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Sample records for research home tcrb

  1. Peripheral subnuclear positioning suppresses Tcrb recombination and segregates Tcrb alleles from RAG2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Elizabeth A W; Teng, Grace; Corbett, Elizabeth; Choudhury, Kingshuk Roy; Bassing, Craig H; Schatz, David G; Krangel, Michael S

    2013-11-26

    Allelic exclusion requires that the two alleles at antigen-receptor loci attempt to recombine variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) gene segments [V(D)J recombination] asynchronously in nuclei of developing lymphocytes. It previously was shown that T-cell receptor β (Tcrb) alleles frequently and stochastically associate with the nuclear lamina and pericentromeric heterochromatin in CD4(-)CD8(-) thymocytes. Moreover, rearranged alleles were underrepresented at these locations. Here we used 3D immunofluorescence in situ hybridization to identify recently rearranged Tcrb alleles based on the accumulation of the DNA-repair protein 53BP1. We found that Tcrb alleles recombine asynchronously in double-negative thymocytes and that V(D)J recombination is suppressed on peripheral as compared with central Tcrb alleles. Moreover, the recombination events that did take place at the nuclear periphery preferentially occurred on Tcrb alleles that were partially dissociated from the nuclear lamina. To understand better the mechanism by which V(D)J recombination is suppressed at the nuclear periphery, we evaluated the subnuclear distribution of recombination-activating gene 2 (RAG2) protein. We found that RAG2 abundance was reduced at the nuclear periphery. Moreover, RAG2 was distributed differently from RNA polymerase II and histone H3K4 trimethylation. Our data suggest that the nuclear periphery suppresses V(D)J recombination, at least in part, by segregating Tcrb alleles from RAG proteins.

  2. Clonal expansion of T-cell receptor beta gene segment in the retrocochlear lesions of EAE mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, K C; Lee, K M; Yoo, T J

    1998-01-01

    It has been reported that the T cell receptor V beta 8.2 (TcrbV8.2) gene segment is predominantly expressed in encephalomyelitic T cells responding to myelin basic protein (MBP) in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice. We have demonstrated retrocochlear hearing loss in EAE mice in previous studies. Administration of a monoclonal antibody specific to the T cell receptor V beta 8 (TcrbV8) subfamily prevented both this type of hearing loss and the central nerve disease. In this study, we examined the role of the TcrbV8.2 gene segment in the retrocochlear lesions of EAE mice. A clonal expression of T cell receptor beta chain gene segment (TcrbV8.2-TcrbD2-TcrbJ2.7) was identified in the retrocochlear lesions. The TcrbV8.2 gene segment appears to recombine only with TcrbJ2.1 (32.1%) and TcrbJ2.7 (67.9%) gene segments. The TcrbJ2.7 gene segment has also been previously identified as the dominant TcrbJ gene in the lymph nodes of EAE mice. Only TcrbD2, with a length of 4 amino acids, was observed recombining with these TcrbV8.2 sequences. G and C nucleotides are predominantly expressed at the N regions between the V-D and D-J junctions. This dominant TcrbV gene segment (TcrbV8.2-TcrbD2-TcrbJ2.7) observed in the retrocochlear lesions has been identified in the MBP-specific T cells from the lymph nodes of EAE mice. These results suggest that a small subset of antigen-specific T cells migrate to, and expand at, the retrocochlear lesions, which leads to hearing loss.

  3. Index to Research in Home Economics: 1972-1986.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fetterman, Nelma I.; Lefebvre, Verna M.

    This index lists 945 research articles from 4 English-language journals in the field of home economics: the "Canadian Home Economics Journal," volumes 23-30; the "Home Economics Research Journal" (United States), volumes 1-14; the "Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics" (United Kingdom), volumes 1-10; and the…

  4. Smart homes, private homes? An empirical study of technology researchers' perceptions of ethical issues in developing smart-home health technologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birchley, Giles; Huxtable, Richard; Murtagh, Madeleine; Ter Meulen, Ruud; Flach, Peter; Gooberman-Hill, Rachael

    2017-04-04

    Smart-home technologies, comprising environmental sensors, wearables and video are attracting interest in home healthcare delivery. Development of such technology is usually justified on the basis of the technology's potential to increase the autonomy of people living with long-term conditions. Studies of the ethics of smart-homes raise concerns about privacy, consent, social isolation and equity of access. Few studies have investigated the ethical perspectives of smart-home engineers themselves. By exploring the views of engineering researchers in a large smart-home project, we sought to contribute to dialogue between ethics and the engineering community. Either face-to-face or using Skype, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 20 early- and mid-career smart-home researchers from a multi-centre smart-home project, who were asked to describe their own experience and to reflect more broadly about ethical considerations that relate to smart-home design. With participants' consent, interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach. Two overarching themes emerged: in 'Privacy', researchers indicated that they paid close attention to negative consequences of potential unauthorised information sharing in their current work. However, when discussing broader issues in smart-home design beyond the confines of their immediate project, researchers considered physical privacy to a lesser extent, even though physical privacy may manifest in emotive concerns about being watched or monitored. In 'Choice', researchers indicated they often saw provision of choice to end-users as a solution to ethical dilemmas. While researchers indicated that choices of end-users may need to be restricted for technological reasons, ethical standpoints that restrict choice were usually assumed and embedded in design. The tractability of informational privacy may explain the greater attention that is paid to it. However, concerns about physical privacy may

  5. Research on the model of home networking

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Xiang; Feng, Xiancheng

    2007-11-01

    It is the research hotspot of current broadband network to combine voice service, data service and broadband audio-video service by IP protocol to transport various real time and mutual services to terminal users (home). Home Networking is a new kind of network and application technology which can provide various services. Home networking is called as Digital Home Network. It means that PC, home entertainment equipment, home appliances, Home wirings, security, illumination system were communicated with each other by some composing network technology, constitute a networking internal home, and connect with WAN by home gateway. It is a new network technology and application technology, and can provide many kinds of services inside home or between homes. Currently, home networking can be divided into three kinds: Information equipment, Home appliances, Communication equipment. Equipment inside home networking can exchange information with outer networking by home gateway, this information communication is bidirectional, user can get information and service which provided by public networking by using home networking internal equipment through home gateway connecting public network, meantime, also can get information and resource to control the internal equipment which provided by home networking internal equipment. Based on the general network model of home networking, there are four functional entities inside home networking: HA, HB, HC, and HD. (1) HA (Home Access) - home networking connects function entity; (2) HB (Home Bridge) Home networking bridge connects function entity; (3) HC (Home Client) - Home networking client function entity; (4) HD (Home Device) - decoder function entity. There are many physical ways to implement four function entities. Based on theses four functional entities, there are reference model of physical layer, reference model of link layer, reference model of IP layer and application reference model of high layer. In the future home network

  6. Home Economics Archive: Research, Tradition and History (HEARTH)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Click here to go to the Mann Library Home Page Click here to return to the HEARTH Home Page Click , Tradition and History HEARTH is a core electronic collection of books and journals in Home Economics and Archive: Research, Tradition and History (HEARTH). Ithaca, NY: Albert R. Mann Library, Cornell University

  7. Action research in nursing homes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, John; Bilfeldt, Annette

    2016-01-01

    quality in a joint effort between care workers, residents at the nursing home, and researchers. It concludes that the project led to empowerment of the residents and staff and played an important role in the development of democratic knowledge building about better quality and ethics in elder care....

  8. Home economics in development through action research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Benn, Jette

    2010-01-01

    This research study aimed at describing and developing home economics education through an action research approach in 2 schools and classes grade 6. The study went through 3 phases, an explorative phase with preliminary observations, interviews and discussions with teachers and pupils. Next...... in discursive phase changes have been implemented and conducted in accordance with findings. Third phase the explicative phase results were translated into text books for pupil's grade 4 to7 and to a teachers' guide. The subject is analysed theoretical through a model of the subject and research field. Findings...... and suggestions were discussed in relation to theories of learning, education and home economics. The overall perspectives were to involve pupils, to make them responsible by active and critical participation, and lastly to evaluate education in different ways....

  9. Detection of clonal T-cell receptor beta and gamma chain gene rearrangement by polymerase chain reaction and capillary gel electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Hongxin; Robetorye, Ryan S

    2013-01-01

    Although established diagnostic criteria exist for mature T-cell neoplasms, a definitive diagnosis of a T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder cannot always be obtained using more conventional techniques such as flow cytometric immunophenotyping, conventional cytogenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization, or immunohistochemistry. However, because T-cell malignancies contain identically rearranged T-cell receptor gamma (TCRG) and/or beta (TCRB) genes, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be a fast, convenient, and dependable option to identify clonal T-cell processes. This chapter describes the use of PCR and capillary electrophoresis to identify clonal TCRB and TCRG gene rearrangements (TCRB and TCRG PCR) using a commercially available method employing multiple multiplex PCR tubes that was originally developed as the result of a large European BIOMED-2 collaborative study (Invivoscribe Technologies). The core protocol for the TCRB assay involves the use of three separate multiplex master mix tubes. Tubes A and B target the framework regions within the variable and joining regions of the TCRB gene, and Tube C targets the diversity and joining regions of the TCRB gene. The core protocol for the TCRG assay utilizes two multiplex master mix tubes (Tubes A and B) that target the variable and joining regions of the TCRG gene. Use of the five BIOMED-2 TCRB and TCRG PCR multiplex tubes in parallel can detect approximately 94% of clonal TCR gene rearrangements.

  10. Mapping a Research Agenda for Home Care Safety: Perspectives from Researchers, Providers, and Decision Makers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macdonald, Marilyn; Lang, Ariella; MacDonald, Jo-Anne

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative interpretive design was to explore the perspectives of researchers, health care providers, policy makers, and decision makers on key risks, concerns, and emerging issues related to home care safety that would inform a line of research inquiry. Defining safety specifically in this home care context has yet to be…

  11. Research Toward Zero Energy Homes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robert Hammon

    2010-12-31

    This final report was compiled from the detailed annual reports that were submitted for efforts in 2008 and 2009, and from individual task reports from 2010. Reports, case studies, and presentations derived from this work are available through the Building America website. The BIRA team is led by ConSol, a leading provider of energy solutions for builders since 1983. In partnership with over fifty builders, developers, architects, manufactures, researchers, utilities, and agencies, research work was performed in California, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Washington, Oregon, and Hawaii and five (5) climate regions (Hot-Dry, Marine, Hot-Humid, Cold, and Hot/Mixed Dry). In addition to research work, the team provided technical assistance to our partners whose interests span the entire building process. During the three year budget period, the BIRA team performed analyses of several emerging technologies, prototype homes, and high performance communities through detailed computer simulations and extensive field monitoring to meet the required climate joule milestone targets.

  12. Ideas of home in palliative care research: A concept analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tryselius, Kristina; Benzein, Eva; Persson, Carina

    2018-04-23

    To explore the concept of home and its' expressed spatialities in current palliative care research. Home is a central environment for living, caring, and dying. However, pure investigations of the sets of ideas linked to the concept seemed missing. Although identified as an important location, spatial perspectives expressed through the concept of home appeared unexplored. Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis. Scientific articles published between January 2009 and September 2015. Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis. Resulting attributes were explored from two geographically informed spatial perspectives. As main results, six attributes were identified and explored: Home as actor-capable of acting; emotional environment-something people have feelings for; place-a part of personal identity and a location; space-complex and relational spatial connections and a site for care; setting-passive background and absolute space; becoming-a fluid spatiality constantly folded. Examples of attributes and suggestions for further concept development were identified. The concept reflects various sets of ideas as well as expressing both relational and absolute perspectives of space. The most challenging for nursing research and practice seems to be investigation, operationalization, and testing the implementation of sets of ideas reflecting a relational thinking of space. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Challenges to conducting research with older people living in nursing homes

    OpenAIRE

    Hall, Sue; Longhurst, Susan; Higginson, Irene J

    2009-01-01

    Abstract Background Although older people are increasingly cared for in nursing homes towards the end of life, there is a dearth of research exploring the views of residents. There are however, a number of challenges and methodological issues involved in doing this. The aim of this paper is to discuss some of these, along with residents' views on taking part in a study of the perceptions of dignity of older people in care homes and make recommendations for future research in these settings. M...

  14. Teachers as Therapeutic Agents: Perceptions of a School-Based Mental Health Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindo, Natalya A.; Taylor, Dalena Dillman; Meany-Walen, Kristin K.; Purswell, Katherine; Jayne, Kimberly; Gonzales, Terri; Jones, Leslie

    2014-01-01

    Teacher-child relationship building (TCRB) is a play-based professional development programme adapted from kinder training and filial therapy. Intended for early education teachers and students, TCRB is designed to strengthen the teacher-child relationship, improve student behaviour, enhance academic involvement and develop teachers' classroom…

  15. Research supporting the congruence between rehabilitation principles and home health nursing practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neal, L J

    1999-01-01

    A grounded-theory study of 30 home health nurses conducted in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area used unstructured audiotaped interviews to elicit data as to how home health nurses define their practice. The purpose of the study was to develop a beginning substantive research-based theory of home health nursing practice. The model that emerged consists of three stages by which nurses attain autonomy in their practice. Adaptation was found to be the core category, in that nurses cannot function effectively or successfully in the home health arena unless they are or learn to be adaptable. Data also revealed that home health nurses either knowingly or unknowingly use rehabilitation nursing principles in their practice, thereby lending credence to the supposition that home health nursing practice is congruent with rehabilitation nursing principles.

  16. Public involvement in research within care homes: benefits and challenges in the APPROACH study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Froggatt, Katherine; Goodman, Claire; Morbey, Hazel; Davies, Sue L; Masey, Helen; Dickinson, Angela; Martin, Wendy; Victor, Christina

    2016-12-01

    Public involvement in research (PIR) can improve research design and recruitment. Less is known about how PIR enhances the experience of participation and enriches the data collection process. In a study to evaluate how UK care homes and primary health-care services achieve integrated working to promote older people's health, PIR was integrated throughout the research processes. This paper aims to present one way in which PIR has been integrated into the design and delivery of a multisite research study based in care homes. A prospective case study design, with an embedded qualitative evaluation of PIR activity. Data collection was undertaken in six care homes in three sites in England. Six PIR members participated: all had prior personal or work experience in care homes. Qualitative data collection involved discussion groups, and site-specific meetings to review experiences of participation, benefits and challenges, and completion of structured fieldwork notes after each care home visit. PIR members supported recruitment, resident and staff interviews and participated in data interpretation. Benefits of PIR work were resident engagement that minimized distress and made best use of limited research resources. Challenges concerned communication and scheduling. Researcher support for PIR involvement was resource intensive. Clearly defined roles with identified training and support facilitated involvement in different aspects of the data collection process. This can also ensure that vulnerable older people who participate in research have a positive experience that reinforces the value of their views. © 2015 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. The care unit in nursing home research: evidence in support of a definition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estabrooks, Carole A; Morgan, Debra G; Squires, Janet E; Boström, Anne-Marie; Slaughter, Susan E; Cummings, Greta G; Norton, Peter G

    2011-04-14

    Defining what constitutes a resident care unit in nursing home research is both a conceptual and practical challenge. The aim of this paper is to provide evidence in support of a definition of care unit in nursing homes by demonstrating: (1) its feasibility for use in data collection, (2) the acceptability of aggregating individual responses to the unit level, and (3) the benefit of including unit level data in explanatory models. An observational study design was used. Research (project) managers, healthcare aides, care managers, nursing home administrators and directors of care from thirty-six nursing homes in the Canadian prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba provided data for the study. A definition of care unit was developed and applied in data collection and analyses. A debriefing session was held with research managers to investigate their experiences with using the care unit definition. In addition, survey responses from 1258 healthcare aides in 25 of the 36 nursing homes in the study, that had more than one care unit, were analyzed using a multi-level modeling approach. Trained field workers administered the Alberta Context Tool (ACT), a 58-item self-report survey reflecting 10 organizational context concepts, to healthcare aides using computer assisted personal interviews. To assess the appropriateness of obtaining unit level scores, we assessed aggregation statistics (ICC(1), ICC(2), η², and ω²), and to assess the value of using the definition of unit in explanatory models, we performed multi-level modeling. In 10 of the 36 nursing homes, the care unit definition developed was used to align the survey data (for analytic purposes) to specific care units as designated by our definition, from that reported by the facility administrator. The aggregation statistics supported aggregating the healthcare aide responses on the ACT to the realigned unit level. Findings from the multi-level modeling further supported unit level aggregation. A

  18. Challenges to conducting research with older people living in nursing homes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Higginson Irene J

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although older people are increasingly cared for in nursing homes towards the end of life, there is a dearth of research exploring the views of residents. There are however, a number of challenges and methodological issues involved in doing this. The aim of this paper is to discuss some of these, along with residents' views on taking part in a study of the perceptions of dignity of older people in care homes and make recommendations for future research in these settings. Methods Qualitative interviews were used to obtain the views on maintaining dignity of 18 people aged 75 years and over, living in two private nursing homes in South East London. Detailed field notes on experiences of recruiting and interviewing participants were kept. Results Challenges included taking informed consent (completing reply slips and having a 'reasonable' understanding of their participation; finding opportunities to conduct interviews; involvement of care home staff and residents' families and trying to maintain privacy during the interviews. Most residents were positive about their participation in the study, however, five had concerns either before or during their interviews. Although 15 residents seemed to feel free to air their views, three seemed reluctant to express their opinions on their care in the home. Conclusion Although we experienced many challenges to conducting this study, they were not insurmountable, and once overcome, allowed this often unheard vulnerable group to express their views, with potential long-term benefits for future delivery of care.

  19. Improving quality and safety in nursing homes and home care: the study protocol of a mixed-methods research design to implement a leadership intervention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiig, Siri; Ree, Eline; Johannessen, Terese; Strømme, Torunn; Storm, Marianne; Aase, Ingunn; Ullebust, Berit; Holen-Rabbersvik, Elisabeth; Hurup Thomsen, Line; Sandvik Pedersen, Anne Torhild; van de Bovenkamp, Hester; Bal, Roland; Aase, Karina

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Nursing homes and home care face challenges across different countries as people are living longer, often with chronic conditions. There is a lack of knowledge regarding implementation and impact of quality and safety interventions as most research evidence so far is generated in hospitals. Additionally, there is a lack of effective leadership tools for quality and safety improvement work in this context. Methods and analysis The aim of the ‘Improving Quality and Safety in Primary Care—Implementing a Leadership Intervention in Nursing Homes and Homecare’ (SAFE-LEAD) study is to develop and evaluate a research-based leadership guide for managers to increase quality and safety competence. The project applies a mixed-methods design and explores the implications of the leadership guide on managers’ and staffs’ knowledge, attitudes and practices. Four nursing homes and four home care services from different Norwegian municipalities will participate in the intervention. Surveys, process evaluation (interviews, observations) and document analyses will be conducted to evaluate the implementation and impact of the leadership intervention. A comparative study of Norway and the Netherlands will establish knowledge of the context dependency of the intervention. Ethics and dissemination The study is approved by the Norwegian Centre for Research Data (2017/52324 and 54855). The results will be disseminated through scientific articles, two PhD dissertations, an anthology, presentations at national and international conferences, and in social media, newsletters and in the press. The results will generate knowledge to inform leadership practices in nursing homes and home care. Moreover, the study will build new theory on leadership interventions and the role of contextual factors in nursing homes and home care. PMID:29599394

  20. Improving quality and safety in nursing homes and home care: the study protocol of a mixed-methods research design to implement a leadership intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiig, Siri; Ree, Eline; Johannessen, Terese; Strømme, Torunn; Storm, Marianne; Aase, Ingunn; Ullebust, Berit; Holen-Rabbersvik, Elisabeth; Hurup Thomsen, Line; Sandvik Pedersen, Anne Torhild; van de Bovenkamp, Hester; Bal, Roland; Aase, Karina

    2018-03-28

    Nursing homes and home care face challenges across different countries as people are living longer, often with chronic conditions. There is a lack of knowledge regarding implementation and impact of quality and safety interventions as most research evidence so far is generated in hospitals. Additionally, there is a lack of effective leadership tools for quality and safety improvement work in this context. The aim of the 'Improving Quality and Safety in Primary Care-Implementing a Leadership Intervention in Nursing Homes and Homecare' (SAFE-LEAD) study is to develop and evaluate a research-based leadership guide for managers to increase quality and safety competence. The project applies a mixed-methods design and explores the implications of the leadership guide on managers' and staffs' knowledge, attitudes and practices. Four nursing homes and four home care services from different Norwegian municipalities will participate in the intervention. Surveys, process evaluation (interviews, observations) and document analyses will be conducted to evaluate the implementation and impact of the leadership intervention. A comparative study of Norway and the Netherlands will establish knowledge of the context dependency of the intervention. The study is approved by the Norwegian Centre for Research Data (2017/52324 and 54855). The results will be disseminated through scientific articles, two PhD dissertations, an anthology, presentations at national and international conferences, and in social media, newsletters and in the press. The results will generate knowledge to inform leadership practices in nursing homes and home care. Moreover, the study will build new theory on leadership interventions and the role of contextual factors in nursing homes and home care. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  1. Nursing home research: the first International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) research conference.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rolland, Yves; Resnick, Barbara; Katz, Paul R; Little, Milta O; Ouslander, Joseph G; Bonner, Alice; Geary, Carol R; Schumacher, Karen L; Thompson, Sarah; Martin, Finbarr C; Wilbers, Joachim; Zúñiga, Franziska; Ausserhofer, D; Schwendimann, R; Schüssler, S; Dassen, Theo; Lohrmann, Christa; Levy, Cari; Whitfield, Emily; de Souto Barreto, Philipe; Etherton-Beer, Christopher; Dilles, Tinne; Azermai, Majda; Bourgeois, Jolyce; Orrell, Martin; Grossberg, George T; Kergoat, Hélène; Thomas, David R; Visschedijk, Jan; Taylor, Stephanie J C; Handajani, Yvonne S; Widjaja, Nelly T; Turana, Yuda; Rantz, Marilyn J; Skubic, Marjorie; Morley, John E

    2014-05-01

    The International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics held its first conference on nursing home research in St Louis, MO, in November 2013. This article provides a summary of the presentations. Copyright © 2014 American Medical Directors Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. A diaper bank and home visiting partnership: Initial exploration of research and policy questions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadler, Lois S; Condon, Eileen M; Deng, Shirley Z; Ordway, Monica Roosa; Marchesseault, Crista; Miller, Andrea; Alfano, Janet Stolfi; Weir, Alison M

    2018-03-01

    The cost of diapering an infant can place a significant financial strain on families living in poverty. Partnerships between diaper banks and home visiting programs for young families may offer an innovative solution to expanding the reach and impact of diaper banks in low-income communities. The purpose of this pilot study was to uncover preliminary information about the functions of diaper distribution through home visiting programs, and to inform future research and policy questions regarding diaper distribution to families in need. In this descriptive qualitative pilot study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 6 home visitors from Minding the Baby ® (MTB), a home visiting intervention for young parents. MTB clinicians routinely distribute diapers in partnership with The Diaper Bank in Connecticut. We used directed content analysis to code and analyze interview transcripts. These preliminary findings indicate that partnerships between home visiting programs and diaper banks may benefit families by improving diaper access, reducing stigma, and fostering trusting relationships with home visitors. Home visiting program benefits including engagement or re-engagement with families may need to be balanced with potential effects on clinical and therapeutic relationships. Recommendations for next steps in research and related policy questions are discussed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. The psychology of home environments: a call for research on residential space.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Lindsay T; Gosling, Samuel D; Travis, Christopher K

    2015-05-01

    Homes are important: People devote much of their thought, time, and resources to selecting, modifying, and decorating their living spaces, and they may be devastated when their homes must be sold or are destroyed. Yet the empirical psychological literature says virtually nothing about the roles that homes might play in people's lives. We argue that homes provide an informative context for a wide variety of studies examining how social, developmental, cognitive, and other psychological processes play out in a consequential real-world setting. The topic of homes is also well suited to collaborations with a diverse array of disciplines ranging from architecture and engineering to sociology and law. We illustrate the potential insights to be gained from studying homes with an exploratory study that maps the psychological ambiances (e.g., romance, comfort, togetherness) that people desire in their homes; we identify six broad ambiance dimensions (restoration, kinship, storage, stimulation, intimacy, productivity) that show mean differences across rooms. We connect these findings to existing work on situation selection in emotion regulation. These ideas provide only an initial foray into the domain of residential space, but they hint at the productive roles that homes and other spaces could play in psychological theorizing and research. © The Author(s) 2015.

  4. Relationship between copper, glycopeptide, and macrolide resistance among Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from pigs in Denmark between 1997 and 2003

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasman, Henrik; Aarestrup, Frank Møller

    2005-01-01

    A significant relationship between copper resistance (tcrB), glycopeptide resistance (Tn1546), and macrolide resistance [erm(B)] in Enterococcus faecium isolated from pigs was found. The tcrB gene was located closely upstream of the Tn1546 element. However, the continued use of copper sulfate has...... not been able to maintain high levels of macrolide and glycopeptide resistance....

  5. Unimaginable homes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Kristian; Klausen, Maja

    2018-01-01

    The chapter draw from critical mediatization theory, critical intimacy theory, and cultural gerontology and asks: How do elderly people practice their mediatized homes? Which roles do media play in constituting and disturbing the flows of bodies into the home? Moreover: how do dominant...... in the making of the mediatized home space. We conclude by returning to the research questions and making explicit how researching flows of bodies that in many ways inhabit homes of the in-between contributes to both gerontological and geomediatization research agendas....

  6. Factors associated with home hazards: Findings from the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romli, Muhammad H; Tan, Maw P; Mackenzie, Lynette; Lovarini, Meryl; Kamaruzzaman, Shahrul B; Clemson, Lindy

    2018-03-01

    Previous studies have investigated home hazards as a risk factor for falls without considering factors associated with the presence of home hazards. The present study aimed to determine patterns of home hazards among urban community-dwelling older Malaysians, and to identify factors contributing to home hazards. Cross-sectional data from the initial wave of the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research study were used. Basic demographics were obtained from the Global Questionnaire. Basic and instrumental activities of daily living were measured using the Katz and Lawton-Brody scales, and home hazards were identified using the Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool. Participants were also asked if they had fallen in the previous 12 months. Data were analyzed from 1489 participants. Hazards were frequently identified (>30%) in the toilet and bathroom areas (no grab rail, no non-slip mat, distant toilet), slippery floors, no bedside light access and inappropriate footwear. Lower educational attainment, traditional housing, Chinese ethnicity, greater number of home occupants, lower monthly expenditure, poor vision and younger age were the factors independently associated with home hazards. This study provides evidence that home hazards are a product of the interaction of the individual's function within their home environment. Hazards are also influenced by local sociocultural and environmental factors. The relationship between home hazards and falls appears complex and deserves further evaluation. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 387-395. © 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.

  7. Smart Homes for Elderly Healthcare-Recent Advances and Research Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Majumder, Sumit; Aghayi, Emad; Noferesti, Moein; Memarzadeh-Tehran, Hamidreza; Mondal, Tapas; Pang, Zhibo; Deen, M Jamal

    2017-10-31

    Advancements in medical science and technology, medicine and public health coupled with increased consciousness about nutrition and environmental and personal hygiene have paved the way for the dramatic increase in life expectancy globally in the past several decades. However, increased life expectancy has given rise to an increasing aging population, thus jeopardizing the socio-economic structure of many countries in terms of costs associated with elderly healthcare and wellbeing. In order to cope with the growing need for elderly healthcare services, it is essential to develop affordable, unobtrusive and easy-to-use healthcare solutions. Smart homes, which incorporate environmental and wearable medical sensors, actuators, and modern communication and information technologies, can enable continuous and remote monitoring of elderly health and wellbeing at a low cost. Smart homes may allow the elderly to stay in their comfortable home environments instead of expensive and limited healthcare facilities. Healthcare personnel can also keep track of the overall health condition of the elderly in real-time and provide feedback and support from distant facilities. In this paper, we have presented a comprehensive review on the state-of-the-art research and development in smart home based remote healthcare technologies.

  8. Smart Homes for Elderly Healthcare—Recent Advances and Research Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghayi, Emad; Noferesti, Moein; Memarzadeh-Tehran, Hamidreza; Mondal, Tapas; Deen, M. Jamal

    2017-01-01

    Advancements in medical science and technology, medicine and public health coupled with increased consciousness about nutrition and environmental and personal hygiene have paved the way for the dramatic increase in life expectancy globally in the past several decades. However, increased life expectancy has given rise to an increasing aging population, thus jeopardizing the socio-economic structure of many countries in terms of costs associated with elderly healthcare and wellbeing. In order to cope with the growing need for elderly healthcare services, it is essential to develop affordable, unobtrusive and easy-to-use healthcare solutions. Smart homes, which incorporate environmental and wearable medical sensors, actuators, and modern communication and information technologies, can enable continuous and remote monitoring of elderly health and wellbeing at a low cost. Smart homes may allow the elderly to stay in their comfortable home environments instead of expensive and limited healthcare facilities. Healthcare personnel can also keep track of the overall health condition of the elderly in real-time and provide feedback and support from distant facilities. In this paper, we have presented a comprehensive review on the state-of-the-art research and development in smart home based remote healthcare technologies. PMID:29088123

  9. Smart Homes for Elderly Healthcare—Recent Advances and Research Challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sumit Majumder

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Advancements in medical science and technology, medicine and public health coupled with increased consciousness about nutrition and environmental and personal hygiene have paved the way for the dramatic increase in life expectancy globally in the past several decades. However, increased life expectancy has given rise to an increasing aging population, thus jeopardizing the socio-economic structure of many countries in terms of costs associated with elderly healthcare and wellbeing. In order to cope with the growing need for elderly healthcare services, it is essential to develop affordable, unobtrusive and easy-to-use healthcare solutions. Smart homes, which incorporate environmental and wearable medical sensors, actuators, and modern communication and information technologies, can enable continuous and remote monitoring of elderly health and wellbeing at a low cost. Smart homes may allow the elderly to stay in their comfortable home environments instead of expensive and limited healthcare facilities. Healthcare personnel can also keep track of the overall health condition of the elderly in real-time and provide feedback and support from distant facilities. In this paper, we have presented a comprehensive review on the state-of-the-art research and development in smart home based remote healthcare technologies.

  10. Safety in home care: A research protocol for studying medication management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Easty Anthony

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Patient safety is an ongoing global priority, with medication safety considered a prevalent, high-risk area of concern. Yet, we have little understanding of the supports and barriers to safe medication management in the Canadian home care environment. There is a clear need to engage the providers and recipients of care in studying and improving medication safety with collaborative approaches to exploring the nature and safety of medication management in home care. Methods A socio-ecological perspective on health and health systems drives our iterative qualitative study on medication safety with elderly home care clients, family members and other informal caregivers, and home care providers. As we purposively sample across four Canadian provinces: Alberta (AB, Ontario (ON, Quebec (QC and Nova Scotia (NS, we will collect textual and visual data through home-based interviews, participant-led photo walkabouts of the home, and photo elicitation sessions at clients' kitchen tables. Using successive rounds of interpretive description and human factors engineering analyses, we will generate robust descriptions of managing medication at home within each provincial sample and across the four-province group. We will validate our initial interpretations through photo elicitation focus groups with home care providers in each province to develop a refined description of the phenomenon that can inform future decision-making, quality improvement efforts, and research. Discussion The application of interpretive and human factors lenses to the visual and textual data is expected to yield findings that advance our understanding of the issues, challenges, and risk-mitigating strategies related to medication safety in home care. The images are powerful knowledge translation tools for sharing what we learn with participants, decision makers, other healthcare audiences, and the public. In addition, participants engage in knowledge exchange

  11. A Research Agenda on Assessing and Remediating Home Dampness and Mold to Reduce Dampness-Related Health Effects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mendell, Mark J. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Computational Cosmology Center

    2015-05-28

    This report briefly summarizes, based on recent review articles and selected more recent research reports, current scientific knowledge on two topics: assessing unhealthy levels of indoor D/M in homes and remediating home dampness-related problems to protect health. Based on a comparison of current scientific knowledge to that required to support effective, evidence-based, health-protective policies on home D/M, gaps in knowledge are highlighted, prior questions and research questions specified, and necessary research activities and approaches recommended.

  12. A Research Agenda on Assessing and Remediating Home Dampness and Mold to Reduce Dampness-Related Health Effects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mendell, Mark J. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2015-06-01

    This report briefly summarizes, based on recent review articles and selected more recent research reports, current scientific knowledge on two topics: assessing unhealthy levels of indoor D/M in homes and remediating home dampness-related problems to protect health. Based on a comparison of current scientific knowledge to that required to support effective, evidence-based, health-protective policies on home D/M, gaps in knowledge are highlighted, prior questions and research questions specified, and necessary research activities and approaches recommended.

  13. Exploring new operational research opportunities within the Home Care context: the chemotherapy at home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chahed, Salma; Marcon, Eric; Sahin, Evren; Feillet, Dominique; Dallery, Yves

    2009-06-01

    Home Care (HC) services provide complex and coordinated medical and paramedical care to patients at their homes. As health care services move into the home setting, the need for developing innovative approaches that improve the efficiency of home care organizations increases. We first conduct a literature review of investigations dealing with operation planning within the area of home care management. We then address a particular issue dealing with the planning of operations related to chemotherapy at home as it is an emergent problem in the French context. Our interest is focused on issues specific to the anti-cancer drug supply chain. We identify various models that can be developed and analyze one of them.

  14. SpaceScience@Home: Authentic Research Projects that Use Citizen Scientists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Méndez, B. J. H.

    2008-06-01

    In recent years, several space science research projects have enlisted the help of large numbers of non-professional volunteers, ``citizen scientists'', to aid in performing tasks that are critical to a project, but require more person-time (or computing time) than a small professional research team can practically perform themselves. Examples of such projects include SETI@home, which uses time from volunteers computers to process radio-telescope observation looking for signals originating from extra-terrestrial intelligences; Clickworkers, which asks volunteers to review images of the surface of Mars to identify craters; Spacewatch, which used volunteers to review astronomical telescopic images of the sky to identify streaks made by possible Near Earth Asteroids; and Stardust@home, which asks volunteers to review ``focus movies'' taken of the Stardust interstellar dust aerogel collector to search for possible impacts from interstellar dust particles. We shall describe these and other similar projects and discuss lessons learned from carrying out such projects, including the educational opportunities they create.

  15. The Nursing Home Culture-Change Movement: Recent Past, Present, and Future Directions for Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Anna N.; Schnelle, John F.

    2008-01-01

    This article uses a retrospective approach to critique the research base underlying the nursing home culture-change movement--an effort to radically transform the nation's nursing homes by delivering resident-directed care and empowering staff. The article traces the development of the movement from its inception 10 years ago to 2005, when the…

  16. Overview of research work activities in German language in the Home Automation area; Ueberblick deutschsprachiger Forschungsaktivitaeten im Bereich Home Automation. Forschungsinstitute, Themen, Ergebnisse - Schlussbericht

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Staub, R.

    2010-02-15

    This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) takes a look at research work carried out in Germany and Austria on 'smart homes'. The aim of the project was to determine which work has already been carried out in Germany and Austria so that work in Switzerland can be concentrated on questions that have not been looked at in Germany and Austria. The appropriate research institutions are listed. Concrete projects are briefly described and their relevance for Swiss efforts is examined. Various Home Automation project categories are listed, as are the most important research institutes involved. The particular research projects in Germany and Austria and their relevance to Swiss efforts are listed.

  17. Ethics and gender issues in palliative care in nursing homes: an Austrian participatory research project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reitinger, Elisabeth; Heimerl, Katharina

    2014-06-01

    The development of palliative care in nursing homes in German-speaking countries has gained in importance within the past 15-20 years. Ethical and gender issues are core aspects of a palliative care culture and should therefore be better understood. The aim of this study was to highlight insights regarding ethical and gender issues, based on the experiences of professionals in nursing homes. A 2-year participatory action research study was performed in collaboration with three nursing homes in Austria. The article focusses on 10 group discussions with interdisciplinary professional teams that were conducted to generate ethical narratives. Thematic and narrative analysis was undertaken both individually and within the interdisciplinary research team. Findings and interpretations were validated with practitioners and researchers. A total of 36 narratives were collected and summarised within eight themes concerning the theoretical journey of a nursing home resident with relatives from entry into the house until death. The most burdensome ethical dilemmas are not the ones around death and dying but rather those relating to small-scale everyday work/life issues. Sharing experiences and feelings in ethical discussions provides relief. Emotions are important facilitators of insight into ethical dilemmas. Gender issues can be observed in care situations as well as in the organisational structure of nursing homes. Opportunities to share experiences and perspectives around ethical questions in interdisciplinary group discussions help professionals to better understand difficult issues and find appropriate ways of managing them. There is a need for communication structures such as facilitated ethical discussions that enable nursing home staff to reflect their everyday decisions. Expression of emotions should be encouraged in ethical decision-making processes in nursing homes. Gender-sensitive reflection supports the development of palliative care as organisational culture.

  18. Work-home interference in relation to work, organizational, and home characteristics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dikkers, J.S.E.

    2008-01-01

    In this thesis we examine work-home interference in relation to work, organizational, and home characteristics. The study is guided by the following three research questions: i) how are workload and negative WHI temporally related? (research question 1); ii) is work-home culture related to the use

  19. Towards global consensus on outcome measures for atopic eczema research: results of the HOME II meeting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitt, Jochen; Spuls, Phyllis; Boers, Maarten; Thomas, Kim; Chalmers, Joanne; Roekevisch, Evelien; Schram, Mandy; Allsopp, Richard; Aoki, Valeria; Apfelbacher, Christian; Bruijnzeel-Koomen, Carla; Bruin-Weller, Marjolein; Charman, Carolyn; Cohen, Arnon; Dohil, Magdalene; Flohr, Carsten; Furue, Masutaka; Gieler, Uwe; Hooft, Lotty; Humphreys, Rosemary; Ishii, Henrique Akira; Katayama, Ichiro; Kouwenhoven, Willem; Langan, Sinéad; Lewis-Jones, Sue; Merhand, Stephanie; Murota, Hiroyuki; Murrell, Dedee F; Nankervis, Helen; Ohya, Yukihiro; Oranje, Arnold; Otsuka, Hiromi; Paul, Carle; Rosenbluth, Yael; Saeki, Hidehisa; Schuttelaar, Marie-Louise; Stalder, Jean-Francois; Svensson, Ake; Takaoka, Roberto; Wahlgren, Carl-Fredrik; Weidinger, Stephan; Wollenberg, Andreas; Williams, Hywel

    2012-09-01

    The use of nonstandardized and inadequately validated outcome measures in atopic eczema trials is a major obstacle to practising evidence-based dermatology. The Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) initiative is an international multiprofessional group dedicated to atopic eczema outcomes research. In June 2011, the HOME initiative conducted a consensus study involving 43 individuals from 10 countries, representing different stakeholders (patients, clinicians, methodologists, pharmaceutical industry) to determine core outcome domains for atopic eczema trials, to define quality criteria for atopic eczema outcome measures and to prioritize topics for atopic eczema outcomes research. Delegates were given evidence-based information, followed by structured group discussion and anonymous consensus voting. Consensus was achieved to include clinical signs, symptoms, long-term control of flares and quality of life into the core set of outcome domains for atopic eczema trials. The HOME initiative strongly recommends including and reporting these core outcome domains as primary or secondary endpoints in all future atopic eczema trials. Measures of these core outcome domains need to be valid, sensitive to change and feasible. Prioritized topics of the HOME initiative are the identification/development of the most appropriate instruments for the four core outcome domains. HOME is open to anyone with an interest in atopic eczema outcomes research. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  20. Virtual rehabilitation: what are the practical barriers for home-based research?

    OpenAIRE

    Threapleton, Kate; Drummond, Avril E.R.; Standen, Penny

    2016-01-01

    Virtual reality technologies are becoming increasingly accessible and affordable to deliver, and consequently the interest in applying virtual reality within rehabilitation is growing. This has resulted in the emergence of research exploring the utility of virtual reality and interactive video gaming interventions for home use by patients. The aim of this paper is to highlight the practical factors and difficulties that may be encountered in research in this area, and to make recommendations ...

  1. Smart homes, private homes? An empirical study of technology researchers? perceptions of ethical issues in developing smart-home health technologies

    OpenAIRE

    Birchley, Giles; Huxtable, Richard; Murtagh, Madeleine; ter Meulen, Ruud; Flach, Peter; Gooberman-Hill, Rachael

    2017-01-01

    Background Smart-home technologies, comprising environmental sensors, wearables and video are attracting interest in home healthcare delivery. Development of such technology is usually justified on the basis of the technology?s potential to increase the autonomy of people living with long-term conditions. Studies of the ethics of smart-homes raise concerns about privacy, consent, social isolation and equity of access. Few studies have investigated the ethical perspectives of smart-home engine...

  2. Quality Improvement in Home-Based Child Care Settings: Research Resources to Inform Policy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawrence, Sharmila; Stephens, Samuel A.

    2016-01-01

    This "Topic of Interest" provides a comprehensive list of research in the Research Connections collection that was published in 2005 or later addressing issues related to quality improvement specifically in home-based child care. The resources are grouped under the following headings: Overviews, Summaries, and Reviews of Quality…

  3. Fundamental elements in examining a child’s right to education: A study of home education research and regulation in Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glenda JACKSON

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Home education provides valuable educational and developmental opportunities for children. An examination of Australia’s research indicates many best educational practices, including more informed mediation, contextualised learning, and opportunities to exercise autonomy. Key features include learning embedded in communities and program modification in response to students’ needs. Current state and territory legal requirements are examined within the context of this research and Australia’s obligations to international human rights treaties. All jurisdictions accept home education as one way to meet compulsory education requirements. The extent to which respective laws then reflect understanding of home education research and practice varies. Most jurisdictions allow for a varietyof educational approaches. Some oversight regulation could however be modified to reflect a better understanding of home education. Consultation with home educators and reference to research would assist the development of more uniform legislation and policy across Australia, and enable better regulatory practice.

  4. Improving Elderly's Dental Hygiene Through Nursing Home Staff's Dental Health Education at the Nursing Home

    OpenAIRE

    Santoso, Bedjo; Eko Ningtyas, Endah Aryati; Fatmasari, Diyah

    2017-01-01

    Stomatitis often occurs in elderly at nursing home. They need nursing home staff assistance to maintain their dental and oral health. Therefore, nursing home staff need dental health education. Lecture or discussion methods, which are more effective to improve knowledge, attitude and skill of nursing home staff was the purpose of this research. The research design was quasi-experiment research and pretest-posttest with control group. The sample was 42 nursing home staffs and 74 elderlies, div...

  5. ThinkHome Energy Efficiency in Future Smart Homes

    OpenAIRE

    Christian Reinisch; Mario J. Kofler; Félix Iglesias; Wolfgang Kastner

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Smart homes have been viewed with increasing interest by both home owners and the research community in the past few years. One reason for this development is that the use of modern automation technology in the home or building promises considerable savings of energy, therefore, simultaneously reducing the operational costs of the building over its whole lifecycle. However, the full potential of smart homes still lies fallow, due to the complexity and diversity of the systems, badly ...

  6. Achieving external validity in home advantage research: generalizing crowd noise effects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tony D Myers

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Different factors have been postulated to explain the home advantage phenomenon in sport. One plausible explanation investigated has been the influence of a partisan home crowd on sports officials’ decisions. Different types of studies have tested the crowd influence hypothesis including purposefully designed experiments. However, while experimental studies investigating crowd influences have high levels of internal validity, they suffer from a lack of external validity; decision-making in a laboratory setting bearing little resemblance to decision-making in live sports settings. This focused review initially considers threats to external validity in applied and theoretical experimental research. Discussing how such threats can be addressed using representative design by focusing on a recently published study that arguably provides the first experimental evidence of the impact of live crowd noise on officials in sport. The findings of this controlled experiment conducted in a real tournament setting offer some confirmation of the validity of laboratory experimental studies in the area. Finally directions for future research and the future conduct of crowd noise studies are discussed.

  7. Achieving external validity in home advantage research: generalizing crowd noise effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, Tony D

    2014-01-01

    Different factors have been postulated to explain the home advantage phenomenon in sport. One plausible explanation investigated has been the influence of a partisan home crowd on sports officials' decisions. Different types of studies have tested the crowd influence hypothesis including purposefully designed experiments. However, while experimental studies investigating crowd influences have high levels of internal validity, they suffer from a lack of external validity; decision-making in a laboratory setting bearing little resemblance to decision-making in live sports settings. This focused review initially considers threats to external validity in applied and theoretical experimental research. Discussing how such threats can be addressed using representative design by focusing on a recently published study that arguably provides the first experimental evidence of the impact of live crowd noise on officials in sport. The findings of this controlled experiment conducted in a real tournament setting offer a level of confirmation of the findings of laboratory studies in the area. Finally directions for future research and the future conduct of crowd noise studies are discussed.

  8. T-cell receptor variable genes and genetic susceptibility to celiac disease: an association and linkage study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roschmann, E; Wienker, T F; Gerok, W; Volk, B A

    1993-12-01

    Genetic susceptibility of celiac disease is primarily associated with a particular combination of and HLA-DQA1/DQB1 gene; however, this does not fully account for the genetic predisposition. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether T-cell receptor (TCR) genes may be susceptibility genes in celiac disease. HLA class II typing was performed by polymerase chain reaction amplification in combination with sequence-specific oligonucleotide hybridization. TCR alpha (TCRA), TCR gamma (TCRG), and TCR beta (TCRB) loci were investigated by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Allelic frequencies of TCRA, TCRG, and TCRB variable genes were compared between patients with celiac disease (n = 53) and control patients (n = 67), and relative risk (RR) estimates were calculated. The RR was 1.67 for allele C1 at TCRA1, 3.35 for allele D2 at TCRA2, 1.66 for allele B2 at TCRG, and 1.35 for allele B at TCRB, showing no significant association. Additionally, linkage analysis was performed in 23 families. The logarithm of odd scores for celiac disease vs. the TCR variable genes at TCRA, TCRG, and TCRB showed no significant linkage. These data suggest that the analyzed TCR variable gene segments V alpha 1.2, V gamma 11, and V beta 8 do not play a major role in susceptibility to celiac disease.

  9. Telecommuting (Work-At-Home) at NASA Lewis Research Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinidhi, Saragur M.

    1994-01-01

    This report presents a study in evaluating the viability of providing a work-at-home (telecommuting) program for Lewis Research Center's corporate employees using Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). Case studies have been presented for a range of applications from casual data access to interactive access. The network performance of telemedia applications were studied against future requirements for such level of remote connectivity. Many of the popular ISDN devices were characterized for network and service functionality. A set of recommendations to develop a telecommuting policy have been proposed.

  10. Smart Home Test Bed: Examining How Smart Homes Interact with the Power Grid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2016-11-01

    This fact sheet highlights the Smart Home Test Bed capability at the Energy Systems Integration Facility. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working on one of the new frontiers of smart home research: finding ways for smart home technologies and systems to enhance grid operations in the presence of distributed, clean energy technologies such as photovoltaics (PV). To help advance this research, NREL has developed a controllable, flexible, and fully integrated Smart Home Test Bed.

  11. Adaptation of a nursing home culture change research instrument for frontline staff quality improvement use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartmann, Christine W; Palmer, Jennifer A; Mills, Whitney L; Pimentel, Camilla B; Allen, Rebecca S; Wewiorski, Nancy J; Dillon, Kristen R; Snow, A Lynn

    2017-08-01

    Enhanced interpersonal relationships and meaningful resident engagement in daily life are central to nursing home cultural transformation, yet these critical components of person-centered care may be difficult for frontline staff to measure using traditional research instruments. To address the need for easy-to-use instruments to help nursing home staff members evaluate and improve person-centered care, the psychometric method of cognitive-based interviewing was used to adapt a structured observation instrument originally developed for researchers and nursing home surveyors. Twenty-eight staff members from 2 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) nursing homes participated in 1 of 3 rounds of cognitive-based interviews, using the instrument in real-life situations. Modifications to the original instrument were guided by a cognitive processing model of instrument refinement. Following 2 rounds of cognitive interviews, pretesting of the revised instrument, and another round of cognitive interviews, the resulting set of 3 short instruments mirrored the concepts of the original longer instrument but were significantly easier for frontline staff to understand and use. Final results indicated frontline staff found the revised instruments feasible to use and clinically relevant in measuring and improving the lived experience of a changing culture. This article provides a framework for developing or adapting other measurement tools for frontline culture change efforts in nursing homes, in addition to reporting on a practical set of instruments to measure aspects of person-centered care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  12. Climate@Home: Crowdsourcing Climate Change Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, C.; Yang, C.; Li, J.; Sun, M.; Bambacus, M.

    2011-12-01

    Climate change deeply impacts human wellbeing. Significant amounts of resources have been invested in building super-computers that are capable of running advanced climate models, which help scientists understand climate change mechanisms, and predict its trend. Although climate change influences all human beings, the general public is largely excluded from the research. On the other hand, scientists are eagerly seeking communication mediums for effectively enlightening the public on climate change and its consequences. The Climate@Home project is devoted to connect the two ends with an innovative solution: crowdsourcing climate computing to the general public by harvesting volunteered computing resources from the participants. A distributed web-based computing platform will be built to support climate computing, and the general public can 'plug-in' their personal computers to participate in the research. People contribute the spare computing power of their computers to run a computer model, which is used by scientists to predict climate change. Traditionally, only super-computers could handle such a large computing processing load. By orchestrating massive amounts of personal computers to perform atomized data processing tasks, investments on new super-computers, energy consumed by super-computers, and carbon release from super-computers are reduced. Meanwhile, the platform forms a social network of climate researchers and the general public, which may be leveraged to raise climate awareness among the participants. A portal is to be built as the gateway to the climate@home project. Three types of roles and the corresponding functionalities are designed and supported. The end users include the citizen participants, climate scientists, and project managers. Citizen participants connect their computing resources to the platform by downloading and installing a computing engine on their personal computers. Computer climate models are defined at the server side. Climate

  13. Under pressure, out of control, or home alone? Reviewing research and policy debates on the occupational health and safety effects of outsourcing and home-based work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinlan, Michael; Bohle, Philip

    2008-01-01

    The practice of outsourcing or subcontracting of work has grown rapidly in most countries over the past two decades. Outsourcing, de-institutionalization, and a range of other practices have also resulted in a growth of home-based work. Home-based workers, even when not part of a subcontracting process, operate in an isolated situation remote from their employer and other workers. Do such work arrangements expose workers to greater risk of injury, illness, or assault? The authors reviewed international studies of the occupational health and safety (OHS) effects of subcontracting and home-based work undertaken over the past 20 years. Of the 25 studies analyzed, 92 percent found poorer OHS outcomes. The studies were examined for clues about the reasons for these negative outcomes. The authors also identified similarities and differences between subcontracting and home-based work. Despite the evidence of poor OHS outcomes, research into outsourcing has stalled in recent years. With notable exceptions, governments have taken little account of findings on these work arrangements in their laws and policies, in part because neoliberal ideas dominate national and global policy agendas. The authors examine policy challenges and regulatory responses and make suggestions for future research and policy interventions.

  14. Digital media in the home: technical and research challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ribas-Corbera, Jordi

    2005-03-01

    This article attempts to identify some of the technology and research challenges facing the digital media industry in the future. We first discuss several trends in the industry, such as the rapid growth of broadband Internet networks and the emergence of networking and media-capable devices in the home. Next, we present technical challenges that result from these trends, such as effective media interoperability in devices, and provide a brief overview of Windows Media, which is one of the technologies in the market attempting to address these challenges. Finally, given these trends and the state of the art, we argue that further research on data compression, encoder optimization, and multi-format transcoding can potentially make a significant technical and business impact in digital media. We also explore the reasons that research on related techniques such as wavelets or scalable video coding is having a relatively minor impact in today"s practical digital media systems.

  15. Quality of Care and Job Satisfaction in the European Home Care Setting: Research Protocol

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Roest, Henriëtte; van Hout, Hein; Declercq, Anja

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Since the European population is ageing, a growing number of elderly will need home care. Consequently, high quality home care for the elderly remains an important challenge. Job satisfaction among care professionals is regarded as an important aspect of the quality of home care. Aim: This paper describes a research protocol to identify elements that have an impact on job satisfaction among care professionals and on quality of care for older people in the home care setting of six European countries. Methods: Data on elements at the macro-level (policy), meso-level (care organisations) and micro-level (clients) are of importance in determining job satisfaction and quality of care. Macro-level indicators will be identified in a previously published literature review. At meso- and micro-level, data will be collected by means of two questionnaires utilsed with both care organisations and care professionals, and by means of interRAI Home Care assessments of clients. The client assessments will be used to calculate quality of care indicators. Subsequently, data will be analysed by means of linear and stepwise multiple regression analyses, correlations and multilevel techniques. Conclusions and Discussion: These results can guide health care policy makers in their decision making process in order to increase the quality of home care in their organisation, in their country or in Europe. PMID:28435423

  16. Quality of Care and Job Satisfaction in the European Home Care Setting: Research Protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liza Van Eenoo

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Since the European population is ageing, a growing number of elderly will need home care. Consequently, high quality home care for the elderly remains an important challenge. Job satisfaction among care professionals is regarded as an important aspect of the quality of home care. Aim: This paper describes a research protocol to identify elements that have an impact on job satisfaction among care professionals and on quality of care for older people in the home care setting of six European countries. Methods: Data on elements at the macro-level (policy, meso-level (care organisations and micro-level (clients are of importance in determining job satisfaction and quality of care. Macro-level indicators will be identified in a previously published literature review. At meso- and micro-level, data will be collected by means of two questionnaires utilsed with both care organisations and care professionals, and by means of interRAI Home Care assessments of clients. The client assessments will be used to calculate quality of care indicators. Subsequently, data will be analysed by means of linear and stepwise multiple regression analyses, correlations and multilevel techniques. Conclusions and Discussion: These results can guide health care policy makers in their decision making process in order to increase the quality of home care in their organisation, in their country or in Europe.

  17. Home Rx: The Health Benefits of Home Performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wilson, Jonathan [National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), Columbia, MD (United States); Jacobs, David [National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), Columbia, MD (United States); Reddy, Amanda [National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH), Columbia, MD (United States); Tohn, Ellen [Tohn Environmental Strategies, Wayland, MA (United States); Cohen, Jonathan [Dept. of Energy (DOE), Washington DC (United States); Jacobsohn, Ely [Dept. of Energy (DOE), Washington DC (United States)

    2016-12-01

    Evidence in a new, groundbreaking U.S. Department of Energy report, Home Rx: The Health Benefits of Home Performance, shows that home performance upgrades can improve the quality of a home’s indoor environment by reducing the prevalence of harmful indoor air pollutants and contaminants. Until recently, no systematic review of this evidence had been conducted, limiting full understanding of the link between home performance and health. This new report summarizes current knowledge and identifies research gaps. The design characteristics and results of each of the 40 studies considered in the report are summarized in a searchable matrix.

  18. Report on a comprehensive research study (home welfare apparatus system - interface); Sogo chosa kenkyu (zaitaku fukushi kiki system - interface) hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1997-03-01

    In the light of the increasing role of welfare at home with the advance of the aging society, the paper conducted an investigational study on the R and D of the home welfare apparatus system - interface. In the study, making the most of the leading home care apparatus systems (welfare technohouses) installed at seven places in the country, the paper carried out a stay experiment on how the life is in the welfare house into which home welfare apparatus is integrated, and an experiment to assess biological data on aged people. Especially as to the support apparatus used for smooth life motions in houses such as movement, excretion and bathing, examined were the linkage with house bodies, care apparatus used, mutual interface with welfare apparatus, etc. By the experiments to assess these home welfare apparatus, an analytical study was conducted on the points to be improved in welfare apparatus and housing equipment, and at the same time on the course of the research/development. Concerning a system for the research study, a research promotion committee was established in Technology Research Association of Medical and Welfare Apparatus, the members of which are learned persons from the industrial circle, the government and universities. 111 figs., 36 tabs.

  19. Information Technology in the Home Barriers, Opportunities, and Research Directions

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Lewis, Rosalind

    2000-01-01

    ...; but what are the implications of increased Information Technology (IT) in the home? Can increased in-home IT create opportunities that will change the way we live and function within our homes and communities and facilitate greater societal benefits...

  20. Home | SREL Herpetology Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savannah River Ecology Laboratory Herpetology Program Herp Home Research Publications Herps of SC /GA P.A.R.C. Outreach SREL Home powered by Google Search Herpetology at SREL The University of SREL herpetology research programs have always included faculty of the University of Georgia, post

  1. The Factors Influencing the Sense of Home in Nursing Homes: A Systematic Review from the Perspective of Residents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. D. Rijnaard

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. To provide an overview of factors influencing the sense of home of older adults residing in the nursing home. Methods. A systematic review was conducted. Inclusion criteria were (1 original and peer-reviewed research, (2 qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research, (3 research about nursing home residents (or similar type of housing, and (4 research on the sense of home, meaning of home, at-homeness, or homelikeness. Results. Seventeen mainly qualitative articles were included. The sense of home of nursing home residents is influenced by 15 factors, divided into three themes: (1 psychological factors (sense of acknowledgement, preservation of one’s habits and values, autonomy and control, and coping; (2 social factors (interaction and relationship with staff, residents, family and friends, and pets and activities; and (3 the built environment (private space and (quasi-public space, personal belongings, technology, look and feel, and the outdoors and location. Conclusions. The sense of home is influenced by numerous factors related to the psychology of the residents and the social and built environmental contexts. Further research is needed to determine if and how the identified factors are interrelated, if perspectives of various stakeholders involved differ, and how the factors can be improved in practice.

  2. More Than Four Walls: The Meaning of Home in Home Birth Experiences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Burns

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The “home versus hospital” as places of birth debate has had a long and at times vicious history. From academic literature to media coverage, the two have often been pitted against each other not only as opposing physical spaces, but also as opposing ideologies of birth. The hospital has been heavily critiqued as a site of childbirth since the 1960s, with particular focus on childbirth and medicalisation. The focus of much of the hospital and home birthing research exists on a continuum of medicalisation, safety, risk, agency, and maternal and neonatal health and wellbeing. While the hospital birthing space has been interrogated, a critique of home birthing space has remained largely absent from the social sciences. The research presented in this article unpacks the complex relationship between home birthing women and the spaces in which they birth. Using qualitative data collected with 59 home birthing women in Australia in 2010, between childbearing and the home should not be considered as merely an alternative to hospital births, but rather as an experience that completely renegotiates the home space. Home, for the participants in this study, is a dynamic, changing, and even spiritual element in the childbirth experience, and not simply the building in which it occurs.

  3. LHC@home gets new home

    CERN Multimedia

    Oates, John

    2007-01-01

    "The distributed computing project LHC@home is moving to London from Cern in Switzerland. Researchers at Qeen Mary University have been trialling the system since June, but are now ready for the offical launch" (1 page)

  4. Consent, including advanced consent, of older adults to research in care homes: a qualitative study of stakeholders' views in South Wales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Fiona; Prout, Hayley; Bayer, Antony; Duncan, Donna; Nuttall, Jacqueline; Hood, Kerenza; Butler, Christopher C

    2013-08-09

    Care home residents, especially those lacking capacity to provide consent for themselves, are frequently excluded from research, thus limiting generalisability of study findings. We set out to explore stakeholders' views about the ethical and practical challenges associated with recruiting care home residents into research studies. Qualitative individual interviews with care home residents (n = 14), their relatives (n = 14), and general practitioners (GPs) (n = 10), and focus groups (n = 2) with care home staff. Interviews focused on the issues of older adults consenting to research in care homes, including advanced consent, in general and through reference to a particular study on the use of probiotics to prevent Antibiotic Associated Diarrhoea. Data were analysed using a thematic approach incorporating themes that had been identified in advance, and themes derived from the data. Researchers discussed evidence for themes, and reached consensus on the final themes. Respondents were generally accepting of low risk observational studies and slightly less accepting of low risk randomised trials of medicinal products. Although respondents identified some practical barriers to informed consent, consenting arrangements were considered workable. Residents and relatives varied in the amount of detail they wanted included in information sheets and consent discussions, but were generally satisfied that an advanced consent model was acceptable and appropriate. Opinions differed about what should happen should residents lose capacity during a research study. Research staff should be mindful of research guidance and ensure that they have obtained an appropriate level of informed consent without overwhelming the participant with unnecessary detail. For research involving medicinal products, research staff should also be more explicit when recruiting that consent is still valid should an older person lose capacity during a trial provided the individual did not previously state a

  5. Campbell Creek Research Homes: FY2013 Annual Performance Report OCT.1, 2012 SEP. 30, 2013

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jackson, Roderick K [ORNL; Boudreaux, Philip R [ORNL; Munk, Jeffrey D [ORNL; Gehl, Anthony C [ORNL; Lyne, Christopher T [ORNL; Odukomaiya, Wale O [ORNL

    2014-05-01

    1.INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT OVERVIEW The Campbell Creek project is funded and managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Technology Innovation, Energy Efficiency, Power Delivery and Utilization Office. Technical support is provided under contract by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The project was designed to determine the relative energy efficiency of typical new home construction, of retrofitting of existing homes, and of high-performance new homes built from the ground up for energy efficiency. This project was designed to compare three houses that represent current construction practices: a base case (Builder House CC1); a modified house that could represent a major energy-efficient retrofit (Retrofit House CC2); and a house constructed from the ground up to be a high-performance home (High Performance House CC3). To enable a valid comparison, it was necessary to simulate occupancy in all three houses and extensively monitor the structural components and the energy usage by component. In October 2013, the base case was also modified by replacing the builder-grade heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system with a high-efficiency variable-speed unit. All three houses are two-story, slab-on-grade, framed construction. CC1 and CC2 are approximately 2,400 ft2. CC3 has a pantry option, used primarily as a mechanical equipment room, that adds approximately 100 ft2. All three houses are all-electric (with the exception of a gas log fireplace that is not used during the testing) and use air-source heat pumps for heating and cooling. The three homes are located in Knoxville in the Campbell Creek Subdivision. CC1 and CC2 are next door to each other with a south-facing orientation; CC3 has a north-facing orientation and is located across the street and a couple of houses down. The energy data collected will be used to determine the benefits of retrofit packages and high-performance new home

  6. Smart Secure Homes: A Survey of Smart Home Technologies that Sense, Assess, and Respond to Security Threats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahmen, Jessamyn; Cook, Diane J; Wang, Xiaobo; Honglei, Wang

    2017-08-01

    Smart home design has undergone a metamorphosis in recent years. The field has evolved from designing theoretical smart home frameworks and performing scripted tasks in laboratories. Instead, we now find robust smart home technologies that are commonly used by large segments of the population in a variety of settings. Recent smart home applications are focused on activity recognition, health monitoring, and automation. In this paper, we take a look at another important role for smart homes: security. We first explore the numerous ways smart homes can and do provide protection for their residents. Next, we provide a comparative analysis of the alternative tools and research that has been developed for this purpose. We investigate not only existing commercial products that have been introduced but also discuss the numerous research that has been focused on detecting and identifying potential threats. Finally, we close with open challenges and ideas for future research that will keep individuals secure and healthy while in their own homes.

  7. Research and implementation of geographic information service mode in digital home

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, B.; Liu, K.; Gan, Y.; Zhong, M.

    2014-04-01

    Accompanying infrastructure improvements and networking technology innovation, the development of digital home service industry has gotten more and more attention. However, the digital home service levels have not sufficiently met rising demand from users. Therefore, it is urgent to propose and develop new service modes for the digital home. Geographic information services can provide various spatial information services such as map search, spatial information query. It has become an inevitable trend to implement geographic information services in the digital home. This paper proposes three new geographic information services modes for the digital home after sufficient requirement analysis: pushed information service mode, interactive information service mode, personalized information service mode. The key technologies to implement geographic information services on digital televisions are studied, involving digital television middleware technology, network transmission technology and visualization technology. According to the service modes' characteristics mentioned above, a service system in the digital home is established to implement geographic information services on the basis of digital television. The implementation of geographic information services in the digital home not only enriches the digital home services content, but also promotes geographic information from specialization to public popularity.

  8. The Future of Home Health Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landers, Steven; Madigan, Elizabeth; Leff, Bruce; Rosati, Robert J.; McCann, Barbara A.; Hornbake, Rodney; MacMillan, Richard; Jones, Kate; Bowles, Kathryn; Dowding, Dawn; Lee, Teresa; Moorhead, Tracey; Rodriguez, Sally; Breese, Erica

    2016-01-01

    The Future of Home Health project sought to support transformation of home health and home-based care to meet the needs of patients in the evolving U.S. health care system. Interviews with key thought leaders and stakeholders resulted in key themes about the future of home health care. By synthesizing this qualitative research, a literature review, case studies, and the themes from a 2014 Institute of Medicine and National Research Council workshop on “The Future of Home Health Care,” the authors articulate a vision for home-based care and recommend a bold framework for the Medicare-certified home health agency of the future. The authors also identify challenges and recommendations for achievement of this framework. PMID:27746670

  9. Home Education and Law in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sheng, Xiaoming

    2018-01-01

    Home education is at an early stage for the public, researchers, media and educational authorities in China. Yet the research relating to the development of home education has been entirely ignored. In particular, the literature focusing on the legal status of home education is negligible in the educational context of China. There is no literature…

  10. Smart GSM Based Home Automation System

    OpenAIRE

    Teymourzadeh, Rozita

    2013-01-01

    This research work investigates the potential of ‘Full Home Control’, which is the aim of the Home Automation Systems in near future. The analysis and implementation of the home automation technology using Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) modem to control home appliances such as light, conditional system, and security system via Short Message Service (SMS) text messages is presented in this paper. The proposed research work is focused on the functionality of the GSM protocol, whic...

  11. The work-home interface : The role of home-based predictors of burnout among mothers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Missler, M.A.; Stroebe, M.S.; van der Laan, G.

    2014-01-01

    Research into the work–home interface has mainly focused on work-related variables, leaving aspects associated with the home domain relatively understudied. This investigation examined both facilitation and conflict between home and work in a sample of 260 working mothers with children up to four

  12. Review of Researches on Agricultural Industry Chain at Home and Abroad

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Ge; SONG; Taiyan; YANG; Jianhui; LIU

    2014-01-01

    Management of agricultural industry chain is the main form of modern agricultural industrialization. Integration and optimization of agricultural chain have great significance in deepening the reform in the countryside,quickening the development of agricultural modernization and establishing new system of agricultural management. Based on the theory sources and contents of agricultural chain as well as the current researches at home and abroad,this paper hackles and concludes information technology,logistics management and food safety and quality in foreign agricultural chain as well as the organization model,operation mechanism,integration and optimization,promotion and extension,financing and risk prevention,influencing factors as well as performance evaluation in domestic agricultural chain and offers relevant review in order to provide further reference for future researches.

  13. A comparison of home care clients and nursing home residents: can community based care keep the elderly and disabled at home?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shugarman, L R; Fries, B E; James, M

    1999-01-01

    Admission cohorts from the Michigan Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waiver program and Ohio nursing homes were compared on measures of resource utilization including a modified Resource Utilization Groups (RUG-III) system, Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), and overall case mix. We found that, contrary to previous research, the two samples were remarkably similar across RUG-III categories. However, the nursing home sample was more functionally impaired on measures of ADL functioning and overall case mix. Results of this study may inform policymakers and providers of the potential for maintaining the appropriate population in the home with government-funded home care.

  14. Home Environment, Self-Concept and Urban Student Achievement: A Bibliography and Review of Research. NJ Urban Education Research Reports No. 5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapiro, Carol; Bloom, Joel S.

    This review analyzes recent research on student personality, social and home environment, and the influence of these factors on academic achievement, particularly among minority and disadvantaged students. Several factors which purportedly affect student achievement and which are examined in the review include: (1) socioeconomic status and its…

  15. Home and Building Energy Management Systems | Grid Modernization | NREL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Home and Building Energy Management Systems Home and Building Energy Management Systems NREL researchers are developing tools to understand the impact of changes in home and building energy use and how researchers who received a record of invention for a home energy management system in a smart home laboratory

  16. In-Home Display – a Review of Experiences from Research Projects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Billewicz

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available There are many studies on smart metering. The aim of smart metering is not only automated billing and two-way communication with a smart meter. The measure of success of the implementation of smart metering is the level of customer engagement and their cooperation with energy companies, as well as the consequences of such involvement changing electricity-using habits. This article focuses on one device for smart metering – in-home display (IHD. The paper characterizes an IHD’s functions and describes international experiences of research and conclusions of studies.

  17. Facilitating home birth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finigan, Valerie; Chadderton, Diane

    2015-06-01

    The birth of a baby is a family experience. However, in the United Kingdom birth often occurs outside the family environment, in hospital. Both home and hospital births have risks and benefits, but research shows that, for most women, it is as safe to give birth at home as it is in hospital. Women report home-birth to be satisfying with lowered risks of intervention and less likelihood of being separated from their family. It is also more cost effective for the National Health Service. Yet, whilst midwives are working hard to promote home birth as an option, it remains controversial. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of the safety of home birth and the needs of women and midwives when a home birth is chosen. It provides an overview of care required and the role of the midwife in the ensuring care is woman-centred and personalised.

  18. ThinkHome Energy Efficiency in Future Smart Homes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reinisch Christian

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Smart homes have been viewed with increasing interest by both home owners and the research community in the past few years. One reason for this development is that the use of modern automation technology in the home or building promises considerable savings of energy, therefore, simultaneously reducing the operational costs of the building over its whole lifecycle. However, the full potential of smart homes still lies fallow, due to the complexity and diversity of the systems, badly engineered and configured installations, as well as the frequent problem of suboptimal control strategies. Summarized, these problems converge to two undesirable conditions in the "not-so-smart" home: energy consumption is still higher than actually necessary and users are unable to yield full comfort in their automated homes. This work puts its focus on alleviating the current problems by proposing a comprehensive system concept, that shall ensure that smart homes can keep their promise in the future. The system operates on an extensive knowledge base that stores all information needed to fulfill the goals of energy efficiency and user comfort. Its intelligence is implemented as and within a multiagent system that also caters for the system's openness to the outside world. As a first evaluation, a profile-based control strategy for thermal comfort is developed and verified by means of simulation.

  19. Home Within Me

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kreuzer, Maria; Mühlbacher, Hans; von Wallpach, Sylvia

    2017-01-01

    In an increasingly globalized, digitalized and perceived unmanageable world, consumers strive for belongingness, identification and security and re-discover the importance of home. Home is central to peoples’ individual as well as collective identities and their self-development (McCracken, 1989...... in Austria and the sample consisted of 15 locals (study 1) and 17 first generation immigrants (study 2) to identify possible commonalities and differences. This research adds to existing literature by 1) empirically confirming the existence of dimensions of home (e.g., physical, social, temporary...

  20. The Factors Influencing the Sense of Home in Nursing Homes: A Systematic Review from the Perspective of Residents.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M.D. Rijnaard; Joost van Hoof; H. Verbeek; H.C. Beerens; S.L. Molony; W. Pocornie; Eveline Wouters; B.M. Janssen; A. Eijkelenboom

    2016-01-01

    Purpose. To provide an overview of factors influencing the sense of home of older adults residing in the nursing home. Methods. A systematic review was conducted. Inclusion criteria were (1) original and peer-reviewed research, (2) qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research, (3) research

  1. Home-based Healthcare Technology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Verdezoto, Nervo

    of these systems target a specific treatment or condition and might not be sufficient to support the care management work at home. Based on a case study approach, my research investigates home-based healthcare practices and how they can inform future design of home-based healthcare technology that better account......Sustaining daily, unsupervised healthcare activities in non-clinical settings such as the private home can challenge, among others, older adults. To support such unsupervised care activities, an increasingly number of reminders and monitoring systems are being designed. However, most...

  2. Leaving home in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Rikke Skovgaard

    2015-01-01

    The paper focuses on ethnic differences in the timing and patterns of leaving the parental home. Leaving home is a key transition in the life course of the individual, and extensive research has been conducted on the timing and patterns of leaving it. However, ethnic differences in these patterns...... of leaving home. Results showed that while some differences disappeared when controlling for covariates, others persisted, thus indicating ethnic differences in home-leaving patterns. A strong link between leaving home and marriage was substantiated for Turks, but not for Somalis. The home-leaving patterns...... of Somalis were much more similar to those of Danes. Overall, Turkish descendants were similar to Turkish immigrants but with some differentiation. The analyses identified the existence of ethnic differences in home-leaving patterns but also found evidence of a shift towards less traditional patterns, i...

  3. Attitudes of palliative home care physicians towards palliative sedation at home in Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mercadante, Sebastiano; Masedu, Francesco; Mercadante, Alessandro; Marinangeli, Franco; Aielli, Federica

    2017-05-01

    Information about the attitudes towards palliative sedation (PS) at home is limited. The aim of this survey was to assess the attitudes of palliative care physicians in Italy regarding PS at home. A questionnaire was submitted to a sample of palliative care physicians, asking information about their activity and attitudes towards PS at home. This is a survey of home care physicians in Italy who were involved in end-of-life care decisions at home. One hundred and fifty participants responded. A large heterogeneity of home care organizations that generate some problems was found. Indications, intention and monitoring of PS seem to be appropriate, although some cultural and logistic conditions were limiting the use of PS. Specialized home care physicians are almost involved to start PS at home. Midazolam was seldom available at home and opioids were more frequently used. These data should prompt health care agencies to make a minimal set of drugs easily available for home care. Further research is necessary to compare attitudes in countries with different sociocultural profiles.

  4. Human-centered design and smart homes : How to study and design for the home experience?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eggen, J.H.; van den Hoven, E.A.W.H; Terken, J.M.B.; van Hoof, J.; Demiris, G.; Wouters, E.J.M.

    2016-01-01

    The focus of this chapter is on designing for smart homes. The perspective will be user-driven design research. The chapter starts with a context analysis of the home environment. This analysis shows that, from a user perspective, home is about emotions and not about the physical house with all its

  5. Newborn Care in the Home and Health Facility: Formative Findings for Intervention Research in Cambodia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandra N. Bazzano

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Global coverage and scale up of interventions to reduce newborn mortality remains low, though progress has been achieved in improving newborn survival in many low-income settings. An important factor in the success of newborn health interventions, and moving to scale, is appropriate design of community-based programs and strategies for local implementation. We report the results of formative research undertaken to inform the design of a newborn health intervention in Cambodia. Information was gathered on newborn care practices over a period of three months using multiple qualitative methods of data collection in the primary health facility and home setting. Analysis of the data indicated important gaps, both at home and facility level, between recommended newborn care practices and those typical in the study area. The results of this formative research have informed strategies for behavior change and improving referral of sick infants in the subsequent implementation study. Collection and dissemination of data on newborn care practices from settings such as these can contribute to efforts to advance survival, growth and development of newborns for intervention research, and for future newborn health programming.

  6. Pilot study to investigate the feasibility of the Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool (HOME FAST) to identify older Malaysian people at risk of falls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romli, Muhammad Hibatullah; Mackenzie, Lynette; Lovarini, Meryl; Tan, Maw Pin

    2016-08-16

    The relationship between home hazards and falls in older Malaysian people is not yet fully understood. No tools to evaluate the Malaysian home environment currently exist. Therefore, this study aimed to pilot the Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool (HOME FAST) to identify hazards in Malaysian homes, to evaluate the feasibility of using the HOME FAST in the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) study and to gather preliminary data about the experience of falls among a small sample of Malaysian older people. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted. An urban setting in Kuala Lumpur. 26 older people aged 60 and over were recruited from the control group of a related research project in Malaysia, in addition to older people known to the researchers. The HOME FAST was applied with the baseline survey for the MELoR study via a face-to-face interview and observation of the home by research staff. The majority of the participants were female, of Malay or Chinese ethnicity and living with others in a double-storeyed house. Falls were reported in the previous year by 19% and 80% of falls occurred at home. Gender and fear of falling had the strongest associations with home hazards. Most hazards were detected in the bathroom area. A small number of errors were detected in the HOME FAST ratings by researchers. The HOME FAST is feasible as a research and clinical tool for the Malaysian context and is appropriate for use in the MELoR study. Home hazards were prevalent in the homes of older people and further research with the larger MELoR sample is needed to confirm the validity of using the HOME FAST in Malaysia. Training in the use of the HOME FAST is needed to ensure accurate use by researchers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  7. Videoconferencing for Health Care Provision for Older Adults in Care Homes: A Review of the Research Evidence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Louise Newbould

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available A scoping review was conducted to map the research evidence on the use of videoconferencing for remote health care provision for older adults in care homes. The review aimed to identify the nature and extent of the existing evidence base. Databases used were Embase, Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library Reviews. The review identified 26 articles for inclusion, of which 14 were case studies, making the most used study design. Papers described videoconferencing as being used for assessment, management of health care, clinical support, and diagnosis, with eight of the papers reporting the use of videoconferencing for more than one clinical purpose. A further eight papers reported the use of videoconferencing for assessment alone. The literature reported the collection of various types of data, with 12 papers describing the use of both qualitative and quantitative data. The outcomes mainly addressed staff satisfaction (n=9 and resident satisfaction (n=8. Current evidence supports the feasibility of videoconferencing in care homes. However, research needs to be undertaken to establish the contexts and mechanisms that underpin the successful implementation of videoconferencing in care homes and to define useful measures for success.

  8. Videoconferencing for Health Care Provision for Older Adults in Care Homes: A Review of the Research Evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newbould, Louise; Mountain, Gail; Hawley, Mark S; Ariss, Steven

    2017-01-01

    A scoping review was conducted to map the research evidence on the use of videoconferencing for remote health care provision for older adults in care homes. The review aimed to identify the nature and extent of the existing evidence base. Databases used were Embase, Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library Reviews. The review identified 26 articles for inclusion, of which 14 were case studies, making the most used study design. Papers described videoconferencing as being used for assessment, management of health care, clinical support, and diagnosis, with eight of the papers reporting the use of videoconferencing for more than one clinical purpose. A further eight papers reported the use of videoconferencing for assessment alone. The literature reported the collection of various types of data, with 12 papers describing the use of both qualitative and quantitative data. The outcomes mainly addressed staff satisfaction ( n = 9) and resident satisfaction ( n = 8). Current evidence supports the feasibility of videoconferencing in care homes. However, research needs to be undertaken to establish the contexts and mechanisms that underpin the successful implementation of videoconferencing in care homes and to define useful measures for success.

  9. Use of the Home Safety Self-Assessment Tool (HSSAT) within Community Health Education to Improve Home Safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horowitz, Beverly P; Almonte, Tiffany; Vasil, Andrea

    2016-10-01

    This exploratory research examined the benefits of a health education program utilizing the Home Safety Self-Assessment Tool (HSSAT) to increase perceived knowledge of home safety, recognition of unsafe activities, ability to safely perform activities, and develop home safety plans of 47 older adults. Focus groups in two senior centers explored social workers' perspectives on use of the HSSAT in community practice. Results for the health education program found significant differences between reported knowledge of home safety (p = .02), ability to recognize unsafe activities (p = .01), safely perform activities (p = .04), and develop a safety plan (p = .002). Social workers identified home safety as a major concern and the HSSAT a promising assessment tool. Research has implications for reducing environmental fall risks.

  10. Stroke and Nursing Home care: a national survey of nursing homes.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Cowman, Seamus

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Although stroke is recognised as a major factor in admission to nursing home care, data is lacking on the extent and nature of the disabilities and dependency in nursing homes arising from stroke. A national study conducted in nursing homes can quantify the number of residents with stroke in nursing homes, their disability and levels of dependency. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey research design was used. A total of 572 public and private nursing homes were identified nationally and a stratified random selection of 60 nursing homes with 3,239 residents was made. In half of the nursing homes (n = 30) efforts were made to interview all residents with stroke Survey instruments were used to collect data from residents with stroke and nursing home managers on demography, patient disability, and treatment. RESULTS: Across all nursing homes (n = 60), 18% (n = 570) of the residents had previously had a stroke. In homes (n = 30), where interviews with residents with stroke (n = 257), only 7% (n = 18) residents were capable of answering for themselves and were interviewed. Data on the remaining 93% (n = 239) residents were provided by the nursing home manager. Nurse Managers reported that 73% of residents with stroke had a high level of dependency. One in two residents with stroke was prescribed antidepressants or sedative medication. Only 21% of stroke residents were prescribed anticoagulants, 42% antiplatelets, and 36% cholesterol lowering medications. Stroke rehabilitation guidelines were lacking and 68% reported that there was no formal review process in place. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides seminal findings on stroke and nursing home services in Ireland. We now know that one in six nursing home residents in a national survey are residents with a stroke, and have a wide range of disabilities. There is currently little or no structured care (beyond generic care) for stroke survivors who reside in nursing homes in Ireland.

  11. Home Automation and Security System

    OpenAIRE

    Surinder Kaur,; Rashmi Singh; Neha Khairwal; Pratyk Jain

    2016-01-01

    Easy Home or Home automation plays a very important role in modern era because of its flexibility in using it at different places with high precision which will save money and time by decreasing human hard work. Prime focus of this technology is to control the household equipment’s like light, fan, door, AC etc. automatically. This research paper has detailed information on Home Automation and Security System using Arduino, GSM and how we can control home appliances using Android application....

  12. Creating a new home

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gram-Hanssen, Kirsten; Bech-Danielsen, Claus

    2012-01-01

    Housing research is increasingly focusing on how different groups of residents use their dwelling and transform it into a home. In this article, we look at the homes of immigrants in Danish social housing. The article is based on qualitative interviews with Somali, Iraqi and Turkish immigrants, a...

  13. The Future of Home Health project: developing the framework for health care at home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Teresa; Schiller, Jennifer

    2015-02-01

    In addition to providing high-quality care to vulnerable patient populations, home healthcare offers the least costly option for patients and the healthcare system, particularly in postacute care. As the baby boom generation ages, policymakers are expressing concerns about rising costs, variation in home healthcare service use, and program integrity. The Alliance for Home Health Quality and Innovation seeks to develop a research-based strategic framework for the future of home healthcare for older Americans and those with disabilities. This article describes the initiative and invites readers to provide comments and suggestions.

  14. Older adult perceptions of smart home technologies: implications for research, policy & market innovations in healthcare.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coughlin, J; D'Ambrosio, L A; Reimer, B; Pratt, M R

    2007-01-01

    Advances in information communications technology and related computational power are providing a wide array of systems and related services that form the basis of smart home technologies to support the health, safety and independence of older adults. While these technologies offer significant benefits to older people and their families, they are also transforming older adults into lead adopters of a new 24/7 lifestyle of being monitored, managed, and, at times, motivated, to maintain their health and wellness. To better understand older adult perceptions of smart home technologies and to inform future research a workshop and focus group was conducted with 30 leaders in aging advocacy and aging services from 10 northeastern states. Participants expressed support of technological advance along with a variety of concerns that included usability, reliability, trust, privacy, stigma, accessibility and affordability. Participants also observed that there is a virtual absence of a comprehensive market and policy environment to support either the consumer or the diffusion of these technologies. Implications for research, policy and market innovation are discussed.

  15. Home care in Australia: an integrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palesy, Debra; Jakimowicz, Samantha; Saunders, Carla; Lewis, Joanne

    2018-01-01

    The home care sector comprises one of Australia's fastest growing workforces, yet few papers capture the overall landscape of Australian home care. This integrative review investigates home care with the aim of better understanding care recipients and their needs, funding, and regulation; care worker skills, tasks, demographics, employment conditions, and training needs. Over 2,700 pieces of literature were analyzed to inform this review. Results suggest sector fragmentation and a home care workforce who, although well-placed to improve outcomes for care recipients, are in need of better training and employment support. Suggestions for future research regarding Australian home care include studies that combine both aged and disability aspects of care, more research around care recipients, priority needs and strategies for addressing them, and how best to prepare home care workers for their roles.

  16. Pervasive Home Care - Technological support for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers at home

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Simon Bo

    2006-01-01

    of the patient in collaboration with patient and home care clinicians. My main research method has been qualitative analysis of the empirical results generated during an experimental project using Participatory Design (PD) to investigate potential futures in the treatment of patients with diabetic foot ulcers...... the need arises for moving treatment and care involving specialised knowledge from the hospital to the home. In this dissertation I use the term Home Care" for the multidisciplinary investigation of how this movement can be supported with technology enabling the expert to carry on a treatment in the home...... approach that I outline in this dissertation. Furthermore I describe the results of the project contributing to three related scientific fields: home care technologies, telemedicine and computer supported cooperative work (CSCW). The main conclusion towards home care technologies is that the many visionary...

  17. Funding a Health Disparities Research Agenda: The Case of Medicare Home Health Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davitt, Joan K.

    2014-01-01

    Medicare home health care provides critical skilled nursing and therapy services to patients in their homes, generally after a period in an inpatient facility or nursing home. Disparities in access to, or outcomes of, home health care can result in patient deterioration and increased cost to the Medicare program if patient care needs intensify.…

  18. Beware of Data Gaps in Home Care Research: The Streetlight Effect and Its Implications for Policy Making on Long-Term Services and Supports

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newquist, Deborah D.; DeLiema, Marguerite; Wilber, Kathleen H.

    2016-01-01

    Policy initiatives increasingly seek greater use of home- and community-based services for older persons and those with chronic care needs, yet large gaps persist in our knowledge of home care, an indispensable component of long-term services and supports. Unrecognized data gaps, including the scope of home care provided by private hire and nonmedical providers, can distort knowledge and poorly inform long-term services and supports policy. The purpose of this article is to examine these gaps by describing the universe of formal home care services and provider types in relationship to major national sources. Findings reveal four distinct home care sectors and that the majority of formal home care is provided in the sectors that are understudied. We discuss the policy implications of data gaps and conclude with recommendations on where to expand and refine home care research. PMID:26062611

  19. A clinician-driven home care delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    August, D A; Faubion, W C; Ryan, M L; Haggerty, R H; Wesley, J R

    1993-12-01

    The financial, entrepreneurial, administrative, and legal forces acting within the home care arena make it difficult for clinicians to develop and operate home care initiatives within an academic setting. HomeMed is a clinician-initiated and -directed home care delivery system wholly owned by the University of Michigan. The advantages of a clinician-directed system include: Assurance that clinical and patient-based factors are the primary determinants of strategic and procedural decisions; Responsiveness of the system to clinician needs; Maintenance of an important role for the referring physician in home care; Economical clinical research by facilitation of protocol therapy in ambulatory and home settings; Reduction of lengths of hospital stays through clinician initiatives; Incorporation of outcome analysis and other research programs into the mission of the system; Clinician commitment to success of the system; and Clinician input on revenue use. Potential disadvantages of a clinician-based system include: Entrepreneurial, financial, and legal naivete; Disconnection from institutional administrative and data management resources; and Inadequate clinician interest and commitment. The University of Michigan HomeMed experience demonstrates a model of clinician-initiated and -directed home care delivery that has been innovative, profitable, and clinically excellent, has engendered broad physician, nurse, pharmacist, and social worker enthusiasm, and has supported individual investigator clinical protocols as well as broad outcomes research initiatives. It is concluded that a clinician-initiated and -directed home care program is feasible and effective, and in some settings may be optimal.

  20. Interprofessional collaboration in nursing homes (interprof): a grounded theory study of general practitioner experiences and strategies to perform nursing home visits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleischmann, Nina; Tetzlaff, Britta; Werle, Jochen; Geister, Christina; Scherer, Martin; Weyerer, Siegfried; Hummers-Pradier, Eva; Mueller, Christiane A

    2016-08-30

    Interprofessionalism, considered as collaboration between medical professionals, has gained prominence over recent decades and evidence for its impact has grown. The steadily increasing number of residents in nursing homes will challenge medical care and the interaction across professions, especially nurses and general practitioners (GPs). The nursing home visit, a key element of medical care, has been underrepresented in research. This study explores GP perspectives on interprofessional collaboration with a focus on their visits to nursing homes in order to understand their experiences and expectations. This research represents an aspect of the interprof study, which explores medical care needs as well as the perceived collaboration and communication by nursing home residents, their families, GPs and nurses. This paper focusses on GPs' views, investigating in particular their visits to nursing homes in order to understand their experiences. Open guideline-interviews covering interprofessional collaboration and the visit process were conducted with 30 GPs in three study centers and analyzed with grounded theory methodology. GPs were recruited via postal request and existing networks of the research partners. Four different types of nursing home visits were found: visits on demand, periodical visits, nursing home rounds and ad-hoc-decision based visits. We identified the core category "productive performance" of home visits in nursing homes which stands for the balance of GPs´ individual efforts and rewards. GPs used different strategies to perform a productive home visit: preparing strategies, on-site strategies and investing strategies. We compiled a theory of GPs home visits in nursing homes in Germany. The findings will be useful for research, and scientific and management purposes to generate a deeper understanding of GP perspectives and thereby improve interprofessional collaboration to ensure a high quality of care.

  1. Improvement of pressure ulcer prevention care in private for-profit residential care homes: an action research study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwong, Enid Wy; Hung, Maria Sy; Woo, Kevin

    2016-11-25

    A need exits to develop a protocol for preventing pressure ulcers (PUs) in private for-profit nursing homes in Hong Kong, where the incidence of PUs is relatively high and which have high proportion of non-professional care staff. The implementation of such protocol would involve changes in the practice of care, likely evoking feelings of fear and uncertainty that may become a barrier to staff adherence. We thus adopted the Systems Model of Action Research in this study to manage the process of change for improving PU prevention care and to develop a pressure ulcer prevention protocol for private for-profit nursing homes. A total of 474 residents and care staff who were health workers, personal care workers, and/or nurses from four private, for-profit nursing homes in Hong Kong participated in this study. Three cyclic stages and steps, namely, unfreezing (planning), changing (action), and refreezing (results) were carried out. During each cycle, focus group interviews, field observations of the care staff's practices and inspections of the skin of the residents for pressure ulcers were conducted to evaluate the implementation of the protocol. Qualitative content analysis was adopted to analyse the data. The data and methodological triangulation used in this study increased the credibility and validity of the results. The following nine themes emerged from this study: prevention practices after the occurrence of PUs, the improper use of pressure ulcer prevention materials, non-compliance with several prevention practices, improper prevention practices, the perception that the preventive care was being performed correctly, inadequate readiness to use the risk assessment tool, an undesirable environment, the supplying of unfavorable resources, and various management styles in the homes with or without nurses. At the end of the third cycle, the changes that were identified included improved compliance with the revised risk assessment method, the timely and appropriate

  2. Nursing perception of patient transitions from hospitals to home with home health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Shannon Bright; Alexander, Judith W

    2012-01-01

    The study's purpose was to determine nurses' opinions of sending patients from the hospital to home with home health services. The study occurred in the Charleston, South Carolina, Tricounty area (Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties). Home health agencies and hospitals were invited to participate. The study used a survey design to gather information on nursing perceptions of current practices and needed changes to improve transition of patients. The population was nurses (licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs)) employed at inpatient hospitals or home health agencies in the area. Thirty-four RNs responded with no LPNs respondents. Agency administrators/chief nursing officers agreed for their agencies to participate and distributed the survey using a Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) Internet-based survey tool. Using the survey results and information from a literature review, the study developed a list of propositions, which participating administrators reviewed, for improving transitions to home. Both home health and hospital nurses reported a need to improve the process of sending patients from hospital to home with home health services. This study provides hospitals and home health agencies with propositions to facilitate the establishment of a process to communicate effectively patients care needs and streamline the discharging patients from the hospital to home health care; thus, improving patient transition. Case managers and discharge planners will need interagency collaboration along with evidence-based interventions to transition patients from the hospital to home with home health services with various populations. Direct patient care nurses in both hospital and home health settings should share the same accountability as case managers to ensure successful transitions.

  3. Internet protocol television for personalized home-based health information: design-based research on a diabetes education system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Kathleen Mary; Clarke, Ken; Alzougool, Basil; Hines, Carolyn; Tidhar, Gil; Frukhtman, Feodor

    2014-03-10

    The use of Internet protocol television (IPTV) as a channel for consumer health information is a relatively under-explored area of medical Internet research. IPTV may afford new opportunities for health care service providers to provide health information and for consumers, patients, and caretakers to access health information. The technologies of Web 2.0 add a new and even less explored dimension to IPTV's potential. Our research explored an application of Web 2.0 integrated with IPTV for personalized home-based health information in diabetes education, particularly for people with diabetes who are not strong computer and Internet users, and thus may miss out on Web-based resources. We wanted to establish whether this system could enable diabetes educators to deliver personalized health information directly to people with diabetes in their homes; and whether this system could encourage people with diabetes who make little use of Web-based health information to build their health literacy via the interface of a home television screen and remote control. This project was undertaken as design-based research in two stages. Stage 1 comprised a feasibility study into the technical work required to integrate an existing Web 2.0 platform with an existing IPTV system, populated with content and implemented for user trials in a laboratory setting. Stage 2 comprised an evaluation of the system by consumers and providers of diabetes information. The project succeeded in developing a Web 2.0 IPTV system for people with diabetes and low literacies and their diabetes educators. The performance of the system in the laboratory setting gave them the confidence to engage seriously in thinking about the actual and potential features and benefits of a more widely-implemented system. In their feedback they pointed out a range of critical usability and usefulness issues related to Web 2.0 affordances and learning fundamentals. They also described their experiences with the system in

  4. Towards a smart home framework

    OpenAIRE

    Alam, Muddasser; Alan, Alper; Rogers, Alex; Ramchurn, Sarvapali D.

    2013-01-01

    We present our Smart Home Framework (SHF) which simplifies the modelling, prototyping and simulation of smart infrastructure (i.e., smart home and smart communities). It provides the buildings blocks (e.g., home appliances) that can be extended and assembled together to build a smart infrastructure model to which appropriate AI techniques can be applied. This approach enables rapid modelling where new research initiatives can build on existing work.

  5. Stroke and Nursing Home care: a national survey of nursing homes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McGee Hannah

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although stroke is recognised as a major factor in admission to nursing home care, data is lacking on the extent and nature of the disabilities and dependency in nursing homes arising from stroke. A national study conducted in nursing homes can quantify the number of residents with stroke in nursing homes, their disability and levels of dependency. Methods A cross-sectional survey research design was used. A total of 572 public and private nursing homes were identified nationally and a stratified random selection of 60 nursing homes with 3,239 residents was made. In half of the nursing homes (n = 30 efforts were made to interview all residents with stroke Survey instruments were used to collect data from residents with stroke and nursing home managers on demography, patient disability, and treatment. Results Across all nursing homes (n = 60, 18% (n = 570 of the residents had previously had a stroke. In homes (n = 30, where interviews with residents with stroke (n = 257, only 7% (n = 18 residents were capable of answering for themselves and were interviewed. Data on the remaining 93% (n = 239 residents were provided by the nursing home manager. Nurse Managers reported that 73% of residents with stroke had a high level of dependency. One in two residents with stroke was prescribed antidepressants or sedative medication. Only 21% of stroke residents were prescribed anticoagulants, 42% antiplatelets, and 36% cholesterol lowering medications. Stroke rehabilitation guidelines were lacking and 68% reported that there was no formal review process in place. Conclusions This study provides seminal findings on stroke and nursing home services in Ireland. We now know that one in six nursing home residents in a national survey are residents with a stroke, and have a wide range of disabilities. There is currently little or no structured care (beyond generic care for stroke survivors who reside in nursing homes in Ireland.

  6. Beware of Data Gaps in Home Care Research: The Streetlight Effect and Its Implications for Policy Making on Long-Term Services and Supports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newquist, Deborah D; DeLiema, Marguerite; Wilber, Kathleen H

    2015-10-01

    Policy initiatives increasingly seek greater use of home- and community-based services for older persons and those with chronic care needs, yet large gaps persist in our knowledge of home care, an indispensable component of long-term services and supports. Unrecognized data gaps, including the scope of home care provided by private hire and nonmedical providers, can distort knowledge and poorly inform long-term services and supports policy. The purpose of this article is to examine these gaps by describing the universe of formal home care services and provider types in relationship to major national sources. Findings reveal four distinct home care sectors and that the majority of formal home care is provided in the sectors that are understudied. We discuss the policy implications of data gaps and conclude with recommendations on where to expand and refine home care research. © The Author(s) 2015.

  7. Acquiring taste in home economics?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stenbak Larsen, Christian

    Objective: To explore how home economics was taught in Denmark before the recent Danish school reform, which also revised the objectives and content of home economics, naming it Food Knowledge (Madkundskab) Methods: Participant observation was done in home economic lessons in two case schools...... appreciated by the group of boys, and others again learned to stick with their idiosyncrasies when pressured by the teacher. Conclusions: Children were acquiring taste in the home economic lessons, but not only the kind of tastes that the teacher had planned for. This leads to reflections on the very complex...... process of taste acquiring and to a call for further research into taste acquiring in complex real life contexts as home economics lessons....

  8. Home Feeling for the Modern Nomad

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borup Lynggaard, Aviaja

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes a research project, Mobile Home Center, about home and mobility in relation to transnational HCI. The project concerns design for mobile life and it is an investigation, through user studies and prototypes, of how to support the act of home making away from the primary home. We...... bring in the perspective that transnational HCI is not only concerning individuals distributed across boarders, but also the reality of individuals who live their lives as a modern nomad in multiple countries. We bring in a new perspective of how most people perform homing tactics rather than living...

  9. Formative research on creating smoke-free homes in rural communities

    OpenAIRE

    Escoffery, Cam; Kegler, Michelle Crozier; Butler, Susan

    2008-01-01

    The home is a significant place for exposure to secondhand smoke for children and non-smoking adults. This study explored factors that would convince families to adopt household smoking bans and actions to create and maintain smoke-free homes. Interviews were conducted with adults in 102 households in rural Georgia. Participating families had a young adolescent and included households with a mix of smokers and non-smokers and smoking ban status. Families reported they would consider a total b...

  10. Considerations and recommendations for conducting qualitative research interviews with palliative and end-of-life care patients in the home setting: a consensus paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivell, Stephanie; Prout, Hayley; Hopewell-Kelly, Noreen; Baillie, Jessica; Byrne, Anthony; Edwards, Michelle; Harrop, Emily; Noble, Simon; Sampson, Catherine; Nelson, Annmarie

    2015-12-08

    To present and discuss the views of researchers at an academic palliative care research centre on research encounters with terminally ill patients in the home setting and to generate a list of recommendations for qualitative researchers working in palliative and end-of-life care. Eight researchers took part in a consensus meeting to discuss their experiences of undertaking qualitative interviews. The researchers were of varying backgrounds and all reported having experience in interviewing terminally ill patients, and all but one had experience of interviewing patients in their home environment. The main areas discussed by researchers included: whether participation in end-of-life research unintentionally becomes a therapeutic experience or an ethical concern; power relationships between terminally ill patients and researchers; researcher reflexivity and reciprocity; researchers' training needs. Qualitative methods can complement the home environment; however, it can raise ethical and practical challenges, which can be more acute in the case of research undertaken with palliative and patients at the end-of-life. The ethical and practical challenges researchers face in this context has the potential to place both participant and researcher at risk for their physical and psychological well-being. We present a set of recommendations for researchers to consider prior to embarking on qualitative research in this context and advocate researchers in this field carefully consider the issues presented on a study-by-study basis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  11. A Research Review: The Importance of Families and the Home Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cole, Jennifer

    2011-01-01

    Parents are a child's first educator. A child's family and home environment has a strong impact on his/her language and literacy development and educational achievement. This impact is stronger during the child's early years but continues throughout their school years. Many background variables affect the impact of the family and home environment…

  12. Home Environment of Selected Filipino Gifted Individuals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawilen, Greg Tabios

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the home environment of selected Filipino gifted individuals. It aims to answer two research questions: (1) what is the giftedness profile of the selected Filipino gifted?; (2) what types of home environments do Filipino gifted have? This study uses qualitative methods, specifically narrative research strategy, to provide a…

  13. User preferences and usability of iVitality: optimizing an innovative online research platform for home-based health monitoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van Osch M

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Mara van Osch,1 AJM Rövekamp,2 Stephanie N Bergman-Agteres,1 Liselotte W Wijsman,3,4 Sharon J Ooms,5 Simon P Mooijaart,3,4,6 Joan Vermeulen71Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht, 2Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, 3Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Centre, 4Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Ageing, Leiden, 5Department of Geriatric Medicine, Radboud Alzheimer Centre, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, 6Institute for Evidence-Based Medicine in Old Age, Leiden, 7Research School, CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the NetherlandsBackground: The iVitality online research platform has been developed to gain insight into the relationship between early risk factors (ie, poorly controlled hypertension, physical or mental inactivity and onset and possibly prevention of dementia. iVitality consists of a website, a smartphone application, and sensors that can monitor these indicators at home. Before iVitality can be implemented, it should fit the needs and preferences of users, ie, offspring of patients with dementia. This study aimed to explore users’ motivation to participate in home-based health monitoring research, to formulate requirements based on users’ preferences to optimize iVitality, and to test usability of the smartphone application of iVitality.Methods: We recruited 13 participants (aged 42–64 years, 85% female, who were offspring of patients with dementia. A user-centered methodology consisting of four iterative phases was used. Three semistructured interviews provided insight into motivation and acceptance of using iVitality (phase 1. A focus group with six participants elaborated on expectations and preferences regarding iVitality (phase 2. Findings from phase 1 and 2 were triangulated by two semistructured interviews (phase 3. Four participants assessed the usability of the smartphone application (phase 4 using a think aloud

  14. Improvement of pressure ulcer prevention care in private for-profit residential care homes: an action research study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enid WY Kwong

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A need exits to develop a protocol for preventing pressure ulcers (PUs in private for-profit nursing homes in Hong Kong, where the incidence of PUs is relatively high and which have high proportion of non-professional care staff. The implementation of such protocol would involve changes in the practice of care, likely evoking feelings of fear and uncertainty that may become a barrier to staff adherence. We thus adopted the Systems Model of Action Research in this study to manage the process of change for improving PU prevention care and to develop a pressure ulcer prevention protocol for private for-profit nursing homes. Methods A total of 474 residents and care staff who were health workers, personal care workers, and/or nurses from four private, for-profit nursing homes in Hong Kong participated in this study. Three cyclic stages and steps, namely, unfreezing (planning, changing (action, and refreezing (results were carried out. During each cycle, focus group interviews, field observations of the care staff’s practices and inspections of the skin of the residents for pressure ulcers were conducted to evaluate the implementation of the protocol. Qualitative content analysis was adopted to analyse the data. The data and methodological triangulation used in this study increased the credibility and validity of the results. Results The following nine themes emerged from this study: prevention practices after the occurrence of PUs, the improper use of pressure ulcer prevention materials, non-compliance with several prevention practices, improper prevention practices, the perception that the preventive care was being performed correctly, inadequate readiness to use the risk assessment tool, an undesirable environment, the supplying of unfavorable resources, and various management styles in the homes with or without nurses. At the end of the third cycle, the changes that were identified included improved compliance with the

  15. Exploring workplace violence among home care workers in a consumer-driven home health care program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakaishi, Lindsay; Moss, Helen; Weinstein, Marc; Perrin, Nancy; Rose, Linda; Anger, W Kent; Hanson, Ginger C; Christian, Mervyn; Glass, Nancy

    2013-10-01

    Nominal research has examined sexual harassment and workplace violence against home care workers within consumer-driven home care models such as those offered in Oregon. This study examined home care workers' experiences of violence while providing care to consumer employers, the patients who hire and manage home care workers. Focus groups and interviews were conducted in Oregon with 83 home care workers, 99 Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) employees, and 11 consumer employers. Home care workers reported incidents of workplace physical violence (44%), psychological abuse (65%), sexual harassment (41%), and sexual violence (14%). Further, three themes were identified that may increase the risk of workplace violence: (1) real and perceived barriers to reporting violence; (2) tolerance of violence; and (3) limited training to prevent violence. To ensure worker safety while maintaining quality care, safety policies and training for consumer employers, state DHS employees, and home care workers must be developed. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

  16. Translating research into practice in nursing homes: can we close the gap?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Anna N; Applebaum, Robert A; Schnelle, John F; Simmons, Sandra F

    2012-10-01

    A gap between research and practice in many nursing home (NH) care areas persists despite efforts by researchers, policy makers, advocacy groups, and NHs themselves to close it. The reasons are many, but two factors that have received scant attention are the dissemination process itself and the work of the disseminators or change agents. This review article examines these two elements through the conceptual lens of Roger's innovation dissemination model. The application of general principles of innovation dissemination suggests that NHs are characteristically slow to innovate and thus may need more time as well as more contact with outside change agents to adopt improved practices. A review of the translation strategies used by NH change agents to promote adoption of evidence-based practice in NHs suggests that their strategies inconsistently reflect lessons learned from the broader dissemination literature. NH-related research, policy, and practice recommendations for improving dissemination strategies are presented. If we can make better use of the resources currently devoted to disseminating best practices to NHs, we may be able to speed NHs' adoption of these practices.

  17. OpenSHS: Open Smart Home Simulator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nasser Alshammari

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper develops a new hybrid, open-source, cross-platform 3D smart home simulator, OpenSHS, for dataset generation. OpenSHS offers an opportunity for researchers in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT and machine learning to test and evaluate their models. Following a hybrid approach, OpenSHS combines advantages from both interactive and model-based approaches. This approach reduces the time and efforts required to generate simulated smart home datasets. We have designed a replication algorithm for extending and expanding a dataset. A small sample dataset produced, by OpenSHS, can be extended without affecting the logical order of the events. The replication provides a solution for generating large representative smart home datasets. We have built an extensible library of smart devices that facilitates the simulation of current and future smart home environments. Our tool divides the dataset generation process into three distinct phases: first design: the researcher designs the initial virtual environment by building the home, importing smart devices and creating contexts; second, simulation: the participant simulates his/her context-specific events; and third, aggregation: the researcher applies the replication algorithm to generate the final dataset. We conducted a study to assess the ease of use of our tool on the System Usability Scale (SUS.

  18. OpenSHS: Open Smart Home Simulator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alshammari, Nasser; Alshammari, Talal; Sedky, Mohamed; Champion, Justin; Bauer, Carolin

    2017-05-02

    This paper develops a new hybrid, open-source, cross-platform 3D smart home simulator, OpenSHS, for dataset generation. OpenSHS offers an opportunity for researchers in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning to test and evaluate their models. Following a hybrid approach, OpenSHS combines advantages from both interactive and model-based approaches. This approach reduces the time and efforts required to generate simulated smart home datasets. We have designed a replication algorithm for extending and expanding a dataset. A small sample dataset produced, by OpenSHS, can be extended without affecting the logical order of the events. The replication provides a solution for generating large representative smart home datasets. We have built an extensible library of smart devices that facilitates the simulation of current and future smart home environments. Our tool divides the dataset generation process into three distinct phases: first design: the researcher designs the initial virtual environment by building the home, importing smart devices and creating contexts; second, simulation: the participant simulates his/her context-specific events; and third, aggregation: the researcher applies the replication algorithm to generate the final dataset. We conducted a study to assess the ease of use of our tool on the System Usability Scale (SUS).

  19. Work Engagement: A Double-Edged Sword? A Study of the Relationship between Work Engagement and the Work-Home Interaction Using the ARK Research Platform

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katrine Listau

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to investigate how being engaged at work affects academics’ work-home interaction. Using the Conservation of Resources theory as a theoretical framework, the study contributes to existing research by examining the relationship between the work engagement subscales (i.e. vigour, dedication, and absorption and both work-home facilitation and work-home conflict. In order to test the hypotheses, a Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling analysis was conducted using a large sample of academics from the Norwegian university sector (N = 4378. The results indicated that vigour and dedication had a positive relationship with work-home facilitation and a negative relationship with work-home conflict. In contrast, absorption was not significantly related to work-home facilitation, but was positively associated with work-home conflict. Thus, we conclude that work engagement seems to have the potential to create both positive and negative outcomes.

  20. Perilaku Agresif Siswa dari Keluarga Broken Home

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Randi Pratama

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This research is based because of the aggressive behavior shown by the students, especially students who come from a broken home. The purpose of this study is to describe the aggressive behavior that is owned by a student who comes from a broken home in terms of attacking people physically, verbally, and damaging and destroying property and wealth of others. The results of this research shows that in general student’s aggressivebehavior are on average level. Implications of research in guidance and counseling is as the basis for programs to prevent and cope with aggressive behavior that is owned by the students, especially students who come from a broken home. Cooperation with the homeroom teacher mentors, teachers and other school personnel will also help identify students who have an aggressive behavior, especially students who come from a broken home to immediately provided services.

  1. Deprivation of Dignity in Nursing Home Residents

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høy, Bente

    2016-01-01

    deepened knowledge in how to maintain and promote dignity in nursing home residents. The purpose of this paper is to present results concerning the question: How is nursing home residents’ dignity maintained or deprived from the perspective of close family caregivers? In this presentation we only focus...... on deprivation of dignity. Methodology: The overall design of this study is modified clinical application research. The study took place at six different nursing home residences in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Data collection methods were individual research interviews. All together the sample consisted of 28...

  2. Environmental impacts of informal settlements with second homes (vacation homes. A case study: Apuseni Nature Park.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    OANA ALEXANDRA CIUPE

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The past decades has seen the rapid development of second homes in many country of the world. Therefore, secondary dwellings used for tourism-related purposes (vacation homes or second homes are a reality that becomes more pronounced and visible at both nationally and internationally level. However, the rapidity and the novelty of the phenomenon creates difficulties in terms of efficient management and suitable integration in spatial planning and urbanism plans, favoring - in a negative way - expanding of build-up areas (with second homes in a chaotic way. Since there has been no detailed investigation of second homes tourism from the perspective of informal settlements, this article follows a case-study design, with in-depth analysis of informal settlements with vacation homes found in Apuseni Nature Park. Based on long-term field research, will be exemplified 4 types of informal settlements with second homes (vacation homes identified in the case study. The aim of this paper is to critically analyse the effects of informal settlements with vacation homes on the natural environment.

  3. Home e-health system integration in the Smart Home through a common media server.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pau, I; Seoane, F; Lindecrantz, K; Valero, M A; Carracedo, J

    2009-01-01

    Home e-health systems and services are revealed as one of the most important challenges to promote Quality of Life related to Health in the Information Society. Leading companies have worked on e-health systems although the majority of them are addressed to hospital or primary care settings. The solution detailed in this paper offers a personal health system to be integrated with Smart Home services platform to support home based e-care. Thus, the home e-health system and architecture detailed in this research work is ready to supply a seamless personal care solution both from the biomedical data analysis, service provision, security guarantee and information management s point of view. The solution is ready to be integrated within the Accessible Digital Home, a living lab managed by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid for R&D activities.

  4. Report on the comprehensive investigational research (at-home welfare apparatus system); Sogo chosa kenkyu (zaitaku fukushi kiki system) hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-03-01

    An investigational study was conducted on the research and development of an at-home welfare apparatus system. In this study, a stay experiment was carried out on whether aged or handicapped people can easily live in welfare houses into which at-home welfare apparatus was integrated, using high-tech at-home nursing apparatus systems (welfare techno house: WTH) which were installed at seven places in Japan based on `the development of a system supporting independent excretion.` In addition, the following were conducted: experiments on at-home welfare apparatus in terms of the evaluation of performance/operability/safety, physical physiology reactions, nursing burden/estimate of independence, two-way communication, examination of housing environments, etc. In WTH Chofu, a test on evaluating welfare apparatus was conducted by people with limbs paralysis and healthy case workers. In WTH Sapporo, by a working group studying biological information, examinations were made on the situation of standing up of healthy adults, old people and people with paralysis of one side of the body from various types of chairs, beds, wheel chairs, portable toilets and sitting down on them. An examination was also made on harmony with psychological function and physically adaptable function by a working group studying at-home nursing apparatus. 75 figs., 15 tabs.

  5. Needs of home care services for the bedridden patient’s problems living in their home

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nuran Akdemir

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The study was carry out as an semi-experimental study to identify the difficulties confronted by bedridden patients with stroke to give them necessary counseling services and to improve models of home care service.Method: The research sample is composed of 38 patients discarged from Hacettepe University İbni Sina Hospital and Health Ministry Ankara Numune Hospital Neurology services following cerebro-vascular accident. The data derived from the research is evaluated through percentage usage. Patients included in the study were visited average 5 times during the research.Result: During the home visiting, it is found out that most of the patients were in need of information concerning insufficient hygienic care, other illnesses, use of medication, discharge system problems like constipation and diarhea and dietary/nutritional; it is also observed that they are experiencing psycho-social diffuculties. The study results put forward suggestions in realizing progression and to form model of systematic home care services.

  6. The Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME) Plus study: design and methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fulkerson, Jayne A; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Story, Mary; Gurvich, Olga; Kubik, Martha Y; Garwick, Ann; Dudovitz, Bonnie

    2014-05-01

    Informed and engaged parents and healthful home environments are essential for the health of youth. Although research has shown health benefits associated with family meals, to date, no randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been developed to examine the impact of a family meals intervention on behavioral and health outcomes. The Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME) Plus study is a two-arm (intervention versus attention-only control) RCT being conducted in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Built on previous pilot research, HOME Plus aims to increase the frequency and healthfulness of family meals and snacks and reduce children's sedentary behavior, particularly screen time, to promote healthier eating and activity behaviors and prevent obesity. HOME Plus is delivered to families in community settings. The program includes 10 monthly sessions focused on nutrition and activity education, meal planning and preparation skill development. In addition, five motivational goal-setting phone calls are conducted with parents. The primary outcome measure is age- and gender-adjusted child BMI-z score at post-intervention by treatment group. Secondary household-level outcomes include family meal frequency, home availability of healthful foods (fruits/vegetables) and unhealthful foods (high-fat/sugary snacks) and beverages (sugar-sweetened beverages), and the quality of foods served at meals and snacks. Secondary child outcomes include dietary intake of corresponding foods and beverages and screen time. The HOME Plus RCT actively engages whole families of 8-12 year old children to promote healthier eating and activity behaviors and prevent obesity through promotion of family meals and snacks and limited media use. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Probing a Proactive Home: Challenges in Researching and Designing Everyday Smart Environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frans Mäyrä

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Based on the results of a 3-year interdisciplinary study, this article presents an approach in which proactive information technology was introduced into homes, and discusses the derived design principles from a human-centered perspective. The application of proactive computing in homes will face particularly sensitive conditions, as familiar and reliable household elements remain strongly preferred. Since there is considerable resistance towards the increase of information technology in homes, both the calm system behaviors and the degree of variety in aesthetic designs will play major roles in the acceptance of proactive technology. If proactive technology will be an embedded part of a home’s structures and furniture, it needs to blend with the normal, cozy standards of a real living environment and aim to enhance the homeyness or the key social and aesthetic qualities of homes.

  8. Decision support at home (DS@HOME – system architectures and requirements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marschollek Michael

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Demographic change with its consequences of an aging society and an increase in the demand for care in the home environment has triggered intensive research activities in sensor devices and smart home technologies. While many advanced technologies are already available, there is still a lack of decision support systems (DSS for the interpretation of data generated in home environments. The aim of the research for this paper is to present the state-of-the-art in DSS for these data, to define characteristic properties of such systems, and to define the requirements for successful home care DSS implementations. Methods A literature review was performed along with the analysis of cross-references. Characteristic properties are proposed and requirements are derived from the available body of literature. Results 79 papers were identified and analyzed, of which 20 describe implementations of decision components. Most authors mention server-based decision support components, but only few papers provide details about the system architecture or the knowledge base. A list of requirements derived from the analysis is presented. Among the primary drawbacks of current systems are the missing integration of DSS in current health information system architectures including interfaces, the missing agreement among developers with regard to the formalization and customization of medical knowledge and a lack of intelligent algorithms to interpret data from multiple sources including clinical application systems. Conclusions Future research needs to address these issues in order to provide useful information – and not only large amounts of data – for both the patient and the caregiver. Furthermore, there is a need for outcome studies allowing for identifying successful implementation concepts.

  9. Comparison of Long-term Care in Nursing Homes Versus Home Health: Costs and Outcomes in Alabama.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackburn, Justin; Locher, Julie L; Kilgore, Meredith L

    2016-04-01

    To compare acute care outcomes and costs among nursing home residents with community-dwelling home health recipients. A matched retrospective cohort study of Alabamians aged more than or equal to 65 years admitted to a nursing home or home health between March 31, 2007 and December 31, 2008 (N = 1,291 pairs). Medicare claims were compared up to one year after admission into either setting. Death, emergency department and inpatient visits, inpatient length of stay, and acute care costs were compared using t tests. Medicaid long-term care costs were compared for a subset of matched beneficiaries. After one year, 77.7% of home health beneficiaries were alive compared with 76.2% of nursing home beneficiaries (p Home health beneficiaries averaged 0.2 hospital visits and 0.1 emergency department visits more than nursing home beneficiaries, differences that were statistically significant. Overall acute care costs were not statistically different; home health beneficiaries' costs averaged $31,423, nursing home beneficiaries' $32,239 (p = .5032). Among 426 dual-eligible pairs, Medicaid long-term care costs averaged $4,582 greater for nursing home residents (p nursing home or home health care. Additional research controlling for exogenous factors relating to long-term care decisions is needed. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Mining the Home Environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Diane J; Krishnan, Narayanan

    2014-12-01

    Individuals spend a majority of their time in their home or workplace and for many, these places are our sanctuaries. As society and technology advance there is a growing interest in improving the intelligence of the environments in which we live and work. By filling home environments with sensors and collecting data during daily routines, researchers can gain insights on human daily behavior and the impact of behavior on the residents and their environments. In this article we provide an overview of the data mining opportunities and challenges that smart environments provide for researchers and offer some suggestions for future work in this area.

  11. Mining the Home Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Diane J.; Krishnan, Narayanan

    2014-01-01

    Individuals spend a majority of their time in their home or workplace and for many, these places are our sanctuaries. As society and technology advance there is a growing interest in improving the intelligence of the environments in which we live and work. By filling home environments with sensors and collecting data during daily routines, researchers can gain insights on human daily behavior and the impact of behavior on the residents and their environments. In this article we provide an overview of the data mining opportunities and challenges that smart environments provide for researchers and offer some suggestions for future work in this area. PMID:25506128

  12. Family caregivers' experiences in nursing homes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lohne, Vibeke; Høy, Bente; Wilhelm Rehnsfeldt, Arne

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study is focusing on dignity in nursing homes from the perspective of family caregivers. Dignity is a complex concept and central to nursing. Dignity in nursing homes is a challenge, according to research. Family caregivers are frequently involved in their family members’ daily...... experiences at the nursing home. This Scandinavian application study has a descriptive and explorative design. Twenty-nine family caregivers were included. A phenomenological-hermeneutic approach was used to understand the meaning of the narrated text. The interpretations revealed two main themes: “One should......, but still important in nursing homes. It seems therefore important to further investigate experiences of family caregivers in the context of nursing homes....

  13. A home monitoring program including real-time wireless home spirometry in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a pilot study on experiences and barriers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moor, C C; Wapenaar, M; Miedema, J R; Geelhoed, J J M; Chandoesing, P P; Wijsenbeek, M S

    2018-05-29

    In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), home monitoring experiences are limited, not yet real-time available nor implemented in daily care. We evaluated feasibility and potential barriers of a new home monitoring program with real-time wireless home spirometry in IPF. Ten patients with IPF were asked to test this home monitoring program, including daily home spirometry, for four weeks. Measurements of home and hospital spirometry showed good agreement. All patients considered real-time wireless spirometry useful and highly feasible. Both patients and researchers suggested relatively easy solutions for the identified potential barriers regarding real-time home monitoring in IPF.

  14. Intergrated dental care in nursing homes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gerritsen, P.F.M.

    2015-01-01

    The thesis deals with integrated dental care in nursing homes. First, the dental treatment needs were ascertained of 432 residents in three Dutch nursing homes that offer integrated dental care. Dentist researchers intra-orally examined the residents and found that 72% required dental treatment.

  15. PLANNED HOME BIRTH: A REVIEW

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamara Serdinšek

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Home birth is as old as humanity, but still most middle- and high-income countries consider hospitals as the safest birth settings, as complications regarding birth are highly unpredictable. Despite this there are a few countries in which home birth in integrated into official healthcare system (the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Canada etc.. Home births can be divided into unplanned and planned, and the latter can be further categorized by the presence of the birth attendants. This review focuses on planned home births, which are differently represented throughout the world. In the United States 0.6-1.0% of all children are born at home, in the United Kingdom 2-3%, in Canada 1.6% and in the Netherlands 20-30%. For Slovenia, the number of planned home births is unknown; however, in 2010 0.1% of children were born outside medical facilities.Conclusions: The safety of home birth in still under the debate. While research confirms smaller number of obstetric interventions and some complications in mothers who give birth at home, the data regarding the neonatal and perinatal mortality and morbidity is still conflicting. This confirms the need for large multicentric trials in this field. Current home birth guidelines emphasize that women should be well informed regarding the possible advantages and disadvantages of home births. In addition, the emphasis is on definition of selection criteria for home birth, indications for intrapartal transfer to the hospital and appropriate education of birth attendants. 

  16. Home educators and the law within Europe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrie, Amanda J.

    1995-05-01

    In education literature, there is often confusion between compulsory provision of education and compulsory schooling, falsely giving the impression that schooling is compulsory. This is not the case. Home education is permitted in some form or other in all the European countries studied except Germany. Where the alternative of home education is denied to children who are in difficulty, such as very young children of itinerant workers, or children who are school phobic, one has to question whether the good of the individual child is being considered, rather than the ideals or convenience of education administrators. Home education is a welcome alternative to those children who need it and benefit from it and there is no evidence in academic literature or general writing on education to suggest that home education does not usually offer a good alternative to the children involved, both academically and socially. Much research has been undertaken into home education in the US, there have been a few studies within the UK and a study in Switzerland of the laws which apply to home educators within each canton and an assessment of the numbers of home educated children in both Austria and Switzerland. In other European countries, there has been little or no research into the numbers of home educated children, the ways in which home educated children learn, efficient methods of monitoring home education, or whether home education is effective. Perhaps it is by looking more closely at these families that the effectiveness of schooling can be better assessed: fundamental questions can be asked about the added value of schooling. My preliminary investigations indicate that, with the exception of Denmark, where it is easy for parents to set up small schools with financial help from government, there are instances of home education in all the countries studied.

  17. At Home with Students

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lyngsø, Anita

    2015-01-01

    This article reflects the methodological challenges presented in the research process, where the principle of 'following the field’ means that the researcher must also follow students engaged in online activities in their own homes. The ethnographic studies are a part of a PhD project...

  18. A web based tool for storing and visualising data generated within a smart home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDonald, H A; Nugent, C D; Moore, G; Finlay, D D; Hallberg, J

    2011-01-01

    There is a growing need to re-assess the current approaches available to researchers for storing and managing heterogeneous data generated within a smart home environment. In our current work we have developed the homeML Application; a web based tool to support researchers engaged in the area of smart home research as they perform experiments. Within this paper the homeML Application is presented which includes the fundamental components of the homeML Repository and the homeML Toolkit. Results from a usability study conducted by 10 computer science researchers are presented; the initial results of which have been positive.

  19. The Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME) Plus study: Design and methods1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fulkerson, Jayne A.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Story, Mary; Gurvich, Olga; Kubik, Martha Y.; Garwick, Ann; Dudovitz, Bonnie

    2014-01-01

    Background Informed and engaged parents and healthful home environments are essential for the health of youth. Although research has shown health benefits associated with family meals, to date, no randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been developed to examine the impact of a family meals intervention on behavioral and health outcomes. Methods/Design The Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME) Plus study is a two-arm (intervention versus attention-only control) RCT being conducted in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Built on previous pilot research, HOME Plus aims to increase the frequency and healthfulness of family meals and snacks and reduce children’s sedentary behavior, particularly screen time, to promote healthier eating and activity behaviors and prevent obesity. HOME Plus is delivered to families in community settings. The program includes 10 monthly sessions focused on nutrition and activity education, meal planning and preparation skill development. In addition, five motivational goal-setting phone calls are conducted with parents. The primary outcome measure is age- and gender-adjusted child BMI-z score at post-intervention by treatment group. Secondary household-level outcomes include family meal frequency, home availability of healthful foods (fruits/vegetables) and unhealthful foods (high-fat/sugary snacks) and beverages (sugar-sweetened beverages), and the quality of foods served at meals and snacks. Secondary child outcomes include dietary intake of corresponding foods and beverages and screen time. Conclusions The HOME Plus RCT actively engages whole families of 8–12 year old children to promote healthier eating and activity behaviors and prevent obesity through promotion of family meals and snacks and limited media use. PMID:24480729

  20. The Home as Workplace: Investigating Home Based Enterprises in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The research revealed the importance of home based enterprises as a major source of income generation and socialization in urban areas. Recommendations include the adoption of case-specific planning models, consideration of cultural contexts in planning and the adoption of local economic development strategies in ...

  1. Nursing Home Compare

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The data that is used by the Nursing Home Compare tool can be downloaded for public use. This functionality is primarily used by health policy researchers and the...

  2. [Research of controlling of smart home system based on P300 brain-computer interface].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jinjia; Yang, Chengjie

    2014-08-01

    Using electroencephalogram (EEG) signal to control external devices has always been the research focus in the field of brain-computer interface (BCI). This is especially significant for those disabilities who have lost capacity of movements. In this paper, the P300-based BCI and the microcontroller-based wireless radio frequency (RF) technology are utilized to design a smart home control system, which can be used to control household appliances, lighting system, and security devices directly. Experiment results showed that the system was simple, reliable and easy to be populirised.

  3. Home safe home: Evaluation of a childhood home safety program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Tanya Charyk; Clark, Andrew; Gilliland, Jason; Miller, Michael R; Edwards, Jane; Haidar, Tania; Batey, Brandon; Vogt, Kelly N; Parry, Neil G; Fraser, Douglas D; Merritt, Neil

    2016-09-01

    The London Health Sciences Centre Home Safety Program (HSP) provides safety devices, education, a safety video, and home safety checklist to all first-time parents for the reduction of childhood home injuries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the HSP for the prevention of home injuries in children up to 2 years of age. A program evaluation was performed with follow-up survey, along with an interrupted time series analysis of emergency department (ED) visits for home injuries 5 years before (2007-2013) and 2 years after (2013-2015) implementation. Spatial analysis of ED visits was undertaken to assess differences in home injury rates by dissemination areas controlling differences in socioeconomic status (i.e., income, education, and lone-parent status) at the neighborhood level. A total of 3,458 first-time parents participated in the HSP (a 74% compliance rate). Of these, 20% (n = 696) of parents responded to our questionnaire, with 94% reporting the program to be useful (median, 6; interquartile range, 2 on a 7-point Likert scale) and 81% learning new strategies for preventing home injuries. The median age of the respondent's babies were 12 months (interquartile range, 1). The home safety check list was used by 87% of respondents to identify hazards in their home, with 95% taking action to minimize the risk. The time series analysis demonstrated a significant decline in ED visits for home injuries in toddlers younger than2 years of age after HSP implementation. The declines in ED visits for home injuries remained significant over and above each socioeconomic status covariate. Removing hazards, supervision, and installing safety devices are key facilitators in the reduction of home injuries. Parents found the HSP useful to identify hazards, learn new strategies, build confidence, and provide safety products. Initial finding suggests that the program is effective in reducing home injuries in children up to 2 years of age. Therapeutic/care management study

  4. Business Solutions Case Study: Marketing Zero Energy Homes: LifeStyle Homes, Melbourne, Florida

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2015-06-01

    Building America research has shown that high-performance homes can potentially give builders an edge in the marketplace and can boost sales. But it doesn't happen automatically. It requires a tailored, easy to understand marketing campaign and sometimes a little flair. This case study highlights LifeStyle Homes’ successful marketing approach for their SunSmart home package, which has helped to boost sales for the company. SunSmart marketing includes a modified logo, weekly blog, social media, traditional advertising, website, and sales staff training. Marketing focuses on quality, durability, healthy indoor air, and energy efficiency with an emphasis on the surety of third-party verification and the scientific approach to developing the SunSmart package. With the introduction of SunSmart, LifeStyle began an early recovery, nearly doubling sales in 2010; SunSmart sales now exceed 300 homes, including more than 20 zero energy homes. Completed homes in 2014 far outpaced the national (19%) and southern census region (27%) recovery rates for the same period. As technology improves and evolves, this builder will continue to collaborate with Building America.

  5. Research on the cultivation path of smart home-based care service mode in Internet+ vision

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng Qingchao

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Home-based care for the aged is an effective method to solve the problem of caring the aged in China. This thesis analyzes some problems existing in the development of current home-based care service for the aged in our country and the positive effects brought by Internet+ in home-based care service. It proposes a new service mode of care for the aged--Internet+ home-based care service, and explains the establishment of this system and the responsibilities of the participants. Also, it explores the path to realize the establishment of Internet+ home-based care service mode so as to promote the healthy development of home-based care service in China.

  6. Does hospital at home for palliative care facilitate death at home? Randomised controlled trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grande, Gunn E; Todd, Chris J; Barclay, Stephen I G; Farquhar, Morag C

    1999-01-01

    balance ideal research design against the realities of evaluation of palliative care had the effect that the trial achieved less statistical power than originally plannedParticular problems were that many patients failed to receive the allocated intervention because of the unpredictable nature of terminal illness, inclusion of other service input alongside hospital at home, and the wide range of standard care availableThe trial illustrated problems associated with randomised controlled trials in palliative care, none of which are insurmountable but which require careful consideration and resourcing before future trials are planned PMID:10582932

  7. Home Automation

    OpenAIRE

    Ahmed, Zeeshan

    2010-01-01

    In this paper I briefly discuss the importance of home automation system. Going in to the details I briefly present a real time designed and implemented software and hardware oriented house automation research project, capable of automating house's electricity and providing a security system to detect the presence of unexpected behavior.

  8. Community-based distribution of misoprostol to prevent postpartum haemorrhage at home births: results from operations research in rural Ghana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geller, S; Carnahan, L; Akosah, E; Asare, G; Agyemang, R; Dickson, R; Kapungu, C; Owusu-Ansah, L; Robinson, N; Mensah-Homiah, J

    2014-02-01

    To report on a rigorous distribution and monitoring plan to track misoprostol for community-based distribution to reduce postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) in rural Ghana. Operations research. Rural Ghana. Women in third trimester of pregnancy presenting to primary health centres (PHCs) for antenatal care (ANC). Ghana Health Service (GHS), Millennium Village Projects, and the University of Illinois at Chicago conducted an operations research study designed to assess the safety, feasibility, and acceptability of community-based distribution of misoprostol to prevent PPH at home deliveries in rural Ghana. One thousand doses (3000 tablets, 200 μg each) were obtained from the Family Health Division of GHS. Three 200-μg tablets of misoprostol (600 μg) in foil packets were packaged together in secured transparent plastic packets labelled with pictorial messages and distributed to midwives at seven PHCs for distribution to pregnant women. Correct use of misoprostol in home deliveries and retrieval of unused misoprostol doses, PPH rates and maternal mortality. Of the 999 doses distributed to midwives, 982 (98.3%) were successfully tracked, with a 1.7% lost to follow-up rate. Midwives distributed 654 doses to women at third-trimester ANC visits. Of women who had misoprostol to use at home, 81% had an institutional delivery and were able to return the misoprostol safely to the midwife. Of the women that used misoprostol, 99% used the misoprostol correctly. This study clearly demonstrates that misoprostol distributed antenatally to pregnant women can be used accurately and reliably by rural Ghanaian women, and should be considered for policy implementation across Ghana and other countries with high home birth rates and maternal mortality ratios. © 2013 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  9. The Utility of Home-Practice in Mindfulness-Based Group Interventions: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lloyd, Annette; White, Ross; Eames, Catrin; Crane, Rebecca

    2018-01-01

    A growing body of research supports the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). MBIs consider home-practice as essential to increasing the therapeutic effects of the treatment. To date however, the synthesis of the research conducted on the role of home-practice in controlled MBI studies has been a neglected area. This review aimed to conduct a narrative synthesis of published controlled studies, evaluating mindfulness-based group interventions, which have specifically measured home-practice. Empirical research literature published until June 2016 was searched using five databases. The search strategy focused on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and home-practice. Included studies met the following criteria: controlled trials, participants 18 years and above, evaluations of MBSR or MBCT, utilised standardised quantitative outcome measures and monitored home-practice using a self-reported measure. Fourteen studies met the criteria and were included in the review. Across all studies, there was heterogeneity in the guidance and resources provided to participants and the approaches used for monitoring home-practice. In addition, the guidance on the length of home-practice was variable across studies, which indicates that research studies and teachers are not adhering to the published protocols. Finally, only seven studies examined the relationship between home-practice and clinical outcomes, of which four found that home-practice predicted improvements on clinical outcome measures. Future research should adopt a standardised approach for monitoring home-practice across MBIs. Additionally, studies should assess whether the amount of home-practice recommended to participants is in line with MBSR/MBCT manualised protocols. Finally, research should utilise experimental methodologies to explicitly explore the relationship between home-practice and clinical outcomes.

  10. Work-home Balance: a Management Perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Farrell, Kathleen

    2012-01-01

    Work-home balance issues have become a very important challenge for both management and employees in the 21st century. The purpose of this paper is to examine work-home balance practices from a management perspective in the Irish hotel industry. There is a dearth of research in relation to work-home balance practices in the hotel sector. The study included a sample of all hotels including Northern Ireland. It found that the needs of the organisation are paramount with profitability considerat...

  11. Gender and ethical consumption of energy in smart homes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gram-Hanssen, Kirsten; Mechlenborg, Mette; Madsen, Line Valdorff

    2017-01-01

    An adaption to smart technologies in homes will inevitably produce new conditions for everyday life and thus also for relations between gender and ethical consumption. The home can be seen as a feminine domain and research shows that men tend to be more technically interested, whereas women gener...... gender inequalities in everyday practices.......An adaption to smart technologies in homes will inevitably produce new conditions for everyday life and thus also for relations between gender and ethical consumption. The home can be seen as a feminine domain and research shows that men tend to be more technically interested, whereas women...... in everyday life. Acknowledging how everyday life and home are gendered and that gender roles are produced and reproduced through everyday practices, is therefore vital to ensure a successful transition into a smart home future. Otherwise, the risk is that the development will contribute to producing further...

  12. More Than Four Walls: The Meaning of Home in Home Birth Experiences

    OpenAIRE

    Emily Burns

    2015-01-01

    The "home versus hospital" as places of birth debate has had a long and at times vicious history. From academic literature to media coverage, the two have often been pitted against each other not only as opposing physical spaces, but also as opposing ideologies of birth. The hospital has been heavily critiqued as a site of childbirth since the 1960s, with particular focus on childbirth and medicalisation. The focus of much of the hospital and home birthing research exists on a continuum of me...

  13. Predictors of Treatment Response in Depressed Mothers Receiving In-Home Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Concurrent Home Visiting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ammerman, Robert T.; Peugh, James L.; Putnam, Frank W.; Van Ginkel, Judith B.

    2012-01-01

    Home visiting is a child abuse prevention strategy that seeks to optimize child development by providing mothers with support, training, and parenting information. Research has consistently found high rates of depression in mothers participating in home visiting programs and low levels of obtaining mental health treatment in the community.…

  14. Research of home energy management system based on technology of PLC and ZigBee

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Qi; Shen, Jiaojiao

    2015-12-01

    In view of the problem of saving effectively energy and energy management in home, this paper designs a home energy intelligent control system based on power line carrier communication and wireless ZigBee sensor networks. The system is based on ARM controller, power line carrier communication and wireless ZigBee sensor network as the terminal communication mode, and realizes the centralized and intelligent control of home appliances. Through the combination of these two technologies, the advantages of the two technologies complement each other, and provide a feasible plan for the construction of energy-efficient, intelligent home energy management system.

  15. WSN- and IOT-Based Smart Homes and Their Extension to Smart Buildings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghayvat, Hemant; Mukhopadhyay, Subhas; Gui, Xiang; Suryadevara, Nagender

    2015-01-01

    Our research approach is to design and develop reliable, efficient, flexible, economical, real-time and realistic wellness sensor networks for smart home systems. The heterogeneous sensor and actuator nodes based on wireless networking technologies are deployed into the home environment. These nodes generate real-time data related to the object usage and movement inside the home, to forecast the wellness of an individual. Here, wellness stands for how efficiently someone stays fit in the home environment and performs his or her daily routine in order to live a long and healthy life. We initiate the research with the development of the smart home approach and implement it in different home conditions (different houses) to monitor the activity of an inhabitant for wellness detection. Additionally, our research extends the smart home system to smart buildings and models the design issues related to the smart building environment; these design issues are linked with system performance and reliability. This research paper also discusses and illustrates the possible mitigation to handle the ISM band interference and attenuation losses without compromising optimum system performance. PMID:25946630

  16. WSN- and IOT-Based Smart Homes and Their Extension to Smart Buildings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hemant Ghayvat

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Our research approach is to design and develop reliable, efficient, flexible, economical, real-time and realistic wellness sensor networks for smart home systems. The heterogeneous sensor and actuator nodes based on wireless networking technologies are deployed into the home environment. These nodes generate real-time data related to the object usage and movement inside the home, to forecast the wellness of an individual. Here, wellness stands for how efficiently someone stays fit in the home environment and performs his or her daily routine in order to live a long and healthy life. We initiate the research with the development of the smart home approach and implement it in different home conditions (different houses to monitor the activity of an inhabitant for wellness detection. Additionally, our research extends the smart home system to smart buildings and models the design issues related to the smart building environment; these design issues are linked with system performance and reliability. This research paper also discusses and illustrates the possible mitigation to handle the ISM band interference and attenuation losses without compromising optimum system performance.

  17. WSN- and IOT-Based Smart Homes and Their Extension to Smart Buildings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghayvat, Hemant; Mukhopadhyay, Subhas; Gui, Xiang; Suryadevara, Nagender

    2015-05-04

    Our research approach is to design and develop reliable, efficient, flexible, economical, real-time and realistic wellness sensor networks for smart home systems. The heterogeneous sensor and actuator nodes based on wireless networking technologies are deployed into the home environment. These nodes generate real-time data related to the object usage and movement inside the home, to forecast the wellness of an individual. Here, wellness stands for how efficiently someone stays fit in the home environment and performs his or her daily routine in order to live a long and healthy life. We initiate the research with the development of the smart home approach and implement it in different home conditions (different houses) to monitor the activity of an inhabitant for wellness detection. Additionally, our research extends the smart home system to smart buildings and models the design issues related to the smart building environment; these design issues are linked with system performance and reliability. This research paper also discusses and illustrates the possible mitigation to handle the ISM band interference and attenuation losses without compromising optimum system performance.

  18. Formative research on creating smoke-free homes in rural communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escoffery, Cam; Kegler, Michelle Crozier; Butler, Susan

    2009-02-01

    The home is a significant place for exposure to secondhand smoke for children and non-smoking adults. This study explored factors that would convince families to adopt household smoking bans and actions to create and maintain smoke-free homes. Interviews were conducted with adults in 102 households in rural Georgia. Participating families had a young adolescent and included households with a mix of smokers and non-smokers and smoking ban status. Families reported they would consider a total ban to protect children from secondhand smoke and protect family members if they got sick. Few described difficulties in enforcement with over half of smokers accepting the rules. Situations that made it hard to enforce restrictions were if there was a visitor who smoked, a smoker who had cravings, and bad weather outside when the smoker desired to smoke. Smokers explained that family members could assist them in quitting by talking to them, not purchasing cigarettes for them, not smoking around them, and supporting them. Ideas for promoting smoke-free homes were having a no smoking sign, saying no to visitors who want to smoke, removing ashtrays, and creating a place outside for smokers. These findings can inform interventions designed to create and maintain smoke-free households.

  19. Factors influencing home care nurse intention to remain employed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tourangeau, Ann; Patterson, Erin; Rowe, Alissa; Saari, Margaret; Thomson, Heather; MacDonald, Geraldine; Cranley, Lisa; Squires, Mae

    2014-11-01

    To identify factors affecting Canadian home care nurse intention to remain employed (ITR). In developed nations, healthcare continues to shift into community settings. Although considerable research exists on examining nurse ITR in hospitals, similar research related to nurses employed in home care is limited. In the face of a global nursing shortage, it is important to understand the factors influencing nurse ITR across healthcare sectors. A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was used. Focus groups were conducted with home care nurses. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Six categories of influencing factors were identified by home care nurses as affecting ITR: job characteristics; work structures; relationships/communication; work environment; nurse responses to work; and employment conditions. Findings suggest the following factors influence home care nurse ITR: having autonomy; flexible scheduling; reasonable and varied workloads; supportive work relationships; and receiving adequate pay and benefits. Home care nurses did not identify job satisfaction as a single concept influencing ITR. Home care nursing management should support nurse autonomy, allow flexible scheduling, promote reasonable workloads and create opportunities for team building that strengthen supportive relationships among home care nurses and other health team members. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. PROSPECTS OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF HOME GARDENS TO ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Admin

    Department of Forest Production and Products, University of Agriculture ... food in home gardens, stability of food supply over time, and ecological role of home ... RESEARCH IN FORESTRY, WILDLIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL VOLUME 5, No.

  1. Extended architecture for home base stations with multimedia services

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Voicu, A.; Jarnikov, D.S.

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes the use of mobile access points (home node base stations, femtocells) for providing TV streaming to mobile devices inside the home. The research is focused on finding commonalities between architectures of the home node base station for different technologies. The result is a

  2. Development of project wings home visits, a mental health intervention for Latino families using community-based participatory research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Carolyn; Hermann, Denise; Bartels, Anna; Matamoros, Pablo; Dick-Olson, Linda; Guerra de Patino, Janeth

    2012-11-01

    As the Latino population in the United States experiences rapid growth, the well-being of Latino adolescents is a growing concern because of their high rates of mental health problems. Latino adolescents have higher rates of mental health problems than their peers, including depressive symptoms, suicide attempts, and violence. Sophisticated, realistic health promotion efforts are needed to reduce these risk behaviors and enhance protective factors. Parents and schools can be key protective factors, or assets, in adolescents' lives. This article details the steps undertaken to develop Project Wings Home Visits, a collaborative school-based, community-linked mental health promotion intervention for Latino adolescents and their families. Core to the intervention is the use of a community health worker model to provide home-based outreach and education to parents of Latino adolescents. The intervention was developed using a community-based participatory research approach that involved the cooperation of a community health care system, a public high school, and a university. Our process demonstrates the benefits, strengths, and challenges of using community-based participatory research in creating and implementing health promotion interventions.

  3. ATLAS@Home looks for CERN volunteers

    CERN Multimedia

    Rosaria Marraffino

    2014-01-01

    ATLAS@Home is a CERN volunteer computing project that runs simulated ATLAS events. As the project ramps up, the project team is looking for CERN volunteers to test the system before planning a bigger promotion for the public.   The ATLAS@home outreach website. ATLAS@Home is a large-scale research project that runs ATLAS experiment simulation software inside virtual machines hosted by volunteer computers. “People from all over the world offer up their computers’ idle time to run simulation programmes to help physicists extract information from the large amount of data collected by the detector,” explains Claire Adam Bourdarios of the ATLAS@Home project. “The ATLAS@Home project aims to extrapolate the Standard Model at a higher energy and explore what new physics may look like. Everything we’re currently running is preparation for next year's run.” ATLAS@Home became an official BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network ...

  4. Making home where you are

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borup Hansen, Aviaja

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, I will position my doctorate about home and mobility in the field of iTV. With setoff from ethnographical studies different concepts are developed as a way of doing research-through-design. A concept of social television is one solution that we are currently pursuing and the work...... poses many questions of what direction to go to for the future homes of the modern nomads....

  5. The environmental design of residential care facilities: A sense of home through the eyes of nursing home residents.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J. van Hoof; B.M Janssen; MD E.J.M. Wouters; C.J.M.L. van Dijck-Heinen

    2014-01-01

    C.J.M.L. van Dijck-Heinen, E.J.M. Wouters, B.M. Janssen, J. van Hoof (2014) The environmental design of residential care facilities: A sense of home through the eyes of nursing home residents. International Journal for Innovative Research in Science & Technology 1(4): 57-69

  6. Board statement on radon in homes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-01-01

    A new Action Level of 200 becquerels per cubic metre of air in existing homes is proposed because recent research has shown that the risk of contracting lung cancer from the inhalation of the radioactive decay products of radon is greater than earlier studies had indicated. NRPB also recommends that affected areas be identified in which widespread radon measurements should be made in present homes and precautions be considered for future homes. This focuses attention on radon where it is most required. Affected areas would be those parts of the UK with 1% probability or more of present of future homes being above the new action level. A programme to define these areas is underway. (author)

  7. The Dynamic Family Home: a qualitative exploration of physical environmental influences on children's sedentary behaviour and physical activity within the home space.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maitland, Clover; Stratton, Gareth; Foster, Sarah; Braham, Rebecca; Rosenberg, Michael

    2014-12-24

    Recent changes in home physical environments, such as decreasing outdoor space and increasing electronic media, may negatively affect health by facilitating sedentariness and reducing physical activity. As children spend much of their time at home they are particularly vulnerable. This study qualitatively explored family perceptions of physical environmental influences on sedentary behaviour and physical activity within the home space. Home based interviews were conducted with 28 families with children aged 9-13 years (total n = 74 individuals), living in Perth, Australia. Families were stratified by socioeconomic status and selected to provide variation in housing. Qualitative methods included a family interview, observation and home tour where families guided the researcher through their home, enabling discussion while in the physical home space. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Emergent themes related to children's sedentariness and physical activity included overall size, space and design of the home; allocation of home space; equipment within the home space; perceived safety of the home space; and the changing nature of the home space. Families reported that children's activity options were limited when houses and yards were small. In larger homes, multiple indoor living rooms usually housed additional sedentary entertainment options, although parents reported that open plan home layouts could facilitate monitoring of children's electronic media use. Most families reported changing the allocation and contents of their home space in response to changing priorities and circumstances. The physical home environment can enhance or limit opportunities for children's sedentary behaviour and physical activity. However, the home space is a dynamic ecological setting that is amenable to change and is largely shaped by the family living within it, thus differentiating it from other settings. While size and space were considered

  8. Nursing homes: Development of elderly care management in the Buddhist way

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Warakorn Poolswat

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available This research aims to study the historical background and current situation of care management in nursing homes for the elderly in Western Thailand and develop care management according to Buddhist principles. This qualitative research analyzes three nursing homes using interview, observation, focus group discussion and workshop as data collection tools. The researchers used a snowball sampling method to identify 109 respondents, made up of 35 key informants, 34 casual informants and 40 general informants. The researchers verified data with a triangulation method and analyzed information descriptively. Results found that the most eminent problems in care management of elderly nursing homes are the image of experts, environment and activity management. Nursing homes do not respond to spiritual requests because of a lack of social and spiritual development. It is necessary to find a new way to emphasize responsibility and respond to spiritual requests by Buddhist means. In this paper, the researchers propose a set of guidelines for the care management of nursing homes in Western Thailand.

  9. Reducing Energy Use in Existing Homes by 30%: Learning From Home Performance with ENERGY STAR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liaukus, C. [Building America Research Alliance (BARA), Kent, WA (United States)

    2014-12-01

    The improvement of existing homes in the United States can have a much greater impact on overall residential energy use than the construction of highly efficient new homes. There are over 130 million existing housing units in the U.S., while annually new construction represents less than two percent of the total supply (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013). Therefore, the existing housing stock presents a clear opportunity and responsibility for Building America (BA) to guide the remodeling and retrofit market toward higher performance existing homes. There are active programs designed to improve the energy performance of existing homes. Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) is a market-rate program among them. BARA's research in this project verified that the New Jersey HPwES program is achieving savings in existing homes that meet or exceed BA's goal of 30%. Among the 17 HPwES projects with utility data included in this report, 15 have actual energy savings ranging from 24% to 46%. Further, two of the homes achieved that level of energy savings without the costly replacement of heating and cooling equipment, which indicates that less costly envelope packages could be offered to consumers unable to invest in more costly mechanical packages, potentially creating broader market impact.

  10. Fixing the broken image of care homes, could a 'care home innovation centre' be the answer?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hockley, Jo; Harrison, Jennifer Kirsty; Watson, Julie; Randall, Marion; Murray, Scott

    2017-03-01

    The UK has many excellent care homes that provide high-quality care for their residents; however, across the care home sector, there is a significant need for improvement. Even though the majority of care homes receive a rating of 'good' from regulators, still significant numbers are identified as requiring 'improvement' or are 'inadequate'. Such findings resonate with the public perceptions of long-term care as a negative choice, to be avoided wherever possible-as well as impacting on the career choices of health and social care students. Projections of current demographics highlight that, within 10 years, the part of our population that will be growing the fastest will be those people older than 80 years old with the suggestion that spending on long-term care provision needs to rise from 0.6% of our Gross Domestic Product in 2002 to 0.96% by 2031. Teaching/research-based care homes have been developed in the USA, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands and Australia in response to scandals about care, and the shortage of trained geriatric healthcare staff. There is increasing evidence that such facilities help to reduce inappropriate hospital admissions, increase staff competency and bring increased enthusiasm about working in care homes and improve the quality of care. Is this something that the UK should think of developing? This commentary details the core goals of a Care Home Innovation Centre for training and research as a radical vision to change the culture and image of care homes, and help address this huge public health issue we face. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Description of the Implementation of Home Care Servicer at RS Murni Teguh, Medan

    OpenAIRE

    Manalu, Ayu P Sary

    2014-01-01

    Home care service constitutes providing service and nurses’ equipment for patients and their families at home in order to keep their health, education, prevention from diseases, palliative therapy, and rehabilitation. Home care service at RS Murni Teguh, Medan, has its specification in management, compared with home care service in other places. The objective of the research was to find out the description of the implementation of home care service at RS Murni Teguh, Medan. The research used ...

  12. Amigo - Ambient Intelligence for the networked home environment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janse, M.D.

    2008-01-01

    The Amigo project develops open, standardized, interoperable middleware and attractive user services for the networked home environment. Fifteen of Europe's leading companies and research organizations in mobile and home networking, software development, consumer electronics and domestic appliances

  13. Integrated working between residential care homes and primary care: a survey of care homes in England

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gage Heather

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Older people living in care homes in England have complex health needs due to a range of medical conditions, mental health needs and frailty. Despite an increasing policy expectation that professionals should operate in an integrated way across organisational boundaries, there is a lack of understanding between care homes and the National Health Service (NHS about how the two sectors should work together, meaning that residents can experience a poor "fit" between their needs, and services they can access. This paper describes a survey to establish the current extent of integrated working that exists between care homes and primary and community health and social services. Methods A self-completion, online questionnaire was designed by the research team. Items on the different dimensions of integration (funding, administrative, organisational, service delivery, clinical care were included. The survey was sent to a random sample of residential care homes with more than 25 beds (n = 621 in England in 2009. Responses were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Results The survey achieved an overall response rate of 15.8%. Most care homes (78.7% worked with more than one general practice. Respondents indicated that a mean of 14.1 professionals/ services (other than GPs had visited the care homes in the last six months (SD 5.11, median 14; a mean of .39 (SD.163 professionals/services per bed. The most frequent services visiting were district nursing, chiropody and community psychiatric nurses. Many (60% managers considered that they worked with the NHS in an integrated way, including sharing documents, engaging in integrated care planning and joint learning and training. However, some care home managers cited working practices dictated by NHS methods of service delivery and priorities for care, rather than those of the care home or residents, a lack of willingness by NHS professionals to share information, and low

  14. Understanding sharps injuries in home healthcare: The Safe Home Care qualitative methods study to identify pathways for injury prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markkanen, Pia; Galligan, Catherine; Laramie, Angela; Fisher, June; Sama, Susan; Quinn, Margaret

    2015-04-11

    Home healthcare is one of the fastest growing sectors in the United States. Percutaneous injuries from sharp medical devices (sharps) are a source of bloodborne pathogen infections among home healthcare workers and community members. Sharps use and disposal practices in the home are highly variable and there is no comprehensive analysis of the system of sharps procurement, use and disposal in home healthcare. This gap is a barrier to effective public health interventions. The objectives of this study were to i) identify the full range of pathways by which sharps enter and exit the home, stakeholders involved, and barriers for using sharps with injury prevention features; and ii) assess the leverage points for preventive interventions. This study employed qualitative research methods to develop two systems maps of the use of sharps and prevention of sharps injuries in home healthcare. Twenty-six in-depth interview sessions were conducted including home healthcare agency clinicians, public health practitioners, sharps device manufacturers, injury prevention advocates, pharmacists and others. Interview transcripts were audio-recorded and analyzed thematically using NVIVO qualitative research analysis software. Analysis of supporting archival material also was conducted. All findings guided development of the two maps. Sharps enter the home via multiple complex pathways involving home healthcare providers and home users. The providers reported using sharps with injury prevention features. However, home users' sharps seldom had injury prevention features and sharps were commonly re-used for convenience and cost-savings. Improperly discarded sharps present hazards to caregivers, waste handlers, and community members. The most effective intervention potential exists at the beginning of the sharps systems maps where interventions can eliminate or minimize sharps injuries, in particular with needleless treatment methods and sharps with injury prevention features

  15. Research on the cultivation path of smart home-based care service mode in Internet+ vision

    OpenAIRE

    Peng Qingchao

    2016-01-01

    Home-based care for the aged is an effective method to solve the problem of caring the aged in China. This thesis analyzes some problems existing in the development of current home-based care service for the aged in our country and the positive effects brought by Internet+ in home-based care service. It proposes a new service mode of care for the aged--Internet+ home-based care service, and explains the establishment of this system and the responsibilities of the participants. Also, it explor...

  16. People with dementia in nursing home research: a methodological review of the definition and identification of the study population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palm, Rebecca; Jünger, Saskia; Reuther, Sven; Schwab, Christian G G; Dichter, Martin N; Holle, Bernhard; Halek, Margareta

    2016-04-05

    There are various definitions and diagnostic criteria for dementia, leading to discrepancies in case ascertainment in both clinical practice and research. We reviewed the different definitions, approaches and measurements used to operationalize dementia in health care studies in German nursing homes with the aim of discussing the implications of different approaches. We conducted a systematic search of the MEDLINE and CINAHL databases to identify pre-2016 studies conducted in German nursing homes that focused on residents with dementia or cognitive impairment. In- or exclusion of studies were consented by all authors; data extraction was independently carried out by 2 authors (RP, SJ). The studies' sampling methods were compared with respect to their inclusion criteria, assessment tools and methods used to identify the study population. We summarized case ascertainment methods from 64 studies. Study participants were identified based on a diagnosis that was evaluated during the study, or a recorded medical dementia diagnosis, or a recorded medical diagnosis either with additional cognitive screenings or using screening tests exclusively. The descriptions of the diagnostics that were applied to assess a diagnosis of dementia were not fully transparent in most of the studies with respect to either a clear reference definition of dementia or applied diagnostic criteria. If reported, various neuropsychological tests were used, mostly without a clear rationale for their selection. Pragmatic considerations often determine the sampling strategy; they also may explain the variances we detected in the different studies. Variations in sampling methods impede the comparability of study results. There is a need to consent case ascertainment strategies in dementia studies in health service research in nursing homes. These strategies should consider resource constraints and ethical issues that are related to the vulnerable population of nursing home residents. Additionally

  17. Home care decision support using an Arden engine--merging smart home and vital signs data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marschollek, Michael; Bott, Oliver J; Wolf, Klaus-H; Gietzelt, Matthias; Plischke, Maik; Madiesh, Moaaz; Song, Bianying; Haux, Reinhold

    2009-01-01

    The demographic change with a rising proportion of very old people and diminishing resources leads to an intensification of the use of telemedicine and home care concepts. To provide individualized decision support, data from different sources, e.g. vital signs sensors and home environmental sensors, need to be combined and analyzed together. Furthermore, a standardized decision support approach is necessary. The aim of our research work is to present a laboratory prototype home care architecture that integrates data from different sources and uses a decision support system based on the HL7 standard Arden Syntax for Medical Logical Modules. Data from environmental sensors connected to a home bus system are stored in a data base along with data from wireless medical sensors. All data are analyzed using an Arden engine with the medical knowledge represented in Medical Logic Modules. Multi-modal data from four different sensors in the home environment are stored in a single data base and are analyzed using an HL7 standard conformant decision support system. Individualized home care decision support must be based on all data available, including context data from smart home systems and medical data from electronic health records. Our prototype implementation shows the feasibility of using an Arden engine for decision support in a home setting. Our future work will include the utilization of medical background knowledge for individualized decision support, as there is no one-size-fits-all knowledge base in medicine.

  18. Marketing Suggestions for Home Original Chicken, Hefei China

    OpenAIRE

    Cheng, Ran

    2014-01-01

    The research “Marketing Suggestions for Home Original Chicken, Hefei China” was commissioned by Home Original Chicken Co. Ltd, which is the biggest Chinese fast-food restaurant chain in Anhui Province. The theory needed in the research was marketing mix strategies. Marketing mix consists of product, price, place and promotion. The marketing strategies contain product decisions (including individual products decisions, product line decisions, product mix decisions), price decisions (contai...

  19. Making home visits: Creativity and the embodied practices of home visiting in social work and child protection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferguson, Harry

    2018-01-01

    Although the home is the most common place where social work goes on, research has largely ignored the home visit. Drawing on a participant observation study of child protection work, this article reveals the complex hidden practices of social work on home visits. It is argued that home visits do not simply involve an extension of the social work organisation, policies and procedures into the domestic domain but the home constitutes a distinct sphere of practice and experience in its own right. Home visiting is shown to be a deeply embodied practice in which all the senses and emotions come into play and movement is central. Through the use of creativity, craft and improvisation practitioners 'make' home visits by skilfully enacting a series of transitions from the office to the doorstep, and into the house, where complex interactions with service users and their domestic space and other objects occur. Looking around houses and working with children alone in their bedrooms were common. Drawing upon sensory and mobile methods and a material culture studies approach, the article shows how effective practice was sometimes blocked and also how the home was skilfully negotiated, moved around and creatively used by social workers to ensure parents were engaged with and children seen, held and kept safe.

  20. HOMING PLACE: TOWARDS A PARTICIPATORY, AMBULANT AND CONVERSIVE METHODOLOGY

    OpenAIRE

    Myers, Misha

    2009-01-01

    The practice-as-research project Homing Place proposes a transferable percipient-led methodology of performance and research activated by ambulant and conversive mechanisms as the culmination of this research. The thesis is comprised of a range of activity that represents a moment and way of writing practice. Three artworks that comprise part of the practical component of this thesis--- way from home, Take me to a place and Yodel Rodeo-- each involved participation and contribu...

  1. Private investment purchase and nursing home financial health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orfaly Cadigan, Rebecca; Stevenson, David G; Caudry, Daryl J; Grabowski, David C

    2015-02-01

    To explore the impact of nursing home acquisition by private investment firms on nursing home costs, revenue, and overall financial health. Merged data from the Medicare Cost Reports and the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting system for the period 1998-2010. Regression specification incorporating facility and time fixed effects. We found little impact on the financial health of nursing homes following purchase by private investment companies. However, our findings did suggest that private investment firms acquired nursing home chains in good financial health, possibly to derive profit from the company's real estate holdings. Private investment acquired facilities are an important feature of today's nursing home sector. Although we did not observe a negative impact on the financial health of nursing homes, this development raises important issues about ownership oversight and transparency for the entire nursing home sector. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  2. Ostomy Home Skills Program

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Trauma and EMS Cancer and Research Health Information Technology Scope of Practice Pediatric Issues Other Federal Legislative ... The Ostomy Home Skills Kit supports patients with educational and simulation materials to learn and practice the ...

  3. Amigo - Ambient Intelligence for the networked home environment

    OpenAIRE

    Janse, M.D.

    2008-01-01

    The Amigo project develops open, standardized, interoperable middleware and attractive user services for the networked home environment. Fifteen of Europe's leading companies and research organizations in mobile and home networking, software development, consumer electronics and domestic appliances have joined together in the Amigo project to develop an integrated interoperable home networking framework. Amigo is an IST-funded IP project. This report is the final report providing an overview ...

  4. The Socialization of Home-Schooled Children in Rural Utah

    OpenAIRE

    Mecham, Neil A.

    2004-01-01

    Concern over the social development of children who are home schooled has caused parents and educators to question the wisdom of this practice. A review of home-schooling research has not revealed whether a difference exists between the social skills of homeschooled children and children who attend public schools. This study explored the socialization of home-schooled children by comparing Social Skills Rating System scores of home-schooled children with the scores of their mothers and a comp...

  5. Study protocol: cost-effectiveness of multidisciplinary nutritional support for undernutrition in older adults in nursing home and home-care: cluster randomized controlled trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beck, Anne Marie; Gøgsig Christensen, Annette; Stenbæk Hansen, Birthe

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Older adults in nursing home and home-care are a particularly high-risk population for weight loss or poor nutrition. One negative consequence of undernutrition is increased health care costs. Several potentially modifiable nutritional risk factors increase the likelihood of weight loss......-effectiveness of nutritional support among undernourished older adults and none of these have used such a multidisciplinary approach. METHODS: An 11 week cluster randomized trial to assess the cost-effectiveness of multidisciplinary nutritional support for undernutrition in older adults in nursing home and home...... older adults in home-care and nursing home and contribute to important research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov 2013 NCT01873456....

  6. Nurses' reflections on pain management in a nursing home setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Lauren; Fink, Regina; Pennington, Karen; Jones, Katherine

    2006-06-01

    Achieving optimal and safe pain-management practices in the nursing home setting continues to challenge administrators, nurses, physicians, and other health care providers. Several factors in nursing home settings complicate the conduct of clinical process improvement research. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of a sample of Colorado nursing home staff who participated in a study to develop and evaluate a multifaceted pain-management intervention. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 103 staff from treatment and control nursing homes, audiotaped, and content analyzed. Staff identified changes in their knowledge and attitudes about pain and their pain-assessment and management practices. Progressive solutions and suggestions for changing practice include establishing an internal pain team and incorporating nursing assistants into the care planning process. Quality improvement strategies can accommodate the special circumstances of nursing home care and build the capacity of the nursing homes to initiate and monitor their own process-improvement programs using a participatory research approach.

  7. Home birth after hospital birth: women's choices and reflections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernhard, Casey; Zielinski, Ruth; Ackerson, Kelly; English, Jessica

    2014-01-01

    The number of US women choosing home birth is increasing. Little is known about women who choose home birth after having experienced hospital birth; therefore, the purpose of this research was to explore reasons why these women choose home birth and their perceptions regarding their birth experiences. Qualitative description was the research design, whereby focus groups were conducted with women who had hospital births and subsequently chose home birth. Five focus groups were conducted (N = 20), recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis was undertaken allowing themes to emerge. Five themes emerged from the women's narratives: 1) choices and empowerment: with home birth, women felt they were given real choices rather than perceived choices, giving them feelings of empowerment; 2) interventions and interruptions: women believed things were done that were not helpful to the birth process, and there were interruptions associated with their hospital births; 3) disrespect and dismissal: participants believed that during hospital birth, providers were more focused on the laboring woman's uterus, with some experiencing dismissal from their hospital provider when choosing to birth at home; 4) birth space: giving birth in their own home, surrounded by people they chose, created a peaceful and calm environment; and 5) connection: women felt connected to their providers, families, newborns, and bodies during their home birth. For most participants, dissatisfaction with hospital birth influenced their subsequent decision to choose home birth. Despite experiencing challenges associated with this decision, women expressed satisfaction with their home birth. © 2014 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

  8. STEM learning activity among home-educating families

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachman, Jennifer

    2011-12-01

    Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning was studied among families in a group of home-educators in the Pacific Northwest. Ethnographic methods recorded learning activity (video, audio, fieldnotes, and artifacts) which was analyzed using a unique combination of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and Mediated Action (MA), enabling analysis of activity at multiple levels. Findings indicate that STEM learning activity is family-led, guided by parents' values and goals for learning, and negotiated with children to account for learner interests and differences, and available resources. Families' STEM education practice is dynamic, evolves, and influenced by larger societal STEM learning activity. Parents actively seek support and resources for STEM learning within their home-school community, working individually and collectively to share their funds of knowledge. Home-schoolers also access a wide variety of free-choice learning resources: web-based materials, museums, libraries, and community education opportunities (e.g. afterschool, weekend and summer programs, science clubs and classes, etc.). A lesson-heuristic, grounded in Mediated Action, represents and analyzes home STEM learning activity in terms of tensions between parental goals, roles, and lesson structure. One tension observed was between 'academic' goals or school-like activity and 'lifelong' goals or everyday learning activity. Theoretical and experiential learning was found in both activity, though parents with academic goals tended to focus more on theoretical learning and those with lifelong learning goals tended to be more experiential. Examples of the National Research Council's science learning strands (NRC, 2009) were observed in the STEM practices of all these families. Findings contribute to the small but growing body of empirical CHAT research in science education, specifically to the empirical base of family STEM learning practices at home. It also fills a

  9. The need to know caregiver perspectives toward using smart home technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giger, Jarod T; Markward, Martha

    2011-01-01

    This article reviews the literature on adults with serious mental illness, their caregivers, and smart home technology. The article provides compelling evidence for social workers to undertake research aimed at investigating caregivers' perceptions toward using smart home technology for care of adult family members or friends with a serious mental illness. Empirical support for using smart home technologies with adults with serious mental illness is provided, and recommendations for future social work research are offered.

  10. Turning the Co-Production Corner: Methodological Reflections from an Action Research Project to Promote LGBT Inclusion in Care Homes for Older People

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almack, Kathryn; Simpson, Paul; Billings, Barbara; Mall, Naresh

    2018-01-01

    Background: Older lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) residents are often invisible in long-term care settings. This article presents findings from a community-based action research project, which attempted to address this invisibility through co-produced research with LGBT community members. Particular Question: What conditions enable co-produced research to emerge in long-term residential care settings for older people? Aims of Project: To analyse outcomes and challenges of action-oriented, co-produced research in the given context. In particular, we explore how co-production as a collaborative approach to action-orientated research can emerge during the research/fieldwork process; and reflect critically on the ethics and effectiveness of this approach in advancing inclusion in context. Methods: The project was implemented across six residential care homes in England. Reflections are based on qualitative evaluation data gathered pre- and post-project, which includes 37 interviews with care home staff, managers and community advisors (two of whom are co-authors). Results and Conclusions: We discuss how the co-production turn emerged during research and evaluate how the politics of this approach helped advance inclusion—itself crucial to well-being. We argue for the value of co-produced research in instigating organizational change in older people’s care environments and of non-didactic storytelling in LGBT awareness-raising amongst staff. PMID:29642460

  11. Turning the Co-Production Corner: Methodological Reflections from an Action Research Project to Promote LGBT Inclusion in Care Homes for Older People.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willis, Paul; Almack, Kathryn; Hafford-Letchfield, Trish; Simpson, Paul; Billings, Barbara; Mall, Naresh

    2018-04-07

    Background : Older lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) residents are often invisible in long-term care settings. This article presents findings from a community-based action research project, which attempted to address this invisibility through co-produced research with LGBT community members. Particular Question: What conditions enable co-produced research to emerge in long-term residential care settings for older people? Aims of Project: To analyse outcomes and challenges of action-oriented, co-produced research in the given context. In particular, we explore how co-production as a collaborative approach to action-orientated research can emerge during the research/fieldwork process; and reflect critically on the ethics and effectiveness of this approach in advancing inclusion in context. The project was implemented across six residential care homes in England. Reflections are based on qualitative evaluation data gathered pre- and post-project, which includes 37 interviews with care home staff, managers and community advisors (two of whom are co-authors) . Results and Conclusions: We discuss how the co-production turn emerged during research and evaluate how the politics of this approach helped advance inclusion-itself crucial to well-being. We argue for the value of co-produced research in instigating organizational change in older people's care environments and of non-didactic storytelling in LGBT awareness-raising amongst staff.

  12. Turning the Co-Production Corner: Methodological Reflections from an Action Research Project to Promote LGBT Inclusion in Care Homes for Older People

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul Willis

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Older lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT residents are often invisible in long-term care settings. This article presents findings from a community-based action research project, which attempted to address this invisibility through co-produced research with LGBT community members. Particular Question: What conditions enable co-produced research to emerge in long-term residential care settings for older people? Aims of Project: To analyse outcomes and challenges of action-oriented, co-produced research in the given context. In particular, we explore how co-production as a collaborative approach to action-orientated research can emerge during the research/fieldwork process; and reflect critically on the ethics and effectiveness of this approach in advancing inclusion in context. Methods: The project was implemented across six residential care homes in England. Reflections are based on qualitative evaluation data gathered pre- and post-project, which includes 37 interviews with care home staff, managers and community advisors (two of whom are co-authors. Results and Conclusions: We discuss how the co-production turn emerged during research and evaluate how the politics of this approach helped advance inclusion—itself crucial to well-being. We argue for the value of co-produced research in instigating organizational change in older people’s care environments and of non-didactic storytelling in LGBT awareness-raising amongst staff.

  13. 227 Home Economics Students' Perception of the Relevance of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nekky Umera

    The purpose of this research work was to appraise Home Economics students' ... 300 and 400 levels Home Economics students enrolled in Delta State. University in the 2008 .... References. Anyakoha, E. ... Spectrum Book Ltd. Oladokun, A.

  14. Friendly Home and Inhabitants' Morality: Mutual Relationships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nartova-Bochaver, Sofya K.; Kuznetsova, Valeriya B.

    2018-01-01

    The study is aimed at investigating the connection between the friendliness of the home environment and the moral motives' level. The friendliness of the home environment includes two aspects: the number of functions provided by home (functionality) and the congruence of these functions with inhabitants' needs (relevance). The theoretical framework of the study was formed by research and ideas emphasizing the interplay between people and their environments. We hypothesized that the friendliness of the home environment and inhabitants' moral motives would have a reciprocal relationship: the friendlier the home the higher the inhabitants' moral motives' level, and, vice versa, the higher the person's moral motives' level the more positive home image. The respondents were 550 students (25% male). The Home Environment Functionality Questionnaire, the Home Environment Relevance Questionnaire, and the Moral Motivation Model Scale were used. As expected, it was found that the friendliness of the home environment and the inhabitants' moral motives are in reciprocal synergetic relationships. Relevance formed more nuanced correlation patterns with moral motives than functionality did. Functionality predicted moral motives poorly whereas moral motives predicted functionality strongly. Finally, relevance and moral motives were found to be in mutual relationships whereas the perceived functionality was predicted by moral motives only. PMID:29375450

  15. Palliative home care: A designer′s perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tigmanshu Bhatnagar

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose for this observational research was to understand how Can Support provides palliative care at home and analyze its strengths and weaknesses in various socioeconomic scenarios for future development. In the period of 2 weeks, patients and their caregivers were silently observed in their natural surroundings during home care visits in order to listen their problems, identify the pattern of questions for the home care team, their natural way of storytelling, organizational techniques for medicines and medical reports, care givers lives, patient journey, etc. Such observations have enabled the understanding of the phenomena of home palliative care and have led to the identification of certain influential variables of the practice.

  16. Self-Report Measures of the Home Learning Environment in Large Scale Research: Measurement Properties and Associations with Key Developmental Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niklas, Frank; Nguyen, Cuc; Cloney, Daniel S.; Tayler, Collette; Adams, Raymond

    2016-01-01

    Favourable home learning environments (HLEs) support children's literacy, numeracy and social development. In large-scale research, HLE is typically measured by self-report survey, but there is little consistency between studies and many different items and latent constructs are observed. Little is known about the stability of these items and…

  17. Integrating Depression Care Management into Medicare Home Health Reduces Risk of 30- and 60-Day Hospitalization: The Depression Care for Patients at Home Cluster-Randomized Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruce, Martha L; Lohman, Matthew C; Greenberg, Rebecca L; Bao, Yuhua; Raue, Patrick J

    2016-11-01

    To determine whether a depression care management intervention in Medicare home health recipients decreases risk of hospitalization. Cluster-randomized trial. Nurse teams were randomized to intervention (12 teams) or enhanced usual care (EUC; 9 teams). Six home health agencies from distinct geographic regions. Home health recipients were interviewed at home and over the telephone. Individuals aged 65 and older who screened positive for depression on nurse assessments (N = 755) and a subset who consented to interviews (n = 306). The Depression CARE for PATients at Home (CAREPATH) guides nurses in managing depression during routine home visits. Clinical functions include weekly symptom assessment, medication management, care coordination, patient education, and goal setting. Researchers conducted telephone conferences with team supervisors every 2 weeks. Hospitalization while receiving home health services was assessed using data from the home health record. Hospitalization within 30 days of starting home health, regardless of how long recipients received home health services, was assessed using data from the home care record and research assessments. The relative hazard of being admitted to the hospital directly from home health was 35% lower within 30 days of starting home health care (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.65, P = .01) and 28% lower within 60 days (HR = 0.72, P = .03) for CAREPATH participants than for participants receiving EUC. In participants referred to home health directly from the hospital, the relative hazard of being rehospitalized was approximately 55% lower (HR = 0.45, P = .001) for CAREPATH participants. Integrating CAREPATH depression care management into routine nursing practice reduces hospitalization and rehospitalization risk in older adults receiving Medicare home health nursing services. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

  18. Performance House -- A Cold Climate Challenge Home

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Puttagunta, S.; Grab, J.; Williamson, J.

    2013-08-01

    Working with builder partners on a test homes allows for vetting of whole-house building strategies to eliminate any potential unintended consequences prior to implementing these solution packages on a production scale. To support this research, CARB partnered with Preferred Builders Inc. on a high-performance test home in Old Greenwich, CT. The philosophy and science behind the 2,700 ft2 'Performance House' was based on the premise that homes should be safe, healthy, comfortable, durable, efficient, and adapt with the homeowners. The technologies and strategies used in the 'Performance House' were not cutting-edge, but simply 'best practices practiced'. The focus was on simplicity in construction, maintenance, and operation. When seeking a 30% source energy savings targets over a comparable 2009 IECC code-built home in the cold climate zone, nearly all components of a home must be optimized. Careful planning and design are critical. To help builders and architects seeking to match the performance of this home, a step-by-step guide through the building shell components of DOE's Challenge Home are provided in a pictorial story book. The end result was a DOE Challenge Home that achieved a HERS Index Score of 20 (43 without PV, the minimum target was 55 for compliance). This home was also awarded the 2012 HOBI for Best Green Energy Efficient Home from the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Connecticut.

  19. Medical staff involvement in nursing homes: development of a conceptual model and research agenda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shield, Renée; Rosenthal, Marsha; Wetle, Terrie; Tyler, Denise; Clark, Melissa; Intrator, Orna

    2014-02-01

    Medical staff (physicians, nurse practitioners, physicians' assistants) involvement in nursing homes (NH) is limited by professional guidelines, government policies, regulations, and reimbursements, creating bureaucratic burden. The conceptual NH Medical Staff Involvement Model, based on our mixed-methods research, applies the Donabedian "structure-process-outcomes" framework to the NH, identifying measures for a coordinated research agenda. Quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews conducted with medical directors, administrators and directors of nursing, other experts, residents and family members and Minimum Data Set, the Online Certification and Reporting System and Medicare Part B claims data related to NH structure, process, and outcomes were analyzed. NH control of medical staff, or structure, affects medical staff involvement in care processes and is associated with better outcomes (e.g., symptom management, appropriate transitions, satisfaction). The model identifies measures clarifying the impact of NH medical staff involvement on care processes and resident outcomes and has strong potential to inform regulatory policies.

  20. Staff assignment practices in nursing homes: review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Anna; Straker, Jane K; Manning, Lydia

    2009-01-01

    Consistent assignment, whereby nursing home staff members, particularly certified nurse aides, are assigned to the same residents on most shifts, is increasingly viewed as a cornerstone of culture change in nursing homes. It has been advocated as a best-care model that increases residents' quality of life while contributing to a more stable frontline staff. Given these potential benefits, consistent assignment is now widely viewed as superior to rotating assignment, an alternative staffing model that aims to distribute care burden more fairly among staff and ensure that workers are familiar with most residents. Despite favorable anecdotal reports about the benefits of consistent assignment, the research literature reports mixed and sometimes contradictory findings for this staffing practice. This article reviews the research pertaining to staff assignment practices in nursing homes. Reviewed here are 13 reports on experimental trials (6 reports), evaluation research (4 reports), and nursing home surveys (3 reports). The review reveals broad diversity in staffing practices and raises questions that challenge popular assumptions about consistent assignment. The article closes with a discussion of the research, policy, and practice implications of the research findings.

  1. Observing Privacy, Modesty and Hospitality in the Home Domain: Three Case Studies of Muslim Homes in Brisbane, Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zulkeplee Othman

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available A home embodies a sensorial space that is layered with personal memories and traces of history. The success of a home in providing a strong sense of place depends on various factors such as geographical location, climatic conditions, and occupants’ world-views and perceptions. This paper explores Muslims’ perceptions of privacy, modesty and hospitality within their homes through their lived experiences. This case study focuses on three Muslim families living in Australian designed homes within the same suburb of Brisbane, Australia. The study provides prefatory insight into the ways in which these families perform their daily activities and entertain their guests without jeopardizing their privacy needs. The study examines the significance of modesty in the design of Muslim homes as a means by which family members are able to achieve optimum privacy while simultaneously extending hospitality to guests inside and outside their homes. The findings of this study provide opportunities too, for expanding research into culturally adaptable housing systems to help meet the changing needs of Australian multicultural society.

  2. Music@Home: A novel instrument to assess the home musical environment in the early years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Politimou, Nina; Stewart, Lauren; Müllensiefen, Daniel; Franco, Fabia

    2018-01-01

    The majority of children under the age of 5 appear to show spontaneous enjoyment of singing, being exposed to music and interacting with musical instruments, but whether variations in engaging in such activities in the home could contribute to developmental outcomes is still largely unknown. Critically, researchers lack a comprehensive instrument with good psychometric properties to assess the home musical environment from infancy to the preschool years. To address this gap, this paper presents two studies that describe the development and validation of the Music@Home questionnaire, which comprises two versions: Infant and Preschool. In Study 1, an initial pool of items was generated and administered to a wide audience of parents (n = 287 for the Infant, n = 347 for the Preschool version). Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify different dimensions comprising the home musical environment of both infants and pre-schoolers, and to reduce the initial pool of items to a smaller number of meaningful items. In Study 2, convergent and divergent validity and internal and test-retest reliability of the new instrument were established, using data from a different sample of participants (n = 213 for the Infant, n = 213 for the Preschool version). The second study also investigated associations between the Music@Home and musical characteristics of the parents, such as their musical education and personal engagement with music. Overall, the Music@Home constitutes a novel, valid and reliable instrument that allows for the systematic assessment of distinct aspects of the home musical environment in families with children under the age of 5. Furthermore, the Infant and Preschool versions of the Music@Home present differential associations with musical characteristics of the parents opening a new area of inquiry into how musical exposure and interaction in the home may vary across different developmental stages.

  3. Music@Home: A novel instrument to assess the home musical environment in the early years

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Lauren; Müllensiefen, Daniel; Franco, Fabia

    2018-01-01

    The majority of children under the age of 5 appear to show spontaneous enjoyment of singing, being exposed to music and interacting with musical instruments, but whether variations in engaging in such activities in the home could contribute to developmental outcomes is still largely unknown. Critically, researchers lack a comprehensive instrument with good psychometric properties to assess the home musical environment from infancy to the preschool years. To address this gap, this paper presents two studies that describe the development and validation of the Music@Home questionnaire, which comprises two versions: Infant and Preschool. In Study 1, an initial pool of items was generated and administered to a wide audience of parents (n = 287 for the Infant, n = 347 for the Preschool version). Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify different dimensions comprising the home musical environment of both infants and pre-schoolers, and to reduce the initial pool of items to a smaller number of meaningful items. In Study 2, convergent and divergent validity and internal and test-retest reliability of the new instrument were established, using data from a different sample of participants (n = 213 for the Infant, n = 213 for the Preschool version). The second study also investigated associations between the Music@Home and musical characteristics of the parents, such as their musical education and personal engagement with music. Overall, the Music@Home constitutes a novel, valid and reliable instrument that allows for the systematic assessment of distinct aspects of the home musical environment in families with children under the age of 5. Furthermore, the Infant and Preschool versions of the Music@Home present differential associations with musical characteristics of the parents opening a new area of inquiry into how musical exposure and interaction in the home may vary across different developmental stages. PMID:29641607

  4. Ostomy Home Skills Program

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Workforce Trauma and EMS Cancer and Research Health Information Technology Scope of Practice Pediatric Issues Other Federal Legislative ... supports the entire surgical team with quality, comprehensive education. The ... A booklet with information on the operation, home skills such as emptying ...

  5. Ostomy Home Skills Program

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Workforce Trauma and EMS Cancer and Research Health Information Technology Scope of Practice Pediatric Issues Other Federal Legislative ... Overview The skills kit contains: A booklet with information on the ... and home management. A DVD with demonstration of each skill Stoma ...

  6. Parenting practices toward food and children's behavior: Eating away from home versus at home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasparian, Michelle; Mann, Georgianna; Serrano, Elena L; Farris, Alisha R

    2017-07-01

    Parenting style influences a child's overall diet quality and establishes food preferences. Parenting style and "food rules" for children differ by eating at home or away from home. Eating meals away from home is increasing despite associations with consumption of unhealthy foods and higher weight status. The objective of the current study was to compare parenting practices and decision-making at restaurants versus at home. A mixed methods approach was utilized: facilitated, individual interviews to explore decision-making and parenting practices; written questionnaires for socio-demographic information; and body mass index. Summaries and emergent themes were generated based on examination of tapes and transcripts. Descriptive statistics were computed for questionnaire data. Twenty-five mothers of children of five to eight years who ate at restaurants at least two times per week participated. Mothers reported more permissive food rules at restaurants yet maintained higher behavioral expectations. Mothers were also more likely to make decisions about whether they eat out, where to eat, and children's meal selections than their children. The findings suggest that parenting practices toward overall behavior and food choices may differ at restaurants than at home, highlighting the importance of healthy menu options, further research, and educational strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Accuracy of Caregiver Proxy Reports of Home Care Service Use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chappell, Neena L; Kadlec, Helena

    2016-12-01

    Although much of the research on service use by older adults with dementia relies on proxy reports by informal caregivers, little research assesses the accuracy of these reports, and that which does exist, does not focus on home care services. This brief report compares proxy reports by family caregivers to those with dementia with provincial Ministry of Health records collected for payment and monitoring. The four home care services examined include home nursing care, adult day care, home support, and respite care. Data come from a province-wide study of caregivers in British Columbia, Canada. Caregiver reports are largely consistent with Ministry records, ranging from 81.0% agreement for home support to 96.6% for respite care. Spouses living with the care recipient (the vast majority of the sample) are the most accurate. Others, whether living with the care recipient or not, have only a 50-50 chance of being correct.

  8. Family Members’ Experience with Hospice in Nursing Homes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gage, L. Ashley; Washington, Karla T.; Oliver, Debra Parker; Lewis, Alexandra; Kruse, Robin L.; Demiris, George

    2014-01-01

    Research has documented numerous benefits and challenges associated with receipt of hospice care in nursing homes; however, study of this partnership from the perspective of residents’ family members has been limited. The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to explore family members’ experience with hospice services received in the nursing home setting. Researchers conducted a secondary data analysis of 175 family member interviews using a thematic analytic approach. Findings highlighted the critical role of communication in supporting residents and their family members. Care coordination, support and oversight, and role confusion also impacted family members’ experience of hospice care in the nursing home. Efforts directed at enhancing communication and more clearly articulating the roles of members of the health care team are indicated. PMID:25422516

  9. Developing a smoke free homes initiative in Kerala, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nichter, Mimi; Padmajam, Sreedevi; Nichter, Mark; Sairu, P; Aswathy, S; Mini, G K; Bindu, V C; Pradeepkumar, A S; Thankappan, K R

    2015-05-10

    Results of the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in Kerala, India found that 42 % of adults were exposed to second hand smoke (SHS) inside the home. Formative research carried out in rural Kerala suggests that exposure may be much higher. Numerous studies have called for research and intervention on SHS exposure among women and children as an important component of maternal and child health activities. Community-based participatory research was carried out in Kerala. First, a survey was conducted to assess prevalence of SHS exposure in households. Next, a proof of concept study was conducted to develop and test the feasibility of a community-wide smoke free homes initiative. Educational materials were developed and pretested in focus groups. After feasibility was established, pilot studies were implemented in two other communities. Post intervention, surveys were conducted as a means of assessing changes in community support. At baseline, between 70 and 80 % of male smokers regularly smoked inside the home. Over 80 % of women had asked their husband not to do so. Most women felt powerless to change their husband's behavior. When women were asked about supporting a smoke free homes intervention, 88 % expressed support for the idea, but many expressed doubt that their husbands would comply. Educational meetings were held to discuss the harms of second hand smoke. Community leaders signed a declaration that their community was part of the smoke free homes initiative. Six months post intervention a survey was conducted in these communities; between 34 and 59 % of men who smoked no longer smoked in their home. The smoke free homes initiative is based on the principle of collective efficacy. Recognizing the difficulty for individual women to effect change in their household, the movement establishes a smoke free community mandate. Based on evaluation data from two pilot studies, we can project that between a 30 and 60 % reduction of smoking in the home may be achieved, the

  10. Technology assessment of automation trends in the modular home industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phil Mitchell; Robert Russell Hurst

    2009-01-01

    This report provides an assessment of technology used in manufacturing modular homes in the United States, and that used in the German prefabricated wooden home industry. It is the first step toward identifying the research needs in automation and manufacturing methods that will facilitate mass customization in the home manufacturing industry. Within the United States...

  11. A Smart Gateway Architecture for Improving Efficiency of Home Network Applications

    OpenAIRE

    Ding, Fei; Song, Aiguo; Tong, En; Li, Jianqing

    2016-01-01

    A smart home gateway plays an important role in the Internet of Things (IoT) system that takes responsibility for the connection between the network layer and the ubiquitous sensor network (USN) layer. Even though the home network application is developing rapidly, researches on the home gateway based open development architecture are less. This makes it difficult to extend the home network to support new applications, share service, and interoperate with other home network systems. An integr...

  12. Biometric Enhancement of Home and Office Security to Reduce ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    West African Journal of Industrial and Academic Research. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives · Journal Home > Vol 13, No 1 (2015) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  13. Factors affecting death at home in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sauvaget, C; Tsuji, I; Li, J H; Hosokawa, T; Fukao, A; Hisamichi, S

    1996-10-01

    Despite the wish of the Japanese people to spend their final moments at home, the percentage of deaths at home among elderly is decreasing. Moreover, large variations in this rate were observed over the country. The present ecological study analyzed the relationship between the percentage of deaths at home for decedents aged 70 and over, and demographic, medical and socioeconomic characteristics. The data published in 1990 by the Japanese National Government were analyzed by correlation, principal-component, and multiple linear regression analyses. The results showed that the percentage of deaths at home for decedents aged 70 and over was positively associated with the number of persons per household, and the area of floor space per house. The divorce rate, the national tax per capita, and the mean length of hospitalization for stroke showed a negative association with the percentage of deaths at home. In the prefectures where the crude death rates of stroke and senility were high, elderly were more likely to die at home. These results suggested the importance of the number of family caregivers, and the housing conditions for terminal care at home. This research may lead to improve home medical assistance which is still underdeveloped in Japan.

  14. Home versus hospital birth--process and outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wax, Joseph R; Pinette, Michael G; Cartin, Angelina

    2010-02-01

    A constant small, but clinically important, number of American women choose to deliver at home. Contradictory professional and public policies reflect the polarization and politicization of the controversy surrounding this birth option. Women opting for home birth seek and often attain their goals of a nonmedicalized experience in comfortable, familiar surroundings wherein they maintain situational control. However, home deliveries in developed Western nations are often associated with excess perinatal and neonatal mortality, particularly among nonanomalous term infants. On the other hand, current home birth practices are, especially when birth attendants are highly trained and fully integrated into comprehensive health care delivery systems, associated with fewer cesareans, operative vaginal deliveries, episiotomies, infections, and third and fourth degree lacerations. Newborn benefits include less meconium staining, assisted ventilation, low birth weight, prematurity, and intensive care admissions. Existing data suggest areas of future research regarding the safety of home birth in the United States. Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians. After completion of this educational activity, the participant should be better able to assess perinatal outcomes described in the reported literature associated with home births in developed countries, list potential advantages and disadvantages of planned home births, and identify confounders in current literature that impact our thorough knowledge of home birth outcomes.

  15. Green House Adoption and Nursing Home Quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afendulis, Christopher C; Caudry, Daryl J; O'Malley, A James; Kemper, Peter; Grabowski, David C

    2016-02-01

    To evaluate the impact of the Green House (GH) model on nursing home resident-level quality of care measures. Resident-level minimum data set (MDS) assessments merged with Medicare inpatient claims for the period 2005 through 2010. Using a difference-in-differences framework, we compared changes in care quality and outcomes in 15 nursing homes that adopted the GH model relative to changes over the same time period in 223 matched nursing homes that had not adopted the GH model. For individuals residing in GH homes, adoption of the model lowered readmissions and several MDS measures of poor quality, including bedfast residents, catheter use, and pressure ulcers, but these results were not present across the entire GH organization, suggesting possible offsetting effects for residents of non-GH "legacy" units within the GH organization. GH adoption led to improvement in rehospitalizations and certain nursing home quality measures for individuals residing in a GH home. The absence of evidence of a decline in other clinical quality measures in GH nursing homes should reassure anyone concerned that GH might have sacrificed clinical quality for improved quality of life. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

  16. Study Of Lampungnese Traditional Home Garden Design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pratiwi, R. A.; Gunawan

    2017-10-01

    Lampung is one area in Indonesia which has a traditional culture that comes from two groups of descents, they are ulun Lampung Pepadun and ulun Lampung Saibatin. Lampungnese traditional culture has been well-known by Indonesian people for its traditional dances, traditional clothing, or traditional home architecture. However, Lampungnese traditional home garden recently may not yet been described. Information related to Lampungnese traditional home garden is still very limited and it does not yet represented the culture based design concept. This research was directed to identify the elements of the home garden and map it into design concept of the Lampungnese traditional home garden based on information of Lampungnese traditional culture. The study was conducted by using descriptive approach through literature review, interviews and cultural exploration, as well as field observation. The study was able to identify the elements forming the Lampungnese traditional home garden, namely gakhang hadap, walai, outdoor kitchenette, firewood place, outdoor kitchen, livestock barns, as well as plants. Space layout of the home garden comprises front yard (tengahbah/terambah/beruan), side yard (kebik/kakebik), and backyard (kudan/juyu/kebon). Each element of the garden is located in the right place of the space layout.

  17. Byggmeister Test Home: Analysis and Initial Results of Cold Climate Wood-Framed Home Retrofit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gates, C.

    2013-01-01

    BSC seeks to further the energy efficiency market for New England area retrofit projects by supporting projects that are based on solid building science fundamentals and verified implementation. With the high exposure of energy efficiency and retrofit terminology being used in the general media at this time, it is important to have evidence that measures being proposed will in fact benefit the homeowner through a combination of energy savings, improved durability, and occupant comfort. There are several basic areas of research to which the technical report for these test homes can be expected to contribute. These include the combination of measures that is feasible, affordable and acceptable to homeowners as well as expectations versus results. Two Byggmeister multi-family test homes in Massachusetts are examined with the goal of providing case studies that could be applied to other similar New England homes.

  18. Active and inactive enhancers co-operate to exert localized and long-range control of gene regulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proudhon, Charlotte; Snetkova, Valentina; Raviram, Ramya; Lobry, Camille; Badri, Sana; Jiang, Tingting; Hao, Bingtao; Trimarchi, Thomas; Kluger, Yuval; Aifantis, Iannis; Bonneau, Richard; Skok, Jane A

    2016-01-01

    V(D)J recombination relies on the presence of proximal enhancers that activate the antigen receptor (AgR) loci in a lineage and stage specific manner. Unexpectedly we find that both active and inactive AgR enhancers co-operate to disseminate their effects in a localized and long-range manner. Here we demonstrate the importance of short-range contacts between active enhancers that constitute an Igk super-enhancer in B cells. Deletion of one element reduces the interaction frequency between other enhancers in the hub, which compromises the transcriptional output of each component. We further establish that in T cells long-range contact and co-operation between the inactive Igk enhancer, MiEκ and the active Tcrb enhancer, Eβ, alters enrichment of CBFβ binding in a manner that impacts Tcrb recombination. These findings underline the complexities of enhancer regulation and point to a role for localized and long-range enhancer-sharing between active and inactive elements in lineage and stage specific control. PMID:27239026

  19. Active and Inactive Enhancers Cooperate to Exert Localized and Long-Range Control of Gene Regulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charlotte Proudhon

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available V(DJ recombination relies on the presence of proximal enhancers that activate the antigen receptor (AgR loci in a lineage- and stage-specific manner. Unexpectedly, we find that both active and inactive AgR enhancers cooperate to disseminate their effects in a localized and long-range manner. Here, we demonstrate the importance of short-range contacts between active enhancers that constitute an Igk super-enhancer in B cells. Deletion of one element reduces the interaction frequency between other enhancers in the hub, which compromises the transcriptional output of each component. Furthermore, we establish that, in T cells, long-range contact and cooperation between the inactive Igk enhancer MiEκ and the active Tcrb enhancer Eβ alters enrichment of CBFβ binding in a manner that impacts Tcrb recombination. These findings underline the complexities of enhancer regulation and point to a role for localized and long-range enhancer-sharing between active and inactive elements in lineage- and stage-specific control.

  20. Personal vulnerability and work-home interaction: the effect of job performance-based self-esteem on work/home conflict and facilitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Innstrand, Siw Tone; Langballe, Ellen Melbye; Espnes, Geir Arild; Aasland, Olaf Gjerløw; Falkum, Erik

    2010-12-01

    The aim of the present study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between job performance-based self-esteem (JPB-SE) and work-home interaction (WHI) in terms of the direction of the interaction (work-to-home vs. home-to-work) and the effect (conflict vs. facilitation). A sample of 3,475 respondents from eight different occupational groups (lawyers, physicians, nurses, teachers, church ministers, bus drivers, and people working in advertising and information technology) supplied data at two points of time with a two-year time interval. The two-wave, cross-lagged structural equations modeling (SEM) analysis demonstrated reciprocal relationships between these variables, i.e., job performance-based self-esteem may act as a precursor as well as an outcome of work-home interaction. The strongest association was between job performance-based self-esteem and work-to-home conflict. Previous research on work-home interaction has mainly focused on situational factors. This longitudinal study expands the work-home literature by demonstrating how individual vulnerability (job performance-based self-esteem) contributes to the explanation of work-home interactions. © 2010 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2010 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

  1. Barriers to, and facilitators of, the prevention of unintentional injury in children in the home: a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smithson, Janet; Garside, Ruth; Pearson, Mark

    2011-04-01

    This review considers barriers to, and facilitators of, success for interventions to reduce unintentional injury to children in the home through supply and/or installation of home safety equipment, and looks at risk assessments. A systematic review of qualitative research. Bibliographic databases were searched for studies on interventions to reduce unintentional child injury in the home, or on related attitudes and behaviours. Studies were quality appraised, findings extracted, and a conceptual framework was developed to assess factors affecting the success of interventions. Nine peer-reviewed journal articles were included. Barriers and facilitators were highlighted at organisational, environmental and personal levels. Effective provision of safety equipment involves ongoing support with installation and maintenance. Take up and success of interventions depends on adjusting interventions according to practical limitations and parents' cultural expectations. A particular barrier was parents' inability to modify rented or shared accommodation. The review highlights ways in which health inequalities affect the take up and success of home safety interventions, and how health workers can use this knowledge to facilitate future interventions.

  2. Meanings of the Home and Living

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verônica Gonçalves Azeredo

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available This study aims at making considerations about what homes mean to their residents, an an approach related to the socio-cultural processes underlying its spatiality. The article is essentially theoretical and based on the literature. Following this methodology, the research was conducted in order to explore ethnographic sources focused on the anthropology of space. Reflections were guided by the notion of homes as well as the relations established in them, with emphasis on the intersection between the territorial, architectural, cultural, sociodemographic and psychological aspects. In addition to conceptual abstractions, the investigation aims to understand the meaning of and in space, the importance of homes, and the relationships established between them and their residents.

  3. The Performance House - A Cold Climate Challenge Home

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Puttagunta, S. [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), Norwalk, CT (United States); Grab, J. [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), Norwalk, CT (United States); Williamson, J. [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), Norwalk, CT (United States)

    2013-08-01

    Working with builder partners on test homes allows for vetting of whole-house building strategies to eliminate any potential unintended consequences prior to implementing these solution packages on a production scale. To support this research, CARB partnered with Preferred Builders Inc. on a high-performance test home in Old Greenwich, CT. The philosophy and science behind the 2,700 ft2 "Performance House" was based on the premise that homes should be safe, healthy, comfortable, durable, efficient, and adapt with the homeowners. The technologies and strategies used in the "Performance House" were not cutting-edge, but simply "best practices practiced". The focus was on simplicity in construction, maintenance, and operation. When seeking a 30% source energy savings targets over a comparable 2009 IECC code-built home in the cold climate zone, nearly all components of a home must be optimized. Careful planning and design are critical. To help builders and architects seeking to match the performance of this home, a step-by-step guide through the building shell components of DOE's Challenge Home are provided in a pictorial story book. The end result was a DOE Challenge Home that achieved a HERS Index Score of 20 (43 without PV, the minimum target was 55 for compliance). This home was also awarded the 2012 HOBI for Best Green Energy Efficient Home from the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Connecticut.

  4. Learning Opportunities for Nurses Working within Home Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundgren, Solveig

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore home care nurses' experience of learning in a multicultural environment. Design/methodology/approach: The study was based on qualitative research design. Data were collected through repeated interviews with registered home care nurses working in a multicultural area. The data were analyzed through a…

  5. The adoption of care robots in home care-A survey on the attitudes of Finnish home care personnel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rantanen, Teemu; Lehto, Paula; Vuorinen, Pertti; Coco, Kirsi

    2018-05-01

    This article examines the attitudes of Finnish home care registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses and other health and social care personnel towards the introduction and use of care robots in home care. The significance of care robotics has been highlighted in recent years. However, personnel-related social psychological barriers to the introduction of care robots have been given very little study. Cross-sectional study conducted by questionnaire. The theoretical framework of the study is based on Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour and the research discussion about attitudes towards robots. The research data were collected in five municipalities in different parts of Finland in 2016, and the questionnaire was answered by a total of 200 home care workers. The research data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, Pearson product-moment correlation, one-way analysis of variance and linear regression analysis. The results are consistent with Ajzen's theory and previous studies on the acceptance of information systems in health care. Personnel behavioural intentions related to the introduction of robot applications in home care are influenced by their personal appreciation of the usefulness of robots, the expectations of their colleagues and supervisors, as well as by their own perceptions of their capacity to learn to use care robots. In particular, personnel emphasised the value of care robots in providing reminders and guidance, as well as promoting the safety of the older people. The study shows that an intimate human-robot relationship can pose a challenge from the perspective of the acceptance of care robots. From the perspective of the introduction of care robots in home care, personnel training and the construction of a positive working atmosphere play a key role. In addition, the introduction of robots requires further consideration of a number of ethical issues. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Business Solutions Case Study: Marketing Zero Energy Homes: Tommy Williams Homes, Gainesville, Florida

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2015-06-01

    Building America research has shown that high-performance homes can potentially give builders an edge in the marketplace and can boost sales, but it doesn't happen automatically. It requires a tailored, easy-to-understand marketing campaign, and sometimes a little flair. This case study highlights the successful marketing approach of Tommy Williams Homes, which devotes resources to advertising, targeted social media outlets and blogs, realtor education seminars, and groundbreaking and open house celebrations. As a result, in one community, 2013 property sales records show that TWH outsells the only other builder in the development at a higher price, with fewer days on the market.

  7. Work–home interference: Examining socio-demographic predictors in the South African context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marissa de Klerk

    2010-04-01

    Research purpose: The main research aim of the study was to investigate the socio-demographic predictors of negative and positive work–home interaction of South African employees. Motivation for the study: Little information is known about the prevalence of work–home interaction within groups. This study is aimed at enabling the researcher and organisations to identify those groups that are at risk of negative interference and which are prone to positive interaction, to allow for the development of appropriate strategies and intervention programmes. Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used in the study. A sample (N = 2040 was taken from four South African industries (i.e. the police service, the earthmoving equipment industry, mining and nursing. A socio-demographic questionnaire and the Survey Work–Home Interaction-Nijmegen (SWING were used. Main findings: The results indicated that robust predictors included occupation, gender and language for negative work–home interference; occupation, age and language for positive work–home interference; occupation and language for negative home–work interference; and occupation, age, education and language for positive home–work interference. Practical/managerial implications: The implications of the study are that negative and positive work–home interaction is uniquely associated with socio-demographic characteristics. Work–life balance initiatives should, therefore, be carefully tailored to address the needs of each socio-demographic group. Contribution/value-add: The findings of the study suggest answers to the management of the work–home interaction among various socio-demographic groups in organisations.

  8. The determinants of home healthcare robots adoption: an empirical investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alaiad, Ahmad; Zhou, Lina

    2014-11-01

    Home healthcare robots promise to make clinical information available at the right place and time, thereby reducing error and increasing safety and quality. However, it has been frequently reported that more than 40% of previous information technology (IT) developments have failed or been abandoned due to the lack of understanding of the sociotechnical aspects of IT. Previous home healthcare robots research has focused on technology development and clinical applications. There has been little discussion of associated social, technical and managerial issues that are arguably of equal importance for robot success. To fill this knowledge gap, this research aims to understand the determinants of home healthcare robots adoption from these aspects by applying technology acceptance theories. We employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. The participants were recruited from home healthcare agencies located in the U.S. (n=108), which included both patients and healthcare professionals. We collected data via a survey study to test a research model. The usage intention of home healthcare robots is a function of social influence, performance expectancy, trust, privacy concerns, ethical concerns and facilitating conditions. Among them, social influence is the strongest predictor. Monitoring vital signs and facilitating communication with family and medication reminders are the most preferable tasks and applications for robots. Sociotechnical factors play a powerful role in explaining the adoption intention for home healthcare robots. The findings provide insights on how home healthcare service providers and robot designers may improve the success of robot technologies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Present whilst absent: Home and the business tourist gaze

    OpenAIRE

    Willis, Cheryl; Ladkin, Adele; Jain, J.; Clayton, W.

    2017-01-01

    This paper examines the role of information communication technology in enabling connections to home for work-related travellers. Although digital connectivity for work-related tasks are well researched, the use of digital technology for home communication is under-researched. The study draws on a qualitative study of UK-based organisations and business travellers to explore how these travellers use ICTs for personal use while ‘on-the- move’. The findings reveal that organisations are support...

  10. Flooded homes, broken bonds, the meaning of home, psychological processes and their impact on psychological health in a disaster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroll, Bob; Morbey, Hazel; Balogh, Ruth; Araoz, Gonzalo

    2009-06-01

    In 2005, Carlisle suffered severe flooding and 1600 houses were affected. A qualitative research project to study the social and health impacts was undertaken. People whose homes had been flooded and workers who had supported them were interviewed. The findings showed that there was severe disruption to people's lives and severe damage to their homes, and many suffered from psychological health issues. Phenomenological and transactional perspectives are utilised to analyse the psychological processes (identity, attachment, alienation and dialectics) underlying the meaning of home and their impact on psychological health. Proposals for policy and practice are made.

  11. Becoming a guest in your own home: Home care in Sweden from the perspective of older people with multimorbidities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarling, Aleksandra; Rydström, Ingela; Ernsth-Bravell, Marie; Nyström, Maria; Dalheim-Englund, Ann-Charlotte

    2018-03-30

    To describe the meaning of the phenomenon home care from the perspective of older persons who live alone with multimorbidity. In line with worldwide changing demographics, conditions for older people in need of home care are changing. In Sweden there is a stay-in-place policy and older people are expected to live and be cared for in their own home as long as possible. Home care, instituted by different laws, is a challenge affecting the older person when the private home becomes a workplace. This study uses a qualitative design with a lifeworld approach. The study having been conducted in Sweden in 2016, the researchers interviewed 12 older persons that live alone and receive home care. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings illustrate four sub-themes: adapting to a caring culture, feeling exposed, unable to influence care and forced relations. The overall theme reveals that older people experience a life-changing situation when receiving home care and they become a guest in their own home. Becoming older with increased needs means to disrupt one's life when one's private home becomes a public arena. The gap between an older person's rights by law and the older person's experiences of receiving home care needs to be highlighted to meet the oncoming challenges in providing a home care that includes participation of the older themselves. Only then can care be offered that enables older people to have a sense of control and experience their home as their own. The findings emphasise the need to view older people as being self-determinant and independent. Older people receiving home care need to be seen as individuals, and their entire life situation should be considered by also acknowledging the important role played by relatives and caregivers. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Information Cyberspace and Future Cyber Homes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduard Babulak

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available The current Internet combines very complex communications infrastructures, while connecting users globally and at the same time creating information cyberspace systems. Large companies such as Philips are working on communications technologies that will facilitate fully automated households (i.e., Cyber Homes. Today, people are using are using small digital pagers and phones with embedded computers and displays, palm-size computers such as Palm Pilot, notebook-size panel computers and wall-size displays. Current research and development trends in the field of Telecommunications and computing industries continues towards a human centric computing, smart spaces, smart devices, clothing, fully automated houses etc. This new technology creates environment where computers are everywhere and provide online access to information at any time to anyone. In this paper, the author discusses new technological trends directions in the Internet, E-commerce and Automation Industries, while presenting his own vision on application of ubiquitous computing in the future cyber home automation. In support of creating future fully automated cyber homes, the author promotes creation of interdisciplinary and multinational research and development teams world-wide.

  13. NMD is essential for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and for eliminating by-products of programmed DNA rearrangements

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weischelfeldt, Joachim Lütken; Damgaard, Inge; Bryder, David

    2008-01-01

    mildly affected in Upf2-null mice, suggesting that NMD is mainly essential for proliferating cells. Furthermore, we show that UPF2 loss resulted in the accumulation of nonproductive rearrangement by-products from the Tcrb locus and that this, as opposed to the general loss of NMD, was particularly...

  14. A Review of Prefab Home and Relevant Issues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad PANJEHPOUR

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Having an easily built house has been always one of human wishes. Prefabricated home makes this wish come true because of its affordability and fast completion. This paper gives an overview of different types of prefab home and its terminology. This review sheds light on the characterisation of prefab home, which takes the aspects of off-site technology, mass customisation, and sustainability into consideration. This paper is confined to general review of prefab home without going through different systems utilised in off-site technology. In spite of the fact that prefab home has many advantages, which are discussed in this review, it suffers from a few drawbacks which should be considered by designers. Various exploitations in this field may merit further research in future, including finding the optimum prefabricated systems among the existing systems such as roof, wall, and floor systems for different applications of prefab homes. Nevertheless, there is still a universal design and practice code for prefab homes that emphasize on green technology and sustainability yet to be discovered.

  15. PRagmatic trial Of Video Education in Nursing homes: The design and rationale for a pragmatic cluster randomized trial in the nursing home setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mor, Vincent; Volandes, Angelo E; Gutman, Roee; Gatsonis, Constantine; Mitchell, Susan L

    2017-04-01

    Background/Aims Nursing homes are complex healthcare systems serving an increasingly sick population. Nursing homes must engage patients in advance care planning, but do so inconsistently. Video decision support tools improved advance care planning in small randomized controlled trials. Pragmatic trials are increasingly employed in health services research, although not commonly in the nursing home setting to which they are well-suited. This report presents the design and rationale for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial that evaluated the "real world" application of an Advance Care Planning Video Program in two large US nursing home healthcare systems. Methods PRagmatic trial Of Video Education in Nursing homes was conducted in 360 nursing homes (N = 119 intervention/N = 241 control) owned by two healthcare systems. Over an 18-month implementation period, intervention facilities were instructed to offer the Advance Care Planning Video Program to all patients. Control facilities employed usual advance care planning practices. Patient characteristics and outcomes were ascertained from Medicare Claims, Minimum Data Set assessments, and facility electronic medical record data. Intervention adherence was measured using a Video Status Report embedded into electronic medical record systems. The primary outcome was the number of hospitalizations/person-day alive among long-stay patients with advanced dementia or cardiopulmonary disease. The rationale for the approaches to facility randomization and recruitment, intervention implementation, population selection, data acquisition, regulatory issues, and statistical analyses are discussed. Results The large number of well-characterized candidate facilities enabled several unique design features including stratification on historical hospitalization rates, randomization prior to recruitment, and 2:1 control to intervention facilities ratio. Strong endorsement from corporate leadership made randomization

  16. Logotherapy Counseling to Improve Acceptance of Broken Home Child

    OpenAIRE

    Erlangga, Erwin

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to increase the enrollment of children of a broken home that life has meaning. Subjects are 100 children in Demak whose families experiencing divorce. Research themes include three things: individual counseling, engineering logotherapy, reception, and a child of a broken home. Data obtained based on interviews, observation, and psychological scale showed that of the 100 children of a broken home has a low acceptance that individual counseling with logotherapy techniques were c...

  17. A DISTRIBUTED SMART HOME ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lynggaard, Per

    2013-01-01

    A majority of the research performed today explore artificial intelligence in smart homes by using a centralized approach where a smart home server performs the necessary calculations. This approach has some disadvantages that can be overcome by shifting focus to a distributed approach where...... the artificial intelligence system is implemented as distributed as agents running parts of the artificial intelligence system. This paper presents a distributed smart home architecture that distributes artificial intelligence in smart homes and discusses the pros and cons of such a concept. The presented...... distributed model is a layered model. Each layer offers a different complexity level of the embedded distributed artificial intelligence. At the lowest layer smart objects exists, they are small cheap embedded microcontroller based smart devices that are powered by batteries. The next layer contains a more...

  18. Product Life Cycle of the Manufactured Home Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gavin Wherry

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Residential construction consumes an estimated 26 percent of the total U.S. wood harvest and thus plays an important role in the forest products value chain. While being a relatively small part of the U.S. residential construction market, the factory-built residential housing industry, originating from manufactured homes (e.g. mobile homes, is embracing emerging industry segments such as modular or panelized homes. Since indications exist that factory-built home production is slated to gain a more prominent role in the U.S. construction markets at the cost of traditional stick-built production, the factory-built home industry sub-segment is of considerable importance to the forest products industry. This research looks at manufactured home producers as a benchmark for analyzing the current economic state of the industry and discusses competitive strategies. The analysis concludes, through macroeconomic modeling, that manufactured homes are in the declining stage of their product life cycle due to changes to the U.S. residential construction sector and the factory-built home industry and by advancements of rival industry-segments. As market share continues to decline, firms operating in this industry-segment seek to either hedge their losses through product diversification strategies or remain focused on strategically repositioning the manufactured home segment.

  19. Ostomy Home Skills Program

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Use Patient Opioid Use Position Statements and Task Force Patient Education Initiatives Advocacy and Health Policy Updates Selected Research ... at ACS ACS and Veterans Diversity at ACS Benefits ... Profile Shop ( 0 ) Cart Donate American College of Surgeons Education Patients and Family Skills Programs Ostomy Home Skills ...

  20. Psikologis Komunikasi Remaja Broken Home Terhadap Konsep Diri Dan Keterbukaan Diri (Studi Deskriptif Kualitatif Psikologis Komunikasi Remaja Dari Keluarga Broken Home Terhadap Konsep Diri dan Keterbukaan Diri di Kecamatan Tanjung Beringin Kabupaten Serdang Bedagai)

    OpenAIRE

    Lubis, Riza Fadla

    2015-01-01

    The Research title is Adolescent Psychological Communication Broken Home to Self-Concept and Self Disclosure: a research qualitative descriptive about Adolescent Psychological Communication Broken Home to Self-Concept and Self-Disclosure in Tanjung Beringin district, Serdang Bedagai regency, want to examine how the effect of a broken home to psychological communication , self-concept and self-disclosure for adolescent. The paradigm used in this research is an interpretive paradigm by using de...

  1. Measure Guideline: Selecting Ventilation Systems for Existing Homes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aldrich, R. [Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), Norwalk, CT (United States)

    2014-02-01

    This report, developed by Building America research team CARB, addresses adding or improving mechanical ventilation systems to existing homes. The goal of this report is to assist decision makers and contractors in making informed decisions when selecting ventilation systems for homes. With more air-sealed envelopes, a mechanical means of removing contaminants is critical for indoor environmental quality and building durability. The purpose of ventilation is to remove contaminants from homes, and this report discusses where, when, and how much ventilation is appropriate in a home, including examination of relevant codes and standards. Choosing the "best" system is not always straightforward; selecting a system involves balancing performance, efficiency, cost, required maintenance, and several other factors.

  2. Location, Location, Location: Characteristics and Services of Long-Stay Home Care Recipients in Retirement Homes Compared to Others in Private Homes and Long-Term Care Homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poss, Jeffrey W; Sinn, Chi-Ling Joanna; Grinchenko, Galina; Blums, Jane; Peirce, Tom; Hirdes, John

    2017-02-01

    We examine recipients of publicly funded ongoing care in a single Ontario jurisdiction who reside in three different settings: long-stay home care patients in private homes and apartments, other patients in retirement homes and residents of long-term care homes, using interRAI assessment instruments. Among home care patients, those in retirement homes have higher proportions of dementia and moderate cognitive impairment, less supportive informal care systems as well as more personal care and nursing services above those provided by the public home care system, more frequent but shorter home support visits and lower than expected public home care expenditures. These lower expenditures may be because of efficiency of care delivery or by retirement homes providing some services otherwise provided by the public home care system. Although persons in each setting are mostly older adults with high degrees of frailty and medical complexity, long-term care home residents show distinctly higher needs. We estimate that 40% of retirement home residents are long-stay home care patients, and they comprise about one in six of this Community Care Access Centre's long-stay patients. Copyright © 2017 Longwoods Publishing.

  3. Doing Fieldwork at Home: Some Personal Experiences among the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    My extended stay at home was interpreted differently by my own people and ... had nowhere to go apart from home) and someone who was after “their” women. ... did not understand why I had to stay in my research site, claiming that it must be ...

  4. Pig Farmers’ Homes Harbor More Diverse Airborne Bacterial Communities Than Pig Stables or Suburban Homes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ditte V. Vestergaard

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Airborne bacterial communities are subject to conditions ill-suited to microbial activity and growth. In spite of this, air is an important transfer medium for bacteria, with the bacteria in indoor air having potentially major consequences for the health of a building’s occupants. A major example is the decreased diversity and altered composition of indoor airborne microbial communities as a proposed explanation for the increasing prevalence of asthma and allergies worldwide. Previous research has shown that living on a farm confers protection against development of asthma and allergies, with airborne bacteria suggested as playing a role in this protective effect. However, the composition of this beneficial microbial community has still not been identified. We sampled settled airborne dust using a passive dust sampler from Danish pig stables, associated farmers’ homes, and from suburban homes (267 samples in total and carried out quantitative PCR measurements of bacterial abundance and MiSeq sequencing of the V3–V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA genes found in these samples. Airborne bacteria had a greater diversity and were significantly more abundant in pig stables and farmers’ homes than suburban homes (Wilcoxon rank sum test P < 0.05. Moreover, bacterial taxa previously suggested to contribute to a protective effect had significantly higher relative and absolute abundance in pig stables and farmers’ homes than in suburban homes (ALDEx2 with P < 0.05, including Firmicutes, Peptostreptococcaceae, Prevotellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Ruminiclostridium, and Lactobacillus. Pig stables had significantly lower airborne bacterial diversity than farmers’ homes, and there was no discernable direct transfer of airborne bacteria from stable to home. This study identifies differences in indoor airborne bacterial communities that may be an important component of this putative protective effect, while showing that pig stables

  5. Pig Farmers’ Homes Harbor More Diverse Airborne Bacterial Communities Than Pig Stables or Suburban Homes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vestergaard, Ditte V.; Holst, Gitte J.; Basinas, Ioannis; Elholm, Grethe; Schlünssen, Vivi; Linneberg, Allan; Šantl-Temkiv, Tina; Finster, Kai; Sigsgaard, Torben; Marshall, Ian P. G.

    2018-01-01

    Airborne bacterial communities are subject to conditions ill-suited to microbial activity and growth. In spite of this, air is an important transfer medium for bacteria, with the bacteria in indoor air having potentially major consequences for the health of a building’s occupants. A major example is the decreased diversity and altered composition of indoor airborne microbial communities as a proposed explanation for the increasing prevalence of asthma and allergies worldwide. Previous research has shown that living on a farm confers protection against development of asthma and allergies, with airborne bacteria suggested as playing a role in this protective effect. However, the composition of this beneficial microbial community has still not been identified. We sampled settled airborne dust using a passive dust sampler from Danish pig stables, associated farmers’ homes, and from suburban homes (267 samples in total) and carried out quantitative PCR measurements of bacterial abundance and MiSeq sequencing of the V3–V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA genes found in these samples. Airborne bacteria had a greater diversity and were significantly more abundant in pig stables and farmers’ homes than suburban homes (Wilcoxon rank sum test P < 0.05). Moreover, bacterial taxa previously suggested to contribute to a protective effect had significantly higher relative and absolute abundance in pig stables and farmers’ homes than in suburban homes (ALDEx2 with P < 0.05), including Firmicutes, Peptostreptococcaceae, Prevotellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Ruminiclostridium, and Lactobacillus. Pig stables had significantly lower airborne bacterial diversity than farmers’ homes, and there was no discernable direct transfer of airborne bacteria from stable to home. This study identifies differences in indoor airborne bacterial communities that may be an important component of this putative protective effect, while showing that pig stables themselves do not appear

  6. Pig Farmers' Homes Harbor More Diverse Airborne Bacterial Communities Than Pig Stables or Suburban Homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vestergaard, Ditte V; Holst, Gitte J; Basinas, Ioannis; Elholm, Grethe; Schlünssen, Vivi; Linneberg, Allan; Šantl-Temkiv, Tina; Finster, Kai; Sigsgaard, Torben; Marshall, Ian P G

    2018-01-01

    Airborne bacterial communities are subject to conditions ill-suited to microbial activity and growth. In spite of this, air is an important transfer medium for bacteria, with the bacteria in indoor air having potentially major consequences for the health of a building's occupants. A major example is the decreased diversity and altered composition of indoor airborne microbial communities as a proposed explanation for the increasing prevalence of asthma and allergies worldwide. Previous research has shown that living on a farm confers protection against development of asthma and allergies, with airborne bacteria suggested as playing a role in this protective effect. However, the composition of this beneficial microbial community has still not been identified. We sampled settled airborne dust using a passive dust sampler from Danish pig stables, associated farmers' homes, and from suburban homes (267 samples in total) and carried out quantitative PCR measurements of bacterial abundance and MiSeq sequencing of the V3-V4 region of bacterial 16S rRNA genes found in these samples. Airborne bacteria had a greater diversity and were significantly more abundant in pig stables and farmers' homes than suburban homes (Wilcoxon rank sum test P < 0.05). Moreover, bacterial taxa previously suggested to contribute to a protective effect had significantly higher relative and absolute abundance in pig stables and farmers' homes than in suburban homes (ALDEx2 with P < 0.05), including Firmicutes, Peptostreptococcaceae, Prevotellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Ruminiclostridium , and Lactobacillus . Pig stables had significantly lower airborne bacterial diversity than farmers' homes, and there was no discernable direct transfer of airborne bacteria from stable to home. This study identifies differences in indoor airborne bacterial communities that may be an important component of this putative protective effect, while showing that pig stables themselves do not appear to

  7. Brookfield Homes Passive House Performance Evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Herk, A. [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Poerschke, A. [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Beach, R. [IBACOS, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

    2016-02-04

    In 2012-2013, IBACOS worked with a builder, Brookfield Homes in Denver, Colorado, to design and construct a Passive House certified model home. IBACOS used several modeling programs and calculation methods to complete the final design package along with Brookfield's architect KGA Studio. This design package included upgrades to the thermal enclosure, basement insulation, windows, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Short-term performance testing in the Passive House was done during construction and after construction. Testing with a blower door indicated that whole-building air leakage to the outside was 324 CFM and 0.60 ACH50. The other two test homes had little short-term testing done post-construction by the local energy rater. IBACOS then monitored the energy consumption and whole-house comfort conditions of that occupied Passive House after one year of operation and compared the monitoring results to those for two other occupied test houses in the same area with similar square footage but slightly different floor plans. IBACOS also assisted the builder, Brookfield Homes, in researching design scenarios for Zero Energy Ready Home and ENERGY STAR acceptance levels. IBACOS also assisted Brookfield in conceptualizing product for Denver's Brighton Heights area. Brookfield was considering building to Zero Energy Ready Home standards in that location. IBACOS provided strategies that Brookfield may draw from in the event the builder chooses to pursue a Zero Energy Ready Home plan for that market.

  8. Integrating Features of Islamic Traditional Home and Smart Home

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mona El Basyouni

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Architecture is a mirror that reflects the various elements of its environment and surroundings, such as climate, geographical characteristics, standard architectural principles, and social, cultural and scientific developments. Muslims of different regions were able, through architecture, to portray their temperaments and environments, free of external influence and guarantee life goals for users. Every day, building owners and occupants experience the constant challenges of comfort, convenience, cost, productivity, performance and sustainability. Owners, designers, builders, and operators are continuously faced with new processes, technologies and offerings to help them achieve better building performance. Since an intelligent building is run by a “system of systems” that is integrated to deliver a higher level of operational efficiency and an improved set of user-interface tools than are usually found in traditional building automation; at the other hand Arab homes with Islamic Identity guarantee all life goals for use.. Hence, this research focus on the smart environmental treatments of Islamic features for traditional architecture in Arabs homes, features of smart home and life goals for resident users.Trying to achieve a methodology combining them for enriching Arab experience of traditional architecture and its architectural results, with the modern trends of smart architecture. This combination aims at creating a residential model combining the benefits and features of Arab Islamic identity and intelligent design.

  9. Homing oneself

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winther, Ida Wentzel

    2009-01-01

    What is home? A building, a physical and mental phenomenon, or a concept?  There are many homes and ways `to home oneself´. Many of us quite often dwell in other places than at home (as professional commuters between two places, as travellers staying in hotels, as children of divorced parents...

  10. [Home care to the elderly who had stroke].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedreira, Larissa Chaves; Lopes, Regina Lúcia Mendonça

    2010-01-01

    The purpose was to Identify the knowledge production about the stroke in elderly under home care. Bibliographic research whose data were collected though the abstracts from 1997 to 2007, contained in LILACS and SciELO databases. The following key words were used: home assistance, aged people and cerebrovascular accident. Fifty-two references were found in the LILACS database, nine in the SciELO Brazil, and three in the SciELO Cuba. Most of the researches were carried out in 2000. Regarding the method, qualitative method predominance were observed, and central theme is related to the care giver, as well as to the clinical and epidemiologic aspects of the disease. It was observed that this knowledge is still established in Brazil, and the themes related to the person submitted to home care and violence to the aged are still little explored.

  11. Infants and Toddlers with Hearing Loss from Bilingual Homes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christine Yoshinaga-Itano

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available This article provides information about intervention strategies for children who are deaf or hard of hearing in non-English speaking homes with research data on children in Spanish-speaking homes living in the United States.  A description of the language learning environment of these families are compared to children with typical development in Spanish-speaking homes, children who are deaf or hard of hearing in English-speaking homes and children with typical development in English-speaking homes.  The language learning environment includes the average number of adult words, of conversational turns, and child vocalizations in an average day, as well as the percent of the day in silence, in noise, with TV/radio, with distant language and meaningful language. 

  12. Monitoring Quality Across Home Visiting Models: A Field Test of Michigan's Home Visiting Quality Assurance System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heany, Julia; Torres, Jennifer; Zagar, Cynthia; Kostelec, Tiffany

    2018-06-05

    Introduction In order to achieve the positive outcomes with parents and children demonstrated by many home visiting models, home visiting services must be well implemented. The Michigan Home Visiting Initiative developed a tool and procedure for monitoring implementation quality across models referred to as Michigan's Home Visiting Quality Assurance System (MHVQAS). This study field tested the MHVQAS. This article focuses on one of the study's evaluation questions: Can the MHVQAS be applied across models? Methods Eight local implementing agencies (LIAs) from four home visiting models (Healthy Families America, Early Head Start-Home Based, Parents as Teachers, Maternal Infant Health Program) and five reviewers participated in the study by completing site visits, tracking their time and costs, and completing surveys about the process. LIAs also submitted their most recent review by their model developer. The researchers conducted participant observation of the review process. Results Ratings on the MHVQAS were not significantly different between models. There were some differences in interrater reliability and perceived reliability between models. There were no significant differences between models in perceived validity, satisfaction with the review process, or cost to participate. Observational data suggested that cross-model applicability could be improved by assisting sites in relating the requirements of the tool to the specifics of their model. Discussion The MHVQAS shows promise as a tool and process to monitor implementation quality of home visiting services across models. The results of the study will be used to make improvements before the MHVQAS is used in practice.

  13. Home Visiting Processes: Relations with Family Characteristics and Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Carla A.; Roggman, Lori A.; Green, Beth; Chazan-Cohen, Rachel; Korfmacher, Jon; McKelvey, Lorraine; Zhang, Dong; Atwater, Jane B.

    2013-01-01

    Variations in dosage, content, and family engagement with Early Head Start (EHS) home visiting services were examined for families participating in the EHS Research and Evaluation Project. Families were grouped by characteristics of maternal age, maternal ethnicity, and level of family risk. All home visiting variables were related differentially…

  14. Home Photovoltaic System Design in Pangkalpinang City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sunanda, Wahri

    2018-02-01

    This research aims to obtain the design of home photovoltaic systems in Pangkalpinang and the opportunity of economic savings. The system consists of photovoltaic with batteries. Based on electricity consumption of several houses with installed power of 1300 VA and 2200 VA in Pangkalpinang for one year, the daily load of photovoltaic system is varied to 40%, 30% and 20% of the average value of the daily home electricity consumption. The investment costs, the cost of replacement parts and the cost of electricity consumption accrued to PLN during lifetime of systems (25 years) are also calculated. The result provided that there are no economic saving opportunities for photovoltaic systems with batteries at home with installed power of 1300 VA and 2200 VA in Pangkalpinang. The most economical is the photovoltaic system with the daily load of 20% of the average value of the daily home electricity consumption. The configuration of photovoltaic system for 1300 VA home consists of 10 modules of 200 wattpeak and 4 batteries 150 AH, 12 Volt while photovoltaic system for 2200 VA home consists of 15 modules of 200 wattpeak and 6 batteries 150 AH,12Volt.

  15. Family and home characteristics correlate with mold in homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reponen, Tiina; Levin, Linda; Zheng, Shu; Vesper, Stephen; Ryan, Patrick; Grinshpun, Sergey A; LeMasters, Grace

    2013-07-01

    Previously, we demonstrated that infants residing in homes with higher Environmental Relative Moldiness Index were at greater risk for developing asthma by age seven. The purpose of this analysis was to identify the family and home characteristics associated with higher moldiness index values in infants' homes at age one. Univariate linear regression of each characteristic determined that family factors associated with moldiness index were race and income. Home characteristics associated with the moldiness index values were: air conditioning, carpet, age of the home, season of home assessment, and house dust mite allergen. Parental history of asthma, use of dehumidifier, visible mold, dog and cat allergen levels were not associated with moldiness index. Results of multiple linear regression showed that older homes had 2.9 units higher moldiness index (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.4, 5.4), whereas homes with central air conditioning had 2.5 units lower moldiness index (95% CI=-4.7, -0.4). In addition, higher dust mite allergen levels and carpeting were positively and negatively associated with higher moldiness index, respectively. Because older homes and lack of air conditioning were also correlated with race and lower income, whereas carpeting was associated with newer homes, the multivariate analyses suggests that lower overall socioeconomic position is associated with higher moldiness index values. This may lead to increased asthma risk in homes inhabited by susceptible, vulnerable population subgroups. Further, age of the home was a surrogate of income, race and carpeting in our population; thus the use of these factors should carefully be evaluated in future studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Administration of care to older patients in transition from hospital to home care services: home nursing leaders' experiences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dale B

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Bjørg Dale,1 Sigrun Hvalvik21Centre for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, 2Centre for Caring Research – Southern Norway, Faculty of Health and Social Studies, Telemark University College, Porsgrunn, NorwayBackground: Older persons in transition between hospital and home care services are in a particularly vulnerable situation and risk unfortunate consequences caused by organizational inefficiency. The purpose of the study reported here was to elucidate how home nursing leaders experience the administration of care to older people in transition from hospital to their own homes.Methods: A qualitative study design was used. Ten home nursing leaders in two municipalities in southern Norway participated in individual interviews. The interview texts were audio taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed by use of a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach.Results: Three main themes and seven subthemes were deduced from the data. The first main theme was that the home nursing leaders felt challenged by the organization of home care services. Two subthemes were identified related to this. The first was that the leaders lacked involvement in the transitional process, and the second was that they were challenged by administration of care being decided at another level in the municipality. The second main theme found was that the leaders felt that they were acting in a shifting and unsettled context. Related to this, they had to adjust internal resources to external demands and expectations, and experienced lack of communication with significant others. The third main theme identified was that the leaders endeavored to deliver care in accordance with professional values. The two related subthemes were, first, that they provided for appropriate internal systems and routines, and, second, that they prioritized available professional competence, and made an effort to promote a professional

  17. IMPLEMENTING AN ATTACHMENT-BASED PARENTING INTERVENTION WITHIN HOME-BASED EARLY HEAD START: HOME-VISITORS' PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Allison L; Aparicio, Elizabeth M; Berlin, Lisa J; Jones Harden, Brenda

    2017-07-01

    Implementation of evidence-based interventions in "real-world" settings is enhanced when front-line staff view the intervention as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible. This qualitative study addresses Early Head Start (EHS) home visitors' perceptions and experiences of an evidence-based parenting intervention, the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up program (M. Dozier, O. Lindhiem, & J. Ackerman, 2005), when added to EHS services as usual within the context of a research-practice partnership. Thematic analysis of in-depth, qualitative interviews indicates that home visitors experienced the intervention as positive and helpful for EHS families. Some challenges included scheduling and uncertainty regarding the goals of the intervention. Concerns over participation in the research centered on information exchange, confidentiality, and time limitations. © 2017 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  18. Fostering dignity in the care of nursing home residents through slow caring

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lohne, Vibeke; Høy, Bente; Lillestø, Britt

    2017-01-01

    Background: Physical impairment and dependency on others may be a threat to dignity. Research questions: The purpose of this study was to explore dignity as a core concept in caring, and how healthcare personnel focus on and foster dignity in nursing home residents. Research design: This study has...... personnel, maintaining human dignity requires slow caring in nursing homes, as an essential approach....... a hermeneutic design. Participants and research context: In all, 40 healthcare personnel from six nursing homes in Scandinavia participated in focus group interviews in this study. Ethical considerations: This study has been evaluated and approved by the Regional Ethical Committees and the Social Science Data...

  19. Efficient Solutions for Existing Homes Case Study: Rehabilitations of USDA Multifamily Homes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2016-04-01

    Rea Ventures Group, LLC, partnered with Southface Energy Institute (Southface), a member of the U.S. Department of Energy's Partnership for Home Innovation Building America research team, to develop a prescriptive approach for rehabilitating a portfolio of rural multifamily rental properties in Georgia, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

  20. Our Lady of Fatima Home, Oakpark, Tralee, Kerry.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Cowman, Seamus

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Although stroke is recognised as a major factor in admission to nursing home care, data is lacking on the extent and nature of the disabilities and dependency in nursing homes arising from stroke. A national study conducted in nursing homes can quantify the number of residents with stroke in nursing homes, their disability and levels of dependency. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey research design was used. A total of 572 public and private nursing homes were identified nationally and a stratified random selection of 60 nursing homes with 3,239 residents was made. In half of the nursing homes (n = 30) efforts were made to interview all residents with stroke Survey instruments were used to collect data from residents with stroke and nursing home managers on demography, patient disability, and treatment. RESULTS: Across all nursing homes (n = 60), 18% (n = 570) of the residents had previously had a stroke. In homes (n = 30), where interviews with residents with stroke (n = 257), only 7% (n = 18) residents were capable of answering for themselves and were interviewed. Data on the remaining 93% (n = 239) residents were provided by the nursing home manager. Nurse Managers reported that 73% of residents with stroke had a high level of dependency. One in two residents with stroke was prescribed antidepressants or sedative medication. Only 21% of stroke residents were prescribed anticoagulants, 42% antiplatelets, and 36% cholesterol lowering medications. Stroke rehabilitation guidelines were lacking and 68% reported that there was no formal review process in place. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides seminal findings on stroke and nursing home services in Ireland. We now know that one in six nursing home residents in a national survey are residents with a stroke, and have a wide range of disabilities. There is currently little or no structured care (beyond generic care) for stroke survivors who reside in nursing homes in Ireland.

  1. Effects of GPS sampling intensity on home range analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffrey J. Kolodzinski; Lawrence V. Tannenbaum; David A. Osborn; Mark C. Conner; W. Mark Ford; Karl V. Miller

    2010-01-01

    The two most common methods for determining home ranges, minimum convex polygon (MCP) and kernel analyses, can be affected by sampling intensity. Despite prior research, it remains unclear how high-intensity sampling regimes affect home range estimations. We used datasets from 14 GPS-collared, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to describe...

  2. The @Home project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Coxon, Ian Robert

    2014-01-01

    of being overshadowed by what is increasingly seen as new (and substantial) pharmacological and health equipment business market opportunities in what is now viewed as a health 'industry'. The Centre for Innovation at Mayo Clinic (CFI) in Rochester USA, has conducted many projects which border on and have...... investigated various aspects of care provision and patient experience within a patient's home environment. Considerable work by other researchers inside and outside the health field has also contributed insights and platforms for moving healthcare in this direction. In most areas of the western world......, the healthcare sector is struggling to cope with the scale of strain that shifting demographics, rising costs and increasing chronic/complex care is placing on the health system. The shift towards home based care and personal health self-management is seen as offering some possibilities to alleviate...

  3. Activity Learning as a Foundation for Security Monitoring in Smart Homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahmen, Jessamyn; Thomas, Brian L; Cook, Diane J; Wang, Xiaobo

    2017-03-31

    Smart environment technology has matured to the point where it is regularly used in everyday homes as well as research labs. With this maturation of the technology, we can consider using smart homes as a practical mechanism for improving home security. In this paper, we introduce an activity-aware approach to security monitoring and threat detection in smart homes. We describe our approach using the CASAS smart home framework and activity learning algorithms. By monitoring for activity-based anomalies we can detect possible threats and take appropriate action. We evaluate our proposed method using data collected in CASAS smart homes and demonstrate the partnership between activity-aware smart homes and biometric devices in the context of the CASAS on-campus smart apartment testbed.

  4. Activity Learning as a Foundation for Security Monitoring in Smart Homes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessamyn Dahmen

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Smart environment technology has matured to the point where it is regularly used in everyday homes as well as research labs. With this maturation of the technology, we can consider using smart homes as a practical mechanism for improving home security. In this paper, we introduce an activity-aware approach to security monitoring and threat detection in smart homes. We describe our approach using the CASAS smart home framework and activity learning algorithms. By monitoring for activity-based anomalies we can detect possible threats and take appropriate action. We evaluate our proposed method using data collected in CASAS smart homes and demonstrate the partnership between activity-aware smart homes and biometric devices in the context of the CASAS on-campus smart apartment testbed.

  5. 24 CFR 982.612 - Group home: State approval of group home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Group home: State approval of group... Types Group Home § 982.612 Group home: State approval of group home. A group home must be licensed..., Retardation, or Social Services) as a group home for elderly persons or persons with disabilities. ...

  6. Achieving Challenge Home in Affordable Housing in the Hot-Humid Climate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beal, D. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); McIlvaine, J. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); Winter, B. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); Allnutt, R. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States)

    2014-08-01

    The Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction (BA-PIRC), one of the Building America research team leads, has partnered with two builders as they work through the Challenge Home certification process (now Zero Energy Ready Home) in one test home each. The builder partners participating in this cost-shared research are Southeast Volusia County Habitat for Humanity near Daytona, Florida and Manatee County Habitat for Humanity near Tampa, Florida. Both are affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International, a non-profit affordable housing organization. This research serves to identify viable technical pathways to meeting the CH criteria for other builders in the region. A further objective of this research is to identify gaps and barriers in the marketplace related to product availability, labor force capability, code issues, cost effectiveness, and business case issues that hinder or prevent broader adoption on a production scale.

  7. Relationship of the union and workers in home care

    OpenAIRE

    Zaenker, Anita

    2012-01-01

    This video clip comprises one of the 5 presentations of the PANEL SESSION: “The Front Line – Home Care Providers” held at the 21st Annual John K. Friesen Conference, "Innovations in Home Care: A Public Policy Perspective," MAY 16-17, 2012, Vancouver, BC. Presented by Anita Zaenker, Researcher, BC Government and Service Employees’ Union. It is well known that jurisdictions with more comprehensive and integrated home care delivery systems are able to extend independent living for older ...

  8. Pilot Residential Deep Energy Retrofits and the PNNL Lab Homes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Widder, Sarah H.; Chandra, Subrato; Parker, Graham B.; Sande, Susan; Blanchard, Jeremy; Stroer, Dennis; McIlvaine, Janet; Chasar, David; Beal, David; Sutherland, Karen

    2012-01-01

    This report summarizes research investigating the technical and economic feasibility of several pilot deep energy retrofits, or retrofits that save 30% to 50% or more on a whole-house basis while increasing comfort, durability, combustion safety, and indoor air quality. The work is being conducted for the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Program as part of the Building America Program. As part of the overall program, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researchers are collecting and analyzing a comprehensive dataset that describes pre- and post-retrofit energy consumption, retrofit measure cost, health and comfort impacts, and other pertinent information for each home participating in the study. The research and data collection protocol includes recruitment of candidate residences, a thorough test-in audit, home energy modeling, and generation of retrofit measure recommendations, implementation of the measures, test-out, and continued evaluation. On some homes, more detailed data will be collected to disaggregate energy-consumption information. This multi-year effort began in October 2010. To date, the PNNL team has performed test-in audits on 51 homes in the marine, cold, and hot-humid climate zones, and completed 3 retrofits in Texas, 10 in Florida, and 2 in the Pacific Northwest. Two of the retrofits are anticipated to save 50% or more in energy bills and the others - savings are in the 30% to 40% range. Fourteen other retrofits are under way in the three climate zones. Metering equipment has been installed in seven of these retrofits - three in Texas, three in Florida, and one in the Pacific Northwest. This report is an interim update, providing information on the research protocol and status of the PNNL deep energy retrofit project as of December, 2011. The report also presents key findings and lessons learned, based on the body of work to date. In addition, the report summarizes the status of the PNNL Lab Homes that are new

  9. Some Aspects of Burnout in Nursing Homes

    OpenAIRE

    Leskovic Ljiljana; Vukovič Goran; Leskovar Robert; Goriup Jana

    2016-01-01

    Nursing personnel in nursing homes for elderly citizens are exposed to a number of factors that contribute to possible burnout syndrome. For this reason, the set objective of the research was to measure the degree of burnout, check the correlation between the burnout syndrome and satisfaction at work, and psychosomatic symptoms, as well as to figure out the main characteristics of burnout syndrome among the nursing personnel in nursing homes for the elderly in Slovenia.

  10. Social barriers to the adoption of smart homes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye; Davidson, Rosemary; Bicket, Martha; Whitmarsh, Lorraine

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to explore social barriers to the adoption of smart homes through the analysis of expert views and public attitudes. Smart home services aim to improve the comfort, convenience and safety of householders, as well as allowing them to use energy more efficiently and cope with increasing costs. Despite the existence of smart homes and smart home technologies for some time, their prevalence is not widespread, and thus their potential largely untapped. Using a combination of in-depth deliberative public workshops, expert interviews and a review of the existing literature, this paper explores social barriers to smart home diffusion, including how these vary by expertise, life-stage and location. The research highlights the importance of barriers such as control, security, and cost, providing insights for policymakers as well as smart-home designers and developers as to how these might be addressed. - Highlights: • Smart homes and related technologies can provide a variety of benefits. • Technologies need to be reliable and fit into householders’ lifestyles. • Public concerns relate to cost, control and privacy. • Trust in energy companies and government is important

  11. Training Family Medicine Residents to Perform Home Visits: A CERA Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sairenji, Tomoko; Wilson, Stephen A; D'Amico, Frank; Peterson, Lars E

    2017-02-01

    Home visits have been shown to improve quality of care, save money, and improve outcomes. Primary care physicians are in an ideal position to provide these visits; of note, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education no longer requires home visits as a component of family medicine residency training. To investigate changes in home visit numbers and expectations, attitudes, and approaches to training among family medicine residency program directors. This research used the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) national survey of family medicine program directors in 2015. Questions addressed home visit practices, teaching and evaluation methods, common types of patient and visit categories, and barriers. There were 252 responses from 455 possible respondents, representing a response rate of 55%. At most programs, residents performed 2 to 5 home visits by graduation in both 2014 (69% of programs, 174 of 252) and 2015 (68%, 172 of 252). The vast majority (68%, 172 of 252) of program directors expect less than one-third of their graduates to provide home visits after graduation. Scheduling difficulties, lack of faculty time, and lack of resident time were the top 3 barriers to residents performing home visits. There appeared to be no decline in resident-performed home visits in family medicine residencies 1 year after they were no longer required. Family medicine program directors may recognize the value of home visits despite a lack of few formal curricula.

  12. The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM): A Home Care Case-Mix Model for Children Facing Special Health Care Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Charles D.

    2015-01-01

    Case-mix classification and payment systems help assure that persons with similar needs receive similar amounts of care resources, which is a major equity concern for consumers, providers, and programs. Although health service programs for adults regularly use case-mix payment systems, programs providing health services to children and youth rarely use such models. This research utilized Medicaid home care expenditures and assessment data on 2,578 children receiving home care in one large state in the USA. Using classification and regression tree analyses, a case-mix model for long-term pediatric home care was developed. The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM) grouped children and youth in the study sample into 24 groups, explaining 41% of the variance in annual home care expenditures. The P/ECM creates the possibility of a more equitable, and potentially more effective, allocation of home care resources among children and youth facing serious health care challenges. PMID:26740744

  13. The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM): A Home Care Case-Mix Model for Children Facing Special Health Care Challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Charles D

    2015-01-01

    Case-mix classification and payment systems help assure that persons with similar needs receive similar amounts of care resources, which is a major equity concern for consumers, providers, and programs. Although health service programs for adults regularly use case-mix payment systems, programs providing health services to children and youth rarely use such models. This research utilized Medicaid home care expenditures and assessment data on 2,578 children receiving home care in one large state in the USA. Using classification and regression tree analyses, a case-mix model for long-term pediatric home care was developed. The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM) grouped children and youth in the study sample into 24 groups, explaining 41% of the variance in annual home care expenditures. The P/ECM creates the possibility of a more equitable, and potentially more effective, allocation of home care resources among children and youth facing serious health care challenges.

  14. The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM: A Home Care Case-Mix Model for Children Facing Special Health Care Challenges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles D. Phillips

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Case-mix classification and payment systems help assure that persons with similar needs receive similar amounts of care resources, which is a major equity concern for consumers, providers, and programs. Although health service programs for adults regularly use case-mix payment systems, programs providing health services to children and youth rarely use such models. This research utilized Medicaid home care expenditures and assessment data on 2,578 children receiving home care in one large state in the USA. Using classification and regression tree analyses, a case-mix model for long-term pediatric home care was developed. The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM grouped children and youth in the study sample into 24 groups, explaining 41% of the variance in annual home care expenditures. The P/ECM creates the possibility of a more equitable, and potentially more effective, allocation of home care resources among children and youth facing serious health care challenges.

  15. Implementing guidelines in nursing homes: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diehl, Heinz; Graverholt, Birgitte; Espehaug, Birgitte; Lund, Hans

    2016-07-25

    Research on guideline implementation strategies has mostly been conducted in settings which differ significantly from a nursing home setting and its transferability to the nursing home setting is therefore limited. The objective of this study was to systematically review the effects of interventions to improve the implementation of guidelines in nursing homes. A systematic literature search was conducted in the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, DARE, HTA, CENTRAL, SveMed + and ISI Web of Science from their inception until August 2015. Reference screening and a citation search were performed. Studies were eligible if they evaluated any type of guideline implementation strategy in a nursing home setting. Eligible study designs were systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials, non-randomised controlled trials, controlled before-after studies and interrupted-time-series studies. The EPOC risk of bias tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the included studies. The overall quality of the evidence was rated using GRADE. Five cluster-randomised controlled trials met the inclusion criteria, evaluating a total of six different multifaceted implementation strategies. One study reported a small statistically significant effect on professional practice, and two studies demonstrated small to moderate statistically significant effects on patient outcome. The overall quality of the evidence for all comparisons was low or very low using GRADE. Little is known about how to improve the implementation of guidelines in nursing homes, and the evidence to support or discourage particular interventions is inconclusive. More implementation research is needed to ensure high quality of care in nursing homes. PROSPERO 2014: CRD42014007664.

  16. A learning-based agent for home neurorehabilitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lydakis, Andreas; Meng, Yuanliang; Munroe, Christopher; Wu, Yi-Ning; Begum, Momotaz

    2017-07-01

    This paper presents the iterative development of an artificially intelligent system to promote home-based neurorehabilitation. Although proper, structured practice of rehabilitation exercises at home is the key to successful recovery of motor functions, there is no home-program out there which can monitor a patient's exercise-related activities and provide corrective feedback in real time. To this end, we designed a Learning from Demonstration (LfD) based home-rehabilitation framework that combines advanced robot learning algorithms with commercially available wearable technologies. The proposed system uses exercise-related motion information and electromyography signals (EMG) of a patient to train a Markov Decision Process (MDP). The trained MDP model can enable an agent to serve as a coach for a patient. On a system level, this is the first initiative, to the best of our knowledge, to employ LfD in an health-care application to enable lay users to program an intelligent system. From a rehabilitation research perspective, this is a completely novel initiative to employ machine learning to provide interactive corrective feedback to a patient in home settings.

  17. Business Travellers' Connections to Home: ICTs Supporting Work-life Balance

    OpenAIRE

    Ladkin, Adele; Willis, Cheryl; Jain, J.; Clayton, W.; Marouda, M.

    2016-01-01

    This paper examines the role of information communication technology in enabling connections to home for work related travellers. Although digital connectivity for work related tasks are well researched, the use of digital technology for home communication is under-researched. The study draws on a qualitative study of UK-based organisations and business travellers to explore how these travellers use ICTs for personal use whilst ‘on-the-move’. The findings reveal that organisations are support...

  18. Residential Photovoltaic Energy Systems in California: The Effect on Home Sales Prices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoen, Ben; Wiser, Ryan; Thayer, Mark; Cappers, Peter

    2012-04-15

    Relatively little research exists estimating the marginal impacts of photovoltaic (PV) energy systems on home sale prices. Using a large dataset of California homes that sold from 2000 through mid-2009, we find strong evidence, despite a variety of robustness checks, that existing homes with PV systems sold for a premium over comparable homes without PV systems, implying a near full return on investment. Premiums for new homes are found to be considerably lower than those for existing homes, implying, potentially, a tradeoff between price and sales velocity. The results have significant implications for homeowners, builders, appraisers, lenders, and policymakers.

  19. A New Measure of Home Exercise Benefits and Barriers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thind, Herpreet; Fava, Joseph; Traficante, Regina; Bock, Beth C.

    2016-01-01

    Background: To increase physical activity among college students, new approaches are needed including the exploration of home-based exercise. However, research related to potential facilitators and barriers to exercising at home is limited. Purpose: The goal of this study was to develop a reliable and valid measure that can assess predictors of…

  20. A Systematic Review of Home-Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fawole, Oluwakemi; Segal, Jodi; Wilson, Renee F.; Cheskin, Lawrence J.; Bleich, Sara N.; Wu, Yang; Lau, Brandyn; Wang, Youfa

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Childhood obesity is a global epidemic. Despite emerging research about the role of the family and home on obesity risk behaviors, the evidence base for the effectiveness of home-based interventions on obesity prevention remains uncertain. The objective was to systematically review the effectiveness of home-based interventions on weight, intermediate (eg, diet and physical activity [PA]), and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, CINAHL, clinicaltrials.gov, and the Cochrane Library from inception through August 11, 2012. We included experimental and natural experimental studies with ≥1-year follow-up reporting weight-related outcomes and targeting children at home. Two independent reviewers screened studies and extracted data. We graded the strength of the evidence supporting interventions targeting diet, PA, or both for obesity prevention. RESULTS: We identified 6 studies; 3 tested combined interventions (diet and PA), 1 used diet intervention, 1 combined intervention with primary care and consumer health informatics components, and 1 combined intervention with school and community components. Select combined interventions had beneficial effects on fruit/vegetable intake and sedentary behaviors. However, none of the 6 studies reported a significant effect on weight outcomes. Overall, the strength of evidence is low that combined home-based interventions effectively prevent obesity. The evidence is insufficient for conclusions about home-based diet interventions or interventions implemented at home in association with other settings. CONCLUSIONS: The strength of evidence is low to support the effectiveness of home-based child obesity prevention programs. Additional research is needed to test interventions in the home setting, particularly those incorporating parenting strategies and addressing environmental influences. PMID:23753095

  1. Home-based Self-care: Understanding and Designing Pervasive Technology to Support Care Management Work at Home

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Verdezoto, Nervo

    the self-care management work at home. People need to know which care activities to perform, when to perform them, how to proceed and why these are important. While at home, an active lifestyle and comorbidity not only challenge self-care activities but also the use of self-care technologies in non...... that fit into people’s everyday life. Through a design research approach applying user-centered design methods and prototyping, the main focus of this dissertation is on exploring and providing a holistic understanding of the self-care work practices in non-clinical settings. Several home-based care...... practices are investigated to (a) further understand the self-care management work in nonclinical settings, and (b) inform future design of pervasive healthcare technology that accounts for people’s perspectives on self-care and everyday life. First, we explore two selfcare practices of medication...

  2. Smart homes design, implementation and issues

    CERN Document Server

    Suryadevara, Nagender Kumar

    2015-01-01

    The book addresses issues towards the design and development of Wireless Sensor Network based Smart Home and fusion of Real-Time Data for Wellness Determination of an elderly person living alone in a Smart Home. The fundamentals of selection of sensor, fusion of sensor data, system design, modelling, characterizations, experimental investigations and analyses have been covered. This book will be extremely useful for the engineers and researchers especially higher undergraduate, postgraduate students as well as practitioners working on the development of Wireless Sensor Networks, Internet of Things and Data Mining.

  3. ING: INDOOR ROUTING PROTOCOL FOR GREEN HOME NETWORKS

    OpenAIRE

    Kaouthar Sethom; Nozha Al- Ibrahimi; Guy Pujolle

    2011-01-01

    Because of all the innovations in computer communications and digital consumer device technologies,people have had great interest in researching home networking systems. The home is evolving rapidlyinto a smart Mesh networked environment.Moreover, the energy consumption of wireless devices and networks gradually increases to represent asignificant portion of the operational cost, naturally also causing increased equivalent carbonemissions to the environment. Therefore, reducing the energy con...

  4. The nursing process in crisis-oriented psychiatric home care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boomsma, J; Dingemans, C A; Dassen, T W

    1997-08-01

    Crisis-oriented psychiatric home care is a recent development in the Dutch mental health care system. Because of the difference between psychiatric care in the home and in the hospital, an action research project was initiated. This project was directed at the nursing process and the nurses' role and skills in psychiatric home care. The main goal of the project was to describe and to standardize nursing diagnoses and interventions used in crisis-oriented and long-term psychiatric home care. The development of supporting methods of assessment and intervention were also important aspects of this project. In this article a crisis-oriented psychiatric home care programme and the first developmental research activities within this programme are described. To support the nursing process, the development of a nursing record and an assessment-format, based on Gordon's Functional Health Patterns (FHP), took place. By means of content analysis of 61 nursing records, the most frequently stated nursing diagnoses, based upon the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) taxonomy, were identified. The psychiatric diagnostic categories of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) were also collected. The most common categories found were those of mood disorders and schizophrenia or psychotic disorders. Seventy-five per cent of the nursing diagnoses showed up within four FHP: role-relationship, coping-stress tolerance, self-perception/self-concept and activity-exercise. The nursing diagnosis of 'ineffective individual coping' was stated most frequently. This is not surprising because of the similarities in the definitions of this nursing diagnosis and the concept of 'crisis' to which the psychiatric home care programme is oriented. Further research activities will be focused on standardization of nursing diagnosis and the interventions that nurses undertake in this type of care.

  5. Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2017 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update; Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model; and Home Health Quality Reporting Requirements. Final rule.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-11-03

    This final rule updates the Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) payment rates, including the national, standardized 60-day episode payment rates, the national per-visit rates, and the non-routine medical supply (NRS) conversion factor; effective for home health episodes of care ending on or after January 1, 2017. This rule also: Implements the last year of the 4-year phase-in of the rebasing adjustments to the HH PPS payment rates; updates the HH PPS case-mix weights using the most current, complete data available at the time of rulemaking; implements the 2nd-year of a 3-year phase-in of a reduction to the national, standardized 60-day episode payment to account for estimated case-mix growth unrelated to increases in patient acuity (that is, nominal case-mix growth) between CY 2012 and CY 2014; finalizes changes to the methodology used to calculate payments made under the HH PPS for high-cost "outlier" episodes of care; implements changes in payment for furnishing Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) using a disposable device for patients under a home health plan of care; discusses our efforts to monitor the potential impacts of the rebasing adjustments; includes an update on subsequent research and analysis as a result of the findings from the home health study; and finalizes changes to the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model, which was implemented on January 1, 2016; and updates to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP).

  6. A theoretical model of job retention for home health care nurses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellenbecker, Carol Hall

    2004-08-01

    Predicted severe nursing shortages and an increasing demand for home health care services have made the retention of experienced, qualified nursing staff a priority for health care organizations. The purpose of this paper is to describe a theoretical model of job retention for home health care nurses. The theoretical model is an integration of the findings of empirical research related to intent to stay and retention, components of Neal's theory of home health care nursing practice and findings from earlier work to develop an instrument to measure home health care nurses' job satisfaction. The theoretical model identifies antecedents to job satisfaction of home health care nurses. The antecedents are intrinsic and extrinsic job characteristics. The model also proposes that job satisfaction is directly related to retention and indirectly related to retention though intent to stay. Individual nurse characteristics are indirectly related to retention through intent to stay. The individual characteristic of tenure is indirectly related to retention through autonomy, as an intrinsic characteristic of job satisfaction, and intent to stay. The proposed model can be used to guide research that explores gaps in knowledge about intent to stay and retention among home health care nurses.

  7. Nursing Homes

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Home › Aging & Health A to Z › Nursing Homes Font size A A A Print Share Glossary Basic ... Reason For Living in A Nursing Home Some type of disability with activities of daily living (ADLs) ...

  8. WSN- and IOT-Based Smart Homes and Their Extension to Smart Buildings

    OpenAIRE

    Ghayvat, Hemant; Mukhopadhyay, Subhas; Gui, Xiang; Suryadevara, Nagender

    2015-01-01

    Our research approach is to design and develop reliable, efficient, flexible, economical, real-time and realistic wellness sensor networks for smart home systems. The heterogeneous sensor and actuator nodes based on wireless networking technologies are deployed into the home environment. These nodes generate real-time data related to the object usage and movement inside the home, to forecast the wellness of an individual. Here, wellness stands for how efficiently someone stays fit in the home...

  9. Home Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... are part of home healthcare agencies. You may benefit from home care if you are dealing with ... it will trigger an emergency response or checkup phone call. Newer technologies ... or mobile testing technology (home diagnostics), including x-rays and ...

  10. Volunteer computers in homes to fight against Malaria in Africa

    CERN Document Server

    2006-01-01

    "Africa@home, a project conceived and coordinated by CERN1, was launched publicly this week. It is recruiting volunteer computers in homes and offices to run a computer-intensive simulation program called MalariaControl.net, developed by researchers at the Swiss Tropical Institute (STI)" (1 page)

  11. Evaluating fidelity in home-visiting programs a qualitative analysis of 1058 home visit case notes from 105 families.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Saïas

    . This research stresses the importance of training home visitors to adapt the intervention to the social, psychological and health needs of families.

  12. Home advantage in the Winter Paralympic Games 1976-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Darryl; Ramchandani, Girish

    2017-01-01

    There is a limited amount of home advantage research concerned with winter sports. There is also a distinct lack of studies that investigate home advantage in the context of para sport events. This paper addresses this gap in the knowledge by examining home advantage in the Winter Paralympic Games. Using a standardised measure of success, we compared the performances of host nations at home with their own performances away from home between 1976 and 2014. Both country level and individual sport level analysis is conducted for this time period. Comparisons are also drawn with the Winter Olympic Games since 1992, the point from which both the Winter Olympic Games and the Winter Paralympic Games have been hosted by the same nations and in the same years. Clear evidence of a home advantage effect in the Winter Paralympic Games was found at country level. When examining individual sports, only alpine skiing and cross country skiing returned a significant home advantage effect. When comparing home advantage in the Winter Paralympic Games with the Winter Olympic Games for the last seven host nations (1992-2014), we found that home advantage was generally more pronounced (although not a statistically significant difference) in the case of the former. The causes of home advantage in the Winter Paralympic Games are unclear and should be investigated further.

  13. Relations among work-home culture, the utilization of work-home arrangements, and work-home interference

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dikkers, J.S.E.; Geurts, S.A.E.; Dulk, L. den; Peper, A.B.; Kompier, M.A.J.

    2004-01-01

    In the present study, we examined the associations among work-home culture (WHC), the utilization of work-home arrangements (WHAs), and work-home interference (WHI) among 638 workers from a Dutch financial consultancy firm. We (a) developed a typology of WHC, (b) examined whether the utilization of

  14. Associations Between Home Death and the Use and Type of Care at Home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McEwen, Rebecca; Asada, Yukiko; Burge, Frederick; Lawson, Beverley

    2018-01-01

    Despite wishes for and benefits of home deaths, a discrepancy between preferred and actual location of death persists. Provision of home care may be an effective policy response to support home deaths. Using the population-based mortality follow-back study conducted in Nova Scotia, we investigated the associations between home death and formal care at home and between home death and the type of formal care at home. We found (1) the use of formal care at home at the end of life was associated with home death and (2) the use of formal home support services at home was associated with home death among those whose symptoms were well managed.

  15. Benefits and risks of smart home technologies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, Charlie; Hargreaves, Tom; Hauxwell-Baldwin, Richard

    2017-01-01

    Smart homes are a priority area of strategic energy planning and national policy. The market adoption of smart home technologies (SHTs) relies on prospective users perceiving clear benefits with acceptable levels of risk. This paper characterises the perceived benefits and risks of SHTs from multiple perspectives. A representative national survey of UK homeowners (n=1025) finds prospective users have positive perceptions of the multiple functionality of SHTs including energy management. Ceding autonomy and independence in the home for increased technological control are the main perceived risks. An additional survey of actual SHT users (n=42) participating in a smart home field trial identifies the key role of early adopters in lowering perceived SHT risks for the mass market. Content analysis of SHT marketing material (n=62) finds the SHT industry are insufficiently emphasising measures to build consumer confidence on data security and privacy. Policymakers can play an important role in mitigating perceived risks, and supporting the energy-management potential of a smart-home future. Policy measures to support SHT market development include design and operating standards, guidelines on data and privacy, quality control, and in situ research programmes. Policy experiences with domestic energy efficiency technologies and with national smart meter roll-outs offer useful precedents. - Highlights: • Representative national survey of prospective smart home users. • Comparative analysis of three datasets to analyse perceived benefits and risks of smart home technologies. • Distinctive characteristics identified of early adopters who seed market growth. • Comparison of user perceptions with industry marketing. • Detailed policy recommendations to support energy benefits of smart home technologies.

  16. Feasibility of BCI Control in a Realistic Smart Home Environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosmyna, Nataliya; Tarpin-Bernard, Franck; Bonnefond, Nicolas; Rivet, Bertrand

    2016-01-01

    Smart homes have been an active area of research, however despite considerable investment, they are not yet a reality for end-users. Moreover, there are still accessibility challenges for the elderly or the disabled, two of the main potential targets for home automation. In this exploratory study we design a control mechanism for smart homes based on Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI) and apply it in the "Domus" smart home platform in order to evaluate the potential interest of users about BCIs at home. We enable users to control lighting, a TV set, a coffee machine and the shutters of the smart home. We evaluate the performance (accuracy, interaction time), usability and feasibility (USE questionnaire) on 12 healthy subjects and 2 disabled subjects. We find that healthy subjects achieve 77% task accuracy. However, disabled subjects achieved a better accuracy (81% compared to 77%).

  17. Home

    Science.gov (United States)

    Military Commission Seal VWAP Login Home Go ABOUT US Organization Overview Organizational Chart Families VWAP Login CCTV Sites Travel Media MC News CCTV Sites Travel Today at OMC Home Today at OMC Daily

  18. Home hemodialysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Agar, John W; Perkins, Anthony; Heaf, James G

    2015-01-01

    We describe the infrastructure that is necessary for hemodialysis in the home focusing on physical requirements, the organization of plumbing and water, and the key features that should guide the selection of machines that are suitable for home use.......We describe the infrastructure that is necessary for hemodialysis in the home focusing on physical requirements, the organization of plumbing and water, and the key features that should guide the selection of machines that are suitable for home use....

  19. HomePort

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Per Printz

    2009-01-01

    In the last couple of year's computer based home control systems are getting more and more common in modern homes. For instance these systems take care of light control, heat control and security systems.  The latest trend is to use wireless communication like Z-Wave and ZigBee to interconnect...... different components in these systems. One of the characteristics is that each system, like for instance heat and light, has their own specific way of using the communication system.   This paper describes a way to connect different home control systems through an intelligent gateway, called a Home......Port. The HomePort consists of a number of Subsystem communication drivers, a virtual communication layer, an interpreter and a PC- based compiler for a high level control language, called GIL (Gateway intelligence language). The focus in this paper will be on the upper two layers in the Home...

  20. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Thrive Home Builders, Lowry Plan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

    2017-09-01

    Thrive Home Builders built this 4,119-ft2 home at the Lowry development in Denver, Colorado, to the high-performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home Program. Despite the dense positioning of the homes, mono-plane roof designs afforded plenty of space for the 8.68 kW of photovoltaic panels. With the PV, the home achieves a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 4 and the home owners should enjoy energy bills of about $-11 a year. Without the PV, the home would score a HERS 38 (far lower than the HERS 80 to 100 of typical new homes).

  1. Multidisciplinary nutritional support for undernutrition in nursing home and home-care

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beck, Anne Marie; Gøgsig Christensen, Annette; Stenbæk Hansen, Birthe

    2016-01-01

    Objective To assess the effect of multidisciplinary nutritional support for undernutrition in older adults in nursing home and home-care identified with the validated Eating Validation Scheme (EVS). Methods An 11 wk cluster randomized trial with a home-care (3 clusters) or nursing home (3 clusters.......3] versus 1.3 [0.5], P = 0.021) was observed. There was a almost significant difference in mortality (2% versus 13%, P = 0.079). Conclusions Multidisciplinary nutritional support in older adults in nursing home and home-care could have a positive effect on quality of life, muscle strength, and oral care....... means of EuroQol-5D-3L), physical performance (30-seconds chair stand), nutritional status (weight and hand-grip strength), oral care, fall incidents, hospital admissions, rehabilitation stay, moving to nursing homes (participants from home-care), and mortality. Results Respectively, 55 (46 from 2 home...

  2. The Medical Home

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Videos for Educators Search English Español The Medical Home KidsHealth / For Parents / The Medical Home What's in ... for your child. What Does the Term "Medical Home" Mean? A medical home isn't a place ...

  3. Adolescent physical activity and screen time: associations with the physical home environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farbakhsh Kian

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous research on the environment and physical activity has mostly focused on macro-scale environments, such as the neighborhood environment. There has been a paucity of research on the role of micro-scale and proximal environments, such as that of the home which may be particularly relevant for younger adolescents who have more limited independence and mobility. The purpose of this study was to describe associations between the home environment and adolescent physical activity, sedentary time, and screen time. Methods A total of 613 parent-adolescent dyads were included in these analyses from two ongoing cohort studies. Parents completed a Physical Activity and Media Inventory (PAMI of their home environment. Adolescent participants (49% male, 14.5 ± 1.8 years self-reported their participation in screen time behaviors and wore an ActiGraph accelerometer for one week to assess active and sedentary time. Results After adjusting for possible confounders, physical activity equipment density in the home was positively associated with accelerometer-measured physical activity (p Conclusions The home environment was associated with physical activity and screen time behavior in adolescents and differential environmental effects for males and females were observed. Additional research is warranted to more comprehensively assess the home environment and to identify obesogenic typologies of families so that early identification of at-risk families can lead to more informed, targeted intervention efforts.

  4. Sensor-Based Optimization Model for Air Quality Improvement in Home IoT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jonghyuk; Hwangbo, Hyunwoo

    2018-03-23

    We introduce current home Internet of Things (IoT) technology and present research on its various forms and applications in real life. In addition, we describe IoT marketing strategies as well as specific modeling techniques for improving air quality, a key home IoT service. To this end, we summarize the latest research on sensor-based home IoT, studies on indoor air quality, and technical studies on random data generation. In addition, we develop an air quality improvement model that can be readily applied to the market by acquiring initial analytical data and building infrastructures using spectrum/density analysis and the natural cubic spline method. Accordingly, we generate related data based on user behavioral values. We integrate the logic into the existing home IoT system to enable users to easily access the system through the Web or mobile applications. We expect that the present introduction of a practical marketing application method will contribute to enhancing the expansion of the home IoT market.

  5. The Need for Higher Minimum Staffing Standards in U.S. Nursing Homes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harrington, Charlene; Schnelle, John F.; McGregor, Margaret; Simmons, Sandra F.

    2016-01-01

    Many U.S. nursing homes have serious quality problems, in part, because of inadequate levels of nurse staffing. This commentary focuses on two issues. First, there is a need for higher minimum nurse staffing standards for U.S. nursing homes based on multiple research studies showing a positive relationship between nursing home quality and staffing and the benefits of implementing higher minimum staffing standards. Studies have identified the minimum staffing levels necessary to provide care consistent with the federal regulations, but many U.S. facilities have dangerously low staffing. Second, the barriers to staffing reform are discussed. These include economic concerns about costs and a focus on financial incentives. The enforcement of existing staffing standards has been weak, and strong nursing home industry political opposition has limited efforts to establish higher standards. Researchers should study the ways to improve staffing standards and new payment, regulatory, and political strategies to improve nursing home staffing and quality. PMID:27103819

  6. Maternity waiting homes in Southern Lao PDR: the unique 'silk home'.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckermann, Elizabeth; Deodato, Giovanni

    2008-10-01

    The concept of maternity waiting homes (MWH) has a long history spanning over 100 years. The research reported here was conducted in the Thateng District of Sekong Province in southern Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) to establish whether the MWH concept would be affordable, accessible, and most importantly acceptable, as a strategy to improve maternal outcomes in the remote communities of Thateng with a high proportion of the population from ethnic minority groups. The research suggested that there were major barriers to minority ethnic groups using existing maternal health services (reflected in very low usage of trained birth attendants and hospitals and clinics) in Thateng. Unless MWH are adapted to overcome these potential barriers, such initiatives will suffer the same fate as existing maternal facilities. Consequently, the Lao iteration of the concept, as operationalized in the Silk Homes project in southern Lao PDR is unique in combining maternal and infant health services with opportunities for micro credit and income generating activities and allowing non-harmful traditional practices to co-exist alongside modern medical protocols. These innovative approaches to the MWH concept address the major economic, social and cultural barriers to usage of safe birthing options in remote communities of southern Lao PDR.

  7. Envisioning a smart home that can learn and negotiate the needs of multiple users

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chuang, Y.; Chen, L.; Lee, Y-H.

    2015-01-01

    Most of the previous smart home researches were primarily concerned for single-user scenarios. However, our homes are usually full with social interactions. In order to explore the research challenge, we applied need-finding approaches to envision the possibilities. We visited ten families to prove

  8. Home drinking in the UK: trends and causes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, John H; Ferguson, Colin S

    2012-01-01

    To explore the trend in the UK to consume alcohol at home rather than at licensed premises. A Medline search entering the terms 'home drinking', 'alcohol' and 'adult' covering the period 2000-2011 yielded 48 articles, of which 6 met the criteria to be included in the review. Grey literature including survey and market research data were reviewed. In the UK, since 1970 there has been trend for beer to be consumed at home more often than in licensed premises and that the overall trend towards greater home drinking has increased since 2000. The main reasons given are convenience, cost, safety, autonomy and stress relief. There has also been an increase in the practice known as 'pre-loading' (drinking before going out). Adults who drink mainly at home report that they are aware that they run a risk of higher overall alcohol consumption but tend to play down the possibility that increased consumption may lead to longer-term harm. Home drinking trends may have long-term public health consequences. Greater understanding of the drivers of this trend will help policy-makers to respond to these societal changes.

  9. Depression in nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snowdon, John

    2010-11-01

    Although studies have shown the prevalence of depression in nursing homes to be high, under-recognition of depression in these facilities is widespread. Use of screening tests to enhance detection of depressive symptoms has been recommended. This paper aims to provoke discussion about optimal management of depression in nursing homes. The utility of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) is considered. CSDD data relating to residents assessed in 2008-2009 were collected from three Sydney nursing homes. CSDD scores were available from 162 residents, though raters stated they were unable to score participants on at least one item in 47 cases. Scores of 13 or more were recorded for 23% of residents in these facilities, but in most of these cases little was documented in case files to show that the results had been discussed by staff, or that they led to interventions, or that follow-up testing was arranged. Results of CSDD testing should prompt care staff (including doctors) to consider causation of depression in cases where residents are identified as possibly depressed. In particular, there needs to be discussion of how to help residents to cope with disability, losses, and feelings of powerlessness. Research is needed, examining factors that might predict response to antidepressants, and what else helps. Accreditation of nursing homes could be made to depend partly on evidence that staff regularly search for, and (if found) ensure appropriate responses to, depression.

  10. Active and Inactive Enhancers Cooperate to Exert Localized and Long-Range Control of Gene Regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proudhon, Charlotte; Snetkova, Valentina; Raviram, Ramya; Lobry, Camille; Badri, Sana; Jiang, Tingting; Hao, Bingtao; Trimarchi, Thomas; Kluger, Yuval; Aifantis, Iannis; Bonneau, Richard; Skok, Jane A

    2016-06-07

    V(D)J recombination relies on the presence of proximal enhancers that activate the antigen receptor (AgR) loci in a lineage- and stage-specific manner. Unexpectedly, we find that both active and inactive AgR enhancers cooperate to disseminate their effects in a localized and long-range manner. Here, we demonstrate the importance of short-range contacts between active enhancers that constitute an Igk super-enhancer in B cells. Deletion of one element reduces the interaction frequency between other enhancers in the hub, which compromises the transcriptional output of each component. Furthermore, we establish that, in T cells, long-range contact and cooperation between the inactive Igk enhancer MiEκ and the active Tcrb enhancer Eβ alters enrichment of CBFβ binding in a manner that impacts Tcrb recombination. These findings underline the complexities of enhancer regulation and point to a role for localized and long-range enhancer-sharing between active and inactive elements in lineage- and stage-specific control. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Comparison of Home Retrofit Programs in Wisconsin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cunningham, Kerrie [Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (United States). NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership; Hannigan, Eileen [Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (United States). NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership

    2013-03-01

    To explore ways to reduce customer barriers and increase home retrofit completions, several different existing home retrofit models have been implemented in the state of Wisconsin. This study compared these programs' performance in terms of savings per home and program cost per home to assess the relative cost-effectiveness of each program design. However, given the many variations in these different programs, it is difficult to establish a fair comparison based on only a small number of metrics. Therefore, the overall purpose of the study is to document these programs' performance in a case study approach to look at general patterns of these metrics and other variables within the context of each program. This information can be used by energy efficiency program administrators and implementers to inform home retrofit program design. Six different program designs offered in Wisconsin for single-family energy efficiency improvements were included in the study. For each program, the research team provided information about the programs' approach and goals, characteristics, achievements and performance. The program models were then compared with performance results-program cost and energy savings-to help understand the overall strengths and weaknesses or challenges of each model.

  12. Comparison of Home Retrofit Programs in Wisconsin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cunningham, K.; Hannigan, E.

    2013-03-01

    To explore ways to reduce customer barriers and increase home retrofit completions, several different existing home retrofit models have been implemented in the state of Wisconsin. This study compared these programs' performance in terms of savings per home and program cost per home to assess the relative cost-effectiveness of each program design. However, given the many variations in these different programs, it is difficult to establish a fair comparison based on only a small number of metrics. Therefore, the overall purpose of the study is to document these programs' performance in a case study approach to look at general patterns of these metrics and other variables within the context of each program. This information can be used by energy efficiency program administrators and implementers to inform home retrofit program design. Six different program designs offered in Wisconsin for single-family energy efficiency improvements were included in the study. For each program, the research team provided information about the programs' approach and goals, characteristics, achievements and performance. The program models were then compared with performance results -- program cost and energy savings -- to help understand the overall strengths and weaknesses or challenges of each model.

  13. Maternity waiting homes in Rural Health Centers of Ethiop: The ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    kim

    1 The Last Ten Kilometers Project, JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., Addis ... The main aim of this study was to assess the situation of maternity waiting ... experiences and challenges of mothers using waiting homes. ..... education on MWHs were home visits by HEWs ... travel long distances to deliver food, which meant.

  14. Background television in the homes of American children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lapierre, M.A.; Piotrowski, J.; Linebarger, D.L.

    2012-01-01

    Research has shown the negative consequences associated with children’s exposure to background television. Despite this evidence, researchers do not have reliable estimates of the prevalence of background television in American homes. This study sought to address this gap by providing the first

  15. Feasibility of BCI Control in a Realistic Smart Home Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosmyna, Nataliya; Tarpin-Bernard, Franck; Bonnefond, Nicolas; Rivet, Bertrand

    2016-01-01

    Smart homes have been an active area of research, however despite considerable investment, they are not yet a reality for end-users. Moreover, there are still accessibility challenges for the elderly or the disabled, two of the main potential targets for home automation. In this exploratory study we design a control mechanism for smart homes based on Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI) and apply it in the “Domus”1 smart home platform in order to evaluate the potential interest of users about BCIs at home. We enable users to control lighting, a TV set, a coffee machine and the shutters of the smart home. We evaluate the performance (accuracy, interaction time), usability and feasibility (USE questionnaire) on 12 healthy subjects and 2 disabled subjects. We find that healthy subjects achieve 77% task accuracy. However, disabled subjects achieved a better accuracy (81% compared to 77%). PMID:27616986

  16. Feasibility of BCI Control in a Realistic Smart Home Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nataliya Kosmyna

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Smart homes have been an active area of research, however despite considerable investment, they are not yet a reality for end-users. Moreover, there are still accessibility challenges for the elderly or the disabled, two of the main potential targets for home automation. In this exploratory study we design a control mechanism for smart homes based on Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI and apply it in the Domus smart home platform in order to evaluate the potential interest of users about BCIs at home. We enable users to control lighting, a TV set, a coffee machine and the shutters of the smart home. We evaluate the performance (accuracy, interaction time, usability and feasibility (USE questionnaire on 12 healthy subjects and 2 disabled subjects. We find that healthy subjects achieve 77% task accuracy. However, disabled subjects achieved a better accuracy (81% compared to 77%.

  17. Home Automation : Smart home technology and template house design

    OpenAIRE

    Zheng, Zeya

    2013-01-01

    In this thesis, home automation’s general knowledge, technology information and each component will be introduced to the reader in the first half of the whole thesis. In the second half, thesis includes the Home Automation template design and market competitiveness analysis. The author assumes that the reader is going to spend lots of money to have a smart home. In this situation, the author introduces the home automation to the reader at each component. So the reader in this thesis actu...

  18. Predictors of Home Care Expenditures and Death at Home for Cancer Patients in an Integrated Comprehensive Palliative Home Care Pilot Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, Doris M.; Abernathy, Tom; Cockerill, Rhonda; Brazil, Kevin; Wagner, Frank; Librach, Larry

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: Empirical understanding of predictors for home care service use and death at home is important for healthcare planning. Few studies have examined these predictors in the context of the publicly funded Canadian home care system. This study examined predictors for home care use and home death in the context of a “gold standard” comprehensive palliative home care program pilot in Ontario where patients had equal access to home care services. Methods: Secondary clinical and administrative data sources were linked using a unique identifier to examine multivariate factors (predisposing, enabling, need) on total home care expenditures and home death for a cohort of cancer patients enrolled in the HPCNet pilot. Results: Subjects with gastrointestinal symptoms (OR: 1.64; p=0.03) and those with higher income had increased odds of dying at home (OR: 1.14; phome care expenditures. Conclusions: Predictors of home death found in earlier studies appeared less important in this comprehensive palliative home care pilot. An income effect for home death observed in this study requires examination in future controlled studies. Relevance: Access to palliative home care that is adequately resourced and organized to address the multiple domains of issues that patients/families experience at the end of life has the potential to enable home death and shift care appropriately from limited acute care resources. PMID:22294993

  19. Home Appliance Load Scheduling with SEMIAH

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, Rune Hylsberg; Ghasem Azar, Armin; Zhang, Qi

    2015-01-01

    The European research project SEMIAH aims at designing a scalable infrastructure for residential demand response. This paper presents the progress towards a centralized load scheduling algorithm for controlling home appliances taking power grid constraints and satisfaction of consumers into account....

  20. Development of eHOME, a Mobile Instrument for Reporting, Monitoring, and Consulting Drug-Related Problems in Home Care: Human-Centered Design Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dijkstra, Nienke Elske; Sino, Carolina Geertruida Maria; Heerdink, Eibert Rob; Schuurmans, Marieke Joanna

    2018-03-07

    Home care patients often use many medications and are prone to drug-related problems (DRPs). For the management of problems related to drug use, home care could add to the multidisciplinary expertise of general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists. The home care observation of medication-related problems by home care employees (HOME)-instrument is paper-based and assists home care workers in reporting potential DRPs. To facilitate the multiprofessional consultation, a digital report of DRPs from the HOME-instrument and digital monitoring and consulting of DRPs between home care and general practices and pharmacies is desired. The objective of this study was to develop an electronic HOME system (eHOME), a mobile version of the HOME-instrument that includes a monitoring and a consulting system for primary care. The development phase of the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework was followed in which an iterative human-centered design (HCD) approach was applied. The approach involved a Delphi round for the context of use and user requirements analysis of the digital HOME-instrument and the monitoring and consulting system followed by 2 series of pilots for testing the usability and redesign. By using an iterative design approach and by involving home care workers, GPs, and pharmacists throughout the process as informants, design partners, and testers, important aspects that were crucial for system realization and user acceptance were revealed. Through the report webpage interface, which includes the adjusted content of the HOME-instrument and added home care practice-based problems, home care workers can digitally report observed DRPs. Furthermore, it was found that the monitoring and consulting webpage interfaces enable digital consultation between home care and general practices and pharmacies. The webpages were considered convenient, clear, easy, and usable. By employing an HCD approach, the eHOME-instrument was found to be an easy-to-use system. The systematic

  1. An ecological dynamics rationale to explain home advantage in professional football

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gama, José; Dias, Gonçalo; Couceiro, Micael; Passos, Pedro; Davids, Keith; Ribeiro, João

    2016-03-01

    Despite clear findings, research on home advantage in team sports lacks a comprehensive theoretical rationale for understanding why this phenomenon is so compelling. The aim of this study was to provide an explanatory theoretical rationale in ecological dynamics for the influence of home advantage observed in research on professional football. We recorded 30 competitive matches and analyzed 13958 passes, from one highly successful team in the Portuguese Premier League, during season 2010/2011. Performance data were analyzed using the Match Analysis Software—Amisco® (version 3.3.7.25), allowing us to characterize team activity profiles. Results were interpreted from an ecological dynamics perspective, explaining how task and environmental constraints of a competitive football setting required performers to continuously co-adapt to teammate behaviors. Despite slight differences in percentage of ball possession when playing home or away, the number of passes achieved by the team, while in possession of the ball, was quite different between home or away venues. When playing at home, the number of passes performed by the team was considerably higher than when playing away. The explanation proposed in this study for a home advantage effect can be understood from studying interpersonal coordination tendencies of team sports players as agents in a complex adaptive system.

  2. An Analysis of the Effects of Residential Photovoltaic Energy Systems on Home Sales Prices in California

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoen, Ben; Cappers, Peter; Wiser, Ryan; Thayer, Mark

    2011-04-19

    An increasing number of homes in the U.S. have sold with photovoltaic (PV) energy systems installed at the time of sale, yet relatively little research exists that estimates the marginal impacts of those PV systems on home sale prices. A clearer understanding of these possible impacts might influence the decisions of homeowners considering the installation of a PV system, homebuyers considering the purchase of a home with PV already installed, and new home builders considering including PV as an optional or standard product on their homes. This research analyzes a large dataset of California homes that sold from 2000 through mid-2009 with PV installed. It finds strong evidence that homes with PV systems sold for a premium over comparable homes without PV systems during this time frame. Estimates for this premium expressed in dollars per watt of installed PV range, on average, from roughly $4 to $5.5/watt across a large number of hedonic and repeat sales model specifications and robustness tests. When expressed as a ratio of the sales price premium of PV to estimated annual energy cost savings associated with PV, an average ratio of 14:1 to 19:1 can be calculated; these results are consistent with those of the more-extensive existing literature on the impact of energy efficiency on sales prices. When the data are split among new and existing homes, however, PV system premiums are markedly affected. New homes with PV show premiums of $2.3-2.6/watt, while existing homes with PV show premiums of more than $6/watt. Reasons for this discrepancy are suggested, yet further research is warranted. A number of other areas where future research would be useful are also highlighted.

  3. "Dignity": A central construct in nursing home staff understandings of quality continence care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ostaszkiewicz, Joan; Tomlinson, Emily; Hutchinson, Alison M

    2018-02-03

    To explore nursing home staff members' beliefs and expectations about what constitutes "quality continence care" for people living in nursing homes. Most nursing home residents require assistance to maintain continence or manage incontinence. Best practice guidelines promote active investigation of incontinence, treatment of underlying potentially reversible causes, and initial conservative interventions to prevent, minimise and/or treat incontinence. Despite research showing the positive benefits of implementing active interventions, translating the findings of research into practice in nursing homes has been modest. Understanding the perspectives of individuals who provide continence care may help bridge the gap between evidence and practice. A qualitative exploratory descriptive design. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 19 nursing home staff: eight registered nurses, four enrolled nurses and seven personal care workers working in a nursing home in Australia between 2014-2015. Data were analysed inductively to identify themes and subthemes that described and explained staff beliefs about quality continence care in nursing homes. Participants' understanding and expectations about quality continence care were linked to beliefs about incontinence being an intractable and undignified condition in nursing homes. The key theme to emerge was "protecting residents' dignity" which was supported by the following six subthemes: (i) using pads, ii) providing privacy, (iii) knowing how to "manage" incontinence, (iv) providing timely continence care, (v) considering residents' continence care preferences and (vi) communicating sensitively. The findings provide new insight into the basis for continence care practices in nursing homes. Education about continence care should challenge beliefs that limit continence care practice to cleaning, containing and concealing incontinence. There is a need for a multidimensional framework that is informed by social, psychological

  4. Restraint use in older adults in home care: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheepmans, Kristien; Dierckx de Casterlé, Bernadette; Paquay, Louis; Milisen, Koen

    2018-03-01

    To get insight into restraint use in older adults receiving home care and, more specifically, into the definition, prevalence and types of restraint, as well as the reasons for restraint use and the people involved in the decision-making process. Systematic review. Four databases (i.e. Pubmed, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Library) were systematically searched from inception to end of April 2017. The study encompassed qualitative and quantitative research on restraint use in older adults receiving home care that reported definitions of restraint, prevalence of use, types of restraint, reasons for use or the people involved. We considered publications written in English, French, Dutch and German. One reviewer performed the search and made the initial selection based on titles and abstracts. The final selection was made by two reviewers working independently; they also assessed study quality. We used an integrated design to synthesise the findings. Eight studies were reviewed (one qualitative, seven quantitative) ranging in quality from moderate to high. The review indicated there was no single, clear definition of restraint. The prevalence of restraint use ranged from 5% to 24.7%, with various types of restraint being used. Families played an important role in the decision-making process and application of restraints; general practitioners were less involved. Specific reasons, other than safety for using restraints in home care were noted (e.g. delay to nursing home admission; to provide respite for an informal caregiver). Contrary to the current socio demographical evolutions resulting in an increasing demand of restraint use in home care, research on this subject is still scarce and recent. The limited evidence however points to the challenging complexity and specificity of home care regarding restraint use. Given these serious challenges for clinical practice, more research about restraint use in home care is urgently needed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier

  5. AP@home: The Artificial Pancreas Is Now at Home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinemann, Lutz; Benesch, Carsten; DeVries, J Hans

    2016-07-01

    In the past years the development of an artificial pancreas (AP) has made great progress and many activities are ongoing in this area of research. The major step forward made in the last years was moving the evaluation of AP systems from highly controlled experimental conditions to daily life conditions at the home of patients with diabetes; this was also the aim of the European Union-funded AP@home project. Over a time period of 5 years a series of clinical studies were performed that culminated in 2 "final studies" during which an AP system was used by patients in their home environment for 2 or 3 months without supervision by a physician, living their normal lives. Two different versions of the AP system developed within this project were evaluated. A significant improvement in glycated hemoglobin was observed during closed-loop conditions despite the fact that during the control period the patients used the best currently available therapeutic option. In addition, a "single-port AP system" was developed within the project that combines continuous glucose monitoring and insulin infusion at a single tissue site. By using such a combined device the patients not only have to carry one less device around, the number of access points through the skin is also reduced from 2 to 1. In summary, close cooperation of 12 European partners, both academic centers and industry, enabled the development and evaluation of AP systems under daily life conditions. The next step is to develop these into products in cooperation with commercial partners. © 2016 Diabetes Technology Society.

  6. Efficient Solutions for New Homes Case Study: Savannah Gardens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2016-03-15

    The Savannah Housing Department is leading sustainable and affordable housing development in Georgia. It partnered with Southface Energy Institute, a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Partnership for Home Innovation Building America research team, to seek cost-effective solutions for increasing the energy efficiency of the Savannah Housing Department’s standard single-family home plans in the Savannah Gardens Community. Based on engineering, cost, and constructability analyses, the combined research team chose to pilot two technologies to evaluate efficiency and comfort impacts for homeowners: a heat-pump water heater in an encapsulated attic and an insulated exterior wall sheathing.

  7. Dimensions of taste qualifying didactic reflections on home economics education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wistoft, Karen; Qvortrup, Lars

    Aim: Traditionally and worldwide home economics education has been concerned with taste and flavorings based training associated with students cooking in the school kitchen. In contrast new educational research on food knowledge in the Danish public school shows that taste is used as a didactic...... review on children, learning, food and taste followed by analyses in a value reflective pedagogy perspective as well as quantitative and qualitative research in home economic education. This has been combined with systems theory developed by the German sociologist Niklas Luhmann providing concepts...... element and "overtakes" more traditional didactic elements like motivation and active participation. The purpose of this proposal is to present a systematic model for qualifying reflections on taste in home economics and food education. The objective is to identify four dimensions of taste that can...

  8. Eldercare at Home: Choosing a Nursing Home

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... required, these services can be provided by a separate home health agency as directed by a doctor or ... complaints made by or on behalf of nursing home residents and work to resolve the problems. If they are unable ...

  9. Smart Home Hacking

    OpenAIRE

    Kodra, Suela

    2016-01-01

    Smart Home is an intelligent home equipped with devices and communications systems that enables the residents to connect and control their home appliances and systems. This technology has changed the way a consumer interacts with his home, enabling more control and convenience. Another advantage of this technology is the positive impact it has on savings on energy and other resources. However, despite the consumer's excitement about smart home, security and privacy have shown to be the strong...

  10. Researching family through the everyday lives of children across home and day care in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kousholt, Dorte

    2011-01-01

    The article investigates family as a conflictual community with a specific starting point in exploring children's lives across day-care institution and home. Children's development is theorised in relation to taking part in different communities across different contexts. The article draws...... on an ethnographically inspired research project with 6 families living in a small town in Denmark. The analysis points to how the children's possibilities of participation are created across their different life contexts and that the social interplay and conflicts between the children in the day-care institution have...... impacts on the relation and interaction between parents and children. Parenting in that way reaches far beyond the family and includes taking into account various issues in the other places where the children spend their time. The children's developmental possibilities are shaped by the relations...

  11. Researching family through the everyday lives of children across home and day care in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kousholt, Dorte

    2011-01-01

    on an ethnographically inspired research project with 6 families living in a small town in Denmark. The analysis points to how the children's possibilities of participation are created across their different life contexts and that the social interplay and conflicts between the children in the day-care institution have......The article investigates family as a conflictual community with a specific starting point in exploring children's lives across day-care institution and home. Children's development is theorised in relation to taking part in different communities across different contexts. The article draws...... impacts on the relation and interaction between parents and children. Parenting in that way reaches far beyond the family and includes taking into account various issues in the other places where the children spend their time. The children's developmental possibilities are shaped by the relations...

  12. "I had a dream and i built it": power and self-staging in ubiquitous high-end homes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lynggaard, Aviaja Borup; Petersen, Marianne Graves; Hepworth, Sam

    2012-01-01

    Research on smart homes and ubiquitous homes is often highly focused on the challenges and obstacles for establishing and living in smart homes. Few have studied peoples' motivations for establishing smart homes as well as the real life experiences living in such homes. We have had the chance to ...

  13. Interactive CaringTV® supporting elderly living at home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehto, Paula

    2013-01-01

    Interactive CaringTV® is a Finnish innovation that was developed by Laurea University of Applied Sciences in 2006. CaringTV was developed through action research during three research projects. The aim of interactive CaringTV is to support the health and well-being of elderly people living in their own homes. The Safe Home project was based on action research, userdriven methods, and a case study. User-driven methods were applied in planning, implementing and evaluating the programme and eServices e.g. testing and evaluating peer support, including eConsultation as the methods for supporting clients´ coping with life in their own homes. Costeffectiveness and process modelling were studied through the case study. The user-driven approach and the collected data formed the basis for the interactive programme. The online CaringTV programme included content to: support everyday life for the elderly, safety, and activities of daily living, support social relationships, participate in rehabilitation and physical exercises, manage self-care, and health issues. Active participation in the CaringTV programme provided functional ability and everyday coping as well as a meaningful activity in everyday life. CaringTV is an interactive platform to support elderly in their everyday life and help them cope at home. User-driven methods enable participants´ active involvement in planning interactive and online programmes and eServices via CaringTV. The ultimate goal of the CaringTV is to support elderly´s health, wellbeing and interaction. CaringTV empowers elderly people to take responsibility for their own health care as part of healthy ageing.

  14. Patient safety culture in care homes for older people: a scoping review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily Gartshore

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the role of safety culture in preventing incidents such as medication errors and falls. However, research and developments in safety culture has predominantly taken place in hospital settings, with relatively less attention given to establishing a safety culture in care homes. Despite safety culture being accepted as an important quality indicator across all health and social care settings, the understanding of culture within social care settings remains far less developed than within hospitals. It is therefore important that the existing evidence base is gathered and reviewed in order to understand safety culture in care homes. Methods A scoping review was undertaken to describe the availability of evidence related to care homes’ patient safety culture, what these studies focused on, and identify any knowledge gaps within the existing literature. Included papers were each reviewed by two authors for eligibility and to draw out information relevant to the scoping review. Results Twenty-four empirical papers and one literature review were included within the scoping review. The collective evidence demonstrated that safety culture research is largely based in the USA, within Nursing Homes rather than Residential Home settings. Moreover, the scoping review revealed that empirical evidence has predominantly used quantitative measures, and therefore the deeper levels of culture have not been captured in the evidence base. Conclusions Safety culture in care homes is a topic that has not been extensively researched. The review highlights a number of key gaps in the evidence base, which future research into safety culture in care home should attempt to address.

  15. Exploring the critical quality attributes and models of smart homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ted Luor, Tainyi; Lu, Hsi-Peng; Yu, Hueiju; Lu, Yinshiu

    2015-12-01

    Research on smart homes has significantly increased in recent years owing to their considerably improved affordability and simplicity. However, the challenge is that people have different needs (or attitudes toward smart homes), and provision should be tailored to individuals. A few studies have classified the functions of smart homes. Therefore, the Kano model is first adopted as a theoretical base to explore whether the functional classifications of smart homes are attractive or necessary, or both. Second, three models and test user attitudes toward three function types of smart homes are proposed. Based on the Kano model, the principal results, namely, two "Attractive Quality" and nine "Indifferent Quality" items, are found. Verification of the hypotheses also indicates that the entertainment, security, and automation functions are significantly correlated with the variables "perceive useful" and "attitude." Cost consideration is negatively correlated with attitudes toward entertainment and automation. Results suggest that smart home providers should survey user needs for their product instead of merely producing smart homes based on the design of the builder or engineer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Feature Optimization for Long-Range Visual Homing in Changing Environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qidan Zhu

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper introduces a feature optimization method for robot long-range feature-based visual homing in changing environments. To cope with the changing environmental appearance, the optimization procedure is introduced to distinguish the most relevant features for feature-based visual homing, including the spatial distribution, selection and updating. In the previous research on feature-based visual homing, less effort has been spent on the way to improve the feature distribution to get uniformly distributed features, which are closely related to homing performance. This paper presents a modified feature extraction algorithm to decrease the influence of anisotropic feature distribution. In addition, the feature selection and updating mechanisms, which have hardly drawn any attention in the domain of feature-based visual homing, are crucial in improving homing accuracy and in maintaining the representation of changing environments. To verify the feasibility of the proposal, several comprehensive evaluations are conducted. The results indicate that the feature optimization method can find optimal feature sets for feature-based visual homing, and adapt the appearance representation to the changing environments as well.

  17. Home setting after stroke, facilitators and barriers: A systematic literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcheschi, Elizabeth; Von Koch, Lena; Pessah-Rasmussen, Hélène; Elf, Marie

    2018-07-01

    This paper seeks to improve the understanding of the interaction between patients with stroke and the physical environment in their home settings. Stroke care is increasingly performed in the patient's home. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to identify the existing knowledge about facilitators and barriers in the physical environment of home settings for the stroke rehabilitation process. Based upon Arksey and O'Malley's framework, a Boolean search strategy was performed in the databases; CINAHL, Medline, Web of Science and Scopus. Fifteen articles were retained from the literature search conducted between August and November 2016, and two researchers independently assessed their quality based on the Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment guidelines. The results suggest that despite the healthcare system's ongoing shift towards home-based rehabilitation, the role played by the physical environment of home settings is still considered a side finding. Moreover, the research appears to focus mainly on how this environment supports mobility and activities of daily living, whereas information regarding the psychosocial and emotional processes that mediate the interaction between stroke survivors and their home setting are missing. A lack of information was also found with regard to the influence of different geographic locations on the stroke rehabilitation process. Future investigations are therefore needed to advance the understanding of the role played by the physical environment of home settings in supporting stroke recovery. © 2017 The Authors. Health and Social Care in the Community Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Occupational Stress Among Home Healthcare Workers: Integrating Worker and Agency-Level Factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zoeckler, Jeanette M

    2018-02-01

    Home healthcare work is physically and emotionally exhausting. In addition, home healthcare workers frequently work under precarious work arrangements for low wages and in poor work conditions. Little is known about how sources of job strain for home healthcare workers might be reduced. This research examines the occupational stressors among paid home care workers by analyzing home healthcare agency characteristics and individual home healthcare workers' experiences in upstate New York agencies (n = 9). The study augments existing theoretical models and describes new sources of stress arising from the nature of agency-based caregiving. Results feature the analysis of both agency executives' (n = 20) and home healthcare workers' narratives (n = 25) to make the agency's inner workings more transparent. Agency structures and culture are implicated in the lack of progress to address home care workers' health problems. Policy change should focus on compensation, healthier work conditions, and training requirements.

  19. Factors influencing women's decision to have a home birth in rural Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kukulu, Kamile; Oncel, Selma

    2009-02-01

    to ascertain the reasons why mothers choose to have a home birth and the factors that influence these reasons. this cross-sectional study involved 392 women and was conducted between June and September 2003 in a rural setting in Turkey. The data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the authors. The questionnaire included demographic information, obstetric background, the reasons for deciding to give birth at home as well as questions on who encouraged the decision to give birth at home and who assisted in the home births. the decision to have a home birth is related to economic difficulties and the desire to benefit from the assistance of neighbours. Women who had experienced both planned and unplanned home births reported that home birth was unsafe. preliminary information is provided about women having home births that may inform practitioners' educational efforts and future research.

  20. Medicare home health utilization as a function of nursing home market factors.

    OpenAIRE

    Swan, J H; Benjamin, A E

    1990-01-01

    Rapid increases in the size and costs of the home health market, unknown impacts of Medicare's DRG hospital reimbursement on the posthospital market, and general lack of knowledge about factors that explain interstate variation in home health utilization all suggest the importance of developing and testing models of Medicare home health use. This article proposes and tests a model of state home health utilization as a function of the nursing home market. This model proposes that home health u...

  1. Ostomy Home Skills Program

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Workforce Trauma and EMS Cancer and Research Health Information Technology Scope of Practice Pediatric Issues Other Federal Legislative Issues Regulatory Issues Regulatory Issues Regulatory Issues Stop Overregulating My OR ... American Urological Association (AUA), Certified Enterostomal Therapy Nurses (CETN), and the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA). Program Overview The skills kit contains: A booklet with information on the operation, home skills such as emptying ...

  2. Final Scientific/Technical Report: Context-Aware Smart Home Energy Manager (CASHEM)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Foslien, Wendy K. [Honeywell International Inc., Golden Valley, MN (United States); Curtner, Keith L. [Honeywell International Inc., Golden Valley, MN (United States)

    2013-01-15

    Because of growing energy demands and shortages, residential home owners are turning to energy conservation measures and smart home energy management devices to help them reduce energy costs and live more sustainably. In this context, the Honeywell team researched, developed, and tested the Context Aware Smart Home Energy Manager (CASHEM) as a trusted advisor for home energy management. The project focused on connecting multiple devices in a home through a uniform user interface. The design of the user interface was an important feature of the project because it provided a single place for the homeowner to control all devices and was also where they received coaching. CASHEM then used data collected from homes to identify the contexts that affect operation of home appliances. CASHEM's goal was to reduce energy consumption while keeping the user's key needs satisfied. Thus, CASHEM was intended to find the opportunities to minimize energy consumption in a way that fit the user's lifestyle.

  3. The Sweet-Home speech and multimodal corpus for home automation interaction

    OpenAIRE

    Vacher , Michel; Lecouteux , Benjamin; Chahuara , Pedro; Portet , François; Meillon , Brigitte; Bonnefond , Nicolas

    2014-01-01

    International audience; Ambient Assisted Living aims at enhancing the quality of life of older and disabled people at home thanks to Smart Homes and Home Automation. However, many studies do not include tests in real settings, because data collection in this domain is very expensive and challenging and because of the few available data sets. The SWEET-H OME multimodal corpus is a dataset recorded in realistic conditions in D OMUS, a fully equipped Smart Home with microphones and home automati...

  4. Building control automation for retirement homes :a therapeutic opportunity for the elderly

    OpenAIRE

    Avila, Melinda Plaza

    1993-01-01

    The therapeutic opportunity for the elderly due to building control automation use in a retirement home was investigated. Previous research suggests that a basic understanding of elderly functional needs and building control automation capabilities is required Ifn order to secure the opportunity for maintaining existing elderly functional abilities. This study explores the extent to which building control automation can be applied in retirement homes. The research questions gen...

  5. Logotherapy Counseling to Improve Acceptance of Broken Home Child

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erwin Erlangga

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to increase the enrollment of children of a broken home that life has meaning. Subjects are 100 children in Demak whose families experiencing divorce. Research themes include three things: individual counseling, engineering logotherapy, reception, and a child of a broken home. Data obtained based on interviews, observation, and psychological scale showed that of the 100 children of a broken home has a low acceptance that individual counseling with logotherapy techniques were considered appropriate to increase the enrollment of children of a broken home. Factors - factors that affect the acceptance of a child of a broken home is self-blame, anger and did not have a purpose in life again. In addition the environment is also a significant effect on the enrollment of children of a broken home. Environmental labeling of families experiencing divorce as a family that failed so that children are increasingly stressed with the stamp of the community. Based on the field test results, the level of acceptance of the child of a broken home increases after the individual is given counseling services with logotherapy techniques. Indicated by changes in the level of acceptance of children of a broken home before being given treatment (initial evaluation and after (final evaluation of 130 points. The results of effectiveness test statistic t test calculations also showed 0,010 <0.05.It was concluded that counseling individuals with logotherapy effective technique to increase the enrollment of children of a broken home

  6. Effect of prospective reimbursement on nursing home costs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coburn, A F; Fortinsky, R; McGuire, C; McDonald, T P

    1993-04-01

    This study evaluates the effect of Maine's Medicaid nursing home prospective payment system on nursing home costs and access to care for public patients. The implementation of a facility-specific prospective payment system for nursing homes provided the opportunity for longitudinal study of the effect of that system. Data sources included audited Medicaid nursing home cost reports, quality-of-care data from state facility survey and licensure files, and facility case-mix information from random, stratified samples of homes and residents. Data were obtained for six years (1979-1985) covering the three-year period before and after implementation of the prospective payment system. This study used a pre-post, longitudinal analytical design in which interrupted, time-series regression models were estimated to test the effects of prospective payment and other factors, e.g., facility characteristics, nursing home market factors, facility case mix, and quality of care, on nursing home costs. Prospective payment contributed to an estimated $3.03 decrease in total variable costs in the third year from what would have been expected under the previous retrospective cost-based payment system. Responsiveness to payment system efficiency incentives declined over the study period, however, indicating a growing problem in achieving further cost reductions. Some evidence suggested that cost reductions might have reduced access for public patients. Study findings are consistent with the results of other studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of prospective payment systems in restraining nursing home costs. Potential policy trade-offs among cost containment, access, and quality assurance deserve further consideration, particularly by researchers and policymakers designing the new generation of case mix-based and other nursing home payment systems.

  7. Do patients in Dutch nursing homes have more pressure ulcers than patients in German nursing homes? A prospective multicenter cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meesterberends, Esther; Halfens, Ruud J G; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D; Ambergen, Ton A W; Lohrmann, Christa; Neyens, Jacques C L; Schols, Jos M G A

    2013-08-01

    To investigate whether the incidence of pressure ulcers in nursing homes in the Netherlands and Germany differs and, if so, to identify resident-related risk factors, nursing-related interventions, and structural factors associated with pressure ulcer development in nursing home residents. A prospective multicenter cohort study. Ten nursing homes in the Netherlands and 11 nursing homes in Germany (around Berlin and Brandenburg). A total of 547 newly admitted nursing home residents, of which 240 were Dutch and 307 were German. Residents had an expected length of stay of 12 weeks or longer. Data were collected for each resident over a 12-week period and included resident characteristics (eg, demographics, medical history, Braden scale scores, nutritional factors), pressure ulcer prevention and treatment characteristics, staffing ratios and other structural nursing home characteristics, and outcome (pressure ulcer development during the study). Data were obtained by trained research assistants. A significantly higher pressure ulcer incidence rate was found for the Dutch nursing homes (33.3%) compared with the German nursing homes (14.3%). Six factors that explain the difference in pressure ulcer incidence rates were identified: dementia, analgesics use, the use of transfer aids, repositioning the residents, the availability of a tissue viability nurse on the ward, and regular internal quality controls in the nursing home. The pressure ulcer incidence was significantly higher in Dutch nursing homes than in German nursing homes. Factors related to residents, nursing care and structure explain this difference in incidence rates. Continuous attention to pressure ulcer care is important for all health care settings and countries, but Dutch nursing homes especially should pay more attention to repositioning residents, the necessity and correct use of transfer aids, the necessity of analgesics use, the tasks of the tissue viability nurse, and the performance of regular

  8. UNIVERSITY LIFE AND AUSTRALIAN HOMES: THREE CASE STUDIES OF INTERNATIONAL MUSLIM STUDENTS IN BRISBANE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zulkeplee Othman

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Despite a significant increase in enrolments of postgraduate international Muslim students within Australian universities, little is known about their perceptions of life within Australian homes while undertaking their studies. The aim of this study is to investigate the ways in which students’ cultural and religious traditions affect their use of domestic spaces within the homes in which they reside. The research found that participants faced some minor difficulties in achieving privacy, maintaining modesty and extending hospitality while able to perform their daily activities in Australian designed homes. The findings suggest that greater research attention needs to be given to the development of Australian home designs that are adaptable to the needs of a multicultural society. Australian society encompasses diverse cultural customs and requirements with respect to home design, and these are yet to be explored.

  9. Distance-Based Access Modifiers Applied to Safety in Home Networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mortensen, Kjeld Høyer; Schougaard, Kari Rye; Schultz, Ulrik Pagh

    2004-01-01

    Home networks and the interconnection of home appliances is a classical theme in ubiquitous computing research. Security is a recurring concern, but there is a lack of awareness of safety: preventing the computerized house from harming the inhabitants, even in a worst-case scenario where...... be performed within a physical proximity that ensures safety. We use a declarative approach integrated with an IDL language to express location-based restrictions on operations. This model has been implemented in a middleware for home audio-video devices, using infrared communication and a local-area network...

  10. Smoke-Free Homes and Home Exposure to Secondhand Smoke in Shanghai, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinpin Zheng

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Few studies have examined home exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS in China. This study aimed to document: (1 the prevalence and correlates of exposure to SHS in homes (in adult non-smokers in Shanghai, and (2 enforcement of rules, harm reduction behaviors, and self-efficacy for maintaining smoke-free homes in Shanghai. A total of 500 participants were recruited using a multistage proportional random sampling design in an urban and suburban district to complete a survey. Among the total 355 nonsmokers, 127 (35.8% participants reported being exposed to SHS in the past 7 days. Participants living with smokers in the home, with no smoking restriction at home, and having children younger than 18 were more likely to be exposed to SHS at home. Higher self-efficacy in maintaining a smoke-free home was negatively associated with home SHS exposure. Having visitors who smoke was the greatest policy enforcement challenge. Ineffective measures such as opening windows were more commonly used in homes with partial bans. Educational initiatives to protect against SHS exposure in the home should promote smoke-free homes, address challenges to implementing such policies, and address misconceptions regarding the effectiveness of supposed harm reduction behaviors.

  11. [Home health resource utilization measures using a case-mix adjustor model].

    Science.gov (United States)

    You, Sun-Ju; Chang, Hyun-Sook

    2005-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to measure home health resource utilization using a Case-Mix Adjustor Model developed in the U.S. The subjects of this study were 484 patients who had received home health care more than 4 visits during a 60-day episode at 31 home health care institutions. Data on the 484 patients had to be merged onto a 60-day payment segment. Based on the results, the researcher classified home health resource groups (HHRG). The subjects were classified into 34 HHRGs in Korea. Home health resource utilization according to clinical severity was in order of Minimum (C0) service utilization moderate), and the lowest 97,000 won in group C2F3S1, so the former was 5.82 times higher than the latter. Resource utilization in home health care has become an issue of concern due to rising costs for home health care. The results suggest the need for more analytical attention on the utilization and expenditures for home care using a Case-Mix Adjustor Model.

  12. Zero carbon home: Britain’s house of the future (?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fell Antony

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available One of the key issues that determine the wellbeing of young people in Britain is their prospect of living and raising a family in a house of their own. In an ideal scenario, a young professional couple should be able to purchase a comfortable and affordable home as they need it, but in the recent years, the affordability of new homes for young people has become a problem as house prices rose. Moreover, the British government is committed to reducing Britain’s carbon emissions [1] , and for future home owners this means that new houses must meet strict criteria ensuring that they are equipped with energy saving features that make them eco friendly. Britian’s ideal ecohouse of the future is a very high energy efficiency rating home, a zero carbon home. However, these requirements increase the building cost of new homes, which in turn can raise the house prices even further. This article surveys new energy saving solutions which are being implemented in British homes and evaluates their effectiveness and cost. Using desk top research as the method for this enquiry the authors attempt to sketch the image of the (possible house of the future – a type of dwelling that new home buyers should be buying in years to come – if they can afford it.

  13. Strategy Guideline: Application of a Construction Quality Process to Existing Home Retrofits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mallay, D.; Del Bianco, M.

    2013-08-01

    The Home Innovation Research Labs developed a construction quality process for new and existing high performance homes (HPH) in which high performance goals are established, specifications to meet those goals are defined, and construction monitoring points are added to the construction schedule so that critical energy efficiency details are systematically reviewed, documented, and tested in a timely manner. This report follows the evolution of the construction quality process from its development for new homes, to its application in the construction of a high performance home with enhanced specifications, and its application in a crawlspace renovation.

  14. At Home in the Countryside

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A. Steenbekkers; C. Simon; V. Veldheer

    2006-01-01

    The Dutch countryside is in a state of flux. The decline of agriculture and the altered use of space are being studied extensively in research and in the media.  But what about the people living in the countryside? How are they doing? In the report Thuis op het platteland (At Home in the

  15. Systematic review: Effective home support in dementia care, components and impacts - Stage 2, effectiveness of home support interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarkson, Paul; Hughes, Jane; Roe, Brenda; Giebel, Clarissa M; Jolley, David; Poland, Fiona; Abendstern, Michele; Chester, Helen; Challis, David

    2018-03-01

    The aim of this study was to explicate the outcomes of home support interventions for older people with dementia and/or their carers to inform clinical practice, policy and research. Most people with dementia receive support at home. However, components and effectiveness of home support interventions have been little explored. Systematic review with narrative summary. Electronic searches of published studies in English using PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsychINFO, CINAHL, Applied Social Science Index and CSA Social Services Abstracts. Databases and sources were searched from inception to April 2014 with no date restrictions to locate studies. The PRISMA statement was followed and established systematic review methods used. Using 14 components of care for people with dementia and their carers, identified previously, data across studies were synthesized. Interventions were grouped and described and effectiveness ratings applied. Qualitative studies were synthesized using key themes. Seventy studies (four qualitative) were included. Most were directed to carers and of high quality. Seven interventions for carers and two for people with dementia were identified, covering 81% of studies. Those relating to daily living, cognitive training and physical activity for people with dementia were absent. Measures of effectiveness were influenced mainly by the intensity (duration and frequency) of interventions. Those containing education, social support and behaviour management appeared most effective. These interventions reflect emergent patterns of home support. Research is required to identify effective interventions linked to the stage of dementia, which can be applied as part of routine clinical care. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Home or hospital birth: a prospective study of midwifery care in the Netherlands: research in progress.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wiegers, T.A.

    1998-01-01

    In 1965 two-thirds of all births in the Netherlands occurred at home. In the next 25 years, that situation became reversed with more than two-thirds of births occurring in hospital and less than one-third at home. Until the 1970's a woman with an uncomplicated pregnancy was expected to give birth

  17. Sensor-Based Optimization Model for Air Quality Improvement in Home IoT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonghyuk Kim

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available We introduce current home Internet of Things (IoT technology and present research on its various forms and applications in real life. In addition, we describe IoT marketing strategies as well as specific modeling techniques for improving air quality, a key home IoT service. To this end, we summarize the latest research on sensor-based home IoT, studies on indoor air quality, and technical studies on random data generation. In addition, we develop an air quality improvement model that can be readily applied to the market by acquiring initial analytical data and building infrastructures using spectrum/density analysis and the natural cubic spline method. Accordingly, we generate related data based on user behavioral values. We integrate the logic into the existing home IoT system to enable users to easily access the system through the Web or mobile applications. We expect that the present introduction of a practical marketing application method will contribute to enhancing the expansion of the home IoT market.

  18. Patient safety culture in Norwegian nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bondevik, Gunnar Tschudi; Hofoss, Dag; Husebø, Bettina Sandgathe; Deilkås, Ellen Catharina Tveter

    2017-06-20

    Patient safety culture concerns leader and staff interaction, attitudes, routines, awareness and practices that impinge on the risk of patient-adverse events. Due to their complex multiple diseases, nursing home patients are at particularly high risk of adverse events. Studies have found an association between patient safety culture and the risk of adverse events. This study aimed to investigate safety attitudes among healthcare providers in Norwegian nursing homes, using the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire - Ambulatory Version (SAQ-AV). We studied whether variations in safety attitudes were related to professional background, age, work experience and mother tongue. In February 2016, 463 healthcare providers working in five nursing homes in Tønsberg, Norway, were invited to answer the SAQ-AV, translated and adapted to the Norwegian nursing home setting. Previous validation of the Norwegian SAQ-AV for nursing homes identified five patient safety factors: teamwork climate, safety climate, job satisfaction, working conditions and stress recognition. SPSS v.22 was used for statistical analysis, which included estimations of mean values, standard deviations and multiple linear regressions. P-values safety factors teamwork climate, safety climate, job satisfaction and working conditions. Not being a Norwegian native speaker was associated with a significantly higher mean score for job satisfaction and a significantly lower mean score for stress recognition. Neither professional background nor work experience were significantly associated with mean scores for any patient safety factor. Patient safety factor scores in nursing homes were poorer than previously found in Norwegian general practices, but similar to findings in out-of-hours primary care clinics. Patient safety culture assessment may help nursing home leaders to initiate targeted quality improvement interventions. Further research should investigate associations between patient safety culture and the occurrence

  19. Fall Down Detection Under Smart Home System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juang, Li-Hong; Wu, Ming-Ni

    2015-10-01

    Medical technology makes an inevitable trend for the elderly population, therefore the intelligent home care is an important direction for science and technology development, in particular, elderly in-home safety management issues become more and more important. In this research, a low of operation algorithm and using the triangular pattern rule are proposed, then can quickly detect fall-down movements of humanoid by the installation of a robot with camera vision at home that will be able to judge the fall-down movements of in-home elderly people in real time. In this paper, it will present a preliminary design and experimental results of fall-down movements from body posture that utilizes image pre-processing and three triangular-mass-central points to extract the characteristics. The result shows that the proposed method would adopt some characteristic value and the accuracy can reach up to 90 % for a single character posture. Furthermore the accuracy can be up to 100 % when a continuous-time sampling criterion and support vector machine (SVM) classifier are used.

  20. How did formative research inform the development of a home-based neonatal care intervention in rural Ghana?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Z; Manu, A; Tawiah-Agyemang, C; Gyan, T; Turner, K; Weobong, B; Ten Asbroek, A H A; Kirkwood, B R

    2008-12-01

    Formative research is often used to inform intervention design, but the design process is rarely reported. This study describes how an integrated home visit intervention for newborns in Ghana was designed. As a first step in the design process, the known intervention parameters were listed, information required to refine the intervention was then identified and a formative research strategy designed. The strategy included synthesizing available data, collecting data on newborn care practices in homes and facilities, on barriers and facilitators to adopting desired behaviors and on practical issues such as whom to include in the intervention. The data were used to develop an intervention plan through workshops with national and international stakeholders and experts. The intervention plan was operationalized by district level committees. This included developing work plans, a creative brief for the materials and completing a community volunteer inventory. The intervention was then piloted and the intervention materials were finalized. The design process took over a year and was iterative. Throughout the process, literature was reviewed to identify the best practice. The intervention focuses on birth preparedness, using treated bednets in pregnancy, early and exclusive breastfeeding, thermal care, special care for small babies and prompt care seeking for newborns with danger signs. The need for a problem-solving approach was identified to help ensure behavior change. A subset of behaviors were already being performed adequately, or were the focus of other interventions, but were important to reinforce in the visits. These include attending antenatal care and care seeking for danger signs in pregnancy. On the basis of the intervention content, the timing of newborn deaths and the acceptability of visits, two antenatal and three visits in the first week of life (days 1, 3 and 7) were planned. Several household members were identified to include in the visits as they

  1. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Sterling Brook Custom Homes — Village Park Eco Home, Double Park, TX

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    none,

    2014-09-01

    This builder won a Custom Builder honor in the 2014 Housing Innovation Awards for this showcase home that serves as an energy-efficient model home for the custom home builder: 1,300 visitors toured the home, thousands more learned about the home’s advanced construction via the webpage, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

  2. Communication in marital homes and work performance among ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigated the influence of communication in marital homes on secondary school teachers work performance in Akwa Ibom State. One research question and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The ex-post facto research design was used in the study. Using stratified random sampling technique, ...

  3. HOME Grantee Areas

    Data.gov (United States)

    Department of Housing and Urban Development — The HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) is authorized under Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act. HOME provides formula grants to...

  4. Doll therapy: an intervention for nursing home residents with dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Juh Hyun

    2015-01-01

    The use of dolls as a therapeutic intervention for nursing home residents with dementia is relatively new. The current article describes a research study implemented with nursing home residents in Korea to examine the effects of doll therapy on their mood, behavior, and social interactions. A one-group, pretest-posttest design was used to measure the impact of doll therapy on 51 residents with dementia. Linear regression demonstrated statistically significant differences in aggression, obsessive behaviors, wandering, negative verbalization, negative mood, and negative physical appearance after introduction of the doll therapy intervention. Interactions with other individuals also increased over time. Findings support the benefits of doll therapy for nursing home residents with dementia; however, further research is needed to provide more empirical evidence and explore ethical considerations in the use of doll therapy in this vulnerable population. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

  5. Indoor Air Quality in 24 California Residences Designed as High-Performance Homes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Less, Brennan [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Mullen, Nasim [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Singer, Brett [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Walker, Iain [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

    2015-07-01

    Today’s high performance green homes are reaching previously unheard of levels of airtightness and are using new materials, technologies and strategies, whose impacts on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) cannot be fully anticipated from prior studies. This research study used pollutant measurements, home inspections, diagnostic testing and occupant surveys to assess IAQ in 24 new or deeply retrofitted homes designed to be high performance green buildings in California.

  6. Learning energy literacy concepts from energy-efficient homes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paige, Frederick Eugene

    The purpose of this study is to understand ways that occupants' and visitors' interaction with energy efficient home design affects Energy Literacy. Using a case study approach including interviews, surveys, and observations, I examined the potential for affordable energy efficient homes in the Greenville South Carolina area to "teach" concepts from an Energy Literacy framework developed by dozens of educational partners and federal agencies that comprise the U.S. Global Change Research Program Partners. I paid particular attention to concepts from the framework that are transferable to energy decisions beyond a home's walls. My research reveals ways that interaction with high efficiency homes can effect understanding of the following Energy Literacy concepts: human use of energy is subject to limits and constraints, conservation is one way to manage energy resources, electricity is generated in multiple ways, social and technological innovations effect the amount of energy used by society, and energy use can be calculated and monitored. Examples from my case studies show how the at-home examples can make lessons on energy more personally relevant, easy to understand, and applicable. Specifically, I found that: • Home occupants learn the limits of energy in relation to the concrete and constricting costs associated with their consumption. • Heating and cooling techniques showcase the limits and constraints on different sources of energy. • Relatable systems make it easier to understand energy's limits and constraints. • Indistinct and distant power utilities allow consumers to overlook the root of electricity sources. • Visible examples of electricity generation systems make it clear that electricity is generated in multiple ways. • Small and interactive may mean inefficient electricity generation, but efficient energy education. • Perceptions of expense and complexity create a disconnect between residential energy consumers and renewable electricity

  7. Ambient Intelligence in a Smart Home for Energy Efficiency and Eldercare

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Silva, Liyanage C.; Petra, M. Iskandar; Punchihewa, G. Amal

    In this paper we present our research results related to smart monitoring, control and communication with the main objective of energy efficiency and eldercare in mind. One of the main objectives of this research work is to use multitude of different sensors to monitor activities in a smart home and use the results to control the home environment to meet the objectives of energy efficiency and eldercare. Here we present the application of the smart monitoring to a prototype system.

  8. The Pediatric Home Care/Expenditure Classification Model (P/ECM): A Home Care Case-Mix Model for Children Facing Special Health Care Challenges

    OpenAIRE

    Phillips, Charles D.

    2015-01-01

    Case-mix classification and payment systems help assure that persons with similar needs receive similar amounts of care resources, which is a major equity concern for consumers, providers, and programs. Although health service programs for adults regularly use case-mix payment systems, programs providing health services to children and youth rarely use such models. This research utilized Medicaid home care expenditures and assessment data on 2,578 children receiving home care in one large sta...

  9. Focused Ethnography as Research Method: A Case Study of Techno Music Producers in Home-Recording Studios

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Michael Kühn

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Translator's Introduction: Jan-Michael Kühn's essay introduces the reader to Hubert Knoblauch's focused ethnography [fokussierte Ethnographie] as an ethnographic fieldwork method. More than a decade after Knoblauch's first publications on this method, there are precious few guides to focused ethnography in the English language, save one (Knoblauch 2005. At any rate, there are certainly no introductions to this methodology that also use EDM scenes as a case study. Kühn's article was originally published in German in Soziologie Magazin, a student-run journal published from Martin Luther University in Halle (Saale but operated by an editorial network that spans Germany. As a result, Kühn orients his writing towards an audience of junior researchers, post-docs and graduate students, highlighting the ways in which focused ethnography suits the circumstances of early research careers, where one may have difficulty securing long-term research stays for fieldwork of broader scope. In particular, he notes that Knoblauch's methods require a very narrow scope for the project (i.e., a "field sector" rather than the whole field, a reliance on the researcher's previous knowledge of the field, and short bursts of intense ethnographic activity in order to create work that is tightly focused but still rigorous and generative of fresh knowledge and new concepts.KEYWORDS: qualitative methods; cultural production; music production; home-recording; technoculture

  10. The 'ripple effect': Towards researching improvisational music therapy in dementia care homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavlicevic, Mercédès; Tsiris, Giorgos; Wood, Stuart; Powell, Harriet; Graham, Janet; Sanderson, Richard; Millman, Rachel; Gibson, Jane

    2015-09-01

    Increased interest in, and demand for, music therapy provision for persons with dementia prompted this study's exploration of music therapists' strategies for creating musical communities in dementia care settings, considering the needs and resources of people affected by dementia. Focus group discussions and detailed iterative study of improvisational music therapy work by six experienced practitioners clarify the contextual immediacy and socio-musical complexities of music therapy in dementia care homes. Music therapy's 'ripple effect', with resonances from micro (person-to-person musicking), to meso (musicking beyond 'session time') and macro level (within the care home and beyond), implies that all who are part of the dementia care ecology need opportunities for flourishing, shared participation, and for expanded self-identities; beyond 'staff', 'residents', or 'being in distress'. On such basis, managers and funders might consider an extended brief for music therapists' roles, to include generating and maintaining musical wellbeing throughout residential care settings. © The Author(s) 2013.

  11. Smart Cities - Smart Homes and Smart Home Technology

    OpenAIRE

    Faanes, Erlend Kydland

    2014-01-01

    This master’s thesis consists of two articles where the first article is theoretical and the second is the empirical study. Article I The purpose with this paper is to explore and illuminate how smart home and smart home technology can contribute to enhance health and Quality of Life in elderly citizens and allow them to live longer in their home. The paper provides a brief introduction to health promotion and highlights the thesis theoretical framework and foundation of Aaron Antonov...

  12. Representing in-home and out-of-home energy consumption behavior in Beijing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Biying; Zhang Junyi; Fujiwara, Akimasa

    2011-01-01

    It is expected that in-home and out-of-home energy consumption behavior in a household might be correlated with each other, probably due to the existence of household budget constraints. Ownership and usage of energy-saving technologies for in-home appliances (or vehicles) might lead to the increase in out-of-home (or in-home) energy consumption. It is therefore necessary to jointly represent in-home and out-of-home energy consumption in the same modeling framework. With this consideration, we first build a new type of energy consumption model based on the Multiple Discrete-Continuous Extreme Value (MDCEV) modeling framework. Next, we conducted a questionnaire survey in Beijing in 2009 and successfully collected the information about households' energy consumption, ownership/usage of in-home appliances and vehicles, and households' and their members' attributes from 1014 households. Throughout an empirical analysis, it is confirmed that the MDCEV model is effective to simultaneously describe the in-home and out-of-home energy consumption behavior. In addition, it is revealed that a set of household and personal attributes affect the ownership and usage of in-home appliances and vehicles. Furthermore, it is shown that the unobserved factors play a much more important role in explaining energy consumption behavior than the observed attributes of households and their members. - Highlights: → Representing in-home and out-of-home energy consumption behavior jointly. → MDCEV model is built to describe household energy consumption behavior. → Log-linear competitive relationships are found among expenditures of end-uses. → Model results provide some insights about the influence of varied observed factors. → Unobserved factors are more important in explaining energy consumption behavior.

  13. Home Health Compare: Find a Home Health Agency

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... page could not be loaded. The Medicare.gov Home page currently does not fully support browsers with " ... widget - Select to show Back to top Footer Home A federal government website managed and paid for ...

  14. Exercise at Home

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Home Health Insights Exercise & Weight Exercise at Home Exercise at Home Make an Appointment Ask a Question ... with the movement and contact your provider. Posture Exercises Better posture means better breathing and movement. Axial ...

  15. A new simulation tool for testing smart home recognition algorithms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bouchard, K.; Ajroud, A.; Bouchard, B.; Bouzouane, A. [Chicoutimi Univ. du Quebec, Saguenay, PQ (Canada)

    2010-08-13

    Smart home technologies are being actively researched. However, many scientists studying this topic of research do not own smart home infrastructure, and therefore, are unable to conduct proper experiments in a concrete environment with real data. In order to address this problem and to help researchers working in the field of activity recognition, this paper presented a novel and flexible three-dimensional smart home infrastructure simulator called SIMACT developed in Java. The paper discussed the proposed simulator including the software architecture, implementation, and scripting. It also discussed the actual initiative to gather real data that would be incorporated in the simulator as real case pre-recorded scenarios. An overview of related work and future developments were also presented. It was concluded that SIMACT is a user-friendly three-dimensional animated simulator that offers a simple interface that could be easily adapted to individual needs and could become a very useful tool for the community with its XML scripting language, many options, customizable three-dimensional frame and its set of pre-defined real case scenarios. 18 refs., 4 figs.

  16. Home, Smart Home

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Ellen Kathrine; Olesen, Gitte Gylling Hammershøj; Mullins, Michael

    2013-01-01

    The article places focus on how smart technologies integrated in a one family- home and particular the window offer unique challenges and opportunities for designing buildings with the best possible environments for people and nature. Toward an interdisciplinary approach, we address the interaction...... between daylight defined in technical terms and daylight defined in aesthetic, architectural terms. Through field-tests of a Danish carbon-neutral home and an analysis of five key design parameters, we explore the contradictions and potentials in smart buildings, using the smart window as example of how...... to the energy design is central. The study illuminates an approach of the design of smart houses as living organisms by connecting technology with the needs of the occupants with the power and beauty of daylight....

  17. Disease trajectories in nursing home patients.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Husebo, B.S.; Hylen Randhoff, A.; Sandvik, R.; Omland, G.; Gysels, M.; Francke, A.; Hertogh, C.; Ribbe, M.; Deliens, L.

    2011-01-01

    Research aims: About 17 500 patients die in Norwegian nursing homes (NH) every year, 14-27% of these patients have diagnoses of cancer, 75% heart failure, and 80% dementia. Little is known about their last months and days regarding medical treatment, needs for multi-professional care, advance

  18. Extending Home Advantage Theory and Four Factor Theory to Men's Collegiate Basketball

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Yvan J.

    2013-01-01

    In sporting events, the home team has been found to win a disproportionate amount of games. Research into this home advantage phenomenon resulted in Courneya and Carron's framework of home advantage theory. In collegiate athletics, administrators face a competitive environment and a goal of enhancing revenues. The problem is that home…

  19. Big Data, Smart Homes and Ambient Assisted Living

    OpenAIRE

    Vimarlund, V.; Wass, S.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives: To discuss how current research in the area of smart homes and ambient assisted living will be influenced by the use of big data. Methods: A scoping review of literature published in scientific journals and conference proceedings was performed, focusing on smart homes, ambient assisted living and big data over the years 2011-2014. Results: The health and social care market has lagged behind other markets when it comes to the introduction of innovative IT solutions and the market f...

  20. Bringing Work Home: Take-Home Pesticide Exposure Among Farm Families

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Curwin, B.D.

    2006-01-01

    In this thesis take-home pesticide exposure among farm families, with an emphasis on herbicides, was investigated. Take-home exposure occurs when a worker unwittingly brings home a substance on his or her clothing or shoes, thereby potentially exposing his or her family. The pesticides investigated

  1. Perancangan Sistem Kendali Otomatis pada Smart Home menggunakan Modul Arduino Uno

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danny Kurnianto

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Efficiency, effectiveness and electrical energy saving have become topics of research that attracts many researchers today. Model of technology has been widely proposed to improve effectiveness and energy saving for the livelihood of the peoples. One of example is a model of a Smart Home technology. Smart Home models proposed in this research is controlled centrally by an Arduino Uno microcontroller. Microcontroller detect output from the two magnetic sensors installed in the entrance. Microcontroller response to the two outputs of magnetic sensors in the form of control of room lighting. fan, mosquito repellent and LCD. The system will work automatically when someone inside the house. Room lights will turn on automatically, the fan will work in accordance with the room temperature conditions and mosquito repellent device will work automatically. The test results show that the proposed model of a Smart Home can work well according design with a success rate of 100%.

  2. Ostomy Home Skills Program

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Workforce Trauma and EMS Cancer and Research Health Information Technology Scope of Practice Pediatric Issues Other Federal Legislative Issues Regulatory Issues Regulatory Issues Regulatory Issues Stop Overregulating My OR ... Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS), American Urological Association (AUA), Certified Enterostomal Therapy Nurses (CETN), and the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA). The skills kit contains: A booklet with information on the operation, home skills such as emptying ...

  3. In-home contextual reality: a qualitative analysis using the Multiple Errands Test Home Version (MET-Home).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burns, Suzanne Perea; Pickens, Noralyn Davel; Dawson, Deirdre R; Perea, Jaimee D; Vas, Asha K; Marquez de la Plata, Carlos; Neville, Marsha

    2018-02-06

    Adults with stroke frequently experience executive dysfunction. Despite the range of assessments that examine the effects of executive dysfunction on daily tasks, there remains a paucity of literature that examines the influence of the environment on performance in the community. The MET-Home is an ecologically valid assessment for examining post-stroke executive dysfunction in the home environment. This qualitative study explores the relationship between the environment and MET-Home performance among home-dwelling adults with stroke and matched controls. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, we analysed video, interview, and observation notes from a MET-Home validation study. An overarching theme of interplay between everyday task performance and the home environment produced further themes: naturalistically emerging supports and barriers and environment as strategy. Within naturalistically emerging supports and barriers, five contextual sub-themes were discovered: physical environment, social environment, temporal context, virtual context, and personal context. Within environment as strategy, we identified four sub-themes: reducing distractions, using everyday technologies, planning in context, and seeking social support. These findings extend the conceptualisation of how we evaluate executive dysfunction in the context of the community to also consider the inherent influence of the environment.

  4. Home-based intermediate care program vs hospitalization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armstrong, Catherine Deri; Hogg, William E.; Lemelin, Jacques; Dahrouge, Simone; Martin, Carmel; Viner, Gary S.; Saginur, Raphael

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To explore whether a home-based intermediate care program in a large Canadian city lowers the cost of care and to look at whether such home-based programs could be a solution to the increasing demands on Canadian hospitals. DESIGN Single-arm study with historical controls. SETTING Department of Family Medicine at the Ottawa Hospital (Civic campus) in Ontario. PARTICIPANTS Patients requiring hospitalization for acute care. Participants were matched with historical controls based on case-mix, most responsible diagnosis, and level of complexity. INTERVENTIONS Placement in the home-based intermediate care program. Daily home visits from the nurse practitioner and 24-hour access to care by telephone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Multivariate regression models were used to estimate the effect of the program on 5 outcomes: length of stay in hospital, cost of care substituted for hospitalization (Canadian dollars), readmission for a related diagnosis, readmission for any diagnosis, and costs incurred by community home-care services for patients following discharge from hospital. RESULTS The outcomes of 43 hospital admissions were matched with those of 363 controls. Patients enrolled in the program stayed longer in hospital (coefficient 3.3 days, P costs of home-based care were not significantly different from the costs of hospitalization (coefficient -$501, P = .11). CONCLUSION While estimated cost savings were not statistically significant, the limitations of our study suggest that we underestimated these savings. In particular, the economic inefficiencies of a small immature program and the inability to control for certain factors when selecting historical controls affected our results. Further research is needed to determine the economic effect of mature home-based programs. PMID:18208958

  5. Agricultural Research Service

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Menu United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Research Research Home National Programs Research Projects Scientific Manuscripts International Programs Scientific Software/Models Databases and Datasets Office of Scientific Quality ...

  6. Lessons learned from recruiting nursing homes to a quantitative cross-sectional pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzouvara, Vasiliki; Papadopoulos, Chris; Randhawa, Gurch

    2016-03-01

    A growing older adult population is leading to increased admission rates to long-term care facilities such as nursing homes and residential care homes. Assisted healthcare services should be flexible, integrated, and responsive to older adults' needs. However, there is a limited body of empirical evidence because of the recruitment challenges in these settings. To describe the barriers and challenges faced in recruiting to a recent pilot study, consider previously implemented and proposed recruitment strategies, and propose a new multi-method approach to maximising recruitment of care homes. The proposed multi-method approach harnesses key recruitment strategies previously highlighted as effective in navigating the many challenges and barriers that are likely to be encountered, such as mistrust, scepticism and concerns about disruption to routines. This includes making strategic use of existing personal and professional connections within the research team, engaging with care homes that have previously engaged with the research process, forming relationships of trust, and employing a range of incentives. Implementing carefully planned recruitment strategies is likely to improve relationships between nursing homes and researchers. As a consequence, recruitment can be augmented which can enable the production of rigorous evidence required for achieving effective nursing practice and patient wellbeing. Boosting recruitment rates is crucial in helping to build new and less biased research evidence and for informing and underpinning all forms of evidence-based practice. The lessons learned from our pilot and the review of the literature highlight these issues and better enable investigators to access research settings that commonly possess many complex recruitment barriers and challenges.

  7. An investigation of home advantage in the Summer Paralympic Games.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Darryl; Ramchandani, Girish

    2017-01-01

    There is a paucity of home advantage research set in the context of para-sport events. It is this gap in the knowledge that this paper addresses by investigating the prevalence and size of home advantage in the Summer Paralympic Games. Using a standardised measure of success, we compared the performances of nations when competing at home with their own performances away from home in the competition between 1960 and 2016. Both country-level and individual sport-level analyses were conducted for this time frame. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to determine whether there was a genuine difference in nations' performance under host and non-host conditions. Spearman's rank-order correlation was run to assess the relationship between nation quality and home advantage. Strong evidence of a home advantage effect in the Summer Paralympic Games was found at country level ( p   0.10). While our results confirm that home advantage is prevalent in the Summer Paralympic Games at an overall country level and within specific sports, they do not explain fully why such an effect does exist. Future studies should investigate the causes of home advantage in the competition and also draw comparisons with the Summer Olympic Games to explore any differences between para-sport events and able-bodied events.

  8. Designing Intuitive Web Solutions for Monitoring Patients’ Rehabilitation at Home

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raihana Ferdous

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the design of web-based remote monitoring interfaces aimed at supporting therapists and caregivers in supervising motor-cognitive rehabilitation plans of care to be performed by patients at home. This work was part of a three years’ research project where game-based environments for upper body motor rehabilitation of post-stroke patients were developed in collaboration with two main rehabilitation centers in Italy and Austria, for a subsequent deployment at patients’ homes. The paper will specifically focus on describing the iterative design of the home rehabilitation features for clinicians over the first two years of the project to enable the delivery and monitoring of more personalized, engaging plans of care for home therapy by rehabilitation centers and services.

  9. Genetics Home Reference: primary macronodular adrenal hyperplasia

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Support and Research Foundation: Genetic Changes Found in Cushing's Disease, Adrenal Tumors, and Adrenal Hyperplasia MalaCards: acth-independent ... macronodular adrenal hyperplasia 2 Merck Manual (Home Edition): Cushing ... Adrenal Diseases Foundation: Cushing's Syndrome Orphanet: Cushing syndrome due to ...

  10. Use of 222Rn-resistant techniques in new home construction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watson, J.E. Jr.; Cote, R.A.

    1999-01-01

    The objective of this project was to assess the status of the use of 222 Rn-resistant construction techniques in new home construction in the eight Zone 1 counties of North Carolina. Zone 1 counties have an average predicted indoor 222 Rn screening potential greater than 148 Bq m -3 (4 pCi L -1 ). To facilitate a response from builders, a brief survey form was designed and printed on the back of a self-addressed, postage-paid postcard. This survey form was mailed to 460 home builders in the Zone 1 counties. The response rate was 17%, which can be compared to the 4.9% response rate obtained in a national survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center. In their survey, 62% of the responding builders reported that they had built some or many homes in 1996 using construction techniques to reduce the entry of radon into homes, but only 10% of the builders reported using these techniques for many homes. The National Association of Home Builders survey determined that, nationally, 30% of homes built in Zone 1 counties had 222 Rn venting features. There is the potential for bias in the results of their survey (as well as in the results of the National Association of Home Builders survey) since the response rates were low

  11. Practical guide on home health in heart failure patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jaarsma, T.; Larsen, Torben; Stromberg, A.

    2013-01-01

    in this population and specialised heart failure care can save costs and improve the quality of care. However, only a few European countries have implemented specialised home care and offered this to a larger number of patients with heart failure. Method: We developed a guide on Home Health in Heart Failure patients...... from a literature review, a survey of heart failure management programs, the opinion of researchers and practitioners, data from clinical trials and a reflection of an international expert meeting. Results: In integrated home care for heart failure patients, it is advised to consider the following...... components: integrated multidisciplinary care, patient and partner participation, care plans with clear goals of care, patient education, self-care management, appropriate access to care and optimised treatment. Discussion: We summarised the state of the art of home-based care for heart failure patients...

  12. Take-home training in a simulation-based laparoscopy course

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thinggaard, Ebbe; Konge, Lars; Bjerrum, Flemming

    2017-01-01

    efficient method of training. Our aim was to investigate how box trainers are used in take-home training to help guide the design of take-home training courses. METHODS: This study was designed using a mixed methods approach. Junior doctors participating in a laparoscopy curriculum, which included...... practising at home on box trainers, were invited. Quantitative data on training patterns was collected from logbooks. Qualitative data on the use of box trainers was retrieved from focus groups and individual interviews. RESULTS: From logbooks, we found that 14 out of 18 junior doctors mixed their training......BACKGROUND: Simulation training can prepare trainees for clinical practice in laparoscopic surgery. Training on box trainers allows for simulation training at home, which studies have shown to be a feasible method of training. However, little research has been conducted into how to make it a more...

  13. Depression improvement and parenting in low-income mothers in home visiting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ammerman, Robert T; Altaye, Mekibib; Putnam, Frank W; Teeters, Angelique R; Zou, Yuanshu; Van Ginkel, Judith B

    2015-06-01

    Research on older children and high-resource families demonstrates that maternal improvement in depression often leads to parallel changes in parenting and child adjustment. It is unclear if this association extends to younger children and low-income mothers. This study examined if In-Home Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (IH-CBT), a treatment for depressed mothers participating in home visiting programs, contributes to improvements in parenting and child adjustment. Ninety-three depressed mothers in home visiting between 2 and 10 months postpartum were randomly assigned to IH-CBT (n = 47) plus home visiting or standard home visiting (SHV; n = 46). Mothers were identified via screening and subsequent diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Measures of depression, parenting stress, nurturing parenting, and child adjustment were administered at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 3 months follow-up. Results indicated that there were no differences between IH-CBT and controls on parenting and child adjustment. Low levels of depression were associated with decreased parenting stress and increased nurturing parenting. Improvement in depression was related to changes in parenting in low-income mothers participating in home visiting programs. IH-CBT was not independently associated with these improvements, although to the extent that treatment facilitated improvement; there were corresponding benefits to parenting. Child adjustment was not associated with maternal depression, a finding possibly attributed to the benefits of concurrent home visiting or measurement limitations. Future research should focus on longer-term follow-up, implications of relapse, and child adjustment in later years.

  14. How to buy a medical home? Policy options and practical questions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berenson, Robert A; Rich, Eugene C

    2010-06-01

    In this paper, we describe a range of payment options to support the PCMH, identifying their conceptual strengths and weaknesses. These include enhanced FFS payment for office visits to the PCMH; paying additional FFS for "new" PCMH services; variations of traditional FFS combined with new PCMH-oriented per patient per month capitation; and combined capitation payments for traditional primary care medical services as well as new medical home services. In discussing options for PCMH payment reform we consider issues in patient severity adjustment, performance payment, and the role of payments to community service organizations to collaborate with the PCMH. We also highlight some of the practical challenges that can complicate reimbursement reform for primary care and the PCMH. Through this discussion we identify key dimensions to provider payment reform relevant to promoting enhanced primary care through the patient centered medical home. These consist of paying for the basic medical home services, rewarding excellent performance of medical homes, incentivizing medical home connections to other community health care resources, and overcoming implementation challenges to medical home payments. Each of these overarching policy issues invokes a substantial subset of policy relevant research questions that collectively comprise a robust research agenda. We conclude that the conceptual strengths and weaknesses of available payment models for medical home functions invoke a complex array of options with varying levels of real-world feasibility. The different needs of patients and communities, and varying characteristics of practices must also be factors guiding PCMH payment reform. Indeed, it may be that different circumstances will require different payment approaches in various combinations.

  15. Technical Barriers, Gaps, and Opportunities Related to Home Energy Upgrade Market Delivery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bianchi, M. V. A.

    2011-11-01

    This report outlines the technical barriers, gaps, and opportunities that arise in executing home energy upgrade market delivery approaches, as identified through research conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America program. The objective of this report is to outline the technical1 barriers, gaps, and opportunities that arise in executing home energy upgrade market delivery approaches, as identified through research conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Building America program. This information will be used to provide guidance for new research necessary to enable the success of the approaches. Investigation for this report was conducted via publications related to home energy upgrade market delivery approaches, and a series of interviews with subject matter experts (contractors, consultants, program managers, manufacturers, trade organization representatives, and real estate agents). These experts specified technical barriers and gaps, and offered suggestions for how the technical community might address them. The potential benefits of home energy upgrades are many and varied: reduced energy use and costs; improved comfort, durability, and safety; increased property value; and job creation. Nevertheless, home energy upgrades do not comprise a large part of the overall home improvement market. Residential energy efficiency is the most complex climate intervention option to deliver because the market failures are many and transaction costs are high (Climate Change Capital 2009). The key reasons that energy efficiency investment is not being delivered are: (1) The opportunity is highly fragmented; and (2) The energy efficiency assets are nonstatus, low-visibility investments that are not properly valued. There are significant barriers to mobilizing the investment in home energy upgrades, including the 'hassle factor' (the time and effort required to identify and secure improvement works), access to financing, and the

  16. The psychometric properties of a translated version of the Survey Work-Home Interaction - Nijmegen (SWING) instrument

    OpenAIRE

    Marais, Carin; Mostert, Karina; Geurts, Sabine; Taris, Toon

    2009-01-01

    Orientation: The focus of this study was to investigate the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and the work–home interaction in different occupational groups in South Africa. Research purpose: The main research aim of the study was to investigate the socio-demographic predictors of negative and positive work–home interaction of South African employees. Motivation for the study: Little information is known about the prevalence of work–home interaction within groups. This...

  17. Nursing Practice Environment and Registered Nurses' Job Satisfaction in Nursing Homes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, JiSun; Flynn, Linda; Aiken, Linda H.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: Recruiting and retaining registered nurses (RNs) in nursing homes is problematic, and little research is available to guide efforts to make nursing homes a more attractive practice environment for RNs. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between aspects of the nursing practice environment and job satisfaction among RNs…

  18. Malpractice paid losses and financial performance of nursing homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Mei; Haley, D Rob; Oetjen, Reid M; Carretta, Henry J

    2011-01-01

    Florida's nursing home industry has experienced significant financial pressure over the past decade. One of the primary reasons is the dramatic increase in litigation activity for nursing home providers claiming negligent care and abuse. Although anecdotal reports indicate a higher cost because of malpractice in nursing facilities, few studies have examined the extent of malpractice paid losses and their effect on the financial performance of nursing homes. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of malpractice paid losses on the financial performance of nursing homes. Medicare Cost Report data and Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting data for Florida skilled nursing facilities over the 6-year period from 2001 to 2006 were used to calculate the malpractice paid losses and the financial performance indicators as well as the nursing home organizational and market factors. Descriptive analysis and multivariate regression analysis were used to examine the effect of paid loss on financial performance. The paid loss for malpractice claims was strongly associated with financial performance. Nursing facilities with malpractice paid losses had consistently lower total margins over the study period. The threat of nursing home litigation may create an incentive for nursing homes to improve quality of care; however, large paid claims can also force nursing homes into a financial situation where the organization no longer has the resources to improve quality. Nursing home managers must assess their malpractice litigation risk and identify tactics to mitigate these risks to better provide a safe and secure environment for the older persons. In addition, this research offers support for local, state, and federal policymakers to revisit the issue of malpractice litigation and the nursing home industry through its insight on the relationship of nursing home margins and litigation.

  19. Smart homes and home health monitoring technologies for older adults: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lili; Stroulia, Eleni; Nikolaidis, Ioanis; Miguel-Cruz, Antonio; Rios Rincon, Adriana

    2016-07-01

    Around the world, populations are aging and there is a growing concern about ways that older adults can maintain their health and well-being while living in their homes. The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic literature review to determine: (1) the levels of technology readiness among older adults and, (2) evidence for smart homes and home-based health-monitoring technologies that support aging in place for older adults who have complex needs. We identified and analyzed 48 of 1863 relevant papers. Our analyses found that: (1) technology-readiness level for smart homes and home health monitoring technologies is low; (2) the highest level of evidence is 1b (i.e., one randomized controlled trial with a PEDro score ≥6); smart homes and home health monitoring technologies are used to monitor activities of daily living, cognitive decline and mental health, and heart conditions in older adults with complex needs; (3) there is no evidence that smart homes and home health monitoring technologies help address disability prediction and health-related quality of life, or fall prevention; and (4) there is conflicting evidence that smart homes and home health monitoring technologies help address chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The level of technology readiness for smart homes and home health monitoring technologies is still low. The highest level of evidence found was in a study that supported home health technologies for use in monitoring activities of daily living, cognitive decline, mental health, and heart conditions in older adults with complex needs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Factors contributing to fecal incontinence in older people and outcome of routine management in home, hospital and nursing home settings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asangaedem Akpan

    2007-04-01

    wards 14 [47%] (P < 0.01. Loose stools were the most prevalent factor present at baseline in 13 of the 19 (68% subjects whose fecal incontinence had resolved at 3 months.Conclusion: The distribution of the factors contributing to fecal incontinence in older people living at home differs from those cared for in nursing home and hospital wards settings. These differences need to be borne in mind when assessing people in different settings. Management appears to result in a cure for those who are not significantly disabled with loose stools as a cause for their fecal incontinence, but this would need to be confirmed by further research.Keywords: Older adults, fecal incontinence, risk factors, care settings, digital rectal examination, mortality

  1. Open source home care technology : technical design and development, user research, cost-benefit analysis, and business modeling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marike Hettinga; Ander de Keijzer; Guido van Alphen; Jan M. Nauta; Elles Gyaltsen-Lohuis; Niels Donninger; Rens Balkenende

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents the work in progress for the Hightech@home project. The aim of this project is to develop technology and knowledge concerning open source home care technology, utilizing open standards. Currently, there is limited availability of high tech sensor and communication technology

  2. The emotional context facing nursing home residents' families: a call for role reinforcement strategies from nursing homes and the community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bern-Klug, Mercedes

    2008-01-01

    Identify useful concepts related to the emotional context facing family members of nursing home residents. These concepts can be used in future studies to design and test interventions that benefit family caregivers. Secondary data analyses of qualitative ethnographic data. Two nursing homes in a large Midwestern city; 8 months of data collection in each. 44 family members of nursing home residents whose health was considered, "declining." Role theory was used to design and help interpret the findings. Data included transcripts of conversations between family members and researchers and were analyzed using a coding scheme developed for the secondary analysis. Comments about emotions related to the social role of family member were grouped into three categories: relief related to admission, stress, and decision making support/stress. Subcategories of stress include the role strain associated with "competing concerns" and the psychological pressures of 1) witnessing the decline of a loved one in a nursing home, and 2) guilt about placement. Decision-making was discussed as a challenge which family members did not want to face alone; support from the resident, health care professionals, and other family members was appreciated. Family members may benefit from role reinforcement activities provided by nursing home staff and community members. All nursing home staff members (in particular social workers) and physicians are called upon to provide educationa and support regarding nursing home admissions, during the decline of the resident, and especially regarding medical decision-making. Community groups are asked to support the family member by offering assistance with concrete tasks (driving, visiting, etc.) and social support.

  3. [The admission to Nursing Homes and Home care services of elderly patients: analysis of the trend from 2008 to 2011 in a North Italian district].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caporale, Loretta; Czaplejewicz, Monika; Odasmini, Bruna

    2014-01-01

    The effects of the economic crisis impact on several aspects, included the use of health and social services. To analyze the effects of the economic recession on the request of in-home and long run social-health services. Retrospective research. The databases of a In-home Nursing Service, the Social Services and the Welfare area of a Social-Health Local Service in North of Italy have been consulted, with reference to the period between 31st December 2008 to 31st December 2011. From 2008 to 2011 the users supported by the In-Home Nursing Service increased by 30.3% while a decrease in the waiting lists for public and private nursing homes was observed. The users of In-Home Assistance Service decreased by 11%, as well as recipients of In-Home Meal Service (33%). Since 2008, the number of regional economic allowance beneficiaries dramatically increased; these allowances are dispensed as a support to In-Home Nursing Service and to social frailty. Profound changes of the offer and use of long term care services is evident. The endurance of this trend could impair the In-Home Nursing Services ability to answer to health needs of citizens. Health care professionals should strengthen the educational interventions to improve the level of patients'self care.

  4. Home Features and Assistive Technology for the Home-Bound Elderly in a Thai Suburban Community by Applying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Supawadee Putthinoi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The ageing population is having an impact worldwide and has created a serious challenge in Thailand’s healthcare systems, whereby healthcare practitioners play a major role in promoting independent interaction of their client’s abilities, as well as environmental factors. The purpose of this study was to survey features of the home and assistive technology (AT for the home-bound elderly in the community of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Home evaluation included features inside and outside the home, and AT was based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF concept. Methods included observation and an interview that were used by the researcher for evaluation. The study found that every home had at least one hazardous home feature such as inappropriate width of the door, high door threshold, tall stair steps, no bedside rail, and inappropriate height of the toilet pan. AT was found in houses as general products and technology for personal use in daily living and for personal indoor and outdoor mobility as well as transportation. Therefore, home features and AT can afford the home-bound elderly independent living within the community. Perspective AT according to the ICF concept could provide a common language for ageing in place benefits.

  5. Prospects for rebuilding primary care using the patient-centered medical home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landon, Bruce E; Gill, James M; Antonelli, Richard C; Rich, Eugene C

    2010-05-01

    Existing research suggests that models of enhanced primary care lead to health care systems with better performance. What the research does not show is whether such an approach is feasible or likely to be effective within the U.S. health care system. Many commentators have adopted the model of the patient-centered medical home as policy shorthand to address the reinvention of primary care in the United States. We analyze potential barriers to implementing the medical home model for policy makers and practitioners. Among others, these include developing new payment models, as well as the need for up-front funding to assemble the personnel and infrastructure required by an enhanced non-visit-based primary care practice and methods to facilitate transformation of existing practices to functioning medical homes.

  6. Meals in nursing homes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kofod, Jens Erik; Birkemose, A.

    2004-01-01

    Undernutrition is present among 33% of nursing home residents in Denmark. Hence, it is relevant to examine the meal situation at nursing homes to single out factors that may increase or reduce the residents' food intake. in the ongoing Danish nursing home debate it is claimed that a new type...... of nursing home improves the residents' meal situation with a positive effect on nutrition. The aim of this work is to test the general hypothesis that (i) residents appreciate the meal situation in these nursing homes and (ii) nutritional status of the residents is improved in this type of nursing home....... This study was carried out in four Danish nursing homes at various locations in Denmark. The methods used are qualitative interviews and observations at four nursing homes in combination with measurement of body mass index (BMI) at two of the four nursing homes. Undernutrition is defined as a BMI below 20...

  7. Current Research Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Success Home > Explore Research > Current Research Studies Current Research Studies Email Print + Share The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation ... conducted online. Learn more about IBD Partners. Clinical Research Alliance The Clinical Research Alliance is a network ...

  8. Home Care Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Home care is care that allows a person with special needs stay in their home. It might be for people who are getting ... are chronically ill, recovering from surgery, or disabled. Home care services include Personal care, such as help ...

  9. Implementation of Electronic Health Records in US Nursing Homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bjarnadottir, Ragnhildur I; Herzig, Carolyn T A; Travers, Jasmine L; Castle, Nicholas G; Stone, Patricia W

    2017-08-01

    While electronic health records have emerged as promising tools to help improve quality of care, nursing homes have lagged behind in implementation. This study assessed electronic health records implementation, associated facility characteristics, and potential impact on quality indicators in nursing homes. Using national Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and survey data for nursing homes, a cross-sectional analysis was conducted to identify variations between nursing homes that had and had not implemented electronic health records. A difference-in-differences analysis was used to estimate the longitudinal effect of electronic health records on commonly used quality indicators. Data from 927 nursing homes were examined, 49.1% of which had implemented electronic health records. Nursing homes with electronic health records were more likely to be nonprofit/government owned (P = .04) and had a lower percentage of Medicaid residents (P = .02) and higher certified nursing assistant and registered nurse staffing levels (P = .002 and .02, respectively). Difference-in-differences analysis showed greater quality improvements after implementation for five long-stay and two short-stay quality measures (P = .001 and .01, respectively) compared with those who did not implement electronic health records. Implementation rates in nursing homes are low compared with other settings, and better-resourced facilities are more likely to have implemented electronic health records. Consistent with other settings, electronic health records implementation improves quality in nursing homes, but further research is needed to better understand the mechanism for improvement and how it can best be supported.

  10. Case management considerations of progressive dementia in a home setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pierce, Mary Ellen

    2010-01-01

    Nursing theory, research, and best practice guidelines contribute substantially to the field of dementia care. Interventional plans are challenged most by those dementias considered progressive and deteriorative in nature, requiring ongoing reassessment and modification of care practices as the clinical course changes. The purpose of this article is to provide guidelines for case managers in the development of effective, individualized care plans for clients with progressive dementia residing in a home setting. The application of these guidelines is illustrated through the presentation of an actual case. The practice setting is a private home in the Pacific Northwest. Geriatric case management is provided by an RN case manager. Progressive dementia presents challenges to home care. Professional case management using comprehensive, holistic assessment, collaborative approaches, and best practice fundamentals serve to create an effective, individualized plan of care. The increasing geriatric population presents great opportunities for case managers in strategic management for creating successful home care models in clients with progressive dementia. Use of nursing diagnoses, dementia research, and collaborative approaches with families and other medical providers creates a viable alternative for clients with progressive dementia.

  11. High-performance workplace practices in nursing homes: an economic perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bishop, Christine E

    2014-02-01

    To develop implications for research, practice and policy, selected economics and human resources management research literature was reviewed to compare and contrast nursing home culture change work practices with high-performance human resource management systems in other industries. The organization of nursing home work under culture change has much in common with high-performance work systems, which are characterized by increased autonomy for front-line workers, self-managed teams, flattened supervisory hierarchy, and the aspiration that workers use specific knowledge gained on the job to enhance quality and customization. However, successful high-performance work systems also entail intensive recruitment, screening, and on-going training of workers, and compensation that supports selective hiring and worker commitment; these features are not usual in the nursing home sector. Thus despite many parallels with high-performance work systems, culture change work systems are missing essential elements: those that require higher compensation. If purchasers, including public payers, were willing to pay for customized, resident-centered care, productivity gains could be shared with workers, and the nursing home sector could move from a low-road to a high-road employment system.

  12. Researcher Story: Stuttering

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Impact of NIH Research Science, Health, and Public Trust You are here Home » Health Information » NIH Clinical ... Contact Us Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube Flickr More Social Media from NIH Footer NIH Home En Español ...

  13. Development of a Context-Aware Smart Home Energy Manager (CASHEM)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Srivastava, Viraj [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Makhmalbaf, Atefe [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Parker, Graham B. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2013-03-01

    The research reported is part of a collaborative with Honeywell, Inc. to bring novel home energy management concepts and technologies to reduce energy consumption, reduce peak electricity demand, integrate renewable energy and storage technology, and change homeowner behavior to manage and consume less energy. The objective of the collaborative is to create a Context-Aware Smart Home Energy Manager (CASHEM) that dynamically schedules major home appliances according to conditions and homeowner convenience of service (CoS) preferences, monitors and analyzes energy consumption of appliances, recommends further energy saving actions, and engages/motivates the homeowner to adopt those recommendations.

  14. Bringing Your Baby Home

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... for Educators Search English Español Bringing Your Baby Home KidsHealth / For Parents / Bringing Your Baby Home What's ... recall your baby's seemingly endless crying episodes. The Home Front Introducing your baby to others at home ...

  15. 24 CFR 982.610 - Group home: Who may reside in a group home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Group home: Who may reside in a group home. 982.610 Section 982.610 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and... Housing Types Group Home § 982.610 Group home: Who may reside in a group home. (a) An elderly person or a...

  16. Home area networks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koonen, A.M.J.

    2013-01-01

    This article consists of a collection of slides from the author's conference presentation. Some of the specific areas/topics discussed include: Convergence in home networks, home service scenarios; Home wired network architectures, CapEx and OpEx; Residential Gateway; Optical fiber types;

  17. Meaning creation and employee engagement in home health caregivers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielsen, Mette Strange; Jørgensen, Frances

    2016-03-01

    The purpose of this study is to contribute to an understanding on how home health caregivers experience engagement in their work, and specifically, how aspects of home healthcare work create meaning associated with employee engagement. Although much research on engagement has been conducted, little has addressed how individual differences such as worker orientation influence engagement, or how engagement is experienced within a caregiving context. The study is based on a qualitative study in two home homecare organisations in Denmark using a think-aloud data technique, interviews and observations. The analysis suggests caregivers experience meaning in three relatively distinct ways, depending on their work orientation. Specifically, the nature of engagement varies across caregivers oriented towards being 'nurturers', 'professionals', or 'workers', and the sources of engagement differ for each of these types of caregivers. The article contributes by (i) advancing our theoretical understanding of employee engagement by emphasising meaning creation and (ii) identifying factors that influence meaning creation and engagement of home health caregivers, which should consequently affect the quality of services provided home healthcare patients. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  18. Foster home integration as a temporal indicator of relational well-being.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waid, Jeffrey; Kothari, Brianne H; McBeath, Bowen M; Bank, Lew

    2017-12-01

    This study sought to identify factors that contribute to the relational well-being of youth in substitute care. Using data from the [BLIND] study, youth responded to a 9-item measure of positive home integration, a scale designed to assess the relational experiences of youth to their caregivers and their integration into the foster home. Data were collected from youth in six month intervals, for an 18-month period of time. Latent growth curve modeling procedures were employed to determine if child, family, and case characteristics influenced youth's home integration trajectories. Results suggest stability in youth reports of home integration over time; however, children who were older at the time of study enrollment and youth who experienced placement changes during the period of observation experienced decreased home integration during the 18-month period. Results suggest youth's perspectives of home integration may in part be a function of the child's developmental stage and their experiences with foster care placement instability. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

  19. A Smart Gateway Architecture for Improving Efficiency of Home Network Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fei Ding

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A smart home gateway plays an important role in the Internet of Things (IoT system that takes responsibility for the connection between the network layer and the ubiquitous sensor network (USN layer. Even though the home network application is developing rapidly, researches on the home gateway based open development architecture are less. This makes it difficult to extend the home network to support new applications, share service, and interoperate with other home network systems. An integrated access gateway (IAGW is proposed in this paper which upward connects with the operator machine-to-machine platform (M2M P/F. In this home network scheme, the gateway provides standard interfaces for supporting various applications in home environments, ranging from on-site configuration to node and service access. In addition, communication management ability is also provided by M2M P/F. A testbed of a simple home network application system that includes the IAGW prototype is created to test its user interaction capabilities. Experimental results show that the proposed gateway provides significant flexibility for users to configure and deploy a home automation network; it can be applied to other monitoring areas and simultaneously supports a multi-ubiquitous sensor network.

  20. The strategic research positioning:

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Viala, Eva Silberschmidt

    to provide new insights into ‘immigrant’ parents’ perspective on home/school partnership in Denmark. The majority of the immigrant parents came from non-Western countries, and they had already been ‘labelled’ difficult in terms of home/school partnership. This calls for what I call ‘strategic research...... positioning’, meaning critical reflections about the relationship and power balance between the researcher and the researched. The paper focus' on challenges and dilemmas linked to this position....

  1. At Home with Students – Observing Online and Offline Contexts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anita Lyngsø

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available This article reflects the methodological challenges presented in the research process, where the principle of 'following the field’ means that the researcher must also follow students engaged in online activities in their own homes. The ethnographic studies are a part of a PhD project on “NETeducation,” a full-scale development project in nursing education (Lyngsø, 2014. With a focus on online professional education as the starting point, the process of research will follow the shifting learning process, through phases in the virtual classroom and in the students’ own homes.Research in online contexts demands a rethinking of the traditional ethnographic approach (Hammersley, 2006; Hine, 2005, sharpening the focus on the online and offline contexts, and the shifting between them (Webster, da Silva, 2013. The methodological reflections in the first part of this article can relate to this division due to the “netstudents” activities in studying online at home. On the other hand, the dichotomy between online and offline contexts is found to be inadequate, during the observations conducted. In light of some preliminary findings, the challenges of observing online and offline activities almost simultaneously are considered, despite a dearth of literature existing on this subject.

  2. Health Information Technology and Nursing Homes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Darren

    2009-01-01

    Nursing homes are considered lagging behind in adopting health information technology (HIT). Many studies have highlighted the use of HIT as a means of improving health care quality. However, these studies overwhelmingly do not provide empirical information proving that HIT can actually achieve these improvements. The main research goal of this…

  3. Privacy and senior willingness to adopt smart home information technology in residential care facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Courtney, K L

    2008-01-01

    With large predicted increases of the older adult (65 years and older) population, researchers have been exploring the use of smart home information technologies (IT) in residential care (RC) facilities to enhance resident quality of life and safety. Older adults' perceptions of privacy can inhibit their acceptance and subsequent adoption of smart home IT. This qualitative study, guided by principles of grounded theory research, investigated the relationship between privacy, living environment and willingness of older adults living in residential care facilities to adopt smart home IT through focus groups and individual interviews. The findings from this study indicate that privacy can be a barrier for older adults' adoption of smart home IT; however their own perception of their need for the technology may override their privacy concerns. Privacy concerns, as a barrier to technology adoption, can be influenced by both individual-level and community-level factors. Further exploration of the factors influencing older adults' perceptions of smart home IT need is necessary.

  4. Healthy ageing and home: the perspectives of very old people in five European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sixsmith, J; Sixsmith, A; Fänge, A Malmgren; Naumann, D; Kucsera, C; Tomsone, S; Haak, M; Dahlin-Ivanoff, S; Woolrych, R

    2014-04-01

    This paper reports on in-depth research, using a grounded theory approach, to examine the ways in which very old people perceive healthy ageing in the context of living alone at home within urban settings in five European countries. This qualitative study was part of a cross-national project entitled ENABLE-AGE which examined the relationship between home and healthy ageing. Interviews explored the notion of healthy ageing, the meaning and importance of home, conceptualisations of independence and autonomy and links between healthy ageing and home. Data analysis identified five ways in which older people constructed healthy ageing: home and keeping active; managing lifestyles, health and illness; balancing social life; and balancing material and financial circumstances. Older people reflected on their everyday lives at home in terms of being engaged in purposeful, meaningful action and evaluated healthy ageing in relation to the symbolic and practical affordances of the home, contextualised within constructions of their national context. The research suggests that older people perceive healthy ageing as an active achievement, created through individual, personal effort and supported through social ties despite the health, financial and social decline associated with growing older. The physicality and spatiality of home provided the context for establishing and evaluating the notion of healthy ageing, whilst the experienced relationship between home, life history and identity created a meaningful space within which healthy ageing was negotiated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Home range and travels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stickel, L.F.; King, John A.

    1968-01-01

    The concept of home range was expressed by Seton (1909) in the term 'home region,' which Burr (1940, 1943) clarified with a definition of home range and exemplified in a definitive study of Peromyscus in the field. Burt pointed out the ever-changing characteristics of home-range area and the consequent absence of boundaries in the usual sense--a finding verified by investigators thereafter. In the studies summarized in this paper, sizes of home ranges of Peromyscus varied within two magnitudes, approximately from 0.1 acre to ten acres, in 34 studies conducted in a variety of habitats from the seaside dunes of Florida to the Alaskan forests. Variation in sizes of home ranges was correlated with both environmental and physiological factors; with habitat it was conspicuous, both in the same and different regions. Food supply also was related to size of home range, both seasonally and in relation to habitat. Home ranges generally were smallest in winter and largest in spring, at the onset of the breeding season. Activity and size also were affected by changes in weather. Activity was least when temperatures were low and nights were bright. Effects of rainfall were variable. Sizes varied according to sex and age; young mice remained in the parents' range until they approached maturity, when they began to travel more widely. Adult males commonly had larger home ranges than females, although there were a number of exceptions. An inverse relationship between population density and size of home range was shown in several studies and probably is the usual relationship. A basic need for activity and exploration also appeared to influence size of home range. Behavior within the home range was discussed in terms of travel patterns, travels in relation to home sites and refuges, territory, and stability of size of home range. Travels within the home range consisted of repeated use of well-worn trails to sites of food, shelter, and refuge, plus more random exploratory travels

  6. Brain research to ameliorate impaired neurodevelopment--home-based intervention trial (BRAIN-HIT).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallander, Jan L; McClure, Elizabeth; Biasini, Fred; Goudar, Shivaprasad S; Pasha, Omrana; Chomba, Elwyn; Shearer, Darlene; Wright, Linda; Thorsten, Vanessa; Chakraborty, Hrishikesh; Dhaded, Sangappa M; Mahantshetti, Niranjana S; Bellad, Roopa M; Abbasi, Zahid; Carlo, Waldemar

    2010-04-30

    This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of an early developmental intervention program on the development of young children in low- and low-middle-income countries who are at risk for neurodevelopmental disability because of birth asphyxia. A group of children without perinatal complications are evaluated in the same protocol to compare the effects of early developmental intervention in healthy infants in the same communities. Birth asphyxia is the leading specific cause of neonatal mortality in low- and low-middle-income countries and is also the main cause of neonatal and long-term morbidity including mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Mortality and morbidity from birth asphyxia disproportionately affect more infants in low- and low-middle-income countries, particularly those from the lowest socioeconomic groups. There is evidence that relatively inexpensive programs of early developmental intervention, delivered during home visit by parent trainers, are capable of improving neurodevelopment in infants following brain insult due to birth asphyxia. This trial is a block-randomized controlled trial that has enrolled 174 children with birth asphyxia and 257 without perinatal complications, comparing early developmental intervention plus health and safety counseling to the control intervention receiving health and safety counseling only, in sites in India, Pakistan, and Zambia. The interventions are delivered in home visits every two weeks by parent trainers from 2 weeks after birth until age 36 months. The primary outcome of the trial is cognitive development, and secondary outcomes include social-emotional and motor development. Child, parent, and family characteristics and number of home visits completed are evaluated as moderating factors. The trial is supervised by a trial steering committee, and an independent data monitoring committee monitors the trial. Findings from this trial have the potential

  7. DOE Challenge Home Case Study: e2 Homes – Winter Park, Florida

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    none,

    2013-01-01

    This Challenge Home case study describes the first certified DOE Challenge Home as constructed by e2 Homes. Completed in May 2012, the “Wilson Residence” in Winter Park, Florida, is a 4,305-ft2 custom home that scores a HERS 57 without solar and a better than zero net-energy HERS -7 with solar.

  8. Consumer Acceptance Analysis of the Home Energy Management System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eung-Suk Park

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to study consumer acceptance of the Home Energy Management System, which is the next generation electronic management system that the Korean government plans to implement in households. The Home Energy Management System is a critical device in maximizing the efficiency of electric energy consumption for each household by using a smart grid. Because it can visualize real-time price information on the electricity, households can easily monitor and control the amount of electricity consumption. With this feature, the Home Energy Management System can contribute to consumers’ total energy savings. This is a major reason why the Korean government wishes to implement it nationwide. Since the Home Energy Management System is a product that applies new technology that has not yet been directly encountered by consumers, there may be a difference in the level of public perception of the Home Energy Management System. Therefore, the impact of consumers’ awareness of the Home Energy Management System on their intention to use is important. To do this, the Technology Acceptance Model is utilized in this study. Traditional research on the Technology Acceptance Model includes awareness of usefulness and ease of use as well as intention to use. In contrast, in this research, an extended Technology Acceptance Model with four additional factors—economic benefit, social contribution, environmental responsibility, and innovativeness—that may affect the consumer’s awareness of usefulness and ease of use, is proposed. To collect the data, the survey was conducted with 287 respondents. As a result, the proposed model proved to be suitable in explaining the intention to use with a 70.3% explanation power. It is found that economic benefit (0.231 and innovativeness (0.259 impact on usefulness of the Home Energy Management System. Moreover, usefulness (0.551 has a bigger effect on intention to use than ease of use (0.338 does. Based

  9. Research Program Overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    PEER logo Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center home about peer news events research products laboratories publications nisee b.i.p. members education FAQs links research Research Program Overview Tall Buildings Initiative Transportation Research Program Lifelines Program Concrete Grand

  10. ConductHome: Gesture Interface Control of Home Automation Boxes

    OpenAIRE

    J. Branstett; V. Gagneux; A. Leleu; B. Levadoux; J. Pascale

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the interface ConductHome which controls home automation systems with a Leap Motion using "invariant gesture protocols". This interface is meant to simplify the interaction of the user with its environment. A hardware part allows the Leap Motion to be carried around the house. A software part interacts with the home automation box and displays the useful information for the user. An objective of this work is the development of a natural/invariant/simpl...

  11. Clients' outcomes of home health nursing in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, L; Wen, M J

    2001-09-01

    The home health nursing movement is expanding rapidly. Home health nursing agencies (HHNAs) are expected to demonstrate that the care provided does make a difference for the client receiving the services. The purpose of this study was to explore client outcomes from home health nursing. Outcome indicators include: Services utilized (emergency services, re-hospitalization), physiological status (catheter indwelling status, consciousness level, wound severity-number and wound stages) and functional status (reflected by Barthel Index). A prospective research design was used to collect the results. Five hospital-based HHNAs were invited to participate in this research. Clients newly admitted to HHNAs and diagnosed as non-cancer patients were recruited, and the researchers gathered outcome indicators over a six-month period. Data were analyzed using SPSS 8.0 computer software. There were 75 clients in this study. Results showed that most of the clients (64.0%) received service for more than 180 days. The client characteristics were dominated by elderly (66.6% age above 70), female (53.3%) and married (74.7%). The three leading care needs were NG tubing service (84.0%), Foley tubing service (45.3%) and wound care (38.7%). The Kruscal Wallis Test revealed that there was no difference in emergency service frequency and re-hospitalization between clients who received service for more than 180 days and those who received service for less than 180 days. The Wilcoxon Sign rank test showed that within one half-year, catheter indwelling status, functional status, and wound severity were not significantly different, with the exception only of conscious level (p = .001). The results of this study can be viewed as preliminary data to assist in shaping home health nursing services in Taiwan.

  12. Cost-effectiveness implications based on a comparison of nursing home and home health case mix.

    OpenAIRE

    Kramer, A M; Shaughnessy, P W; Pettigrew, M L

    1985-01-01

    Case-mix differences between 653 home health care patients and 650 nursing home patients, and between 455 Medicare home health patients and 447 Medicare nursing home patients were assessed using random samples selected from 20 home health agencies and 46 nursing homes in 12 states in 1982 and 1983. Home health patients were younger, had shorter lengths of stay, and were less functionally disabled than nursing home patients. Traditional long-term care problems requiring personal care were more...

  13. Bio-Research: About this journal

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bio-Research: About this journal. Journal Home > Bio-Research: About this journal. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register · Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives. People. » Contact. Policies. » Focus and ...

  14. TRAVEL AND HOME LEAVE

    CERN Multimedia

    Human Resources Division

    2002-01-01

    Administrative procedures for : Travel to the home station and home leave (hl) Additional travel to the home station (at) Travel to the home station and home leave for family reasons (hlf) As part of the process of simplifying administrative procedures, HR and AS Divisions have devised a new, virtually automatic procedure for payment of travel expenses to the home station. The changes are aimed at rationalising administrative procedures and not at reducing benefits. The conditions of eligibility are unchanged. The new procedure, which will be operational with effect from 1st June 2002, will greatly simplify the administrative processing of claims for travel expenses and the recording of home leaves. Currently, requests for payment are introduced manually into the Advances and Claims system (AVCL) by divisional secretariats. All travel to the home station starting prior to 1st June 2002 will be processed according to the existing system whereas that starting on 1st June and after will be processed accordi...

  15. Dimensions of work-home culture and their relations with the use of work-home arrangements and work-home interaction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dikkers, J.S.E.; Geurts, S.A.E.; Dulk, L. den; Peper, A.B.; Taris, T.W.; Kompier, M.A.J.

    2007-01-01

    This study examined the associations of work–home culture with (a) demographic and organizational characteristics, (b) the use of work–home arrangements, and (c) negative and positive work–home interaction, among 1,179 employees from one public and two private organizations. Substantial support was

  16. Dimensions of work-home culture and their relations with the use of work-home arrangements and work-home interaction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dikkers, J.S.E.; Geurts, S.A.E.; den Dulk, L.; Peper, B.; Taris, T.W.; Kompier, M.A.J.

    2007-01-01

    This study examined the associations of work-home culture with (a) demographic and organizational characteristics, (b) the use of work-home arrangements, and (c) negative and positive work-home interaction, among 1,179 employees from one public and two private organizations. Substantial support was

  17. Relaying experiences for care home design

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raudaskoski, Pirkko Liisa

    2014-01-01

    stakeholders (researchers, family members, etc.) could put forward their ideas and wishes about the facilities of a soon-to-be-built care home for people with brain injury. In other words, the seminar was part of a wider diagnostic endeavor that was to be started in a specially designed building. The future...

  18. 6. Home deliveries

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Sitwala

    determine factors associated with home deliveries. Main outcome ... deliver at home than a health facility compared to those who .... regression analysis, women who had four years of schooling or .... by report bias, the burden of home deliveries is a real challenge .... Journal of Econometrics 1987; 36: 185-204. 14. Michelo ...

  19. Home Energy Saver

    Science.gov (United States)

    release announcing Home Energy Saver and a Q-and-A. The "About" page should tell you everything you need to know about using Home Energy Saver. If you have any questions, please email the project leader, Dr. Evan Mills. News Releases Microsoft Licenses Berkeley Lab's Home Energy Saver Code for Its

  20. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Garbett Homes, Herriman, Utah

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    none,

    2013-09-01

    As the first net zero-energy production home certified in Utah, this house incorporates two 94% efficient tankless water heaters and two roof-mounted solar panels that preheat the home's water supply. This home won a 2013 Housing Innovation Award in the production builder category.

  1. Freedom and Confinement: Patients’ Experiences of Life with Home Haemodialysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Vestman

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Patients with chronic end stage renal disease need dialysis to survive; however, they also need a treatment that suits their life situation. It is important that healthcare providers provide reliable, up-to-date information about different dialysis treatment options. Since home haemodialysis is a relatively new treatment, it is necessary to gather more knowledge about what the treatment entails from the patient’s perspective. The aim of this study was to describe patients’ experiences of having home haemodialysis. To gain access to the patients’ experiences, they were asked to write narratives, which describe both their good and bad experiences of life with the treatment. The narratives were analysed with a qualitative method. The results of this analysis are subdivided into five themes: freedom to be at home and control their own treatment, feeling of being alone with the responsibility, changes in the home environment, need for support, and security and well-being with home haemodialysis. The conclusion is that home haemodialysis provides a certain level of freedom, but the freedom is limited as the treatment itself is restrictive. In order to improve patients’ experiences with home haemodialysis, more research based on patients’ experiences is needed and it is necessary to involve the patients in the development of the care.

  2. Discrepancies in assessing home care workers' working conditions in a Norwegian home care service: differing views of stakeholders at three organizational levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersen, Gunn Robstad; Westgaard, Rolf H

    2015-07-25

    The present study is a follow-up study of factors contributing to an undesirable quality of work environment and sick leave rate in the home care services in a Norwegian municipality. The underlying assumption is that organizational discrepancies in the perceptions and appraisals of significant factors and processes in an organization have detrimental effects on the management of the organization and on work environment conditions. Thus, the study aim is to explore potential organizational discrepancies in the appraisals of factors relating to home care workers' working conditions. The study, using a mixed-methods design, comprised six home care units. It included survey responses of home care workers (80 respondents, response rate 54 %) and qualitative descriptions of stakeholders' appraisals of organizational issues gathered through semi-structured interviews (33 interviews with stakeholders at three organizational levels). Employees at different organizational levels in the home care services expressed divergent appraisals of factors related to the working conditions of home care workers, including impact of organizational measures (i.e. time pressure, work tasks, a new work program, organizational changes, budget model, budget allocation and coping strategies). Survey responses supported interview descriptions by home care workers. Results suggest that organizational discrepancy serve as an important barrier to a sustainable, well-functioning organization in general and to quality-enhancing changes to work procedures in particular. It is recommended to improve communication channels and facilitate the exchange of information across levels to ensure a common understanding of matters significant to the organization of the home care services and to the work environment of home care workers. The prevalence and impact of organizational discrepancy should be included in organization research, particularly when exploring explanatory factors of an unhealthy

  3. Research in Hospitality Management

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Research in Hospitality Management. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives · Journal Home > Vol 5, No 1 (2015) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

  4. Parental decision-making on utilisation of out-of-home respite in children's palliative care: findings of qualitative case study research - a proposed new model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ling, J; Payne, S; Connaire, K; McCarron, M

    2016-01-01

    Respite in children's palliative care aims to provide a break for family's from the routine of caring. Parental decision-making regarding the utilisation of out-of-home respite is dependent on many interlinking factors including the child's age, diagnosis, geographical location and the family's capacity to meet their child's care needs. A proposed model for out-of-home respite has been developed based on the findings of qualitative case study research. Utilising multiple, longitudinal, qualitative case study design, the respite needs and experiences of parents caring for a child with a life-limiting condition were explored. Multiple, in-depth interviews were undertaken with the parents identified by a hospital-based children's palliative care team. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Each individual case consists of a whole study. Cross-case comparison was also conducted. Nine families were recruited and followed for two years. A total of 19 in-depth interviews were conducted with mothers and fathers (one or both) caring for a child with a life-limiting condition in Ireland. Each family reported vastly different needs and experiences of respite from their own unique perspective. Cross-case comparison showed that for all parents utilising respite care, regardless of their child's age and condition, home was the location of choice. Many interlinking factors influencing these decisions included: past experience of in-patient care, and trust and confidence in care providers. Issues were raised regarding the impact of care provision in the home on family life, siblings and the concept of home. Respite is an essential element of children's palliative care. Utilisation of out-of-home respite is heavily dependent on a number of interlinked and intertwined factors. The proposed model of care offers an opportunity to identify how these decisions are made and may ultimately assist in identifying the elements of responsive and family-focused respite that are important

  5. Security And Privacy Issues in Health Monitoring Systems: eCare@Home Case Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wearing, Thomas; Dragoni, Nicola

    2016-01-01

    Automated systems for monitoring elderly people in their home are becoming more and more common. Indeed, an increasing number of home sensor networks for healthcare can be found in the recent literature, indicating a clear research direction in smart homes for health-care. Although the huge amount...... of sensitive data these systems deal with and expose to the external world, security and privacy issues are surpris-ingly not taken into consideration. The aim of this paper is to raise some key security and privacy issues that home health monitor systems should face with. The analysis is based on a real world...... monitoring sensor network for healthcare built in the context of the eCare@Home project....

  6. Smart and usable home energy management systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Van Dam, S.S.

    2009-01-01

    This paper reviews research into Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS). These are intermediary products that can visualize, manage, and/or monitor the energy use of other products or whole households. HEMS have lately received increasing attention for their possible role in conserving energy within

  7. Trapped or Spurred by the Home Region?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Keld; Masciarelli, Francesca; Prencipe, Andrea

    2012-01-01

    for goods and technology, thereby enhancing firms’ involvement in those foreign markets. When potential social capital reaches a certain threshold, it may work to trap firms into operating only within their home regions, thus reducing involvement in foreign markets. We conjecture that firms’ research...

  8. Second-home electricity consumption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersen, Frits M.; Christensen, Morten S.; Jensen, Ole Michael; Kofoed, Niels-Ulrik; Morthorst, Poul Erik

    2008-01-01

    In Denmark, electricity consumption in first and second homes has developed quite differently. Since 1990, electricity consumption in ordinary residences has grown moderately, while consumption in weekend and second homes has increased considerably. In turn, this development has been blamed on a growing number of luxury cottages, new legislation permitting senior citizens to have their permanent address in their second home and a growing number of electric appliances. In order to examine the growing electricity consumption in second homes and to estimate future demand, a multidisciplinary study combining top-down and bottom-up analyses was conducted, i.e., combining models using aggregated economic parameters and feasibility studies using technical parameters, respectively. The top-down estimation showed that changes in electricity consumption in second homes correlate to changes in income. The bottom-up estimation showed that consumption was mainly affected by the frequency with which second homes were used in the winter time. This indicates that additional second homes, increased full-time use and intensified use of electric appliances are the main reasons for the observed increases in electricity consumption. Luxury tourism use and senior citizens' that use a few per cent of the second homes as their home contribute to a minor degree to the overall increase of electricity consumption. Scenarios show that this development may accelerate with increased leisure time, increased use and more permanent settlement in second homes

  9. Counselling and Psychological Services for Clients at the Shelter Home

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ľudmila Fonferová

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Problem: The paper is dealing with a psychological approach to the work with families and their children at a shelter home. It describes the circumstances and conditions for the work in the specific socio-therapeutic environment of the Horni Pocernice Shelter Home. The main research question - 'What are the options of psychological intervention and psychotherapeutic work with clients in the scope of services offered by the shelter home in Horni Pocernice'- works with the hypopaper that psychology and psychotherapy have their place within and next to social services. For clients who use services of this shelter home is this work essential and contributes to better understanding of their life situation and their social relations. Effectivity of psychological work in the environment of a shelter home is in a great deal connected to its acceptance, inner belief and understanding of its real possibilities by every single social worker. Lack of understanding, distorted expectations both on the side of social workers and psychologists complicate or even prevent psychotherapeutic work with clients for whom the requirements and demands of social workers are determining during their stay. Methods: This paper is based on the design of ethnographic field research. Empirical design of this research is defined by the premises of the shelter home and the time period from 2007 to 2012. Therapeutic possibilities of clients are examined from the position of psychologist and psychotherapist of this centre who offers his/her services once a week for about 5 to 7 hours. The research sample was being created during the collection of data in the examined period and its analysis when it was early established with respect to the research question that all available cases typical for full collection will be included (there were 646 clients in the examined period. Results: The answer to the main research question concerns two variables which are related to each other. The

  10. Indoor Air Quality in 24 California Residences Designed as High Performance Green Homes

    OpenAIRE

    Less, Brennan

    2012-01-01

    Today’s high performance green homes are reaching previously unheard of levels of airtightness and are using new materials, technologies and strategies, whose impacts on IAQ cannot be fully determined by past efforts.  This research assessed IAQ in 24 new or deeply retrofitted homes designed to be high performance green buildings in California using pollutant measurements, home inspections, diagnostic testing and occupant surveys.  Measurements included six-day passive samples of nitrogen oxi...

  11. Beyond Home Automation: Designing More Effective Smart Home Systems

    OpenAIRE

    Carner, Paolo

    2009-01-01

    This paper outlines a Smart Home Proof-of-Concept system that uses a Bayesian Network to predict the likelihood of a monitored event to occur. Firstly, this paper will provide an introduction to the concept of a smart home system; then it will outline how Artificial Intelligence concepts can be used to make such systems more effective. Finally, it will detail the implementation of a smart home system, which uses an inference engine to determine the likelihood of a fire. The system prototype h...

  12. Extended plate and beam demonstration home

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patricia Gunderson; Vladimir Kochkin; Xiping Wang

    2018-01-01

    An extended plate and beam (EP&B) design was developed at Home Innovation Research Labs (Upper Marlboro, Maryland) in an effort to provide traditional light-frame wall construction details that are compatible with continuous insulating sheathing. This would encourage wide-spread adoption of high-R walls and promote greater energy efficiency in new houses. The...

  13. CULTURAL ADAPTATIONS OF EVIDENCE-BASED HOME-VISITATION MODELS IN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiratsuka, Vanessa Y; Parker, Myra E; Sanchez, Jenae; Riley, Rebecca; Heath, Debra; Chomo, Julianna C; Beltangady, Moushumi; Sarche, Michelle

    2018-05-01

    The Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (Tribal MIECHV) Program provides federal grants to tribes, tribal consortia, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations to implement evidence-based home-visiting services for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) families. To date, only one evidence-based home-visiting program has been developed for use in AI/AN communities. The purpose of this article is to describe the steps that four Tribal MIECHV Programs took to assess community needs, select a home-visiting model, and culturally adapt the model for use in AI/AN communities. In these four unique Tribal MIECHV Program settings, each program employed a rigorous needs-assessment process and developed cultural modifications in accordance with community strengths and needs. Adaptations occurred in consultation with model developers, with consideration of the conceptual rationale for the program, while grounding new content in indigenous cultures. Research is needed to improve measurement of home-visiting outcomes in tribal and urban AI/AN settings, develop culturally grounded home-visiting interventions, and assess the effectiveness of home visiting in AI/AN communities. © 2018 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  14. Integrated and Optimized Energy-Efficient Construction Package for a Community of Production Homes in the Mixed-Humid Climate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mallay, D. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Wiehagen, J. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States); Del Bianco, M. [Partnership for Home Innovation, Upper Marlboro, MD (United States)

    2014-10-01

    This research high performance home analyzes how a set of advanced technologies can be integrated into a durable and energy-efficient house in the mixed-humid climate while remaining affordable to homeowners. The technical solutions documented in this report are the cornerstone of the builder's entire business model based on delivering high-performance homes on a production basis as a standard product offering to all price segments of the residential market. Home Innovation Research Labs partnered with production builder Nexus EnergyHomes (CZ 4) and they plan to adopt the successful components of the energy solution package for all 55 homes in the community. The research objective was to optimize the builder's energy solution package based on energy performance and construction costs. All of the major construction features, including envelope upgrades, space conditioning system, hot water system, and solar electric system were analyzed.

  15. Adapting heart failure guidelines for nursing care in home health settings: challenges and solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radhakrishnan, Kavita; Topaz, Maxim; Masterson Creber, Ruth

    2014-07-01

    Nurses provide most of home health services for patients with heart failure, and yet there are no evidence-based practice guidelines developed for home health nurses. The purpose of this article was to review the challenges and solutions for adapting generally available HF clinical practice guidelines to home health nursing. Appropriate HF guidelines were identified and home health nursing-relevant guidelines were extracted by the research team. In addition, a team of nursing academic and practice experts evaluated the extracted guidelines and reached consensus through Delphi rounds. We identified 172 recommendations relevant to home health nursing from the American Heart Association and Heart Failure Society of America guidelines. The recommendations were divided into 5 groups (generic, minority populations, normal ejection fraction, reduced ejection fraction, and comorbidities) and further subgroups. Experts agreed that 87% of the recommendations selected by the research team were relevant to home health nursing and rejected 6% of the selected recommendations. Experts' opinions were split on 7% of guideline recommendations. Experts mostly disagreed on recommendations related to HF medication and laboratory prescription as well as HF patient assessment. These disagreements were due to lack of patient information available to home health nurses as well as unclear understanding of scope of practice regulations for home health nursing. After 2 Delphi rounds over 8 months, we achieved 100% agreement on the recommendations. The finalized guideline included 153 recommendations. Guideline adaptation projects should include a broad scope of nursing practice recommendations from which home health agencies can customize relevant recommendations in accordance with available information and state and agency regulations.

  16. At Home in the Office. A Guide for the Home Worker.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Neil; And Others

    This guide provides information to persons interested in establishing a work-at-home program, specifically those in clerical or support staff positions who use modern automated office equipment. The text is divided into two sections. The Home Worker section provides a summary of the At Home in the Office Project, personality characteristics…

  17. Ohio dentists' awareness and incorporation of the dental home concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammersmith, Kimberly J; Siegal, Mark D; Casamassimo, Paul S; Amini, Homa

    2013-06-01

    The authors measured the awareness of the dental home concept among pediatric dentists (PDs) and general practice dentists (GPs) in Ohio and determined whether they included dental home characteristics for children 5 years and younger into their practices. The authors sent a pretested 20-question survey to all Ohio PDs and to a random sample of approximately 20 percent of GPs in Ohio. The authors designed the survey to elicit information about dental home awareness and the extent to which dental home characteristics were incorporated into dental practices. More than 90 percent of both GPs and PDs incorporated or intended to incorporate into their dental practices the specific dental home characteristics mentioned in 20 of 41 items related to dental home characteristics. Of the respondents who did not already incorporate dental home characteristics into their practices, however, most did not intend to do so. Less than 50 percent of respondents in both groups responded positively to some items in the culturally effective group, and GPs were less likely than were PDs to provide a range of behavior management services and to provide treatment for patients with complex medical and dental treatment needs. PDs were more likely than were GPs to accept Ohio Medicaid (64 versus 33 percent). PDs were more likely than were GPs (78 versus 18 percent) to be familiar with the term "dental home." More recent dental school graduates were more familiar with the term. Most Ohio PDs' and GPs' practices included characteristics found in the definition of dental home, despite a general lack of concept awareness on the part of GPs. Research is needed to provide an evidence base for the dental home. Practical Implications. Once an evidence base is developed for the important aspects of the dental home and the definition is revised, efforts should be made to incorporate these aspects more broadly into dental practice.

  18. Evolution of Home Automation Technology

    OpenAIRE

    Mohd. Rihan; M. Salim Beg

    2009-01-01

    In modern society home and office automation has becomeincreasingly important, providing ways to interconnectvarious home appliances. This interconnection results infaster transfer of information within home/offices leading tobetter home management and improved user experience.Home Automation, in essence, is a technology thatintegrates various electrical systems of a home to provideenhanced comfort and security. Users are grantedconvenient and complete control over all the electrical homeappl...

  19. Second-home electricity consumption

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andersen, Frits M.; Morthorst, Poul Erik [Risoe, Systems Analysis Department, Technical University of Denmark, P.O. Box 49, DK-4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Christensen, Morten S.; Kofoed, Niels-Ulrik [Esbensen Consulting Engineers, Carl Jacobsens Vej 25D, DK-2500 Valby (Denmark); Jensen, Ole Michael [Danish Building Research Institute, Department of Energy and Environment, University of Aalborg, P.O. Box 119, DK-2970 Horsholm (Denmark)

    2008-01-15

    In Denmark, electricity consumption in first and second homes has developed quite differently. Since 1990, electricity consumption in ordinary residences has grown moderately, while consumption in weekend and second homes has increased considerably. In turn, this development has been blamed on a growing number of luxury cottages, new legislation permitting senior citizens to have their permanent address in their second home and a growing number of electric appliances. In order to examine the growing electricity consumption in second homes and to estimate future demand, a multidisciplinary study combining top-down and bottom-up analyses was conducted, i.e., combining models using aggregated economic parameters and feasibility studies using technical parameters, respectively. The top-down estimation showed that changes in electricity consumption in second homes correlate to changes in income. The bottom-up estimation showed that consumption was mainly affected by the frequency with which second homes were used in the winter time. This indicates that additional second homes, increased full-time use and intensified use of electric appliances are the main reasons for the observed increases in electricity consumption. Luxury tourism use and senior citizens' that use a few per cent of the second homes as their home contribute to a minor degree to the overall increase of electricity consumption. Scenarios show that this development may accelerate with increased leisure time, increased use and more permanent settlement in second homes. (author)

  20. Using conflict theory to explore the role of nursing home social workers in home- and community-based service utilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fogler, Sarah

    2009-11-01

    Nursing home social work (NHSW) practitioners are central to home- and community-based service (HCBS) utilization. They assist residents with long-term care (LTC) decision-making and coordinate community-based LTC supports and services for older adults transitioning back into the community after a rehabilitative nursing home (NH) stay. As members of multiple groups, they must simultaneously balance the needs of NH residents, the NH organization, and social policies related to LTC. To date, policy research on HCBS has been atheoretical in that it has not accounted for the possible inherent conflicts that adversely affect the discharge planning practices of NHSW practitioners. This article applies the Conflict Theory to (a) explore the competing interests of the NH industry and the nation's government, (b) examine the potential effect of these competing interests on the effectiveness of NHSW discharge planning practices, and (c) present a conceptual framework to further investigate the relationship between NHSW and both individual LTC outcomes and national policy initiatives aimed at increasing HCBS utilization.

  1. Home Health Care for California's Injured Workers: Options for Implementing a Fee Schedule.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wynn, Barbara O; Boustead, Anne

    2015-07-15

    The California Department of Industrial Relations/Division of Worker's Compensation asked RAND to provide technical assistance in developing a fee schedule for home health services provided to injured workers. The fee schedule needs to address the full spectrum of home health services ranging from skilled nursing and therapy services to unskilled personal care or chore services that may be provided by family members. RAND researchers consulted with stakeholders in the California workers' compensation system to outline issues the fee schedule should address, reviewed home health fee schedules used by other payers, and conducted interviews with WC administrators from other jurisdictions to elicit their experiences. California stakeholders identified unskilled attendant services as most problematic in determining need and payment rates, particularly services furnished by family members. RAND researchers concentrated on fee schedule options that would result in a single fee schedule covering the full range of home health care services furnished to injured workers and made three sets of recommendations. The first set pertains to obtaining additional information that would highlight the policy issues likely to occur with the implementation of the fee schedule and alternatives for assessing an injured worker's home health care needs. Another approach conforms most closely with the Labor Code requirements. It would integrate the fee schedules used by Medicare, In-Home Health Supportive Services, and the federal Office of Workers' Compensation. The third approach would base the home health fee schedule on rules used by the federal Office of Workers' Compensation.

  2. Another bogus radiation scare - radon in homes. Letter to the editor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cuttler, J.

    2012-01-01

    This article discusses Health Canada's research that radon in homes is causing unnecessary lung cancer deaths. Health Canada has carried out a cross-Canada survey of radon-concentrations in homes (Health Canada 2012). The aims of their study were to obtain an estimate of the proportion of the Canadian population living in homes, with radon gas levels above the guideline of 200 Bq/m to identify new areas of this health risk. Their results indicate that 6.9% of Canadians are in 3 such homes (similar to their 1970 results). The authors state that their results can be used by governments and health professionals to help prioritize radon outreach and education efforts, and testing and remediation. Their next step is to correlate radon level and home characteristics, and also develop radon mapping methods. Several sentences in the introduction link radon with lung cancer, based on early studies of uranium miners and later studies in homes. It is estimated that about 10% of all lung cancers worldwide are related to radon exposure.

  3. Is There a Trade-off Between Quality and Profitability in United States Nursing Homes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godby, Tyler; Saldanha, Sarah; Valle, Jazmine; Paul, David P; Coustasse, Alberto

    Nursing home residents across the United States rely on quality care and effective services. Nursing homes provide skilled nurses and nursing aides who can provide services 24 hours a day for individuals who could not perform these tasks for themselves. Not-for-profit (NFP) versus for-profit (FP) nursing homes have been examined for utilization and efficacy; however, it has been shown that NFP nursing homes generally offer higher quality care and generate greater profit margins compared with FP nursing homes. The purpose of this research was to determine if NFP nursing homes provide enhanced quality care and a larger profit margin compared with FP nursing homes. Benefits and barriers in regard to financial stability and quality of care exist for both FP and NFP homes. Based on the findings of this review, it is suggested that NFP nursing homes have achieved higher quality of care because of a more effective balance of business aspects, as well as prioritizing resident well-being, and care quality over profit maximization in NFP homes.

  4. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: Amaris Homes, Afton Model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

    2017-09-01

    Amaris Homes built this 3,734-ft2 home in Afton, Minnesota, to the performance criteria of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program. A high-efficiency gas boiler provides hot water for the zoned radiant floor system as well as for faucets and showers. A high-efficiency heat pump provides zoned cooling.

  5. Strategy Guideline: Demonstration Home

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Savage, C.; Hunt, A.

    2012-12-01

    This guideline will provide a general overview of the different kinds of demonstration home projects, a basic understanding of the different roles and responsibilities involved in the successful completion of a demonstration home, and an introduction into some of the lessons learned from actual demonstration home projects. Also, this guideline will specifically look at the communication methods employed during demonstration home projects. And lastly, we will focus on how to best create a communication plan for including an energy efficient message in a demonstration home project and carry that message to successful completion.

  6. Strategy Guideline. Demonstration Home

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hunt, A.; Savage, C.

    2012-12-01

    This guideline will provide a general overview of the different kinds of demonstration home projects, a basic understanding of the different roles and responsibilities involved in the successful completion of a demonstration home, and an introduction into some of the lessons learned from actual demonstration home projects. Also, this guideline will specifically look at the communication methods employed during demonstration home projects. And lastly, we will focus on how to best create a communication plan for including an energy efficient message in a demonstration home project and carry that message to successful completion.

  7. "I had a dream and i built it": power and self-staging in ubiquitous high-end homes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lynggaard, Aviaja Borup; Petersen, Marianne Graves; Hepworth, Sam

    2012-01-01

    Research on smart homes and ubiquitous homes is often highly focused on the challenges and obstacles for establishing and living in smart homes. Few have studied peoples' motivations for establishing smart homes as well as the real life experiences living in such homes. We have had the chance...... to study 27 homes of very wealthy people around the world, living in homes containing the smartness and intelligence money can buy today. We report on the passions and experiences motivating people to live in smart environments. In particular we describe how people use technologies for staging themselves...

  8. At-home and away-from-home dietary patterns and BMI z-scores in Brazilian adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunha, Diana Barbosa; Bezerra, Ilana Nogueira; Pereira, Rosangela Alves; Sichieri, Rosely

    2018-01-01

    Away-from-home food intake has been associated with high rates of overweight among children and adolescents. However, there are no studies comparing at-home and away-from-home eating patterns among adolescents. The objective of this paper was to identify at-home and away-from-home dietary patterns among adolescents in Brazil, and to evaluate the relationship between these patterns and body mass index (BMI) z-scores. Data from the Brazilian National Dietary Survey 2008-2009 were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. Dietary intake was assessed by completion of written food records on two non-consecutive days. Five thousand two hundred sixty-six adolescents 10-19 years of age living in urban areas of Brazil were included in the analysis. Thirty-two food groups were examined by factor analysis, stratified by at-home and away-from-home eating. The associations between the food patterns and BMI z-scores were ascertained using linear regression analysis. In general, mean at-home food intake was greater than away-from-home food intake, but the ratio of away-from-home/at-home was greater than 30% for baked and deep-fried snacks, soft drinks, sandwiches, pizza, and desserts, and was lower than 10% for rice and beans. Three main similar dietary patterns were identified both at-home and away-from-home: the "Traditional pattern", the "Bread and Butter pattern" and the "Western pattern"; however, away-from-home patterns encompassed more overall food items. Only the at-home "Western pattern" was positively associated with BMI z-scores (β = 0.0006; p away-from-home food consumption is not associated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Alert management for home healthcare based on home automation analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Truong, T T; de Lamotte, F; Diguet, J-Ph; Said-Hocine, F

    2010-01-01

    Rising healthcare for elder and disabled people can be controlled by offering people autonomy at home by means of information technology. In this paper, we present an original and sensorless alert management solution which performs multimedia and home automation service discrimination and extracts highly regular home activities as sensors for alert management. The results of simulation data, based on real context, allow us to evaluate our approach before application to real data.

  10. Home media server content management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokmakoff, Andrew A.; van Vliet, Harry

    2001-07-01

    With the advent of set-top boxes, the convergence of TV (broadcasting) and PC (Internet) is set to enter the home environment. Currently, a great deal of activity is occurring in developing standards (TV-Anytime Forum) and devices (TiVo) for local storage on Home Media Servers (HMS). These devices lie at the heart of convergence of the triad: communications/networks - content/media - computing/software. Besides massive storage capacity and being a communications 'gateway', the home media server is characterised by the ability to handle metadata and software that provides an easy to use on-screen interface and intelligent search/content handling facilities. In this paper, we describe a research prototype HMS that is being developed within the GigaCE project at the Telematica Instituut . Our prototype demonstrates advanced search and retrieval (video browsing), adaptive user profiling and an innovative 3D component of the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) which represents online presence. We discuss the use of MPEG-7 for representing metadata, the use of MPEG-21 working draft standards for content identification, description and rights expression, and the use of HMS peer-to-peer content distribution approaches. Finally, we outline explorative user behaviour experiments that aim to investigate the effectiveness of the prototype HMS during development.

  11. MEASUREMENT ISSUES IN HOME-VISITING RESEARCH WITHIN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES: CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitesell, Nancy Rumbaugh; Bolan, Marc; Chomos, Julianna C; Heath, Debra; Miles, Jon; Salvador, Melina; Whitmore, Corrie; Barlow, Allison

    2018-05-04

    In this article, Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) grantees share strategies they have developed and adopted to address the most common barriers to effective measurement (and thus to effective evaluation) encountered in the course of implementation and evaluation of their home-visiting programs. We identify key challenges in measuring outcomes in Tribal MIECHV Programs and provide practical examples of various strategies used to address these challenges within diverse American Indian and Alaska Native cultural and contextual settings. Notably, high-quality community engagement is a consistent thread throughout these strategies and fundamental to successful measurement in these communities. These strategies and practices reflect the experiences and innovative solutions of practitioners working on the ground to deliver and evaluate intervention programs to tribal communities. They may serve as models for getting high-quality data to inform intervention while working within the constraints and requirements of program funding. The utility of these practical solutions extends beyond the Tribal MIECHV grantees and offers the potential to inform a broad array of intervention evaluation efforts in tribal and other community contexts. © 2018 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  12. Home delivery as voiced by women: a perspective at the light of humanization

    OpenAIRE

    Barão Kruno, Rosimery; de Lourenzi Bonilha, Ana Lúcia

    2008-01-01

    This paper is a descriptive exploratory study developed with the objective of getting acquainted with life experiences, preparation, feelings and motivations of women who have chosen home childbirth. The subjects of the research comprised ten women who had at least one experience of home childbirth in Porto Alegre, in the last five years. The data was gathered through semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed according to Minayo’s proposal. It indicates that the women who opted for home...

  13. Coping with the Obligation Dilemma: Prototypes of Social Workers in the Nursing Home

    OpenAIRE

    Lev, Sagit; Ayalon, Liat

    2015-01-01

    We examined the ways in which the social worker is coping with obligation dilemma in an Israeli nursing home. The research was conducted using semi-structured, in-depth interviews carried out with fifteen social workers employed in nursing homes. The interviews were analysed thematically, using constant comparisons. The three themes were concerned with the social worker's place in the nursing home, her relationship with the management and staff, and her coping with the obligation dilemma. The...

  14. 16 CFR 460.16 - What new home sellers must tell new home buyers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF HOME INSULATION § 460.16 What new home sellers must tell new home buyers. If you are a new home seller, you must put the following information in every sales contract: The type... exception to this rule. If the buyer signs a sales contract before you know what type of insulation will be...

  15. [Home births].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welffens, K; Kirkpatrick, C; Daelemans, C; Derisbourg, S

    In Belgium, very few women give birth outside the delivery room. In the United Kingdom and in the Netherlands, they are more numerous. Several studies evaluated obstetric and neonatal outcomes of home births compared with hospital births. We selected seven recent and large studies (with cohorts of more than 5.000 women) using PubMed, Science Direct and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Several questions were examined. Is there any difference in maternal and neonatal outcomes depending on the intended place of birth? Does parity affect outcomes ? What are the characteristics of women who choose to deliver at home ? We conclude that giving birth at home improves obstetric outcomes but is riskier for the baby, especially for the first one. The women delivering at home are mainly white Europeans, between 25 and 35 years old, in a relationship, multiparous and wealthier. In order to avoid this increased risk for the baby while preserving the obstetric advantages, alongside birth centers offer an intermediate solution. They combine the reassuring home-like atmosphere with the safety of the hospital. In Belgium, the first alongside birth center " Le Cocon " (a low technicity unit distinct from the delivery room) offers now this type of alternative place of birth for women in Hôpital Erasme in Brussels.

  16. Advance care planning for nursing home residents with dementia: policy vs. practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ampe, Sophie; Sevenants, Aline; Smets, Tinne; Declercq, Anja; Van Audenhove, Chantal

    2016-03-01

    The aims of this study were: to evaluate the advance care planning policy for people with dementia in nursing homes; to gain insight in the involvement of residents with dementia and their families in advance care planning, and in the relationship between the policy and the actual practice of advance care planning. Through advance care planning, nursing home residents with dementia are involved in care decisions, anticipating their reduced decision-making capacity. However, advance care planning is rarely realized for this group. Prevalence and outcomes have been researched, but hardly any research has focused on the involvement of residents/families in advance care planning. Observational cross-sectional study in 20 nursing homes. The ACP audit assessed the views of the nursing homes' staff on the advance care planning policy. In addition, individual conversations were analysed with 'ACP criteria' (realization of advance care planning) and the 'OPTION' instrument (involvement of residents/families). June 2013-September 2013. Nursing homes generally met three quarters of the pre-defined criteria for advance care planning policy. In almost half of the conversations, advance care planning was explained and discussed substantively. Generally, healthcare professionals only managed to involve residents/families on a baseline skill level. There were no statistically significant correlations between policy and practice. The evaluations of the policy were promising, but the actual practice needs improvement. Future assessment of both policy and practice is recommended. Further research should focus on communication interventions for implementing advance care planning in the daily practice. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. You Winsome, you lose some: Home and hospitality in the Northern Rivers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grayson Cooke

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The Home Project was a three-year collaborative research project, established through a partnership between Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA and the School of Arts and Social Sciences (SASS at Southern Cross University (SCU. The Home Project’s objective was to raise awareness of homelessness in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales through creative arts practice and community engagement activities. The broad project aims were to explore questions of home, homelessness and belonging in Northern Rivers’ communities; to address the experiences of individuals affected by homelessness; and, where appropriate, to provide avenues for public dissemination of the stories of individuals who are or have been without a home. This article discusses the activities undertaken in each year of the project, providing a case study of a community engaged research project involving collaboration between university staff and students, a performing arts organisation and a community service provider. We analyse the development of the project over the three years and discuss the emergence of the theme of ‘hospitality’, which came to frame the project in its latter stages as we focused our activities at the Winsome Hotel, a Heritage listed and iconic Australian hotel that now offers low-cost daily lunches and a short-term accommodation service for marginalised men. This focus on the Winsome Hotel and hospitality gave us, as researchers, a new way to think about the provision of services to people without a home. Keywords: Homelessness, hospitality, creative arts practice, community engagement, NORPA, Southern Cross University

  18. Vision Trainer Teaches Focusing Techniques at Home

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    Based on work Stanford Research Institute did for Ames Research Center, Joseph Trachtman developed a vision trainer to treat visual focusing problems in the 1980s. In 2014, Trachtman, operating out of Seattle, released a home version of the device called the Zone-Trac. The inventor has found the biofeedback process used by the technology induces an alpha-wave brain state, causing increased hand-eye coordination and reaction times, among other effects

  19. Psycho-pedagogical accompaniment as a condition for social adaptation of inmates of children's homes

    OpenAIRE

    Oksana Mishenko

    2013-01-01

    The research is devoted to the problem of pedagogic-psychological accompaniment of the process of social adaptation of inmates of children's homes. Essence of pedagogic-psychological support as a special kind of professional activity to create conditions conducive to the successful adaptation of the inmates of children's homes in the community. Describes the set of psycho-pedagogical conditions, optimizing the process of social adaptation of inmates of children's homes.

  20. Learning in Home Care: A Digital Artifact as a Designated Boundary Object-in-Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islind, Anna Sigridur; Lundh Snis, Ulrika

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The aim of this paper is to understand how the role of an mHealth artifact plays out in home care settings. An mHealth artifact, in terms of a mobile app, was tested to see how the quality of home care work practice was enhanced and changed. The research question is: In what ways does an mHealth artifact re-shape a home care practice and…

  1. SETI@home

    Science.gov (United States)

    Project Help Donate Porting Graphics Add-ons Science About SETI@home About Astropulse Science Community Message boards Questions and Answers Teams Profiles User search Web sites Pictures and music User University of California SETI@home and Astropulse are funded by grants from the National Science Foundation

  2. KERNELHR: A program for estimating animal home ranges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seaman, D.E.; Griffith, B.; Powell, R.A.

    1998-01-01

    Kernel methods are state of the art for estimating animal home-range area and utilization distribution (UD). The KERNELHR program was developed to provide researchers and managers a tool to implement this extremely flexible set of methods with many variants. KERNELHR runs interactively or from the command line on any personal computer (PC) running DOS. KERNELHR provides output of fixed and adaptive kernel home-range estimates, as well as density values in a format suitable for in-depth statistical and spatial analyses. An additional package of programs creates contour files for plotting in geographic information systems (GIS) and estimates core areas of ranges.

  3. The impact of home computer use on children's activities and development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subrahmanyam, K; Kraut, R E; Greenfield, P M; Gross, E F

    2000-01-01

    The increasing amount of time children are spending on computers at home and school has raised questions about how the use of computer technology may make a difference in their lives--from helping with homework to causing depression to encouraging violent behavior. This article provides an overview of the limited research on the effects of home computer use on children's physical, cognitive, and social development. Initial research suggests, for example, that access to computers increases the total amount of time children spend in front of a television or computer screen at the expense of other activities, thereby putting them at risk for obesity. At the same time, cognitive research suggests that playing computer games can be an important building block to computer literacy because it enhances children's ability to read and visualize images in three-dimensional space and track multiple images simultaneously. The limited evidence available also indicates that home computer use is linked to slightly better academic performance. The research findings are more mixed, however, regarding the effects on children's social development. Although little evidence indicates that the moderate use of computers to play games has a negative impact on children's friendships and family relationships, recent survey data show that increased use of the Internet may be linked to increases in loneliness and depression. Of most concern are the findings that playing violent computer games may increase aggressiveness and desensitize a child to suffering, and that the use of computers may blur a child's ability to distinguish real life from simulation. The authors conclude that more systematic research is needed in these areas to help parents and policymakers maximize the positive effects and to minimize the negative effects of home computers in children's lives.

  4. Paramedic-Initiated Home Care Referrals and Use of Home Care and Emergency Medical Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Amol A; Klich, John; Thurston, Adam; Scantlebury, Jordan; Kiss, Alex; Seddon, Gayle; Sinha, Samir K

    2018-01-01

    We examined the association between paramedic-initiated home care referrals and utilization of home care, 9-1-1, and Emergency Department (ED) services. This was a retrospective cohort study of individuals who received a paramedic-initiated home care referral after a 9-1-1 call between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Home care, 9-1-1, and ED utilization were compared in the 6 months before and after home care referral. Nonparametric longitudinal regression was performed to assess changes in hours of home care service use and zero-inflated Poisson regression was performed to assess changes in the number of 9-1-1 calls and ambulance transports to ED. During the 24-month study period, 2,382 individuals received a paramedic-initiated home care referral. After excluding individuals who died, were hospitalized, or were admitted to a nursing home, the final study cohort was 1,851. The proportion of the study population receiving home care services increased from 18.2% to 42.5% after referral, representing 450 additional people receiving services. In longitudinal regression analysis, there was an increase of 17.4 hours in total services per person in the six months after referral (95% CI: 1.7-33.1, p = 0.03). The mean number of 9-1-1 calls per person was 1.44 (SD 9.58) before home care referral and 1.20 (SD 7.04) after home care referral in the overall study cohort. This represented a 10% reduction in 9-1-1 calls (95% CI: 7-13%, p home care referral and 0.79 (SD 6.27) after home care referral, representing a 7% reduction (95% CI: 3-11%, p home care records were included in the analysis, the reductions in 9-1-1 calls and ambulance transports to ED were attenuated but remained statistically significant. Paramedic-initiated home care referrals in Toronto were associated with improved access to and use of home care services and may have been associated with reduced 9-1-1 calls and ambulance transports to ED.

  5. Home Environmental Factors Influencing Performance and Progress ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Our findings support other studies which found that parents' educational level and income level have a bearing on school progress and performance. Contrary to most research findings mother tongue instruction did not eme1rge as an important explanatory factor on school progress and performance, however; home ...

  6. Use of mental health services by nursing home residents after hurricanes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Lisa M; Hyer, Kathryn; Schinka, John A; Mando, Ahed; Frazier, Darvis; Polivka-West, Lumarie

    2010-01-01

    A growing body of research supports the value of mental health intervention to treat people affected by disasters. This study used a mixed-methods approach to evaluate pre- and posthurricane mental health service use in Florida nursing homes. A questionnaire was administered to 258 directors of nursing, administrators, and owners of nursing homes, representing two-thirds of Florida's counties, to identify residents' mental health needs and service use. In four subsequent focus group meetings with 22 nursing home administrators, underlying factors influencing residents' use of services were evaluated. Although most nursing homes provided some type of mental health care during normal operations, disaster-related mental health services were not routinely provided to residents. Receiving facilities were more likely than evacuating facilities to provide treatment to evacuated residents. Nursing home staff should be trained to deliver disaster-related mental health intervention and in procedures for making referrals for follow-up evaluation and formal intervention.

  7. Brain Research to Ameliorate Impaired Neurodevelopment - Home-based Intervention Trial (BRAIN-HIT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahantshetti Niranjana S

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of an early developmental intervention program on the development of young children in low- and low-middle-income countries who are at risk for neurodevelopmental disability because of birth asphyxia. A group of children without perinatal complications are evaluated in the same protocol to compare the effects of early developmental intervention in healthy infants in the same communities. Birth asphyxia is the leading specific cause of neonatal mortality in low- and low-middle-income countries and is also the main cause of neonatal and long-term morbidity including mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Mortality and morbidity from birth asphyxia disproportionately affect more infants in low- and low-middle-income countries, particularly those from the lowest socioeconomic groups. There is evidence that relatively inexpensive programs of early developmental intervention, delivered during home visit by parent trainers, are capable of improving neurodevelopment in infants following brain insult due to birth asphyxia. Methods/Design This trial is a block-randomized controlled trial that has enrolled 174 children with birth asphyxia and 257 without perinatal complications, comparing early developmental intervention plus health and safety counseling to the control intervention receiving health and safety counseling only, in sites in India, Pakistan, and Zambia. The interventions are delivered in home visits every two weeks by parent trainers from 2 weeks after birth until age 36 months. The primary outcome of the trial is cognitive development, and secondary outcomes include social-emotional and motor development. Child, parent, and family characteristics and number of home visits completed are evaluated as moderating factors. Discussion The trial is supervised by a trial steering committee, and an independent data monitoring

  8. New American Home(regsign): Atlanta, Georgia - 2001; Building America--The New American Home

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    IBACOS; Anderson, R.

    2001-01-01

    The New American Home(reg s ign) is an annual showcase project designed by committee and co-sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders' National Council of the Housing Industry, BUILDERS Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. Hedgewood Properties teamed with Building America's IBACOS Consortium and Southface Energy Institute to build a house with a Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS) level of 90

  9. Home Team: Over 60 Home Learning Tips from the American Federation of Teachers [and] El Equipo del Hogar: La American Federation of Teachers Presenta Mas de 60 Consejos para el Aprendizaje.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitman, Ruth

    Suggestions directed to parents and family members for turning everyday home activities into opportunities for learning are based on three principles: reading and researching; reinforcement and reward; and review and reapplication. It is proposed that establishing a good home learning environment includes setting regular, daily times to work with…

  10. Digital Living at Home

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Pernille Viktoria Kathja; Christiansen, Ellen Tove

    2013-01-01

    of these user voices has directed us towards a ‘home-keeping’ design discourse, which opens new horizons for design of digital home control systems by allowing users to perform as self-determined controllers and groomers of their habitat. The paper concludes by outlining the implications of a ‘home......Does living with digital technology inevitably lead to digital living? Users talking about a digital home control system, they have had in their homes for eight years, indicate that there is more to living with digital technology than a functional-operational grip on regulation. Our analysis......-keeping’ design discourse....

  11. Respiratory Home Health Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Us Home > Healthy Living > Living With Lung Disease > Respiratory Home Health Care Font: Aerosol Delivery Oxygen Resources ... Teenagers Living With Lung Disease Articles written by Respiratory Experts Respiratory Home Health Care Respiratory care at ...

  12. Researcher Story: Stuttering

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health ® Impact of NIH Research Science, Health, and Public Trust You are here Home » Health Information » NIH Clinical Research Trials and You NIH Clinical Research Trials and ...

  13. Researcher Story: Stuttering

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... Toolkits Grants & Funding Grants Home Page Funding Forms Library Due Dates How to Apply About Grants Policy & ... Education Research in NIH Labs & Clinics Training Opportunities Library Resources Research Resources Clinical Research Resources Safety, Regulation ...

  14. Reliability and energy efficiency of zero energy homes (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhere, Neelkanth G.

    2016-09-01

    Photovoltaic (PV) modules and systems are being installed increasingly on residential homes to increase the proportion of renewable energy in the energy mix. The ultimate goal is to attain sustainability without subsidy. The prices of PV modules and systems have declined substantially during the recent years. They will be reduced further to reach grid parity. Additionally the total consumed energy must be reduced by making the homes more energy efficient. FSEC/UCF Researchers have carried out research on development of PV cells and systems and on reducing the energy consumption in homes and by small businesses. Additionally, they have provided guidance on PV module and system installation and to make the homes energy efficient. The produced energy is fed into the utility grid and the consumed energy is obtained from the utility grid, thus the grid is assisting in the storage. Currently the State of Florida permits net metering leading to equal charge for the produced and consumed electricity. This paper describes the installation of 5.29 KW crystalline silicon PV system on a south-facing tilt at approximately latitude tilt on a single-story, three-bedroom house. It also describes the computer program on Building Energy Efficiency and the processes that were employed for reducing the energy consumption of the house by improving the insulation, air circulation and windows, etc. Finally it describes actual consumption and production of electricity and the installation of additional crystalline silicon PV modules and balance of system to make it a zero energy home.

  15. New Home Buyer Solar Water Heater Trade-Off Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Symmetrics Marketing Corporation

    1999-01-01

    This report details the results of a research conducted in 1998 and 1999 and outlines a marketing deployment plan designed for businesses interested in marketing solar water heaters in the new home industry

  16. Asthma Home Environment Checklist

    Science.gov (United States)

    This checklist guides home care visitors in identifying environmental asthma triggers most commonly found in homes. It includes sections on the building, home interior and room interior and provides low-cost action steps for remediation.

  17. Motivators for physical activity among ambulatory nursing home older residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yuh-Min; Li, Yueh-Ping

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore self-identified motivators for regular physical activity among ambulatory nursing home older residents. A qualitative exploratory design was adopted. Purposive sampling was performed to recruit 18 older residents from two nursing homes in Taiwan. The interview transcripts were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. Five motivators of physical activity emerged from the result of analysis: eagerness for returning home, fear of becoming totally dependent, improving mood state, filling empty time, and previously cultivated habit. Research on physical activity from the perspectives of nursing home older residents has been limited. An empirically grounded understanding from this study could provide clues for promoting and supporting lifelong engagement in physical activity among older residents. The motivators reported in this study should be considered when designing physical activity programs. These motivators can be used to encourage, guide, and provide feedback to support older residents in maintaining physical activity.

  18. Achieving Challenge Home in Affordable Housing in the Hot-Humid Climate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beal, D.; McIlvaine, J.; Winter, B.; Allnutt, R.

    2014-08-01

    The Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction (BA-PIRC), one of the Building America research team leads, has partnered with two builders as they work through the Challenge Home certification process in one test home each. The builder partners participating in this cost-shared research are Southeast Volusia County Habitat for Humanity near Daytona, Florida and Manatee County Habitat for Humanity near Tampa, Florida. Both are affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International, a non-profit affordable housing organization. This research serves to identify viable technical pathways to meeting the CH criteria for other builders in the region. A further objective of this research is to identify gaps and barriers in the marketplace related to product availability, labor force capability, code issues, cost effectiveness, and business case issues that hinder or prevent broader adoption on a production scale.

  19. [Social inequality in home care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Möller, A; Osterfeld, A; Büscher, A

    2013-06-01

    Social inequality in Germany is discussed primarily with regard to educational or social welfare issues. There is a political consensus that more action should be taken to ensure equality of chances and fulfillment of basic needs for everyone. In long-term care these considerations have not yet taken place and there are hardly any research studies in this field. However, the startling rise of the need for long-term care will definitely require a discussion of social inequality in various care arrangements. To learn more about social inequality in home care, a qualitative approach was used and 16 home care nurses were interviewed. Our study shows that many care recipients face numerous problems they cannot handle on their own, which may even worsen their situation. In addition, the results reveal that facing social inequalities place a burden on nurses and influence their work performance.

  20. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Case Study: One Sky Homes — Cottle Zero Net Energy Home, San Jose, CA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    none,

    2014-09-01

    This builder took home the Grand Winner prize in the Custom Builder category in the 2014 Housing Innovation Awards for its high performance building science approach. The builder used insulated concrete form blocks to create the insulated crawlspace foundation for its first DOE Zero Energy Ready Home, the first net zero energy new home certified in the state of California.