A scoping review of adverse incidents research in aged care homes: learnings, gaps, and challenges (20 December 2022)

Summary

Adverse incidents are well studied within acute care settings, less so within aged care homes. The aim of this scoping review, published in Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, was to define the types of adverse incidents studied in aged care homes and highlight strengths, gaps, and challenges of this research. 

Authors conclude that:

• Aged care policy and adverse incident research needs to expand through the inclusion of a broader definition of what is “adverse” to an older person’s health and well-being.
• A greater level of specific contextual information within aged care adverse incident research could assist in international comparisons and transferability of research.
• Importantly, greater inclusion of voices of older people themselves through qualitative and multi-method research would provide a key missing perspective on the concept of “adverse” incidents in aged care homes.