Improving meaningful activity and meaningful engagement for residents in long-term care settings
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Improving meaningful activity and meaningful engagement for residents in long-term care settings

Rosemary Bradley Research fellow, School of Nursing and Paramedic Sciences, Ulster University, Derry, Northern Ireland
Assumpta Ryan Professor of ageing and health, Ulster University, Derry, Northern Ireland
Sarah Penney Lecturer in nursing, Ulster University, Derry, Northern Ireland

Why you should read this article:
  • To enhance your awareness of the need to adopt a whole-health approach in long-term care settings

  • To reflect on the benefits of meaningful activity and meaningful engagement for care home residents

  • To read about the My Home Life initiative, which aims to promote quality of life in long-term care settings

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.

Nursing Older People. doi: 10.7748/nop.2024.e1495

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

r.bradley1@ulster.ac.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Bradley R, Ryan A, Penney S (2024) Improving meaningful activity and meaningful engagement for residents in long-term care settings. Nursing Older People. doi: 10.7748/nop.2024.e1495

Published online: 18 December 2024

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