Predictors of change over time in satisfaction with outdoor activities ratings among long-term care services and supports recipients.
Justine S Sefcik, Darina V Petrovsky, Liming Huang and 4 others
PMID 35472750WHAT IT FOUND
During follow-up, older adults receiving long-term services had lower outdoor satisfaction, while younger adults had higher ratings.
Assisted living and nursing home residents' ratings rose, while home-based service recipients' ratings fell. Baseline health and education mattered less over time.
Key findings
01Older LTSS recipients had lower satisfaction with outdoor activities over time, while younger LTSS recipients had higher satisfaction.
02Those new to assisted living or nursing homes had a faster rate of increase in outdoor satisfaction over time than those receiving home and community-based services.
03More depressive symptoms at the start of services were associated with lower outdoor satisfaction, and this relationship did not change over time.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Satisfaction with outdoor activities was measured with one question, not a full outdoor activity assessment. The study did not measure how much time participants actually spent outside or their actual physical activity levels. The analysis relied on self-report, including from participants with mild to moderate cognitive impairment. The sample was a convenience sample and the final analysis used a subset of enrolled participants, so it may not represent all long-term service recipients. The data were collected before the COVID-19 pandemic, so current experiences may differ. The study reports associations over time, not effects of any intervention.
Declared interests
The supplied metadata lists NIH extramural research support; the article text does not include a competing-interest declaration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the rising satisfaction in nursing homes and assisted living as proof that facility services improve outdoor satisfaction. The study is observational and did not test an intervention or measure actual time spent outside.