Elderly Nursing Home Patients Enrich Their Lives by
Video Communications with Family
Researchers often arrived to find the residents had
been waiting for them for half an hour
June 10, 2010 Senior citizens living in nursing
homes who used videoconferencing to keep in touch with family members
felt it enriched their lives and the vast majority said it was the
second best thing to a family visit, according to a study in the June
issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
Everyone in the study said the experience enriched
their lives, just under two-thirds said it was the second-best option to
family visiting and a third said it gave them a true picture of family
life.
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"A trained research assistant helped the residents
speak to their spouse, child or grandchild using SKYPE or MSN" explains
co-author Professor Yun-Fang Tsai, Chair of the School of Nursing at
Chang Gung University in Taiwan. "At the end of the three-month study
period, all the participants took part in in-depth interviews."
The average videoconferencing session lasted just
under 12 minutes. Twelve per cent took place daily, 47 per cent weekly,
23 per cent monthly and 18 per cent occasionally.
Thirty-four residents from ten nursing homes took
part in the study. The 18 women and 16 men had an average age of 75.
The residents were very positive about the
experience. They said it gave them a chance to be part of family life,
see relatives who had moved abroad and allay anxieties if relatives were
unable to visit.
Comments included:
● "It is a fun and helpful activity. Although it
took me a little time to interact with my family I feel fabulous every
time after talking with my son. Sometimes he plays a song I like on the
violin, which he would never bring here. He also shared some photos with
me, the pets in the house and so on."
● "My daughter-in-law owns a pet store. She
always shows me what's new in her store, such as a new pet. It's really
interesting."
● "If my family could come to visit me in
person, that would be the best way since I can see them more clearly But
they are very busy and have no time to visit every day. This may
sometimes replace their in-person visits."
● "My son lives in America and has his own
business. He only has time to visit me once or twice a year. Via
videoconference, I have the chance to see my son, grandson and so on."
● "I feel less anxiety. If my son does not visit
some week I would not be anxious, worrying about the status of his
family and clamoring to go home. This is better than the telephone for I
can see the real thing. I wouldn't think my son is lying to me that
everyone in the family is OK. I can see their rosy faces, which are very
believable and real."
● "Since my son immigrated to America my
grandson seldom comes back to Taiwan due to his school life. Via the
videoconference program I can see how tall he has become."
Some of the residents felt slightly anxious or
self-conscious about using the equipment as they were unfamiliar with
computers and found it strange to see their family on a screen rather
than in person. Comments included:
● "When I first used the setup, it felt very
strange to talk with a computer even though my son was on the other
side."
● "Sometimes I have no idea what to say, but it
is fine since I can see my children. That part is good."
● "I hope I can deal with my teeth. It would
help me to say more. Otherwise my dental problems would interfere with
my family understanding what I am saying."
"We were very pleased with the positive reactions
this initiative received" says Professor Tsai. "In fact, the researchers
often arrived to find the residents had been waiting for them for half
an hour, keen to ensure they didn't miss their slot!
"It proved a simple way to enrich the lives of
people in nursing homes and enable them to be part of family life. We
would also be keen to see this expanded so that families could also
become part of their relative's nursing home life.
"Residents needed some time to get used to the
program, and had to have help to use the equipment, but the benefits
were considerable and could easily be replicated in a wide range of
residential care settings."
Source:
Older nursing home residents' experiences with
videoconferencing to communicate with family members. Hsiu-Hsin Tsai and
Yun-Fang Tsai. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 19, pp1538-1543. (June
2010). DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2010.03198.x
Founded in 1992, Journal of Clinical Nursing
reports it is a highly regarded peer reviewed Journal that has a truly
international readership. The Journal embraces experienced clinical
nurses, student nurses and health professionals, who support, inform and
investigate nursing practice. It enlightens, educates, explores, debates
and challenges the foundations of clinical health care knowledge and
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Blackwell Publishing group.
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June 10, 2010 Senior citizens living in nursing
homes who used videoconferencing to keep in touch with family members
felt it enriched their lives and the vast majority said it was the
second best thing to a family visit, according to a study in the June
issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
As people become lonely, they become less trustful,
and a cycle develops that makes it harder for them to form friendships;
important to recognize loneliness and help those people connect