"Hello… I'm Here!" A Co-Productive Qualitative Study Involving Older People With Vision Impairment and Their Experiences of Acute Hospital Care.
Fiona Wilson, Gemma Arblaster, Holly Geraghty and 6 others
PMID 39641494WHAT IT FOUND
Seven older adults with vision impairment described acute hospital care as traumatic and disabling.
They felt invisible when staff failed to introduce themselves, left call bells out of reach, and ignored guide dogs. Small environmental adjustments like contrasting cup colours and verbal orientation improved their sense of safety.
Key findings
01Participants described profound distress and trauma when sight loss occurred during admission or when staff failed to acknowledge it, often feeling invisible and dismissed.
02The physical ward environment and routine care practices were experienced as disabling, with hazards like unmarked clear glasses, inaccessible call bells, and poor navigation support.
03Staff interactions that were proactive, such as checking if patients had everything they needed or providing verbal orientation, significantly improved feelings of safety and dignity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (7 participants) and all were white, limiting the transferability of findings to culturally diverse populations. Recruitment was via a specific charity, which may introduce selection bias towards individuals already engaged with support services. The study focused on the experience of care rather than measuring clinical outcomes, so it cannot demonstrate that specific interventions reduce adverse events like falls. Student facilitators were second-year undergraduates, and their level of clinical expertise may have influenced the depth of interactions, although the authors noted their empathy and rapport.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study received ethical approval from the University of Sheffield. Participants and the charity were reimbursed for their involvement.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the students' positive feedback or the creation of 'top tip' resources as evidence that these interventions improve patient outcomes. The study reports on the subjective experience of seven people and does not measure clinical effectiveness or safety endpoints.