Citation

Li Y, Bugeja L, Bhullar N, Ibrahim JE. Australas. J. Ageing 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Australian Council on the Ageing, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/ajag.12910

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate aged care staff's 'willingness to help an older person with risk-taking activities' that improve quality of life ('dignity of risk').

METHODS: Opportunity-based cross-sectional anonymous electronic survey in four Australian jurisdictions, conducted immediately after screening a short animated narrative film describing 'dignity of risk'. Survey comprised nine questions including respondent demographics, professional role, risk-taking and outcome.

RESULTS: From 24 separate screenings, there were 929 respondents. Agreement to 'help an older person with risk-taking activities' was associated with respondent prediction of the least severe harm occurring (OR = 2.22 [1.20, 4.12], P = .001). Conversely, respondents in non-executive, non-managerial roles-that is, nurses and care workers-were unlikely to agree to help with risk-taking activities (OR 0.36-0.49, P ≤ .03). There was not an association with respondent's age grouping (P = .6).

CONCLUSION: Staff self-reported attitudes towards dignity of risk are important to understand to enhance in an older person's quality of life.

Language: en

Keywords

health education; ageing; dignity; motion pictures; risk-taking