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Faced with the severe situation of global population aging, smart elderly care services have become an effective way to solve the dilemma of elderly care. In recent years, the Chinese government has frequently issued policies to promote the rapid development of smart elderly care service. This paper constructs a three-dimensional analysis framework of "policy objectivepolicy tool-value chain" and uses content analysis method, which is a structured research method that analyzes the content of text, to analyze 126 policies at the national level of China's Smart elderly care service from 2012 to 2022. Through the quantitative statistical analysis, this study finds that the distribution of policy objectives is uneven, the structure of policy tools is imbalanced, the support strength of each link of the value chains is different, and the cross-fitting effect of dimensions is insufficient. In the future, pay attention to the balanced development of the needs of the elderly; Promote the complementarity of various policy tools; Strengthen the systematization of all links of the value chains; Improve the fitting effect between policy objectives, policy tools and value chains, and strive to improve the weak points of each combination model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing nutritional status in older people is essential to screen for malnutrition and identify the individuals requiring nutritional intervention for a better quality of life and longer life expectancy. This review aimed to investigate malnutrition and the role of nutritional assessment tools among older people in Malaysia. We systematically reviewed the publications from 2000 to 2019 using PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus databases, recovering 15 original articles published until January 2022. This systematic review was conducted from May to September 2022. Two reviewers were involved in the process of the selection of articles and data extraction. Only research papers on malnutrition among older people in institutionalized settings in Malaysia were included. Four articles related to malnutrition in older people in old folk homes in Malaysia were included in this review. The tools with the most significant evidence were Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and Nutritional Health Checklist (NHC) in residential care for the elderly. It was found that the incidence of malnutrition among the elderly in old folk homes in Malaysia ranged from 12.3% to 17.4%. Meanwhile, 40.4% to 57.7% of the population are documented to be at risk of malnutrition. NA and DETERMINE NHC were found to be most suitable for use in residential care due to their high sensitivity and specificity. A subsequent study is proposed to build and implement a scoring system to rate screening tools based on the validity, suitability, and practicability of the tools to help with malnutrition screening research and clinical practice in Malaysia and internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult children with siblings can share caring for older parents but adult only children face this responsibility alone. Given increased longevity and reliance on informal care-giving, as well as an increase in one-child families, there is a need to investigate only children's care-giving further. Using data from three large-scale British birth cohorts, this paper investigates patterns of parent-care, care intensity and wellbeing at ages 38 and 42 (N = 17,255, N = 16,703; born 1970), 50 and 55 (N = 12,775, N = 11,339; born 1958) and 63 (N = 2,364; born 1946), how sibling composition intersects with gender in relation to care-giving and whether different care-giving patterns are associated with wellbeing. Only children are more likely to provide parent-care and the pattern is consistent with an interpretation that differences by sibling status might increase with age. Provision is gendered, and the sibling group composition matters for involvement. Although care-giving is related to wellbeing, we found no evidence that this differs between only children and those with siblings. The literature on only children has hitherto focused largely on childhood, suggesting that on some outcomes they benefit from a concentration of parental resources. Our results suggest that in middle adulthood parental care needs may instead be concentrated for the only child without the 'resource' of siblings. This indicates a need to develop further our understanding of this growing demographic subgroup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of dependent older people in England, as elsewhere, is projected to rise substantially, while the number of unpaid carers is not projected to rise by an equivalent amount. Barriers to people caring for older relatives have been theorised, however, there is a lack of understanding of attitudes to providing care in the future among people who are not currently carers. This paper presents qualitative analysis of interviews with 20 people in middle age about their willingness to care for older relatives in the future. Interviewees were asked their general views about who should provide care, then to consider future scenarios in which a close relative developed care needs. Willingness to care was influenced by beliefs about reciprocity, love and identity, beliefs about who was likely to provide the best quality and most appropriate care, and beliefs about how difficult caring would be. Older relatives' care preferences were a key consideration. While some interviewees felt the best care would always be provided by family, others considered that professional skills were needed. Interviewees saw important roles for easily accessible information and advice, sharing care, including respite care, and financial support, in making it easier to provide care. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown had highlighted relevant issues for interviewees, which are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As mobility in the elderly declines, dependence on care increases, and that care involves preventing pressure ulcers (PUs). PUs may become colonized with methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus, causing cross-infection problems and leading to sepsis and death. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this paper was to examine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus in residents with PUs and consider regulations. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 80 records of residents aged ≥65 years from eight residential aged care facilities (RACFs) in Australia was undertaken. Records were reviewed for sex, age at death, source of admission, Stage of PU, and colonization with methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Results: A third of residents, 34% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25%-44%, 27/80), had PUs in the last week of life. Of residents admitted from hospital 13% (95% CI 9%-32%, 7/40) had PUs. Most (63%, 95% CI 44-78%, 17/27) residents with a PU had been admitted from hospital, and most PUs (78%, 95% CI 59-89%, 21/27) were open wounds, Stages 2-4. Half of all residents with a PU (48%, 95% CI 30-67%, 13/27) were colonized with methicillin-resistant S. aureus, and a third of residents with Stages 2-4 PUs (31%, 95% CI 13-58%, 4/13) were colonized with methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Conclusion: Nearly half of all PUs were colonized with methicillin-resistant S. aureus, suggesting PUs may be a reservoir for methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Regulations that could reduce PUs in RACFs "an air mattress appropriate to each care recipient's condition" are not being utilized. If PUs were prevented, reservoirs for methicillin-resistant S. aureus would be eradicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides information on a comparison of elderly care systems in two regions in Indonesia with different ethnicities and cultures, namely the Minangkabau in West Sumatra and the Abui of Alor. This article shows how the saparuik kinship in the Minangkabau community which is matrilineal with different customary constellations and how the patrilineal moknehi kinship in the Abui community takes care of elderly women. This paper explains the influence of caregivers' life journey on their burdens of life. The burden of life perceived by caregivers arises from various factors. Among the various influencing factors are emotions, economy, knowledge, kinship and the right to manage inheritance. Kinship is a form of reciprocal relationship between various elements in both Minangkabau and Abui societies. In the Minangkabau ethnic group, the smallest kinship system in society is called saparuik kinship (Minang language), while the smallest kinship system in Abui is called moknehi (Abui language) which means "brother". Paruik can be interpreted as "stomach". While the word moknehi, which has variants in Abui such as muknehi, mokneng and motneng, likely derives from words moku "child" and neng "male", whose meaning is equivalent to "brother, sibling". Literally, saparuik are people who come from the same stomach or mother, while moknehi refers to people who come from the same mother and or father. People who are in saparuik are people who come from the same grandmother, while moknehi are male brothers who come from the same grandfather, who then develop into several extended families. Both extended families in paruik or moknehi consist of several nuclear families. Likewise, saparuik and moknehi consist of several extended families. The extended family in saparuik is formed in one grandmother (not a literal grandmother, the grandmother in this case is the mother of the grandmother or the grandmother of the grandmother), in one "rumah gadang", and sharing inheritance. Otherwise, moknehi are not only formed in one grandfather, but also male great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather (male great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather in this case are father of grandfather and grandfather of grandfather), in one clan, and sharing inheritance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES AND IMPORTANCE OF STUDY The objective of this systematic review of the literature was to examine the evidence relating to consumer-directed care (CDC) in the aged care environment. CDC entails providing individuals with the option of choice and flexibility in their care, to empower aged care recipients with autonomous decisions over their healthcare choices. Additionally, the researchers found evidence relating to the vulnerability of users of aged care services and the lack of understanding towards a true consumer-oriented approach which was highlighted during the Royal Commission into Aged Care Safety and Quality. STUDY TYPE AND METHOD The research team used the PRISMA Method to review the available literature systematically. This qualitative review of the literature on consumer choice in the aged and social care sectors assessed sixteen high-quality research papers and identified themes that emerged to promote authentic consumer voice in aged care services. These articles provided insight into what aged care providers require to increase transparency and facilitate effective, meaningful consumer choice. RESULTS Six themes emerged from the literature reviewed: Informed Choice, See Me Hear Me, Funding My Choices, My Choice My Way, Policy, and Know Me, Include Me. The authors found significant challenges to authentic consumer voice in terms of reliable information, complex, inflexible service provision, and a trusted and skilled carer workforce. CONCLUSION Authentic consumer choice requires collaboratively designed care plans with consumers, integrating their care-related preferences and values. Providers who have embraced CDC principles, and innovative practices have enhanced person-centred care, and consumer experience and autonomy. Cultivating inclusive, transparent, and collaborative environments to empower older Australians to shape and control their care provision and wellbeing is a key challenge for providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aged care management roles have evolved over the last decade from a focus on clinical skills to encompassing governance, business, facilities and service management skills. The role requirements have changed in response to the 2021 Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety findings [1], which were echoed in the 2022 NSW Parliamentary Committee report into health outcomes and access to health and hospital services in rural, regional and remote NSW [2]. Both reports identified workforce issues impacting on the management of aged care services and a need to improve governance, financial management, and service management. The reports indicated the breadth of the contemporary aged care manager role, the skill gap between traditional clinician-managers, and possibilities for appropriately trained non-clinical health services managers. Recruiting and retaining skilled aged care managers is a critical issue facing a sector that was already experiencing significant 'churn' prior to the burnout associated with the COVID-19 pandemic [3]. This paper, informed by a marketorientated job skill valuation approach [4], reviewed 100 consecutive aged care management position descriptions advertised on public media between October and December 2020. Content analysis of each position description was conducted to identify key competencies, specific ski lls, experiences, and personal attributes required of managers of aged care services in Australia. Our study identified five main themes relating to aged care manager competencies: (i) interpersonal communication, (ii) organisational and time management, (iii) quality improvement, (iv) business development, and (v) leadership and human resources. These competencies are congruent with the revised Australasian College of Health Service Management competency domains and action competencies [5]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Older people living in nursing homes have complex care needs and frequently need specialists' advice and support that can be challenging to deliver in a rural setting. The aim of this paper is to describe a model of integrated care in a rural area supported by a nurse case manager. Design/methodology/approach: A real-world evidence study of people living in Ribes de Freser nursing home, was conducted between specific timeframes in 2019 and 2022, comparing the casemix and outcomes of a traditional care model with the integrated interdisciplinary model. Findings: The integrated care model led to a significant reduction in transfers to the emergency department, hospitalisations, outpatient medical visits and a reduction in the number of medicines. In addition, the number of residents receiving end-of-life care at the nursing home showed a substantial increase. Originality/value: This case study contributes valuable evidence supporting the implementation of an integrated model of nurse case manager support in nursing homes, particularly in the rural contexts, where access to specialist medical staff may be limited. The findings highlight the potential benefits of person-centred integrated care for older adults, addressing their complex needs and improving end-of-life care in nursing home settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper reviews the literature on migrants in elderly care regarding their involvement in the host country's labour market. The study aimed to find the most commonly used research methods and what topics are popular when studying this phenomenon. It is needed because of the ageing of the population, particularly in Europe, and the growing interest in employing migrants in senior care. Design/methodology/approach: Fifty-seven articles selected from Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases were analysed. I took only articles published in English into account. They were selected based on an analysis of abstracts. The MAXQDA software was used. Findings: The literature review showed that there are three main themes concerning migrants in senior care: labour market and institutional aspects, qualification aspects, and individual aspects. Very little is known about the long-term impacts of using migrant workers in elderly care, including how it may affect the local community. We know too little on the impact of migration restriction and immigration policies on the elderly care workforce. There is a gap in knowledge in relation to economic aspects of migrant work in elderly care. Research limitations/implications: The literature review has limitations. First, there may be a lack of consistency in the methods and outcomes reported across studies, making it difficult to compare and synthesize the findings. Secondly, it’s time-limited and does not include the most recent studies, which can lead to an incomplete picture of the current state of research. Thirdly, the findings of literature reviews are not generalizable to other populations or contexts. Because policies towards migrants in elderly care vary from country to country. Originality/value: The literature review showed that there is a gap in knowledge, especially about economic aspects of migrant work in elderly care, regarding the presence of migrants in senior care in Central and East European Countries (CEE). The recommendation for future research is to look at how migrant workers in elderly care interact with local labour markets and to what extent they meet the demand for care work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the great confidence of Western governments in the principles of New Public Management (NPM) and its ability to stimulate "healthcare entrepreneurship", it is unclear how policies seeking to reform healthcare services provoke such entrepreneurship in individual institutions providing long-term healthcare. This study examines such situated responses in a Dutch nursing home for elderly people suffering from dementias such as Alzheimer's disease. Methods: A four-year inductive longitudinal single-case study has been conducted. During this time period, the Dutch government imposed various NPM-based healthcare reforms and this study examines how local responses unfolded in the nursing home. Through interviews conducted with managers, administrators and supporting staff, as well as the examination of a large volume of government instructions and internal documents, the paper documents how these reforms resulted in several types of entrepreneurship, which were not all conducive to the healthcare innovations the government aspired to have. Results: The study records three subsequent strategies deployed at the local level: elimination of healthcare services; non-healthcare related collaboration with neighboring institutions; and specialization in specific healthcare niches. These strategies were brought about by specific types of entrepreneurship – two of which were oriented towards the administrative organization rather than healthcare innovations. The study discusses the implications of having multiple variations of entrepreneurship at the local level. Conclusion: Governmental policies for healthcare reforms may be more effective, if policymakers change output-based funding systems in recognition of the limited control by providers of long-term healthcare over the progression of clients' mental disease and ultimate passing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we examine how the use of robots in caring for elders can impact the meaningfulness of elders' lives. We present a framework for understanding 'meaningfulness in life', and then apply that framework in discussing ways in which the use of robots to assist in activities of daily living can preserve, enhance or undermine the meaningfulness of elders' lives. We conclude with a discussion of if and how having false beliefs about companion robots can affect meaningfulness in the life of the person having those false beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of developed and developing countries globally is steadily increasing due to the advanced development in various fields. Nevertheless, the development of a country can cause the nation to face an ageing population with a sizeable older adult population due to demographic changes. The changes in the overall demographics have resulted in shifting the role of providing support and care for older adults to the local community. The significant population of older adults and higher demand for older adults' support and care have caused the shift in caring for them. Hence, this study aimed to investigate community support for senior citizens in this country through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of previous research papers. This study utilised the SLR method according to the publication standard of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) by reviewing various research and survey designs. The findings from 14 articles highlighted the forms of community support and the role of the community towards older adults. This literature analysis is critical and valuable for future research to understand the relationship between support for older adults and the well-being of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A person's health status is one of the strongest determinants of well-being. The negative impact of poor health on subjective well-being may be moderated by providing care to individuals in need. In this paper, we investigate the relationships between receiving informal care and the amount of care received and subjective well-being among people aged 65 or older in selected European countries. Our analysis of data from the 6th wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) showed that receiving regular informal care was associated with higher subjective well-being among older people in Northern European countries, and with lower subjective well-being among older males in Southern European countries. Moreover, we found that the perception of the amount of help received affected the subjective well-being of older people, as those who reported that the support they received was either insufficient or met their needs had lower subjective well-being than those who were not in need of care. Our results also showed that receiving formal care was negatively related with subjective well-being among older adults in Northern Europe and Central and Eastern Europe. In the context of population ageing and the growing need for care, social policies that support both sides of the caregiving relationship could enhance subjective quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

That older people should be consumers and active agents has dominated policy discourse across health, social care and housing that has a core care function. This discourse has some established and long-standing critics, such as Gilleard and Higgs, and yet the central question(s) a consumerist discourse raises remains surprisingly relevant today. The purpose of this forum article is to reconsider the viability of active agency amongst older people in the context of empirical research on information-giving across health, social care and housing that has been published since the paper by Gilleard and Higgs in 1998. Information-giving is the key consumer choice mechanism, and yet research is currently located in separate literatures. Giving these separate fields some coherence engages with and provides important empirical commentary. There is little or no evidence that information alone triggers active agency for older people in regard to their health, social care or housing. However, there is consistent evidence that discussion, deliberation and dialogue – or the practices associated with Habermas' theory of communicative action – are desirable to older people in the context of active agency. More research is needed to demonstrate efficacy beyond communicative approaches being desirable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Given the globally ageing population, care homes have an important role in delivering palliative and end-of-life care. Advance care planning (ACP) is promoted to improve the quality of end-of-life care in this setting. While many professionals can be involved in ACP, little is known about what influences multi-professional involvement and how multi-professional working impacts the ACP process in the UK. This study investigated multi-professional practice in relation to ACP in nursing homes. Design and methods An ethnography was undertaken in two UK nursing homes using multiple methods of data collection: observations, interviews and document review. Participants included the following: nursing home residents (n  = 6), relatives (n  = 4), nursing home staff (n  = 19), and visiting health and social care professionals (n  = 7). Analysis integrated thematic analysis, mapping of resident ACP trajectories and documentary analysis. Findings This paper suggests that multi-professional and relatives' involvement in ACP was disjointed. Continuity and coordination were disrupted by misalignment of visiting professional and nursing home organisational structures. Findings show a 'knotworking' approach to teamwork and power imbalance between nursing home staff and visiting professionals, such as general practitioners. While residents wished their relatives to be involved in their ACP, this was not formally recognised, and limited support existed to facilitate their involvement. Conclusion The structure and organisation of multi-professional and relatives' involvement in ACP led to fragmentation of the process. This marginalised the voice of both the resident and nursing home staff, thereby limiting ACP as a tool to enhance quality of end-of-life care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of an ever-increasing wave of an aging population, this paper provides an update on the current status of geriatric medicine in Korea, comparing it with global initiatives and suggesting future directions. Older adults require a multifaceted approach, addressing not only comorbidity management but also unmet complex medical needs, nutrition, and exercise to prevent functional decline. In this regard, the World Health Organization's Integrated Care for Older People guidelines underscore the importance of patient-centered primary care in preventing a decline in intrinsic capacity. Despite these societal needs and the ongoing aging process, the healthcare system in Korea has yet to show significant movement or a shift toward geriatric medicine, further complicated by the absence of a primary care system. We further explore global efforts in establishing age-integrative patient-centered medical systems in Singapore, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Additionally, we review the unmet needs and social issues that Korean society is currently facing, and local efforts by both government and a private tertiary hospital in Korea. In conclusion, considering the current situation, we propose that the framework of geriatric medicine should form the foundation of the future healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Unexpected lucidity is a phenomenon of scientific, clinical, and psychological relevance to health professionals, to those who experience it, and their relatives. This paper describes qualitative methods used to develop an informant-based measure of lucidity episodes. The approach was refinement of the operationalization of the construct; review of seminal items, modification, and purification; and confirmation of the feasibility of reporting methodology. Modified focus groups were conducted with 20 staff and 10 family members using a web-based survey. Themes included reaction when hearing the term; words that come to mind; description of and first reaction to referenced or observed 'lucidity' events. Semi-structured cognitive interviews were conducted with 10 health professionals working with older adults with cognitive impairment. Data were extracted from Qualtrics or Microsoft 365 Word® for analysis using NVivo. Conceptual issues, as well as issues regarding comprehension, interpretation, clarity, semantics, and standardization of definitions derived from an external advisory board, focus groups and cognitive interviews informed items' modification, and resulted in the final lucidity measure. An obstacle to understanding the mechanisms and estimating the prevalence of lucid events among individuals with dementia and other neurological conditions is the scarcity of reliable and valid measures. The substantive and varied data gathered from multiple methods including the collaborative work of an External Advisory Board, modified focus groups with staff and family caregivers, and structured cognitive interviews with health professionals were central in creating the revised version of the lucidity measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the post-COVID-19 era of green economic recovery, this paper analyses the elderly care environment of cities in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region and investigates the future development direction of the elderly care industry based on comparative advantages and resource endowment. Firstly, an evaluation index system of the elderly care environment is constructed, then the entropy weight method is used to calculate the weight, and finally the comprehensive evaluation index of the elderly care environment in each city is obtained by weighted calculation. The development directions of the elderly care industry for each city in the YRD region are proposed based on the results. The study shows that the suitable development direction of the elderly care industry differs among cities. Cities suitable for residential elderly care are mainly distributed in the central and western regions, cities fit for the leisure and tourism of elderly care are mainly located in the southeast, and cities suitable for the treatment and rehabilitation of elderly care are mainly provincial capitals and cities with better economic development levels. Additionally, Wenzhou City in Zhejiang Province is eligible for the development of a comprehensive elderly care industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the number of the elderly population and the population dependency ratio increase year by year, the issue of old-age care has become the focus. However, due to the shortage of carers and the large-scale and expensive auxiliary equipment for the elderly, it is difficult to give thoughtful care to all the elderly. In view of the above background, this paper designs a set of intelligent nursing system for the elderly based on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, which mainly includes sensor terminals and AI processing algorithms. Among them, the sensor terminal mainly includes two parts: video monitoring and human biological signal monitoring. For video surveillance signals, this paper uses scene event detection algorithm to detect abnormal events, so as to automatically perceive possible unexpected situations. For human biological signals, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse, the abnormal detection is carried out through data analysis and comparison with the normal index range. So, the possible problems in the physical state of the elderly can be judged in time. Through more comprehensive state monitoring and reliable algorithm processing, the system can effectively solve many hidden dangers in the current elderly care and provide a feasible solution for smart nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotic pets (RPs) are being increasingly used with older adults to address behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and as a companion in aged care facilities. Main benefits include increased well-being and better social interactions. To date, little is known about the use of RPs by healthy older adults outside institutional settings. The aim of this paper is to map the research about the use of RPs in community-dwelling healthy older adults considering the users' perspectives. A scoping review was performed using four databases (Academic Search Complete, Web of Science, PubMed, and SCOPUS), searching for papers published until May 2021. A final selection of ten documents was submitted to thematic analysis. The participants in the studies were all potential users (not actual users, since RPs were still in development). Main findings point to three themes concerning the main expected characteristics of RPs from the perspective of community-dwelling healthy older adults: (i) like reals pets, but with less maintenance; (ii) performing multiple functions, with customizability; (iii) facilitators of interactions without promoting social stigma. Community-dwelling older adults seem open to use a RP as long as it promotes their well-being without facilitating ageism. More research is needed regarding the ethics of using robotics companion pets and comprising a person-centered approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there is an increasingly serious phenomenon of rural aging and mutual support for the aged in China. Taking this as the background and opportunity, this paper discusses the feasibility and realization path of the further development of the rural mutual support model based on the results of the field investigation of the mutual support network, including the study of mutual support relationship and spatial network. This paper proposes to analyze the internal mechanism by sorting out the internal driving forces and potential resources of mutual assistance and to construct a framework of rural elderly support system that meets the requirements of the mutual care model for the elderly from the three dimensions of operation, function, and space. It provides a development idea for the study of the elderly support system in the same type of rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the elderly enter the old age, their physical functions gradually decline; their physical strength, vision, and hearing are weakened; and their self-care ability gradually decreases with the increase of age. At the same time, it is accompanied by different degrees of anxiety and psychological problems. The rapid development of virtual reality technology in recent years provides a way to solve this problem, and high-performance computer and processing technology are the keys to directly affect the performance of the system. The existing research is more about the material and spiritual life of the elderly, but the research on their psychological status is relatively insufficient. From the perspective of mental health, this study makes a comprehensive and objective empirical study on the psychological status of family elderly. Based on virtual reality (VR), by extracting heart rate variability (HRV) features from the elderly, this paper establishes a model to identify the psychological pressure of family elderly, which solves the problem that the elderly have adverse effects on their body, mind, and life due to long-term psychological pressure. The paper analyzes the accuracy of KNN, CNN, and RFC models in identifying three psychological stress states: relaxation and low-pressure state, relaxation and medium-pressure state, and relaxation and high-pressure state. When the pressure is higher, the accuracy of the three models will be better than that of the lower pressure state. Under high pressure, the accuracy of CNN and RFC is close, but RFC is slightly better than CNN, and the accuracy of RFC model is as high as 95.02%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the historical staffing patterns and organisational characteristics of Australian residential aged care facilities (RACFs) against the new minimum staffing standards recommended by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (RCACQS). Method: Retrospective data analysis was used to compare the staffing levels and characteristics of 1705 RACFs (for 4 years, 2016–19) with the three new mandatory staffing requirements. De-identified datasets were provided by the RCACQS, obtained under its legal authority. Results: Only 3.8% of RACFs have staffing levels at or above all three requirements. Although many (79.7%) already meet the requirement to have a registered nurse (RN) on-site for morning and afternoon shifts, few have staffing levels above requirements for total direct care per resident per day (10.4%) or care provided by an RN per resident per day (11.1%). Historical levels of on-site RNs, total direct care, and RN care vary significantly across facilities of different size, location and provider scale. Conclusion: The new staffing standards, to be mandatory by 2023, prescribe minimum requirements significantly higher than existing levels, particularly in care per resident per day. Each of the three requirements will likely have a differential effect for different types of RACFs. What is known about the topic?: International evidence suggests that introducing mandatory minimum staffing standards tends to increase the amount of care provided by staff in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). However, the impact of staffing standards is influenced by the stringency of the minimum threshold relative to existing staffing levels, the capacity of organisations to increase their staffing levels, and the specific way the regulation is formulated. What does this paper add?: This paper explores the potential implications of the three national minimum staffing standards, to be in force by October 2023, specifying total direct care, care received by a registered nurse (RN), and an RN on-site. By examining the existing staffing levels of Australian RACFs, it identifies the extent to which facilities already meet the new standards and the characteristics of facilities with staffing levels above and below the three requirements (individually and in combination). What are the implications for practitioners?: The study informs both policy and practice in relation to the likely effects of implementing the national minimum staffing standards for residential aged care in Australia. It demonstrates that the new minimum thresholds are likely to require substantial increases in staffing across the sector, both in terms of all direct care workers and RNs. It also shows that the three requirements are likely to have a differential effect for RACFs of different size, location and chain affiliation, thereby guiding policy about the future needs for Australia's aged care workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The need for residential care services will grow significantly over the coming years as the general population in Australia continues to age. The aim of this study was to assess the adequacy of residential care services across New South Wales (NSW), Australia, in relation to the current and predicted future aging population. Method: This study was a secondary data analysis. Existing datasets were compiled for analysis by creation of a temporal geodatabase, with predicted population data from 2019 to 2029 linked to corresponding geographic zones. Results: Demand for operational places was over capacity in 2019, at 101.5%. From 2019 to 2029, this will grow to 120.2% of 2019 capacity by 2024 and to 135.6% by 2029. An additional 25 800 operational places will be required by 2029 to meet targets. During the previous decade of 2008–18, operational places grew by only 11 502 places. Conclusions: NSW was not providing an adequate level of residential aged care and, under current allocations, this problem will worsen substantially over time, with flow-on impacts for the health sector. With aged care reform a current federal government focus, the results of this study may guide decisions that better support the provision of residential aged care. What is known about this topic?: The recently completed Australian Royal Commission into aged care noted widespread system failure and highlighted the gaps in medical services that older Australians were experiencing. What does this paper add?: This paper reports that demand for residential aged care places in NSW was already over capacity in 2019 and that the availability of places varies considerably across the state. Further, an additional 25 800 operational places are required by 2029 to meet government targets. If the growth rate from the past decade is maintained, this will result in a shortfall of 14 298 aged care places in NSW alone. What are the implications?: Without significant increases in the current rate of growth for aged care places, the mainstream medical and health sectors will face significant additional pressures arising from unmet need in both older patients and their informal carers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Adverse incident research within residential aged care facilities (RACFs) is increasing and there is growing awareness of safety and quality issues. However, large-scale evidence identifying specific areas of need and at-risk residents is lacking. This study used routinely collected incident management system data to quantify the types and rates of adverse incidents experienced by residents of RACFs. Methods: A concurrent mixed-methods design was used to examine 3 years of incident management report data from 72 RACFs in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Qualitative thematic analysis of free-text incident descriptions was undertaken to group adverse incidents into categories. The rates and types of adverse incidents based on these categories were calculated and then compared using incidence rate ratios (IRRs). Results: Deidentified records of 11 987 permanent residents (aged ≥65 years; mean (±s.d.) age 84 ± 8 years) from the facilities were included. Of the 60 268 adverse incidents, falls were the most common event (36%), followed by behaviour-related events (33%), other impacts and injuries (22%) and medication errors (9%). The number of adverse incidents per resident ranged from 0 (42%) to 171, with a median of 2. Women (IRR 0.804; P < 0.001) and residents with low care needs (IRR 0.652; P < 0.001) were significantly less likely to adverse incidents compared with men and residents with high care needs respectively. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that data already collected within electronic management systems can provide crucial baseline information about the risk levels that adverse incidents pose to older Australians living in RACFs. What is known about the topic?: To date, research into aged care adverse incidents has typically focused on single incident types in small studies involving mitigation strategies. Little has been published quantifying the multiple adverse incidents experienced by residents of aged care facilities or reporting organisation-wide rates of adverse incidents. What does this paper add?: This paper adds to the growing breadth of Australian aged care research by providing baseline information on the rates and types of adverse incidents in RACFs across a large and representative provider. What are the implications for practitioners?: This research demonstrates that the wealth of data captured by aged care facilities' incident management information systems can be used to provide insight into areas of commonly occurring adverse incidents. Better use of this information could greatly enhance strategic planning of quality improvement activities and the care provided to residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of Australia's diverse population on the aged care sector has been acknowledged, with the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety findings providing evidence of the importance of population diversity for consumer-directed and person-centred care. Similarly, the Aged Care Quality Standards and Aged Care Diversity Framework acknowledge the diversity of Australia's ageing population and potential implications for equitable access to care and the ensuing importance of culturally appropriate and culturally safe care. This paper reports on the development of informational web pages and utilisation findings for use by the aged care workforce supporting diverse populations. Methods: Content was created for the End of Life Directions for Aged Care website, based on rapid review findings relating to barriers and limitations for people accessing equitable care in the aged care and palliative care sectors. Results: Website pages containing embedded links to useful content and resources for health professionals and care workers who work with older diverse adults are shown to be well received among users. Conclusions: As Australia's future population will age with increasing diversity markers, with implications for aged care and palliative care service provision, workforce access to up-to-date, relevant and evidence-informed information on best practice non-clinical support for individuals from diverse backgrounds towards the end of life promotes a person-centred care approach. Access data shows that the website content is being utilised increasingly over time and suggests that it is filling a gap in comprehensive and accessible end of life resources that have been missing from the Australian aged care and palliative care workforce. Consumer-directed and person-centred care is crucial in appropriately servicing all older adults, given each older adult has a diverse background, which impacts their aged care experiences. This paper reports on the development of web pages designed to support the knowledge and information needs of the aged care workforce. There is a need for such resources within this sector to inform culturally appropriate and safe care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Older people with multiple chronic conditions have most to gain from successful integrated care models but there is a need to understand current evidence of outcomes for older people. Methods: A qualitative meta-aggregation method was used for the review. Systematic searching of CINAHL, PubMed (Medline), Web of Science, PsycINFO, Scopus and Cochrane identified an initial 93 papers, of which 27 were reviewed. Studies were selected according to the pre-defined protocol and quality assessed using The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools (JBIQARI). Eleven, peer-reviewed, Englishlanguage papers published between 2000 to 2020 were included. Results: Thirty-three findings were extracted and aggregated into six categories. Three synthesised statements were identified denoting outcomes of integrated care for older people. These indicate social participation and connectedness for older people and their families; the older person feeling motivated to engage in health goals when their preferences were taken into consideration; and older people experiencing support and wellbeing when a therapeutic relationship with a key worker is established. Discussion and conclusion: There was scant evidence of the older person's voice within included studies and a limited focus on outcomes. Stronger evidence is needed to provide meaningful and robust evaluation of outcomes within integrated care models for the older person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Japan, the world's "oldest" society, has adopted intergenerational care programmes as one solution to the challenges of caring for its growing population of people living with dementia. Many countries are drawing inspiration from these intergenerational programmes, but research exploring factors influencing intergenerational care practice and how far these programmes can be translated in other countries is more limited. This paper aims to explore how environmental design features are used to support intergenerational initiatives in Japan. By examining four case studies, the paper illustrates how intergenerational engagement can be enabled and supported through environmental design. Design/methodology/approach: The research adopts a qualitative methodology, using observations, workshops and photographic elicitations within four case study sites: two residential care facilities, a community centre and supported housing scheme and a restaurant staffed by people with dementia. Findings: Two key themes emerge: encouraging community engagement through intergenerational shared spaces, and the role of intergenerationality in supporting social and economic participation. The paper concludes with a discussion of some of the key principles through which other countries can translate lessons gained from the Japanese experience of intergenerational programmes into their own health and social care systems. Originality/value: This paper provides international evidence of the role environmental design plays in supporting the development of intergenerational relationships among people with dementia and the wider community. Intergenerational engagement is community engagement; therefore, promoting community engagement is essential to promoting intergenerational care practice. Environmental design can play a key role in providing affordances through which such relationships can develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to present the feasibility study findings from a four-year project funded by the European Union Commission (the SAIL project, Staying Active and Independent for Longer). The funding stream was Interreg 2Seas which offers opportunities for coastal areas on both sides of the English Channel to work together on complex practical issues. The project focused on enabling older people to stay active and independent for longer using social innovation (co-production) approaches. Design/methodology/approach: Ten pilot projects were developed, and each of the pilots worked with an academic partner to undertake a feasibility study that included 10 pilots across the four countries involved, France, Belgium, Holland and England. Findings: This paper presents barriers and facilitators (using logic models) to the social innovation process with older people, which has wider relevance in terms of social innovation and its application. Research limitations/implications: The findings which inform this paper are extensive, and this is a longitudinal qualitative study with much of the data collection being done using an online wiki (complemented by interviews and documentary analysis) which is a relatively new method for data collection. However, the consistency of the findings when analysed by three researchers was clear and pragmatically this complex method was required to examine complexity in the process of implementing social innovation in practice. Practical implications: This project has enabled greater understanding of how social innovation can be applied and has highlighted contextual issues that can undermine or enable attempts to adopt the approach. Social implications: For the 10 pilot projects generated, there were obviously important cultural and geographical differences in terms of engagement and practical implementation of social innovation. Some of which, as mentioned in this paper, are very important for the successful implementation of social innovation in a particular setting and indeed may be a strength or a barrier in terms of engaging with local people and agencies. Originality/value: The development of logic models is a useful approach when the topic under study is complex and likely to produce a diverse set of process outcomes. The logic model focuses upon the relationships between the resources that are used to create the intervention and what is produced in terms of outcomes. Ultimately, this enables the identification of the factors that contribute to a successful intervention. Thus, in relation to this study, logic models have helped to provide an evidence-based framework that can support decision-making regarding the most effective use of limited resources to support successful social innovation processes in the future. The logic model for each area of the findings presented here can in the future be used to help implement social innovation; also, to consider how it can be improved in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the difficulties and overload/burden experienced by family caregivers of older dependent people during the COVID-19 outbreak. Design/methodology/approach: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted. This work was guided according to the Guideline strengthenin the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (EQUATOR checklist). The study included 65 family caregivers of older people with physical or mental dependence. Caregivers were selected by convenience sampling through a national association of informal caregivers. Participants responded to an online questionnaire, which aimed to assess difficulties and burdens experienced during the pandemic. Ethical principles were followed throughout the research. Findings: The participants were mostly women, with an average age of 53 years, teleworking and cohabiting with the dependent elderly. Most caregivers reported that the pandemic has led to an increase in daily difficulties and associated burden. There was a statistically significant increase in hours devoted to care during the pandemic. Also, caregivers reported less time to take care of themselves and greater fatigue during this period. Research limitations/implications: This study had some limitations. For example, the small sample size. The sample was collected through an online version, and many caregivers did not have the digital skills needed to complete the questionnaires, and most of them were busy (divided between teleworking and household responsibilities). Another limitation was related to the perceived priority of caregivers because the majority of them considered this was a time-consuming study and saw no immediate benefits. Furthermore, they considered that this study has taken their time to manage all the provision of care to the elder relative and other activities related to their children who were also in quarantine. Finally, to date, there is no sufficient evidence to compare our results with other national and international studies. Further research is needed to allow the scalability of results and to apply the best available knowledge to mitigate the known and potential effects of this pandemic. Practical implications: This study highlighted that frontline caregivers suffered a negative impact on their physical and mental health, in addition to a significant economic burden during the pandemic outbreak. More research in this field is needed to plan, train and manage large-scale public health emergencies. Social implications: The COVID-19 pandemic imposed physical distancing, which profoundly affected the physical and mental health of community-dwelling older people and their family caregivers. Because of the confinement and closure of some social support institutions, family caregivers found themselves in a complex situation, having to reconcile care and teleworking. Therefore, it is important to identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the difficulties and burden of these caregivers to implement and develop social and health support measures. Originality/value: This paper addresses an increasingly important issue – the burden and difficulties of family caregivers, in the light of a new reality – the Covid-19 pandemic, which has brought new difficulties for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had widespread impacts on the community and has demanded a rapid response from the aged care sector. System changes for infection control have been required including the use of personal protective equipment, lockdowns, visitor restrictions and changes to activities within aged care facilities. Even prior to COVID-19, the high physical and emotional demands of aged care work were recognised. Objective: This study sought to understand aged care workers' experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Using a pragmatic paradigm qualitative data about work experiences during COVID-19 was collected from people employed in different aged care organisations in a range of aged care roles and settings from multiple Australian states. Data was collected using focus groups and interviews conducted online between August-October 2020. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify key themes in the data. results: Participants included 15 people working across a range of aged care roles including clinical, care and management staff and across both residential and community settings. Five themes were identified which characterised aged care workers thoughts about their jobs during the pandemic. These included intensified procedures and emotional demands, feeling undervalued and detached from the frontline, exposure of existing system deficiencies, recognising teamwork and increased confidence in technology. conclusion: Reflecting on aged care workers' experiences of COVID-19 highlights the need to better support workers and acknowledge their important role in caring for older Australians. This includes at an organisational level by providing supportive environments and access to online resources as well as at the community and policy level by recognising aged care workers as frontline workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted existing systemic issues in the aged care sector that need to be addressed for the provision of quality aged care in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic and into the future. What is already known about the topic? * While the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the global community, it is disproportionately impacting the aged care sector with higher rates of severe illness and death and wide-ranging system changes to prevent and control the spread of the virus. * Prior to COVID-19, aged care work was associated with high job demands and lack of access to resources to support aged care workers in their role. * Survey data on the Australian RACF workforce found workers felt prepared for the pandemic with a wide range of measures to control the spread of COVID-19 but they faced several challenges associated with their additional roles and restrictions. What this paper adds * This paper provides qualitative and descriptive insights into the challenges experienced by the Australian aged care workforce during COVID-19 including increased workloads and intensified emotional demands of their roles while at the same time feeling undervalued by the wider community. * This study has highlighted the need to better support and acknowledge aged care workers in the community through their portrayal in the media and within their organisations by facilitating supportive team environments and providing access to online resources and training. * This paper discusses existing systemic issues that have been highlighted by COVID-19 and the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety and need to be addressed for the wellbeing of workers and the provision of quality aged care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that there is a need to critically assess bias in the representations of older adults in the field of Human–Robot Interaction. This need stems from the recognition that technology development is a socially constructed process that has the potential to reinforce problematic understandings of older adults. Based on a qualitative content analysis of 96 academic publications, this paper indicates that older adults are represented as; frail by default, independent by effort; silent and technologically illiterate; burdensome; and problematic for society. Within these documents, few counternarratives are present that do not take such essentialist representations. In these texts, the goal of social robots in elder care is to "enable" older adults to "better" themselves. The older body is seen as "fixable" with social robots, reinforcing an ageist and neoliberal narrative: older adults are reduced to potential care receivers in ways that shift care responsibilities away from the welfare state onto the individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consensus analysis is required to ensure the quality of decision results. It means that some DMs' opinions must be adjusted to reach a consensus. As a result, it harms DMs' benefits because their opinions are not fully considered. Additionally, the consensus-reaching needs cooperation between DMs. Therefore, the consensus improvement can be seen as a cooperative game among DMs. Considering the benefit conflicts of DMs, this paper studies the adjustments of DMs in view of the Nash-bargaining game, which can ensure the global Pareto optimality and maximum fairness of the consensus adjustment scheme. Considering the inconsistency between the Pareto and individual optimal solutions, we first study the Nash-bargaining consensus adjustment solutions between individual DMs. For the situation where DMs form coalitions to reduce their adjustments, two cases for the coalitional Nash-bargaining consensus adjustment solutions of DMs are further studied. Meanwhile, interactive algorithms for the formation of DM coalitions are provided. The main characteristics of the Nash-bargaining consensus adjustment solution are the consideration of personal interest, the rationality of DMs, and the fairness of the allocation scheme. Moreover, this paper takes the choice of the cooperative partner of elderly care institutions as an example to show the concrete application of built models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of population aging has become an important issue affecting the sustainable economic and social development of China's countryside, but few studies exist within the academic community on the sustainable livelihoods of rural elderly farmers in areas of poverty alleviation. Based on a 2022 field survey in Guzhang County, Hunan Province, this study examined the sustainable livelihood pathways of elderly rural farmers in these areas through non-participant observations, semi-structured interviews, and grounded theory methods of textual analysis. Study findings show that in the face of rural hollowing out caused by the outflow of the young labor force due to rapid urbanization, a large number of rural elderly farmers in poverty alleviation areas are facing the livelihood dilemma of rural pension structure constraints and the rational choice of agriculture. The background for this situation involves the insufficiency of the original pension model and multiple welfare sources, a shortage of medical and health service facilities, and the transformation of intergenerational relations. Therefore, based on the advantages of rural social networks in poverty alleviation areas in the three active aging dimensions of health, participation, and guarantee, this paper presents a sustainable livelihood research paradigm in which the individual, rural, and socioeconomic networks and rural production-living-ecological space of elderly farmers in poverty alleviation areas coordinate with each other. The paper also introduces a logical framework for the sustainable livelihood of elderly farmers that is consistent with the goal of rural revitalization through the thrust of nearby urbanization. Specific sustainable livelihood paths integrating individual spaces include the following: 1) at the individual level, through the individual livelihood behavior and livelihood capital of elderly farmers dynamically adjusting to the corresponding sources of welfare and livelihood modes with changes in the life cycle, 2) at the field space level, through the sixth industry, integrated development of modern factors intervening in the establishment of rural market industrial support to cope with aging, and 3) at the territorial space level, according to the rural elderly . The social circle structure of rural households is used to reshape the living, production, and ecological aging life circle. This study analyzed the sustainable livelihood paths of rural elderly farmers in poverty alleviation areas from individual to spatial perspectives The findings provide a theoretical basis and practical references for the revitalization of rural people in these areas in the era of rapid aging.

In this paper, we analyze the changes in family structure and explore the changes in detail, based on which we construct a neural network model of smart aging. Based on the gender perspective, the individual growth model in the multilayer linear model is used to examine the effects of family structure changes on the elderly in terms of economic exchange, daily care, and emotional support. The results show that there is no significant gender difference in the family structure changes on the elderly in terms of economic exchange and daily care, but there is a significant gender difference in terms of emotional support. To solve the problem of data imbalance in the daily activity categories of the elderly, this paper resamples the data and uses different neural network models for activity recognition of the sensor data generated from the daily activities of the elderly. In this paper, the daily behavior patterns of the elderly over a while are studied by correlating three conditions of time distance, optimal path, and sensor distance to discover the daily behavior patterns of the elderly, while the abnormal behavior patterns can be well separated by EM clustering algorithm. The daily behavior of the elderly is a coarse-grained representation of their daily activities. It is not limited to a specific activity and does not require the sensor ID, trigger time, and location triggered by the activity to be consistent, but in long-term daily activity data, it abstracts the general behavior rules of the elderly activities. Through the research of this paper, the existing system is improved, and the multifaceted needs of the elderly are fully considered, from housing needs to spiritual needs, to face the current elderly care problems with a positive attitude, create a good social elderly care environment for the elderly, and realize the real elderly care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital elderly care service is an innovative elderly care model, and its emergence has brought about a huge change in the field of elderly care services (ECSS). The current method is to make the elderly care service more precise and personalized, improve the ability and level, and improve the current ECSS. The defect is that the short of top-level design and overall planning is basically only in the state of trial operation. In order to solve these problems, this paper proposes to study how to intervene in social work in smart ECSS to enhance service capabilities and improve service quality on the original basis. Therefore, based on the use of human-computer interaction technology, this paper deepens the research on the current elderly care services. According to a survey of the elderly in a certain city, the digital elderly care system shows that 25.33% of the elderly prefer to use housekeeping services, and 63% of the elderly prefer healthcare services. The results show that the digital elderly care service system based on human-computer interaction technology is easier to be accepted by the elderly than the traditional elderly care service. The elderly care service system under human-computer interaction is more considerate than the traditional elderly care service system and can make the elderly's life more colorful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates China's effort to create an eldercare market to shed light on how China's economic reform entailed the creation of new institutions (e.g., eldercare market including eldercare labour market) and the reconfiguration of existing institutions (e.g., governance and regulation, the family, and the community). All this was needed for the market to flourish while maintaining and strengthening the regime. An urban eldercare market, including an eldercare labour market, was created by local governments (i.e., municipalities, districts, counties, and towns) with central government policy directives, in order to address China's demographic aging and care crisis. However, once enough demand and supply were created, local governments turned to New Public Management (NPM) to operate publicly funded eldercare institutions. The paper argues that NPM has different rationalities in China than in liberal democracies; in China, they strengthen the Party and contribute to the durability of the authoritarian rule, rather than "shrink the state". However, in China as in the West, bureaucratic logic hampers the implementation of NPM and the governance of the eldercare sector. The implication of bureaucratic logic driving the regulation of the eldercare sector is that care is not at the centre of eldercare. The paper also argues that the commodification and privatization of eldercare, in line with the global trend, was a deliberate government policy aimed at creating a positive condition for the market economy to flourish, but at the expense of social reproduction/care. Unlike many Western transitions to market provision, this one entailed the decline in the extended family as the main eldercare institution of the immediate past. However, the commodification and privatization of social reproduction have been incomplete and met with resistance, prompting the state to invest more in the sector to maintain social stability. Data for this paper derive from personal interviews with key informants and eldercare workers, official document analysis, and secondary literature analysis from Chinese scholars in mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of the paper are the possible effects of public discourse in our country during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the state of emergency, when care for the elderly was constantly being emphasized, along with responsibility for their lives. The paper is based on the results of several existing studies on the experiences the elderly had during the state of emergency in our country, when many of their rights were denied, and when the COVID-19 pandemic was presented as solely a "problem of the elderly", which is why the elderly were presented as a homogenous group in the public discourse, that is, as vulnerable and powerless members of society. The aim of the paper is to view the risks of such a representation, and to indicate the need for and importance of discourse which emphasizes the heterogeneity of the elderly, and the need for synchronized activities from various institutions and organization, as well as collective and individual actors, with the aim of developing inter-generational solidarity. The conclusion is that it is important to refrain from generalizations based on age, so that any incorrect perceptions of the elderly could be altered, and thus a contribution made to the fight against ageism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activities of care are often regarded as intimate and highly dependent on personal, relational and cultural contexts of care provision. In this paper, I explore how migrant care workers who do not share in the cultural logic and norms understand and mediate the expectations of intimacy in care work with their personal meanings and values in caregiving. Through multiple in‐depth interviews with 50 Filipino care workers and 1‐month of intensive fieldwork in a long‐term care facility, this paper unpacks the meanings and negotiations of intimacy in the care work of Filipino migrants in Japan. This paper analyzes intimacy in four dimensions: spatial, cultural, corporeal, and relational. It finds that Filipina care workers understand and negotiate intimacy in the care of the elderly Japanese by embodying cultural intimacy, mediating vulnerability and maintaining boundedness, attuning with the aged body, and articulating familial care. The findings offer the possibility for transformative caring relations when migrant care workers exercise intimacy in their care of the elderly residents in the institutional setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sociología del Trabajo is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper reports on one finding of a qualitative study using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) in a mixedmethods study examining the relationship between leadership style and job satisfaction in Australian aged care employees. The qualitative data suggest that aged care employees are experiencing moral distress relating to the regulatory environment that governs the aged care sector and the compliance processes adopted by regulators and accreditors. One of the reasons for the design and operationalisation of the regulatory environment is to protect vulnerable consumers, the public and the workforce. However, the findings of this research are that it is this environment that also causes damage to the aged care workforce. The question is whether compliance requirements and the regulatory scheme are a shield or sword. The causes of the moral distress were different for leaders and raters. This paper reports on this finding. Moral distress is one of three undesirable outcomes identified in the study and labelled as Workplace Maladies. Moral distress due to regulatory systems and processes experienced by leaders appears to be caused by different factors than the moral distress experienced by raters. Leaders experienced moral distress because of the system and methods of regulatory and standards compliance. In contrast, their followership experienced other regulatory processes such as the scope of practice for health professionals and the requi rement to supervise and accept responsibility for unregulated workers who do not have a scope of practice. Unregulated workers reported that the absence of scope of practice is a cause of moral distress. Recommendations are made for changes to the system and processes of compliance assessment and action and for developing a scope of practice for unregulated workers to reduce the moral distress experienced by aged care employees and thus reduce workforce turnover in an already scarce workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores attitudes of staff, residents and family members towards sexually diverse persons based on data from the first national study of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand. The study was a two-arm mixed-method cross-sectional study using a concurrent triangulation design. The quantitative arm included the results of 433 staff surveys related to knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and beliefs about sexuality, intimacy and ageing. The qualitative arm included interviews with 77 participants including staff, residents and family members. This paper focuses only on sexual diversity. A generational cultural effect was noted among all respondents; younger participants expressed the most open and accepting views of diversity. Residents were aware that they mostly held the views of their generation; nonetheless they also looked to staff to set the tone. Staff held varying views and felt that residents would be less accepting; some staff felt the issue of intimate relationships was not something they were willing to discuss at intake. Facilities will want to establish policies about sexuality and intimacy and communicate those policies and practices to staff, residents and family members. Facilities may also wish to consider specific educational events about sexual diversity for residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the role of media(tisation) in organisation and provision of elderly care? By looking at how planning, organising and execution of elderly care is understood in two Swedish municipalities this paper seeks to contribute to discussions of the ways in which values, preferences and working practices of news media play out in shaping conditions for provision of municipal welfare services. Our findings suggest that we can see the role of media values and preferences as embedded - although in different ways and to varying extent - in three distinct but inter-related processes that influence how actors connected to organisation and provision of municipal welfare services understand and relate to each other. These are: 1) setting the aims, aspirations and priorities in the provision of welfare services (i.e., the what); 2) translating these aims, aspirations and priorities into necessary means, resources and activities (i.e., the how); and 3) explaining and justifying the what and the how to different constituencies (i.e., the why). The paper concludes that commonly held values and beliefs about media reinforce the ongoing changes in the governing regime of elderly care in a direction where the role of municipal administrative bodies is more explicitly articulated, especially in terms of accountability and responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfers to emergency departments and hospitalizations are common for older people living in residential aged care who experience acute deterioration. This paper shares reflections from 10 years of work across a region in New South Wales, Australia, to develop a new model of care in 141 residential aged care homes. The model successfully reduced emergency department transfers and admissions to hospital. Using an exemplar patient case, the paper describes the Aged Care Emergency Program and associated research outputs. An interprofessional, multiagency Community of Practice supported this work. The authors reflect on the successes and challenges of using a Community of Practice to implement the model of care. We conclude that the Community of Practice, with its iterative evaluation, facilitated change and provided a mechanism for interprofessional practice. Broader systemic change requires clarity in goals of care, shared decision‐making, working across sectors, and appropriate resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of an ever-increasing ageing population has been the increasing burden on caregivers to care for the elderly population. Caring for elders, especially those diagnosed with dementia, can be challenging. People living with dementia (PWD) require extra care and attention from the caregivers due to the associated behaviours that come with dementia. Wandering is a frequent behaviour exhibited by PWD, which can bring about negative outcomes on the PWD as well as increasing the stress of the caregivers. Though many technological solutions exist, they are not widely deployed. This paper introduces a technological framework, bridging the localisation technologies to the needs of elders and caregivers. The aim is to minimise or eliminate the negative outcomes of dementia wandering and to reduce the burden and stress on the caregivers, thus improving overall well-being. In this paper, we study the application, SingTRACeX, features by considering user needs from the field study with 2 focus group discussions (FGD), comprising of 14 professional caregivers and coordinators. The proposed system features Realtime Location Tracking and Indoor Localisation. The location is determined by GPS location from the Sensor module when outdoors, and estimation using data from the WiFi module, and Bluetooth module when indoors. The indoor navigation provided by the Indoor Localisation module uses an A-star search algorithm. This paper could serve as a foundation that can be built upon over time as the needs of elders and caregivers may change over time, as well as the evolution of technology that may bring about new methods to address needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Informal care is considered to be important for the wellbeing and resilience of the elderly. However, solutions for the effective collaboration of healthcare professionals, patients, and informal caregivers are not yet widely available. The purpose of this paper is to present the development of a digital platform that uses innovative tools and artificial intelligence technologies to support care coordination and shared care planning for elder care, with a particular focus on frailty. The challenges of shared care planning in the coordination of frailty care are demonstrated, followed by presentation of the design and technical architecture of an integrated platform. The platform incorporates all elements essential for the support of daily activities, coordinated care, and timely interventions in case of emergency and need. This paper describes the challenges involved in implementing the platform and concludes by reporting the necessary steps required in order to establish effective smart care for the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]