Ageing and Long-Term Care v3
The Research Line Ageing and Long-Term Care (ALTC) creates an inspiring scientific environment where researchers in the area of ageing and long-term care conduct high quality research in close collaboration with the (regional) health care field in order to increase quality of care and quality of life among older people.
Research and Impact
We develop and disseminate knowledge on psychosocial, clinical and environmental determinants of health care problems, including prevalence, needs, social participation, and independency. Furthermore, we develop and evaluate innovative programmes, research methods and interventions for and with older persons, enabling functional capacity and improving the quality of long-term care. Improving scientific methods and implementation of evidence are important in this.
News and research stories
How to prevent a total collapse of the healthcare system
Case studies
Showcasing the impact and societal relevance of the research within the Ageing and Long-Term Care research line.
Reablement in Action: Shifting Long-Term Care Focus
Demographic shifts force a rethink on aging. Many stay active, yet health changes can impact autonomy and purpose, values central to older adults.
“The ban on visitors really had a negative impact on the well-being of nursing home residents”
At the start of COVID-19, the Dutch Ministry of Health asked Professor Jan Hamers’ Living Labs in Ageing and Long-Term Care to help design nursing home visiting guidelines after full lockdowns hit. “Thanks in part to our research, they reopened their doors to visitors earlier,” Hamers says.
“We can be proud of the fact that Connecting Conversations is still of interest”
How can we accurately describe the experienced quality of care in nursing homes from the resident’s perspective? Six years ago, the healthcare organisations that are part of the Living Lab in Ageing and Long-Term Care Limburg (AWO-L) were in need of an answer to this question.
“It’s so important to involve patients in this type of research”
I-HARP is a tool to help healthcare providers timely identify and address the palliative care needs of people with heart failure. CAPHRI conducts research aimed at adapting I-HARP to a similar tool for people with COPD.
Talking about death and dying
Palliative care is a vital part of treating life-threatening or chronic illnesses, yet tailoring end-of-life care to a patient's exact needs remains a challenge. Facilitating shared decision-making and maintaining clear communication are essential, but often difficult, parts of the process.
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The core of nursing practice, essential to patients’ quality of life
Bathing, dressing, and helping patients eat are key nursing activities. "Surprisingly, they were supported by little evidence," says Professor Sandra Zwakhalen. "Fortunately, researchers pay more attention to basic care now. It's essential to quality of life, and there's still work to be done."
Projects
DEDICATED: Desired Dementia Care Towards End of Life
Improving the quality of palliative care for people with dementia and their relatives is the primary goal of the DEDICATED project (Desired Dementia Care Towards End of Life). In collaboration with professional practice and education, an approach has been developed for this purpose: the DEDICATED approach. Healthcare professionals working with people with dementia can apply this approach to provide optimal palliative care to individuals with dementia.
Read more about DEDICATED
I-HARP: Identifying Heart Failure Patients with Palliative Care Needs
Over the past decade, it has been increasingly recognised that individuals with advanced heart failure (also referred to as chronic heart failure, CHF) have significant palliative care needs. Palliative interventions have also proven to be effective. Unfortunately, there is still frequently insufficient focus on alleviating symptom burden, addressing the limited quality of life, and fulfilling the need for discussions regarding the future and end-of-life.
Read more about I-HARP
TRANS-SENIOR: Transitional Care Innovation in Senior Citizens
From home to care home, from hospital to home or to a care home: many older adults in long-term care experience relocations. The European project Transsenior focuses on improving and, where possible, preventing these types of transfers (transitions). The AWO-L is a member of the consortium executing the project.
Read more about TRANS-SENIOR
Improving ADL nursing care of long-term care clients
Stimulating self-reliance among vulnerable older adults is essential for maintaining their quality of life and independence. Healthcare professionals play a key role in this process. The ZELF programme (Self-reliance, Autonomy, Quality of Life, and Functionality) has been developed to support healthcare staff across various care settings in achieving this. The programme is holistic, interactive, and personalised, and is based on the philosophy of reablement.
In addition, care homes are increasingly adopting bag-bath methods (also known as waterless bathing), a technique in which clients are washed using ready-to-use disposable washcloths. Although this alternative bathing method is widely applied, its implementation in practice often proves to be limited and unsustainable.
Read more about Improving ADL
Stay Active at Home
Promoting the self-reliance of older adults by encouraging them to remain as active as possible at home: that is the objective of the Blijf Actief Thuis (Stay Active at Home) programme, which was developed and tested by the AWO-L..
Read more about Stay Active at Home
