Effect of Increased Time Spent Outdoors on Individuals with Dementia Residing in Nursing Homes
2013
Outdoor Environments for People with Dementia
Book Section
Author(s): Calkins, M. P., Szmerekovsky, J. G., Biddle, S., Rodiek, S., Schwarz, B.
Added December 2014
Use of Pressure-Redistributing Support Surfaces Among Elderly Hip Fracture Patients Across the Continuum of Care: Adherence to Pressure Ulcer Prevention Guidelines
2010
The Gerontologist
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 50
Pages 253-262
Author(s): Baumgarten, M., Margolis, D., Orwig, D., Hawkes, W., Rich, S., Langenberg, P., Shardell, M., Palmer, M. H., McArdle, P., Sterling, R., Jones, P. S., Magaziner, J.
Added December 2014
Space, Choice and Control, and Quality of Life in Care Settings for Older People
2006
Environment and Behavior
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 38
Pages 589-604
Author(s): Barnes, S.
In Britain, residential care and nursing homes for elderly patients have been subject to changing design regulations over several decades. These regulations take into account the “gradations of space” allotted to patients, meaning the extent to which the buildings themselves provide public, semiprivate, and private spaces for the patients.
Added December 2014
Inpatient suicide and suicide attempts in Veterans Affairs hospitals
2008
Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 34
Pages 482-8
Author(s): Mills, P. D., DeRosier, J. M., Ballot, B. A., Shepherd, M., Bagian, J. P.
Added November 2014
Therapeutic landscapes in holistic medicine
1998
Social Science Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 9
Volume 46
Pages 1193-1203
Author(s): Williams, A.
This study looks at the cross-section between humanism (as applied to holistic medicine) and therapeutic landscapes, and analyzes their impact on health and healing. Therapeutic landscapes are by definition, “changing places, settings, situations, locales and milieus that encompass both the physical and psychological environments associated with treatment or healing.” In simple terms, natural landscapes can play a vital role in the healing of illness. Health programs centered on these ideals are thought to achieve physical, mental, and spiritual healing.
Added November 2014
Physiological effects of Shinrin-Yoku (taking in the atmosphere of the forest)—using salivary cortisol and cerebral activity as indicators
2007
Journal of Physiological Anthropology
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 26
Pages 123-128
Author(s): Park, B.J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Kasetani, T., Hirano, H., Kagawa, T., Sato, M., Miyazaki, Y.
Because humans have lived and adapted to their natural environment for the past 5 million years, it is deduced that humans function most optimally in natural environments such as the forest. It is from this philosophy that the Japanese concept and practice of Shinrin-yoku derived, defined as “making contact with nature and taking in the atmosphere of the forest.”
Added November 2014
Job Satisfaction and Intention to Quit Among Nursing Home Nursing Staff: Do Special Care Units Make a Difference?
2007
Journal of Applied Gerontology
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 26
Pages 95-112
Author(s): Robison, J., Pillemer, K.
Research regarding the impact of special care units (SCUs) on the experience of staff provides a somewhat inconsistent picture. Several studies have examined the effect on staff of working in a facility that has an SCU without including a comparison with staff who work on conventional units. These studies have found generally positive results, including lower turnover among nurses. Despite the promise of SCUs, the degree to which they differ in important outcomes from conventional nursing home care has not been firmly established. Some comparative studies have found no clear differences in resident outcomes for SCUs.
Added November 2014
Hospital design and face-to-face interaction among clinicians: a theoretical model
2009
Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 2
Pages 62-84
Author(s): Rashid, M.
Current research focusing on collaboration between medical professionals has shown the importance of face-to-face interactions on patient and staff outcomes. However, most strategies for increasing these interactions among clinicians have focused on operational changes that are intended to facilitate a cultural change within the organization. This research looks to examine how the physical design of a healthcare facility can create opportunities for face-to-face interactions between clinicians through spatial programs and structure.
Added November 2014
Visiting Outdoor Green Environments Positively Iimpacts Self-Rated Health among Older People In Long-Term Care
2006
HortTechnology
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 16
Pages 55-59
Author(s): Rappe, E., Kivela, S. L., Rita, H.
The restorative effects of nature in enhancing well-being are well documented. Seeing greenery or being in nature reduces stress, promotes attention capacity, and improves mood. Studies of older people living in institutions indicate positive associations between well-being of the residents and closeness of a green environment. Visiting an outdoor green environment is associated with better ability to concentrate and improved mood among the older people living in nursing homes. Plants and garden environments may contribute to psychological and social well-being of older people with dementia, according to nursing staff. Although health-related factors can impact on self-rated health among the older people living in nursing care, results from previous studies indicate that outdoor visits may also have an impact.
Added November 2014
A plasma display window? – the shifting baseline problem in a technologically mediated natural world
2009
Journal of Environmental Psychology
Journal Article
Author(s): Kahn, P. H. Jr., Friedman, B., Brian Gill, Hagman, J., Severson, R. L., Freier, N. G., Feldman, E. N., Carrere, S., Stolyar, A.
The general purpose of this study is to test the physical and psychological effects of experiencing nature through a technology medium. Past research has shown that contact with nature can lead to “enjoyment, satisfaction, and increased levels of satisfaction with one’s home, one’s job, and with life in general” (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989, p. 173). So in an fast-changing world of technology-mediated healthcare, the question posed in this study revolves around whether simulated nature scenes can elicit the same health benefits that real nature has shown to produce.
Added November 2014
New Zealand children’s health camps: therapeutic landscapes meet the contract state
2000
Social Science & Media
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 51
Pages 1047-1059
Author(s): Kearns, R. A., Collins, D. C. A.
New Zealand started to offer children health camps in 1919, responding to the government’s increased interest in the well-being of children. Gesler recognized that the modern healthcare system failed to offer therapeutic landscapes where children could experience both physical and mental healing. It is believed that if children engage more with nature—fresh air, clean water, and beautiful scenery—this can have great healing power. Gesler went on to discover the first children’s health camps, and what started as small, localized projects became a national network of permanent camps supported by the government.
Added November 2014
A neural wayfinding mechanism adjusts for ambiguous landmark information
2010
NeuroImage
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 52
Pages 364-370
Author(s): Janzen, G., Jansen, C.
In order to find their way through their surroundings, people need to adapt to different and changing environments. Objects placed in strategic locations can serve as helpful navigational cues. Using functional magnetic resonance images (fMRI) to monitor brain activity, this study investigates how the brain is able to distinguish and process helpful information from the environment for navigational purposes.
Added November 2014
Conveniently located “napping rooms” provide opportunity for night- and extended-shift providers to rest, leading to less fatigue and better performance.
2008, last updated October 23, 2013
US Department of Health and Human Services; AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) website
Journal Article
Author(s):
Healthcare providers are known for working unacceptably long hours and being chronically sleep deprived. Often, physicians and nurses work 24+ hour shifts, leading to fatigue and avoidable errors that put both caregivers and patients at risk of serious injury or death. Acute and chronic sleep deprivation can mimic the effects of drunkenness.
Added November 2014
Impact of place of residence on relationship between quality of life and cognitive decline in dementia.
2009
Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 23
Pages 395-400
Author(s): Missotten, P., Thomas, P., Squelard, G., Di Notte, D., Fontaine, O., Paquay, L., Ylieff, M.
In patients with dementia and their family members and caregivers, quality of life (QOL) is an important parameter; much attention is given to its improvement. However, the theory of improved QOL at home compared with that at institutional residences for dementia patients has not been tested by a comparison of two groups of people according to their place of residence. Furthermore, there are few studies of populations of people with dementia, living at home or in an institution, distributed across all different stages of cognitive decline.
Added November 2014
An epidemiological study of falls on integrated general medical wards.
2000
International Journal of Clinical Practice
Journal Article
Issue 10
Volume 54
Pages 654-657
Author(s): Vassallo, M., Azeem, T., Pirwani, M. F., Sharma, J. C., Allen, S. C.
Inpatient falls are common and may result in serious physical and psychological morbidity. In hospitals, quality of care is important for healthcare workers, patients, and their relatives. Falls and accidents are therefore an important risk management issue.
Added November 2014
Heights of occupied patient beds: a possible risk factor for inpatient falls.
2008
Journal of Clinical Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 11
Volume 17
Pages 1503-1509
Author(s): Tzeng, H. M., Yin, C. Y.
The height of occupied patient beds can be an overlooked contributor to inpatient falls. Hospital bed frames are still eight–12 inches higher than those of home bedframes. The difference in heights may contribute to inpatient falls related to getting in and out of bed and to the severity of fall-related injuries. Better physical design of hospital equipment such as patient beds may reduce patient falls and injuries.
Added November 2014
Are call light use and response time correlated with inpatient falls and inpatient dissatisfaction?
2009
Journal of Nursing Care Quality
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 24
Pages 232-242
Author(s): Tzeng, H. M., Yin, C. Y.
Inpatients use call lights to seek nurses’ assistance. Although implied in patient safety, no studies have analyzed data related to the use of or response time to call lights collected by existing tracking mechanisms monitoring nursing practice.
Added November 2014
Pediatric inpatient falls and injuries: a descriptive analysis of risk factors.
2012
Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 17
Pages 10-18
Author(s): Schaffer, P. L., Daraiseh, N. M., Daum, L., Mendez, E., Lin, L., Huth, M. M.
Falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injuries treated in emergency departments in the United States. Children’s falls have the potential for injury and other negative patient outcomes (e.g., increased length of hospital stay and increased costs). To prevent these fall occurrences and injury outcomes, a comprehensive assessment of the factors surrounding falls in hospitalized children is essential to developing best-practice interventions.
Added November 2014
Patient falls: An outcome indicator.
1991
Journal of Nursing Care Quality
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 6
Pages 25-29
Author(s): Ruckstuhl, M. C., Marchionda, E. E., Salmons, J., Larrabee, J. H.
While a patient is in the hospital, that institution is responsible for his or her well-being. Patient falls are detrimental to patient safety and frequently represent the largest category of incident reports submitted to risk management. Thus, hospitals today are strongly motivated to reduce patient falls because quality care is of utmost importance to both the patient and the institution. However, today's climate of cost containment and litigious actions provides additional incentives for assuring quality of care by preventing patient falls.
Added November 2014
Effectiveness of installing overhead ceiling lifts: Reducing musculoskeletal injuries in an extended care hospital unit.
2002
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Journal
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 50
Pages 120-127
Author(s): Ronald, L. A., Yassi, A., Spiegel, J., Tate, R. B., Tait, D., Mozel, M. R.
High rate of musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) among healthcare workers is well documented. Lifetime prevalence rates of back pain greater than 70 percent have been reported and higher incidence rates of MSI have been observed in healthcare workers compared to the general population and two other occupation groups. Mechanical lifting equipment has been recommended as an effective tool for decreasing the rate and severity of MSI in healthcare workers.
Added November 2014