausgewahlte Ergebnisse der EUROFAMCARE-Studie zur Nutzung und Erreichbarkeit unterstutzender Angebote fur pflegende Angehorige prasentiert. Die Untersuchung wurde in sechs europaischen Landern (Deutschland, Griechenland, Italien, Polen, Schweden und Grosbritannien), die unterschiedliche Typen von Wohlfahrtsstaaten reprasentieren, durchgefuhrt. Mit Hilfe eines gemeinsam entwickelten Erhebungsinstrumentes und gemeinsamer Rekrutierungsstrategien wurden in allen sechs Landern jeweils rund 1000 pflegende Angehorige alterer Menschen personlich interviewt. Die dargestellten Ergebnisse zeigen die unterschiedliche Nutzung von Diensten/Angeboten und die Verfugbarkeit von finanziellen Unterstutzungsmoglichkeiten in den verschiedenen Landern. Weiter werden die Erfahrungen der pflegenden Angehorigen, insbesondere hinsichtlich der Kosten von Unterstutzungsleistungen und die grosten Hilfen bzw. Hindernisse bei der Inanspruchnahme, dargestellt. Schlieslich werden die Grunde fur eine Nichtinanspruchnahme bestimmter Unterstutzungsleistungen, als auch fur eine Aufgabe von Unterstutzungsleistungen, die eigentlich noch benotigt werden, aufgezeigt. Insbesondere in den nordeuropaischen Landern zeigt sich einerseits zwar eine hohere Verfugbarkeit von Diensten/Angeboten, die aber andererseits aufgrund ihrer geringe Flexibilitat bei deren Anpassung an die Bedurfnisse der Pflegenden und ihrer betreuten Angehorigen z.T. nicht genutzt werden.

Developing a model of participatory research involving researchers, practitioners, older people and their family carers: An international collaboration

Abstract: The care of frail older people and their family carers present significant challenges for welfare systems throughout the world. In order to address their needs, policy initiatives are promoting partnership working between service users, family carers and providers, whereby the former are increasingly involved in the design and evaluation of services. However, participatory models of working raise fundamental issues about power relations and pose important questions about what constitutes ‘evidence’. Several authors identify tensions between movements such as evidence-based practice and initiatives designed to increase the active participation of service users suggesting that there is a need for a new approach to research that reconciles potentially conflicting goals. This paper describes the evolution of a model of participatory research resulting from a collaboration between Sweden and the United Kingdom, which actively involved older people, family carers, service providers and voluntary organisations. The model is underpinned by constructivist principles that have been adapted by the authors so as to be more intellectually accessible to a non-academic audience. The conceptual basis for the model is described and a case study illustrates how it is applied in practice. It is argued that the approach could be adopted widely as a means of more fully engaging older people, their families and a range of service providers in important debates about future health and social care provision.

Development of the combined assessment of residential environments (CARE) profiles.

Abstract: Aim: This paper reports the development and initial testing of the combined assessment of residential environments (CARE) profiles, which identify the frequency of positive events over a specified time based on the perceptions of residents, relatives and staff in care home settings. Background: Despite the well-known benefits of positive events for subjective well-being, little is known about the nature of positive events experienced by residents, relatives and staff in care homes. There is also a dearth of tools capable of systematically evaluating how frequently these events occur in this context. Methods: The CARE profiles were developed and tested between February 2004 and June 2005 with a combined sample of 372 residents, relatives and staff drawn from 11 care homes. An Event Frequency Approach was adopted to create three questionnaires (residents, relatives and staff), each containing 30 consensually valid positive events. The thematic content of these events was balanced for each questionnaire using the Senses Framework as a theoretical model. Once completed, the CARE profiles were tested in four care homes. Results: Test data from the CARE profiles were used to produce a bar chart showing median frequencies of positive events experienced by residents, relatives and staff during the timeframe in question (e.g. 1 month). These profiles were shown to be internally consistent, with alpha scores ranging from 0·70 to 0·89 for residents, 0·91 to 0·94 for relatives and 0·78 to 0·92 for staff. Conclusion: We envisage that feedback from the CARE profiles will both reinforce good care home practice and identify areas for change based on the experiences of all major stakeholders. However, further development of the profiles is needed if the experiences of cognitively impaired residents are to be included in the assessment process.