Understanding Contextual Differences in Residential LTC Provision for Cross-National Research : Identifying Internationally Relevant CDEs

Long-term care (LTC) reflects a growing emphasis on person-centered care (PCC), with services oriented around individuals' needs and preferences. Addressing contextual and cultural differences across countries offers important insight into factors that facilitate or hinder application of PCC practices within and across countries. This article takes an international lens to consider country-specific contexts of LTC, describing preliminary steps to develop common data elements that capture contextual differences across LTC settings globally. Through an iterative series of online, telephone, and in-person sessions, we engaged in in-depth discussions with 11 colleague experts in residential LTC and coauthors from six countries (China and Hong Kong, England, Sweden, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States). Our discussions yielded rich narrative describing a vast range in types of LTC settings, leading to our development of a working definition of residential LTC. Scope of services, funding, ownership, and regulations varied greatly across countries and across different residential LTC settings within countries. Moving forward, we recommend expanding our activities to countries that reflect different stages of residential LTC development. Our goal is to contribute to a larger initiative underway by the WE-THRIVE consortium to establish a global research measurement infrastructure that advances PCC internationally.Peer reviewe

Leadership : person-centred care and the work situation of staff in Swedish nursing homes

Background: Swedish nursing home managers, who constitute the empirical focus of this thesis, hold overall operational responsibility for the nursing homes, which includes the care of residents, direct care staff and work environment. Aged care organisations are also expected to provide person-centred care. Working towards a person-centred approach poses new demands and leads to challenges for leaders, and there is currently limited knowledge of what characterises leadership that promotes a person-centred approach. In addition, an ongoing demographic shift in the aged care workforce entails further challenges, as the proportion of professional workers is decreasing. Leading a healthy work environment is therefore important for ensuring and protecting staff health. Based on this, it is important to explore nursing home managers’ leadership in relation to person-centred care and the work situation of staff. Aim: The overall aim was to explore leadership in relation to person-centred care and the work situation of staff in Swedish nursing homes. Methods: This thesis is based on data from two data collections. First, it includes cross-sectional baseline data from a national inventory of health and care in Swedish nursing homes (SWENIS) collected in 2013-2014. The SWENIS dataset consists of a sample of staff n=3605 from 169 nursing homes in 35 municipalities, and nursing home managers n=191. The second data collection consists of 11 semi-structured interviews with 12 nursing home managers in highly person-centred nursing homes that already participated in SWENIS. Data were explored via descriptive statistics, simple and multiple regression analyses, and qualitative content analysis. Results: Leadership was positively associated with person-centred care and psychosocial climate. Highly rated leadership behaviors’ among nursing homes managers was characterized by experimenting with new ideas, controlling work closely, relying on his/her subordinates, coaching and giving direct feedback, and handling conflicts constructively. Leading person-centred care can be outlined by four leadership processes: embodying person-centred being and doing; promoting a person-centred atmosphere; maximizing person-centred team potential and optimising person-centred support structures. Leadership was also positively associated with social support and negatively associated with job strain. Further, the variation in leadership was to a very small extent explained by the nursing home managers’ educational qualification, operational form of the nursing home and the number of employees in a unit. Conclusions: All findings point in the same direction: that leadership, as it is characterized and measured in this thesis, is significantly associated with person-centred care provision as well as with the work situation of staff. This suggests that nursing managers have a central leadership role in developing and supporting person-centred care practices, and also in creating a healthy work environment. The results also highlight five specific leadership behaviours that are most characteristic of highly rated leadership, thereby adding concrete descriptions of behaviours to the literature on existing leadership theories. The findings also include four central processes for leading towards person-centred care in nursing homes. Taken together, it seems important for managers to translate the person-centred philosophy into actions and to promote an atmosphere pervaded by innovation and trust, in which cultural change is enhanced by positive cultural bearers. Utilizing the overall knowledge and competencies among staff and potentiating care teams was also considered important for leading person-centred care, along with optimising supportive structures for supporting and maintaining person-centred care. If aged care organisations are to be committed to person-centred care, an important implication seems to be to organise nursing homes in a way that allows nursing home managers to be close and present in clinical practice and actively lead towards person-centred care. The findings of this thesis contribute to our understanding of leadership in relation to person-centre care and the work situation of staff. These findings can be used in leadership educations and nursing curriculum. Longitudinal studies would be valuable for following leadership, person-centred care and the work situation of staff over time

Leadership : person-centred care and the work situation of staff in Swedish nursing homes

Background: Swedish nursing home managers, who constitute the empirical focus of this thesis, hold overall operational responsibility for the nursing homes, which includes the care of residents, direct care staff and work environment. Aged care organisations are also expected to provide person-centred care. Working towards a person-centred approach poses new demands and leads to challenges for leaders, and there is currently limited knowledge of what characterises leadership that promotes a person-centred approach. In addition, an ongoing demographic shift in the aged care workforce entails further challenges, as the proportion of professional workers is decreasing. Leading a healthy work environment is therefore important for ensuring and protecting staff health. Based on this, it is important to explore nursing home managers’ leadership in relation to person-centred care and the work situation of staff. Aim: The overall aim was to explore leadership in relation to person-centred care and the work situation of staff in Swedish nursing homes. Methods: This thesis is based on data from two data collections. First, it includes cross-sectional baseline data from a national inventory of health and care in Swedish nursing homes (SWENIS) collected in 2013-2014. The SWENIS dataset consists of a sample of staff n=3605 from 169 nursing homes in 35 municipalities, and nursing home managers n=191. The second data collection consists of 11 semi-structured interviews with 12 nursing home managers in highly person-centred nursing homes that already participated in SWENIS. Data were explored via descriptive statistics, simple and multiple regression analyses, and qualitative content analysis. Results: Leadership was positively associated with person-centred care and psychosocial climate. Highly rated leadership behaviors’ among nursing homes managers was characterized by experimenting with new ideas, controlling work closely, relying on his/her subordinates, coaching and giving direct feedback, and handling conflicts constructively. Leading person-centred care can be outlined by four leadership processes: embodying person-centred being and doing; promoting a person-centred atmosphere; maximizing person-centred team potential and optimising person-centred support structures. Leadership was also positively associated with social support and negatively associated with job strain. Further, the variation in leadership was to a very small extent explained by the nursing home managers’ educational qualification, operational form of the nursing home and the number of employees in a unit. Conclusions: All findings point in the same direction: that leadership, as it is characterized and measured in this thesis, is significantly associated with person-centred care provision as well as with the work situation of staff. This suggests that nursing managers have a central leadership role in developing and supporting person-centred care practices, and also in creating a healthy work environment. The results also highlight five specific leadership behaviours that are most characteristic of highly rated leadership, thereby adding concrete descriptions of behaviours to the literature on existing leadership theories. The findings also include four central processes for leading towards person-centred care in nursing homes. Taken together, it seems important for managers to translate the person-centred philosophy into actions and to promote an atmosphere pervaded by innovation and trust, in which cultural change is enhanced by positive cultural bearers. Utilizing the overall knowledge and competencies among staff and potentiating care teams was also considered important for leading person-centred care, along with optimising supportive structures for supporting and maintaining person-centred care. If aged care organisations are to be committed to person-centred care, an important implication seems to be to organise nursing homes in a way that allows nursing home managers to be close and present in clinical practice and actively lead towards person-centred care. The findings of this thesis contribute to our understanding of leadership in relation to person-centre care and the work situation of staff. These findings can be used in leadership educations and nursing curriculum. Longitudinal studies would be valuable for following leadership, person-centred care and the work situation of staff over time

Leadership : person-centred care and the work situation of staff in Swedish nursing homes

Background: Swedish nursing home managers, who constitute the empirical focus of this thesis, hold overall operational responsibility for the nursing homes, which includes the care of residents, direct care staff and work environment. Aged care organisations are also expected to provide person-centred care. Working towards a person-centred approach poses new demands and leads to challenges for leaders, and there is currently limited knowledge of what characterises leadership that promotes a person-centred approach. In addition, an ongoing demographic shift in the aged care workforce entails further challenges, as the proportion of professional workers is decreasing. Leading a healthy work environment is therefore important for ensuring and protecting staff health. Based on this, it is important to explore nursing home managers’ leadership in relation to person-centred care and the work situation of staff. Aim: The overall aim was to explore leadership in relation to person-centred care and the work situation of staff in Swedish nursing homes. Methods: This thesis is based on data from two data collections. First, it includes cross-sectional baseline data from a national inventory of health and care in Swedish nursing homes (SWENIS) collected in 2013-2014. The SWENIS dataset consists of a sample of staff n=3605 from 169 nursing homes in 35 municipalities, and nursing home managers n=191. The second data collection consists of 11 semi-structured interviews with 12 nursing home managers in highly person-centred nursing homes that already participated in SWENIS. Data were explored via descriptive statistics, simple and multiple regression analyses, and qualitative content analysis. Results: Leadership was positively associated with person-centred care and psychosocial climate. Highly rated leadership behaviors’ among nursing homes managers was characterized by experimenting with new ideas, controlling work closely, relying on his/her subordinates, coaching and giving direct feedback, and handling conflicts constructively. Leading person-centred care can be outlined by four leadership processes: embodying person-centred being and doing; promoting a person-centred atmosphere; maximizing person-centred team potential and optimising person-centred support structures. Leadership was also positively associated with social support and negatively associated with job strain. Further, the variation in leadership was to a very small extent explained by the nursing home managers’ educational qualification, operational form of the nursing home and the number of employees in a unit. Conclusions: All findings point in the same direction: that leadership, as it is characterized and measured in this thesis, is significantly associated with person-centred care provision as well as with the work situation of staff. This suggests that nursing managers have a central leadership role in developing and supporting person-centred care practices, and also in creating a healthy work environment. The results also highlight five specific leadership behaviours that are most characteristic of highly rated leadership, thereby adding concrete descriptions of behaviours to the literature on existing leadership theories. The findings also include four central processes for leading towards person-centred care in nursing homes. Taken together, it seems important for managers to translate the person-centred philosophy into actions and to promote an atmosphere pervaded by innovation and trust, in which cultural change is enhanced by positive cultural bearers. Utilizing the overall knowledge and competencies among staff and potentiating care teams was also considered important for leading person-centred care, along with optimising supportive structures for supporting and maintaining person-centred care. If aged care organisations are to be committed to person-centred care, an important implication seems to be to organise nursing homes in a way that allows nursing home managers to be close and present in clinical practice and actively lead towards person-centred care. The findings of this thesis contribute to our understanding of leadership in relation to person-centre care and the work situation of staff. These findings can be used in leadership educations and nursing curriculum. Longitudinal studies would be valuable for following leadership, person-centred care and the work situation of staff over time

Characteristics of nursing home units with high versus low levels of person-centred care in relation to leadership, staff- resident- and facility factors : findings from SWENIS, a cross-sectional study in Sweden

Background: The context of care consists of factors that determines the extent to which staff can offer person-centred care. However, few studies have investigated factors that can explain variation in levels of person-centred care among nursing home units. The aim of this study was to explore factors characterizing nursing home units with high and low degree of person-centred care, with focus on leadership, staff, resident and facility factors. Methods: Cross-sectional data from residents, staff, and managers in 172 randomly selected nursing homes in Sweden were collected in 2014. Activities of Daily Living Index, Gottfries' cognitive scale, Person-centred Care Assessment Tool together with demographic information and estimations of leadership engagement was used. Independent samples t-test and Chi2 test were conducted. Results: Highly person-centred units were characterised by leaders engaging in staff knowledge, professional development, team support and care quality. In highly person-centred units' staff also received supervision of a nurse to a larger extent. Highly person-centred units were also characterised as dementia specific units, units with fewer beds and with a larger proportion of enrolled nurses. No differences in degree of person-centred care were seen between public or private providers. Conclusions: This study provides guidance for practitioners when designing, developing and adapting person-centred units in aged care contexts. Managers and leaders have an important role to promote the movement towards a person-centred practice of care, by supporting their staff in daily care, and engaging in staff knowledge and professional development. Targeting and adjusting environmental factors, such as provide small and dementia adapted environments to match the residents' personal preferences and capacity are also important when striving towards person-centredness

Exploring person-centred care in relation to resource utilization, resident quality of life and staff job strain : findings from the SWENIS study

BACKGROUND: A critical challenge facing elderly care systems throughout the world is to meet the complex care needs of a growing population of older persons. Although person-centred care has been advocated as the "gold standard" and a key component of high-quality care, the significance of care utilisation in person-centred units as well as the impact of person-centred care on resident quality of life and staff job strain in nursing home care has yet to be explored. The aim of this study was to explore person-centred care and its association to resource use, resident quality of life, and staff job strain. DESIGN: A cross-sectional national survey. METHODS: Data on 4831 residents and 3605 staff were collected by staff working in nursing homes in 35 randomly selected Swedish municipalities in 2014. Descriptive statistics and regression modelling were used to explore associations between person-centred care and resource use, resident quality of life, and staff job strain. RESULTS: No association was found between person-centred care and resource use. Person-centred care was positively associated with resident quality of life and was negatively associated with staff perception of job strain. CONCLUSION: Person-centred care does not increase resource utilisation in nursing homes, but beneficially impacts resident quality of life and alleviates the care burden in terms job strain among staff

Nursing home managers' descriptions of multi-level barriers to leading person-centred care : a content analysis

Background: Research suggests that person-centred care can be beneficially implemented and sustained, even though barriers remain that prevent uptake in clinical practice. Understanding barriers to person-centred care seems important, as this has an impact on care practices and resident outcomes. Moreover, there is limited knowledge about nursing home managers' descriptions of barriers when leading person-centred care. Objectives: To explore barriers to leading person-centred care as narrated by nursing home managers. Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was used to collect data using individual interviews with 12 nursing home managers in highly person-centred nursing homes. Data were analysed using content analysis. Results: Multi-level barriers to leading person-centred care were identified on the (1) person level, (2) team level and (3) organisational level. Placing professional and family considerations ahead of resident considerations was described as a barrier on the personal level (1). Also, staff's divergent care values, processes, and priorities together with turnover and low foundational knowledge were identified as barriers on the team level (2). On an organisational level (3), constrained finances, functional building design and group level rostering were identified as barriers. Conclusion: Multi-level barriers influence nursing home managers' ability to lead and promote person-centred care. Promoting the development of person-centred practices requires efforts to eliminate barriers on person, team and organisational level. Implications for Practice: Identifying and overcoming barriers at various levels in nursing home care has the potential to promote person-centred practices. This study can inform stakeholders and policymakers of challenges and complexities in person-centred practices. Multi-level strategies are needed to target challenges at person-, team- and organisational level when striving to develop person-centred care

The influence of nursing home managers’ leadership on person-centred care and stress of conscience: A cross-sectional study

Background: Leadership and stress are common concepts in nursing, and this study explores empirically the connection between leadership and stress of conscience in the context of aged care practice. Previous literature has shown that when staff are unable to carry out their ethical liabilities towards the residents, feelings of guilt may occur among staff, which may be an expression of stress of conscience. Although leadership has been described as crucial for staff’s work perceptions of stress as well as for person-centred practices, the influence of nursing home managers’ leadership on stress of conscience among staff and person-centred practices is still not fully explored. This study attempts to address that knowledge gap by exploring the relationship between leadership, person-centred care, and stress of conscience. Methods: This study was based on a cross-sectional national survey of 2985 staff and their managers in 190 nursing homes throughout Sweden. Descriptive statistics and regression modelling were used to explore associations. Results: Leadership was associated with a higher degree of person-centred care and less stress of conscience. A higher degree of person-centred care was also associated with less stress of conscience. The results also showed that leadership as well as person-centred care were individually associated with lower levels of stress of conscience when adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusion: Nursing home managers’ leadership was significantly associated with less staff stress of conscience and more person-centred care. This indicates that a leadership most prominently characterised by coaching and giving feedback, relying on staff and handling conflicts constructively, experimenting with new ideas, and controlling work individually can contribute to less staff stress as well as higher degree of person-centred care provision

Use of heart failure medications in older individuals and associations with cognitive impairment

Background: To achieve the best treatment of heart failure, it is important to use all recommended drugs at their target doses. Given that underuse of medications can occur in individuals with cognitive impairment, we investigated the filled prescriptions and target doses of heart failure medication for older individuals with and without cognitive impairment as well as associated factors. Methods: The study was based on two separate datasets. The first dataset, which was based on data from questionnaires sent to nursing homes in Sweden, included 405 individuals with heart failure. The data were linked with the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and the National Patient Register to obtain information regarding filled prescriptions of heart failure medications and heart failure diagnoses among the population. In the second dataset, medical records of individuals aged 75 years or older admitted to a hospital in northern Sweden were reviewed and individuals with heart failure were identified. Target doses of heart failure medications were evaluated in 66 individuals who lived at home. Results: Filled prescriptions of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and loop diuretics were significantly more common in individuals without cognitive impairment (OR 1.087; 95% CI 1.026–1.152, p < 0.05) and (OR 1.057; 95% CI 1.017–1.098, p < 0.05), respectively. There were no significant differences between individuals with and without cognitive impairment in terms of achieving target doses for any of the drug classes. A higher age was associated with fewer filled prescriptions and less ability to reach the target doses of beta blockers (OR 0.950; 95% CI 0.918–0.984, p < 0.05) and (OR 0.781; 95% CI 0.645–0.946, p < 0.05), respectively. Conclusions: Our results suggest that individuals with cognitive impairment are partly undertreated for heart failure in that they had fewer filled prescriptions of important heart medications. Separately, the relatively low proportion of older individuals reaching target doses is an important observation and indicates that treatment of heart failure could be further optimised among older individuals

The significance of nursing home managers' leadership : longitudinal changes, characteristics and qualifications for perceived leadership, person-centredness and climate

Aims and objectives: The aim was to explore changes in nursing home managers' leadership, person-centred care and psychosocial climate comparing matched units in a five-year follow-up and to explore the significance of managers' educational qualifications and the ownership of nursing homes for perceived leadership, person-centred care and psychosocial climate in the follow-up data. Background: Leadership has been described as crucial for person-centred care and psychosocial climate even though longitudinal data are lacking. The significance of managerial leadership, its characteristics, managerial qualifications and ownership of nursing homes for perceived leadership, person-centred care and psychosocial climate also needs further exploration. Design: Repeated cross-sectional study. Methods: This study used valid and reliable measures of leadership, person-centred care, psychosocial climate and demographic variables collected from managers and staff n = 3605 in 2014 and n = 2985 in 2019. Descriptive and regression analyses were used. The STROBE checklist was used in reporting this study. Results: Leadership was still positively significantly associated to person-centred care in a five-year follow-up, but no changes in strength were seen. Leadership was still positively significantly associated with psychosocial climate, with stronger associations at follow-up. Six leadership characteristics increased over time. It was also shown that a targeted education for nursing home managers was positively associated with person-centred care. Conclusions: Leadership is still pivotal for person-centred care and psychosocial climate. Knowledge of nursing home managers' leadership, characteristics and educational qualifications of significance for person-centred delivery provides important insights when striving to improve such services. Relevance to clinical practice: The findings can be used for management and clinical practice development initiatives because it was shown that nursing home managers' leadership is vital to person-centred care practices and improves the climate for both staff and residents in these environments