Nursing Older People[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
What is health promotion and how can it be used for older people?: Health promotion covers a range of initiatives to enhance and protect health, with nursing staff playing a key role in providing support.
Marshall J
Nurs Older People · 2025 Aug · PMID 40755148 · Publisher ↗
Health promotion enables people to increase control over their own health. It encompasses a broad spectrum of social and environmental initiatives aimed at enhancing and protecting individuals' health and quality of life...
Health promotion enables people to increase control over their own health. It encompasses a broad spectrum of social and environmental initiatives aimed at enhancing and protecting individuals' health and quality of life ( World Health Organization 2016 ).
Sustaining older people's mental well-being: social prescribing and the benefits of a film club.
Price B
Nurs Older People · 2025 Jul · PMID 40734390 · Publisher ↗
In December 2020 the United Nations launched the Decade of Healthy Ageing initiative, a global collaboration led by the World Health Organization which spans the years 2021-2030. It was designed to change how people thin...
In December 2020 the United Nations launched the Decade of Healthy Ageing initiative, a global collaboration led by the World Health Organization which spans the years 2021-2030. It was designed to change how people think, feel about and act towards age and ageing, and to ensure that communities foster the abilities of older people. However, there is still a need to ascertain how best to arrange support in a way that redefines what it means to age well. Moreover, work remains to be done on finding resource-viable interventions that could improve the resilience of older people as they age, enriching their cognitive reserve. This article discusses how social prescribing interventions may assist people to age well, and draws on a reflective case study to highlight how collaborative action via a film club might empower older people to sustain their mental well-being.
How to develop and present a conference poster.
Pepper A
Nurs Older People · 2025 Jul · PMID 40629987 · Publisher ↗
Presenting a poster at a conference is an effective way for nurses to share their work - for example, a research piece or quality improvement project - with a wider audience. It can help nurses to improve their writing a...
Presenting a poster at a conference is an effective way for nurses to share their work - for example, a research piece or quality improvement project - with a wider audience. It can help nurses to improve their writing and presentation skills while also benefiting colleagues and patients through the dissemination of best practice. However, if you are a novice poster author and presenter, you may find it challenging to know where to start. This article aims to guide nurses through the process of developing and presenting a conference poster, which will involve: • Consider what it is you wish to share with a wider audience and why. • Choose which conference will be a suitable forum and submit a convincing abstract. • Determine the design, structure and content of your poster. • Develop a draft, proofread it and ask a colleague or supervisor to look at it before finalising it. • Prepare yourself to discuss your poster with delegates. REFLECTIVE ACTIVITY: 'How to' articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of: • How this article might improve your practice when designing and presenting a conference poster. • How you could use this information to educate nursing students or your colleagues on the appropriate technique and evidence base when designing and presenting a conference poster.
Exploring the care work and personal need narratives of older carers.
Price B
Nurs Older People · 2025 Aug · PMID 40566727 · Publisher ↗
Increasingly, older adults are undertaking carer roles to support other older people. They are doing this within the confusing world of healthcare consumerism, with different agencies providing different services and wit...
Increasingly, older adults are undertaking carer roles to support other older people. They are doing this within the confusing world of healthcare consumerism, with different agencies providing different services and with variations in services across the UK. Understanding of the care work and needs of older carers is incomplete in relation to what they provide and what they believe they should seek help with. Therefore, it is important that nurses help older carers to narrate their care work and personal needs as part of an assessment of the self-care resources within the home. By doing so, nurses can better understand what support they might offer themselves and what assistance might be sought from other agencies. In this article, the author discusses the concepts of care agency and older carer narratives and describes how nurses might approach narrative enquiry by adopting the same principles used to develop person-centred care relationships.
Nursing people with dementia: an overview of ethical dilemmas and how to navigate them.
Pritchard J, Vieira-Moreno R
Nurs Older People · 2025 Sep · PMID 40495446 · Publisher ↗
Dementia affects cognition and therefore often results in people lacking mental capacity to make decisions about their treatment and care, resulting in decisions being made on their behalf. On such occasions, there may b...
Dementia affects cognition and therefore often results in people lacking mental capacity to make decisions about their treatment and care, resulting in decisions being made on their behalf. On such occasions, there may be differences of opinion between healthcare professionals and families, or between professionals themselves, about what constitutes the person's best interests. This is particularly the case in complex situations where the principles of biomedical ethics conflict with one another and there are no obvious 'right' or 'wrong' answers. This article outlines ethical principles in healthcare, discusses best interests decision-making and describes the so-called balance sheet approach. It also examines in more detail some ethical dilemmas commonly encountered in nursing practice when caring for people with dementia.
Exploring the concept of a 'long lie' after a fall to inform clinical pathways in pre-hospital services: a systematic literature review.
Holland J, Watkins-Webb R
Nurs Older People · 2025 Aug · PMID 40437966 · Publisher ↗
The term 'long lie' is often used clinically to describe a situation where an individual has had a fall and has remained on the floor. However, there is no universal definition of what constitutes a long lie or recogniti...
The term 'long lie' is often used clinically to describe a situation where an individual has had a fall and has remained on the floor. However, there is no universal definition of what constitutes a long lie or recognition of the effect it can have on physical or psychological well-being. In August 2024, the authors undertook a comprehensive literature review on the subject. A search of articles published in English from the past 45 years which refer to adults over the age of 18 years who had a fall and a long lie, identified six articles. The outcome of the review demonstrates that there is a lack of primary literature that clearly defines a long lie. Nevertheless, ambulance and community first responders are encouraged to convey to hospital patients who have been on the floor for one hour or more, directly contradicting national health agendas that promote the delivery of acute care closer to home.
How to identify an older person who may have depression.
Aldridge Z
Nurs Older People · 2025 Sep · PMID 40364731 · Publisher ↗
Depression is the most common mental health condition in older age but often goes undetected and untreated, which can negatively affect health, well-being and quality of life. This article highlights how nurses can impro...
Depression is the most common mental health condition in older age but often goes undetected and untreated, which can negatively affect health, well-being and quality of life. This article highlights how nurses can improve the identification of depression in older people, including by being aware of risk factors and signs and symptoms; by using proactive questioning and an individualised approach; and by encouraging older people who may have depression to discuss their mental health as part of a person-centred assessment. •Older people are highly susceptible to many of the physical and psychosocial risk factors associated with depression. •In older people, symptoms of depression can be wrongly attributed to dementia or considered a normal part of ageing. •Older people with depression may not recognise it or be reluctant to discuss it for fear of being stigmatised. •Improving the identification of depression in older people requires challenging assumptions about their mental health. REFLECTIVE ACTIVITY: 'How to' articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of: •How this article might improve your practice when identifying an older person who may have depression. •How you could use this information to educate nursing students or colleagues about identifying an older person who may have depression.
How to reflect critically on your clinical practice in older people nursing.
Goss-Hill B, Maddens G
Nurs Older People · 2025 Jun · PMID 40201953 · Publisher ↗
Critical reflection increases nurses' competence by providing them with a method for analysing complex situations and learning from them. Reflecting critically on their practice enables nurses to recognise and question t...
Critical reflection increases nurses' competence by providing them with a method for analysing complex situations and learning from them. Reflecting critically on their practice enables nurses to recognise and question their values, beliefs and assumptions. This is essential when caring for older people because unconscious bias increases the risk of ageism and can lead to decisions that negatively affect the care provided - for example, decisions that reduce patients' autonomy and agency. This article outlines the steps nurses can take to reflect critically on their clinical practice in older people nursing, using a reflective model constructed around three key questions: 'What?', 'So what?' and 'Now what?' • Critical reflection is an essential aspect of the nurse's role that supports the continuous improvement of practice. • Critical reflection involves examining one's thoughts, feelings and actions to better understand oneself and reduce the risk of unconscious bias. • Reflecting on clinical practice can support nurses to find a balance between managing the challenges of work and maintaining their emotional well-being. REFLECTIVE ACTIVITY: 'How to' articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of: • How this article might improve your critical reflection on clinical practice in older people nursing. • How you could use this information to educate nursing students or your colleagues on reflecting critically on clinical practice in older people nursing.
Exploring the complexities of symptom recognition and management in older people with dementia and multimorbidity.
de Vries K, Pepper A, Harrison Dening K
Nurs Older People · 2025 Jun · PMID 40134280 · Publisher ↗
Many older people living with dementia experience multimorbidity, which has been described as the presence of two or more long-term conditions, such as congestive heart failure, type 2 diabetes or stroke. Each of these l...
Many older people living with dementia experience multimorbidity, which has been described as the presence of two or more long-term conditions, such as congestive heart failure, type 2 diabetes or stroke. Each of these long-term conditions can cause a wide range of symptoms and almost all can involve pain. Older people may also experience sensory impairments, such as hearing and vision loss, which in those with dementia can lead to symptoms similar to the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. In addition, older people with dementia can experience challenges with expressive and receptive communication. All these factors can make it challenging for nurses to effectively identify and manage symptoms related to long-term conditions in older people with dementia. This article provides an overview of multimorbidity in older people with dementia, using pain as an example of a symptom associated with multiple long-term conditions to illustrate the complexities of symptom recognition and management in this population. The authors also consider how communication issues, sensory impairment and diagnostic overshadowing can add to the complexities of symptom recognition and management, and outline some of the implications for nursing practice.
Recognising and addressing loneliness and social isolation in older people.
Pimm E
Nurs Older People · 2025 Jun · PMID 40040355 · Publisher ↗
Loneliness is widely recognised as a problematic issue in UK society. Older people are particularly vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation for various reasons, and the effects of these can be detrimental to their...
Loneliness is widely recognised as a problematic issue in UK society. Older people are particularly vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation for various reasons, and the effects of these can be detrimental to their physical and mental health and well-being. Recognising the signs and symptoms associated with loneliness and social isolation is central to beginning the process of assessment and intervention. This article describes the concepts of loneliness and social isolation and explores their link to physical and mental health. The author also discusses some ways in which nurses can measure loneliness and provides some examples of interventions, such as health coaching and social prescribing, which can help to reduce the experiences of loneliness and social isolation in older people.
Nurses' experiences of providing dementia care in acute hospital settings.
Addis G, Evans D
Nurs Older People · 2025 Aug · PMID 40007177 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of older people admitted to acute hospitals have dementia. For nurses, providing dementia care in acute settings involves unique challenges such as ensuring staff and patient safety and man...
BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of older people admitted to acute hospitals have dementia. For nurses, providing dementia care in acute settings involves unique challenges such as ensuring staff and patient safety and managing the stress caused by insufficient resources. AIM: To explore nurses' experiences and challenges when caring for patients with dementia in an acute general hospital setting. METHOD: This study used a qualitative approach and semi-structured interviews to explore participants' experiences of caring for patients with dementia. All permanent nurses working in three acute medical wards in one NHS trust ( n =120) received an email inviting them to take part. Eight nurses volunteered to be interviewed. FINDINGS: Three main themes were extrapolated from the thematic analysis of interview data: attributes of dementia care; planning care effectively; and staff education and training needs. Participants emphasised the importance of person-centred care and the challenges involved in providing such care due to staff shortages, which could result in frustration, exhaustion and stress for both staff and patients. CONCLUSION: Nurses in acute care settings need additional education and training to improve their knowledge and skills in relation to dementia care. The involvement of families is important for the optimal care of patients with dementia on acute hospital wards.
How to undertake an effective oral health assessment.
Thayaparan T, Doshi M
Nurs Older People · 2025 Feb · PMID 39936223 · Publisher ↗
Older people living in nursing and care homes are susceptible to developing oral health issues due, for example, to cognitive, physical and medical issues or conditions; therefore, an oral health assessment is a fundamen...
Older people living in nursing and care homes are susceptible to developing oral health issues due, for example, to cognitive, physical and medical issues or conditions; therefore, an oral health assessment is a fundamental aspect of care for this population. Suboptimal oral health can result in pain and difficulty eating, drinking and communicating and can adversely affect the individual's comfort and dignity. Undertaking an effective and systematic oral health assessment can support nurses to identify oral health risk factors and evaluate the level of support individuals need to maintain optimal oral health: • An oral health assessment should be completed on an individual's admission to a nursing or care home and regularly thereafter to ensure early identification of any issues. • Nurses should use a validated oral health assessment tool, amend the individual's care plan as appropriate and instigate relevant care and/or a dental referral based on the outcomes. • An individualised oral care plan should be developed for each resident and should include daily oral hygiene routines, the use of dentures (if applicable) and access to dental care services. REFLECTIVE ACTIVITY: 'How to' articles can help to update your practice and ensure it is evidence-based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on its contents and write a short account of: • How this article might improve your practice in undertaking an oral health assessment. • How you could use this information to educate nursing students or colleagues about undertaking oral health assessments.
A Walk Through Dementia: exploring the effects of a virtual reality app about dementia on students' knowledge and attitudes.
Heward M, Mitchell R, Murphy J … +1 more , Board M
Nurs Older People · 2025 Jan · PMID 39838761 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: A Walk Through Dementia (AWTD) is a learning resource that shows dementia from the perspective of people with the condition. Its three 360-degree simulation films depict a person with dementia in different ev...
BACKGROUND: A Walk Through Dementia (AWTD) is a learning resource that shows dementia from the perspective of people with the condition. Its three 360-degree simulation films depict a person with dementia in different everyday situations and can be viewed online or on a smartphone using an app. AIM: To evaluate how first-year undergraduate healthcare students react to the AWTD app, what they learn from it and the influence it has on their clinical practice during placements. METHOD: The app was used as a learning tool during two dementia training days attended by 414 students at Bournemouth University. Data were collected on the day via a post-training survey and four months later via two focus groups with a small purposive sample of students. FINDINGS: The survey was completed by 271 of the 414 students (65% response rate) and 11 students participated in the focus groups. Survey respondents found the app easy to use and engaging. They reported a deeper understanding of dementia and felt that the app had changed their attitude towards people with dementia. Focus group participants discussed how they approached people with dementia with more awareness, more confidence and in a more person-centred manner. CONCLUSION: There are potential benefits of using the AWTD app in dementia education for undergraduate healthcare students, but further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness as a learning tool.
Delivering safe, person-centred care for acutely unwell older people on virtual wards.
Angell M
Nurs Older People · 2025 Jan · PMID 39775681 · Publisher ↗
A virtual ward can provide hospital-level care for older people in their usual place of residence during an episode of acute illness. Care on a virtual ward may be delivered through a mix of in-person home visits, teleph...
A virtual ward can provide hospital-level care for older people in their usual place of residence during an episode of acute illness. Care on a virtual ward may be delivered through a mix of in-person home visits, telephone or video calls and remote monitoring. This model of care can prevent unnecessary inpatient admissions, which in turn can prevent the development of associated complications in this patient population, such as deconditioning, delirium and hospital-acquired infections. However, there are barriers to the use of virtual wards in the care of older people. This article provides an overview of technology-enabled virtual wards and discusses some of the barriers to their use in older people's care as well as ways in which these can be addressed. The author also considers how nurses can help ensure that the care provided to an older person admitted to a virtual ward is person-centred and safe.
Improving meaningful activity and meaningful engagement for residents in long-term care settings.
Bradley R, Ryan A, Penney S
Nurs Older People · 2024 Dec · PMID 39690912 · Publisher ↗
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, restrictions were placed on social contacts and group activities in long-term care settings. Evidence has suggested that social isolation can lead to the onset of...
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, restrictions were placed on social contacts and group activities in long-term care settings. Evidence has suggested that social isolation can lead to the onset of health issues including depression and cognitive decline in older people. This article details a quality improvement project undertaken by the managers of nine long-term care settings in Northern Ireland that aimed to enhance meaningful activity and meaningful engagement for residents following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. The findings suggest that improving meaningful activity and meaningful engagement can benefit residents in terms of nutrition and hydration, sleep patterns, use of medicines and number of falls.
Exploring self-care health-related beliefs, values and attitudes with older patients.
Price B
Nurs Older People · 2024 Dec · PMID 39628130 · Publisher ↗
Person-centred care is based on the notion that patients' independence and dignity is sustained during the care planning process. Negotiating person-centred care with the older person involves exploring their self-care b...
Person-centred care is based on the notion that patients' independence and dignity is sustained during the care planning process. Negotiating person-centred care with the older person involves exploring their self-care beliefs, values and attitudes. This article discusses patient beliefs, values and attitudes in the context of self-care and suggests ways in which nurses might explore these as a collaborative enquiry. The author also describes the use of a simple reflective framework as a starting point for engaging in this exploration.
Evaluating pain management in older people after orthopaedic surgery - a study in Jordan.
Almagharbeh W
Nurs Older People · 2025 Mar · PMID 39601037 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Pain management in older people presents unique challenges due to age-related physiological changes, altered responses to medicines, comorbidities and polypharmacy. These challenges, which are exacerbated in...
BACKGROUND: Pain management in older people presents unique challenges due to age-related physiological changes, altered responses to medicines, comorbidities and polypharmacy. These challenges, which are exacerbated in those aged ≥75 years, can compromise the efficacy and safety of pharmacological treatment, including after discharge following orthopaedic surgery. AIM: To evaluate pain management and follow-up care provided in primary care settings in Jordan to older people who had undergone orthopaedic surgery. METHOD: For this descriptive study, data were collected from the discharge summaries and electronic health records of older people who were receiving support from community nurses in rural primary care units in the Aqaba Governorate in Jordan after undergoing orthopaedic procedures in hospital. RESULTS: Of the 100 participants, 63 lived in a nursing home and 30 had been diagnosed with dementia. Hip fractures, diagnosed in 56 participants, were the most common reason for surgery. Thirty-two participants had a documented post-discharge follow-up plan regarding pain management in primary care. Of the 90 participants who were still being followed up 12 weeks after discharge, 51 (57%) were still being prescribed opioids for regular use or as required. CONCLUSION: Nurses have a crucial role in ensuring effective and safe pain management in older people, particularly when using opioids, due to the heightened risk of adverse effects and medicine interactions. Tailored pain management involves careful initiation of medicines; regular monitoring and assessment of pain levels, adherence to medicines and monitoring of potential side effects; and individualised follow-up plans.
Implementing palliative and end of life care for people with dementia.
Drain D, Stone L, Daly RL
Nurs Older People · 2025 Feb · PMID 39501665 · Publisher ↗
Dementia is characterised by memory loss, behavioural changes and decline of cognitive, social and physical functions and is a life-limiting condition. At the point of diagnosis it is classed as a palliative condition, y...
Dementia is characterised by memory loss, behavioural changes and decline of cognitive, social and physical functions and is a life-limiting condition. At the point of diagnosis it is classed as a palliative condition, yet there is limited public and healthcare professional awareness that, once diagnosed, a person will either die of dementia or die with dementia. This article discusses how the recognition and timing of the need for palliative dementia care is pivotal in providing person-centred care. The authors explore factors such as optimal prognostication, advance care planning, staff education and accessing support from palliative and end of life care teams and Admiral Nurses. The authors also use a fictional case study to demonstrate best practice in palliative dementia care.
Exploring the feasibility of using a bedside device to help prevent nighttime falls.
Anthony KE, Houten L, Logan P
Nurs Older People · 2025 Feb · PMID 39439233 · Publisher ↗
BACKGROUND: Older people living in the community are at risk of preventable nighttime falls. Technology can support falls interventions but there is a lack of research into this area. A new bedside device called Bide sen...
BACKGROUND: Older people living in the community are at risk of preventable nighttime falls. Technology can support falls interventions but there is a lack of research into this area. A new bedside device called Bide senses movement and changes in light levels and plays a prerecorded message encouraging the user to follow falls prevention advice when trying to mobilise at night. AIM: To test the feasibility of using the Bide device in a community health service. METHOD: Healthcare workers were trained in the use of the Bide device and asked to identify potential participants. The research team subsequently recruited participants, provided them with a device and explained how to use it. After four weeks, participants took part in face-to-face semi-structured interviews regarding the acceptability of the device. Participants' fear of falling was calculated before and after the intervention using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International. FINDINGS: The Bide device appeared to increase patients' confidence to mobilise at night and no adverse events were reported from its use. The device was generally found to be acceptable and easy to use, although one participant found it irritating. Healthcare workers flagged up very few potential participants to the research team, which may have been due to workload pressures and a disconnect between healthcare workers and technology. CONCLUSION: It appears feasible to study the use of the Bide device for nighttime falls prevention in the community. To enhance recruitment, a member of the research team may be embedded in the clinical team with the aim of proactively identifying potential participants.
Implementing the PURPOSE T pressure ulcer risk assessment tool into clinical practice.
Tyrer J
Nurs Older People · 2024 Dec · PMID 39354794 · Publisher ↗
The first intervention in pressure ulcer prevention is often the completion of a pressure ulcer risk assessment, which aims to identify a patient's level of risk of developing a pressure ulcer. Appropriate care planning...
The first intervention in pressure ulcer prevention is often the completion of a pressure ulcer risk assessment, which aims to identify a patient's level of risk of developing a pressure ulcer. Appropriate care planning should then follow. There are several pressure ulcer risk assessment tools that nurses can use in their clinical practice, but it has not always been clear which is the most effective. One of these tools - the PURPOSE T (Pressure Ulcer Risk Primary or Secondary Evaluation Tool) - has recently been recommended in national guidelines and is now considered to be the only tool with an up-to-date evidence base. This article examines some of the risk assessment tools used to assess pressure ulcer risk, as well as providing an overview of the PURPOSE T and explaining its significance in pressure ulcer prevention.
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