Improving the collective life in private seniors’ residence: establishing the needs on the subject of countering mistreatment between residents and the promotion of “nicely living together”.

PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER:

Marie Beaulieu, Ph. D., University of Sherbrooke

In partnership with Chartwell Retirement Residences

RESEARCH TEAM:

N.a.

CHAIR PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT:

Roxane Leboeuf, Project Coordinator and Doctoral Student in Gerontology (University of Sherbrooke)

GRANTING AGENCY AND GRANT AMOUNT:

Conseil de recherche en sciences humaines (CRSH) – Partnership engage grant : 25 000$

Cash contribution from Chartwell : 5 000$

PROJECT COMPLETION DATES:

September 1 of  2018 to August 31 of 2019

ROLE OF THE CHAIR IN THE PROJECT:

Project leader in collaboration with Chartwell

RESEARCH PROBLEM:

Mistreatment between older adults is a problem experienced by many in private seniors’ residences (PSRs) (Trompetter, Scholte, & Westerhof, 2011), but minimally studied comparatively to long-term care environment (Leboeuf, Beaulieu, Lefeuvre, 2017). Studies in PSRs with residents and staff members show that everyone has a different depiction of what constitutes mistreatment between residents (Parley, 2010; Trompetter & al., 2011). This makes it difficult to estimate the extent of the problem and makes it harder to put in place prevention, identification and intervention measures.

While an approach to counter mistreatment can be employed to oppose the problem, the use of a “living together” («vivre ensemble») approach is gradually emerging (O’Brien, 2015; Rosenfelder, 2017). The latter is still not very documented in PSRs.

These facts denote the importance of improving the knowledge in regard to countering mistreatment between residents and the promotion of “nicely living together” in PSRs.

GOAL OF THE PROJECT OR RESEARCH QUESTION:

Documenting the mistreatment between residents in private seniors’ residences (PSRs) and the signification of “nicely living together” according to three different point of views: the residents, the employees and the executives (general directors and corporate executives) to circumscribe their needs in terms of countering mistreatment between residents and the promotion of “nicely living together”.

OBJECTIVES:

The project has the following specific objectives:

• Identify the manifestations and the representations of mistreatment between residents;
• Identify the representations of “nicely living together” and the circumstances to promote it;
• Identify the needs of each group on the matter of countering mistreatment and the promotion of “nicely living together”.

METHODOLOGY:

1. State of knowledge on mistreatment between residents living in private seniors’ residence, as well as on “nicely living together” using two scoping reviews.
2. Analysis of documents presenting the approaches, the mechanisms and the tools on the matter of countering mistreatment between residents and the promotion of “nicely living together” within each residence.
3. 7 focus groups within three Chartwell residences which will allow to meet a total of 53 participants:
4. 3 focus groups of 10 residents each.
5. 3 focus groups of 6 staff members each.
6. 1 focus group with 3 general directors and 2 corporate executives.
7. Qualitative analysis of the entire data.
8. Production of a synthesis report.
9. Knowledge diffusion and transfer.

PROJECT ADVANCEMENT:

The literature review is in progress and the team is waiting for the ethic committee’s approval.

COMMUNICATIONS:

N.a.

PUBLICATIONS:

Beaulieu, M. et Leboeuf, R. en collaboration avec les Résidences Chartwell. (2019). Rapport de recherche synthèse. Améliorer la vie collective en résidence privée pour aînés : Établir les besoins en matière de lutte contre la maltraitance entre résidents et de promotion du « bien vivre ensemble ». Chaire de recherche sur la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées et Chartwell résidences pour retraités.

Beaulieu, M. & Leboeuf, R. in collaboration with Chartwell Retirement Residences. (2019). Synthesis Research Report. To improve the quality of community living in private residences: Establish the needs to counter resident-to-resident mistreatment and promote the concept of ‘living well together’. Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults and Chartwell Retirement Residences. Sherbrooke. 24 p.

REFERENCES:

Leboeuf, R., Beaulieu, M. & Lefeuvre, K. (20 octobre 2017). The mistreatment between older adults within private retirement homes: a scooping review. 46e Réunion scientifique et éducative annuelle de l’Association canadienne de gérontologie, « Actions fondées sur les données probantes pour un monde vieillissant ». Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada).

O’Brien, C. (2015). Favoriser le « vivre ensemble » des résidents d’un EHPAD, notamment par la mise en place d’un dispositif de type PASA Éclaté. Des projets spécifiques et solutions complémentaires pour répondre à la désorientation croissante et l’hétérogénéité des personnes âgées accueillies. Mémoire de l’École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique. Retrieved from: http://fulltext.bdsp.ehesp.fr/Ehesp/Memoires/cafdes/2015/obrien.pdf

Parley, F. (2010). The understanding that care staff bring to abuse. The Journal of Adult Protection, 12(1), 13-26.

Rosenfelder, C. (2017). Vieillir dans un habitat autogéré : la question du « vivre ensemble ». Gérontologie et société, 39(152-1), 155-167. Retrieved from: https://www.cairn.info/revue-gerontologie-et-societe-2017-1-p-155.html

Trompetter, H., Scholte, R., et Westerhof, G. (2011). Resident-to-resident relational aggression and subjective well-being in assisted living facilities. Aging and Mental Health, 15(1), 59‑67.