People under 60living in aged care facilities in Victoria

Abstract

Objective: To describe the characteristics of people under 60 years of age living in residential aged care in Victoria and to examine the occupational participation of younger residents in aged care facilities by measuring their social contact, participation in recreation and community access. Methods: A survey was sent to the Directors of Nursing at all 803 Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care registered aged care facilities in Victoria. Results: The survey had a 78% response rate and information was provided about the characteristics of 330 people under 60 years with high clinical needs residing in aged care facilities. This sample was extremely isolated from peers, with 44% receiving a visit from a friend less often than once per year. Sixteen per cent of residents participated in a recreation activity less than once per month and 21% went outside less than once per month. Of the sample, 34% almost never participated in any community-based activities such as shopping, leisure or visiting friends and family. Conclusion: Over one third of younger people in aged care are effectively excluded from life in our community. Most younger residents are socially isolated and have limited opportunities for recreation. Placement of younger people in aged care facilities is inappropriate, and alternative care models and settings are required.

A survey of people with intellectual disabilities living in residential aged care facilities in Victoria

“…Earlier work by Hogg & Moss (1993) found that people with ID living in aged care received less individualised support and participated less in leisure activities than did their peers in disability accommodation. Consistent with these concerns, a substantial advocacy campaign in Australia has focussed attention on the unsuitability of residential aged care for younger people with disabilities (http://www.ypinh.org.au; SCARC 2005; Winkler et al. 2006).…”

“…Earlier work by Hogg & Moss (1993) found that people with ID living in aged care received less individualised support and participated less in leisure activities than did their peers in disability accommodation. Consistent with these concerns, a substantial advocacy campaign in Australia has focussed attention on the unsuitability of residential aged care for younger people with disabilities (http://www.ypinh.org.au; SCARC 2005; Winkler et al 2006). However, this campaign has concentrated on residents under 50 years of age and remained largely silent on the position of the 'younger old' aged over 50 years but younger than the average resident age of 84.3 years (AIHW 2006).…”

Functional outcomes of community-based brain injury rehabilitation clients

“…general practitioners) in order to provide the right skill set to achieve effective interventions for the ABI group [42]. With post-acute rehabilitation services, particularly within Australia, being in short supply [43], the feasibility and accuracy of performing multi-disciplinary ABI rehabilitation assessment and intervention via cost-effective and accessible means, including the use of telerehabilitation to support long distance health care, may be an avenue for future research [44].…”

Occupational therapists’ use of advocacy in brain injury rehabilitation settings

“…(), Lopez (), and Winkler et al . (, , ) who stressed the importance of occupational therapists being advocates but did not identify how to be advocates or what was unique about advocacy provided by occupational therapists.…”

“…There have been studies conducted investigating outcomes following TBI focusing on community integration (Cornwell et al, 2009), participation and quality of life Duncan-Meyers & Huebner, 2000;Sloan, Winkler & Callaway, 2004;Winkler et al, 2006), and issues related to inappropriate placement of the young traumatically brain injured individual within aged care facilities (Foster, Fleming & Tilse, 2007;Winkler et al, 2006Winkler et al, , 2008Winkler et al, , 2010. The outcomes of these studies suggest that for many people who have a brain injury, the human right to engage in meaningful occupation have been contravened.…”