journal articles
UNDERSTANDING THE LINKS OF ACTIVITY, ENVIRONMENT, AND SOCIAL NETWORKS TO HEALTH FOR NEWLY RELOCATED SKILLED NURSING FACILITY RESIDENTS
T. Mernar
Jour Nursing Home Res 2017;3:1-9
Background: Admission into a skilled nursing facility can pose many challenges for new residents. Many residents possess adverse health conditions and body function and structure impairments which limit their daily activity performance and participation. Little is known about the relationships between activity, social networks, environment, and health of skilled nursing facility residents. Objectives: This study aimed to examine activity, environmental, and social network factors that significantly relate to the physical and mental health states of newly relocated skilled nursing facility residents. Design: A pre-post non-experimental correlational research design was employed during the first and second months of newly relocating to a skilled nursing facility. Setting: Eight skilled nursing facilities from the Greater Los Angeles area were used in this study. Participants: Ninety-four residents answered interviewee-administered questionnaires during their first month of stay and fifty of these residents were available to complete the questionnaire battery during their second month. Measurements: A battery of questionnaires were used to measure the residents’ perceived activity participation, importance, and performance; environmental influence; social networks; and perceived health. Results: The most importantly defined activities for residents during the first and change of first to second month were activities of daily living. Sixteen statistically significant activity and environmental predictors to both positive and negative mental and physical health were found. Conclusion: The statistically significant findings from this study can inform geriatric healthcare provider care, activity programming, and rehabilitation as to which activities and environmental elements positively and negatively relate to resident mental and physical health.
CITATION:
T. Mernar (2017): Understanding the Links of Activity, Environment, and Social Networks to Health for Newly Relocated Skilled Nursing Facility Residents. The Journal of Nursing Home Research Science (JNHRS). http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jnhrs.2017.1