Clinical Interventions in Aging (Oct 2019)
Preventing The Abuse Of Residents With Dementia Or Alzheimer’s Disease In The Long-Term Care Setting: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Michael Mileski,1 Kimberly Lee,1 Curtis Bourquard,1 Belinda Cavazos,1 Kristopher Dusek,1 Kristopher Kimbrough,1 Linda Sweeney,1 Rebecca McClay2 1School of Health Administration, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA; 2School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, American Public University System, Charles Town, WV, USACorrespondence: Michael MileskiSchool of Health Administration, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, Encino Hall—250, San Marcos, TX 78666, USATel +1 (512) 245-3556Email [email protected]: The main objective of this study was to investigate abuse of residents with either dementia or Alzheimer’s disease in long-term care settings, to identify facilitators and barriers surrounding implementation of systems to prevent such occurrences, and to draw conclusions on combating the issue of abuse.Patients and methods: A systematic review was conducted using the Medline, CINAHL, and Academic Search Ultimate databases. With the use of key terms via Boolean search, 30 articles were obtained which were determined to be germane to research objectives. The review was conducted and structured based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.Results: Residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease are at greater risk of abuse. The growing population could increase this problem exponentially. The most common facilitators were the introduction of policies/programs in the facility, education, and working conditions. The most cited barriers were poor training, lack of research, and working conditions in the long-term care setting.Conclusion: The examples given would be useful in minimizing the potential for abuse in the long-term care setting. Leadership can take an active role in the prevention of abuse of the elderly through their actions, education of employees, and changes in the work environment.Keywords: exploitation, nursing facility, skilled nursing, nursing home
