Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Improving inpatient hospice environments for older people in England
T2 - a documentary analysis
AU - Rigby, Janet
AU - Milligan, Christine
AU - Payne, Sheila
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Objective: To assess the extent to which a grants programme to fund improvements to English inpatient hospice buildings achieved its goals of involving and directly benefiting older people.Method: Qualitative content analysis was undertaken of all grant application forms which (a) resulted in funding, and (b) proposed to refurbish or replace inpatient hospice buildings. Data were extracted, and themes identified, on the nature and extent of the benefits envisaged for older people, and how older people were involved in the proposed building projects.Results: Of 227 grant applications, 139 (from 111 hospices) met the inclusion criteria. Four categories of building improvement were identified: interior decoration or equipment (n = 386, or 36% of the total); public spaces (n= 291, or 27%), private spaces (n = 283, or 26%), and health and safety (n= 116, or11%). These improvements, while generally beneficial, were rarely targeted at older people. Most grant applicants stated that they had consulted service users, but only 13 specified that they consulted older people. Limited information was supplied about the methods or findings of these consultations. In 15 grant applications, older people were not mentioned at all.Conclusions: Older hospice inpatients, their relatives and advocacy groups should be involved more fully in decisions relating to the physical environment of care. Staff who prepare funding bids should receive training in conducting consultations with service users, and identifying and evaluating other relevant evidence. Toensure a consistently high standard of environmental provision for older people in hospices, evidence based assessment tools and guidelines should be developed.
AB - Objective: To assess the extent to which a grants programme to fund improvements to English inpatient hospice buildings achieved its goals of involving and directly benefiting older people.Method: Qualitative content analysis was undertaken of all grant application forms which (a) resulted in funding, and (b) proposed to refurbish or replace inpatient hospice buildings. Data were extracted, and themes identified, on the nature and extent of the benefits envisaged for older people, and how older people were involved in the proposed building projects.Results: Of 227 grant applications, 139 (from 111 hospices) met the inclusion criteria. Four categories of building improvement were identified: interior decoration or equipment (n = 386, or 36% of the total); public spaces (n= 291, or 27%), private spaces (n = 283, or 26%), and health and safety (n= 116, or11%). These improvements, while generally beneficial, were rarely targeted at older people. Most grant applicants stated that they had consulted service users, but only 13 specified that they consulted older people. Limited information was supplied about the methods or findings of these consultations. In 15 grant applications, older people were not mentioned at all.Conclusions: Older hospice inpatients, their relatives and advocacy groups should be involved more fully in decisions relating to the physical environment of care. Staff who prepare funding bids should receive training in conducting consultations with service users, and identifying and evaluating other relevant evidence. Toensure a consistently high standard of environmental provision for older people in hospices, evidence based assessment tools and guidelines should be developed.
KW - Hospices
KW - Palliative care
KW - Facility design and construction
KW - Environment design
KW - Aged
U2 - 10.1179/1743291X13Y.0000000073
DO - 10.1179/1743291X13Y.0000000073
M3 - Journal article
VL - 22
SP - 187
EP - 194
JO - Progress in Palliative Care
JF - Progress in Palliative Care
SN - 0969-9260
IS - 4
ER -