Deirdre Fetherstonhaugh
Biographic Data
| ID | 5552173 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Deirdre Fetherstonhaugh |
| GIVEN NAMES | Deirdre |
| FAMILY NAME | Fetherstonhaugh |
| SIGNATURE | FETHERSTONHAUGH D |
| AFFILIATIONS | La Trobe University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2451-3578 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 39 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 13 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Evaluating the Co‐Design and Implementation of a Multicomponent Intervention to Improve Communication in Aged Care
Models of education for care workers in Australian nursing homes
Introduction: Providing high-quality care in nursing homes requires a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. The Australian nursing home workforce is made up predominantly of personal care workers who are unprepared educationally to provide care to older people with complex care needs. We describe the design, development, and implementation of two education packages for Australian personal care workers to improve their knowledge and confidence in p…
Kindness, respect and consultation’ versus ‘being kept active and busy’
High-quality care is a right and an expectation of older people living in nursing homes; however, recent Australian evidence suggests that the care provided is sub-standard. To understand what older Australians living in nursing homes and their family members expect of high-quality aged care, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with older people (n = 51) and family members (n = 29) in 15 nursing homes. Transcripts were thematically analyse…
There’s No Doubt about It, You’ve Got to Maintain Your Family and Friends”
Social participation in older age has been positively associated with enhanced health and wellbeing. This project examined key aspects of social participation for older people living in the community to identify what was most important for maintaining social participation in the event they transitioned to living in a nursing home. We conducted interviews and focus groups with 36 older people, aged 65 years or older living in the community in Vict…
You’ve Got to Connect with the People”
This research sought to explore the meaning of, preferences for, and involvement in social participation for older people living in nursing homes in Victoria, Australia. A qualitative descriptive study using semistructured interviews with twenty older people living in four geographically and ethnically diverse nursing homes was conducted between 2020 and 2022. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed. All the older people had been very so…
Having to ‘go beyond’
Activity programs are run by many nursing homes (also known as residential aged care facilities or long-term care facilities) however little is known about how activities are chosen or how well they meet the needs of residents. The aim of this study was to learn more about activity programs currently offered to older people living in nursing homes in Victoria, Australia. Interviews were undertaken with 13 activities/lifestyle staff working across…
Intimate relationships in residential aged care
Intimacy contributes to our well-being and extends into older age, despite cognitive or physical impairment. However, the ability to enjoy intimacy and express sexuality is often compromised—or even controlled—when one moves into residential aged care. The aim of this study was to identify what factors influence senior residential aged care staff when they make decisions regarding resident intimate relationships and sexual expression. The study u…
Pastoral Care in Aged Care Settings
Providing support to surrogate decision-makers for people living with dementia
The prevalence of dementia will continue to increase with the ageing of the population. Many people living with dementia will reach a stage where surrogate decision-makers-mostly family carers-will need to make a range of decisions on their behalf. The aim of this study was to learn from surrogate decision-makers how they can be most effectively supported in this role. The study employed a qualitative design using semi-structured face-to-face or …
Let's talk about sex
Social participation and family carers of people living with dementia in Australia
This paper reports on a study exploring the experiences and meaning of social participation for family carers of people living with dementia. Participants were 33 family carers (17 spouses and 16 adult children) of older adults diagnosed with dementia (any stage or type) who responded to advertisements by the national Alzheimer's association, Alzheimer's Australia. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face and/or telephone intervie…
Being central to decision making means I am still here
I always look under the bed for a man’. Needs and barriers to the expression of sexuality in residential aged care
Objectives: This qualitative study canvassed residents’ perceptions of the needs and barriers to the expression of sexuality in long-term care. Methods: Sixteen residents, including five with dementia, from six aged care facilities in two Australian states were interviewed. Data were analysed using a constant comparative method. Results: Four categories describe residents’ views about sexuality, their needs and barriers to its expression: ‘It sti…
Being central to decision making means I am still here
Social participation and family carers of people living with dementia in Australia
This paper reports on a study exploring the experiences and meaning of social participation for family carers of people living with dementia. Participants were 33 family carers (17 spouses and 16 adult children) of older adults diagnosed with dementia (any stage or type) who responded to advertisements by the national Alzheimer's association, Alzheimer's Australia. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face and/or telephone intervie…
I always look under the bed for a man’. Needs and barriers to the expression of sexuality in residential aged care
Objectives: This qualitative study canvassed residents’ perceptions of the needs and barriers to the expression of sexuality in long-term care. Methods: Sixteen residents, including five with dementia, from six aged care facilities in two Australian states were interviewed. Data were analysed using a constant comparative method. Results: Four categories describe residents’ views about sexuality, their needs and barriers to its expression: ‘It sti…
I always look under the bed for a man’. Needs and barriers to the expression of sexuality in residential aged care
Objectives: This qualitative study canvassed residents’ perceptions of the needs and barriers to the expression of sexuality in long-term care. Methods: Sixteen residents, including five with dementia, from six aged care facilities in two Australian states were interviewed. Data were analysed using a constant comparative method. Results: Four categories describe residents’ views about sexuality, their needs and barriers to its expression: ‘It sti…
Being central to decision making means I am still here
Social participation and family carers of people living with dementia in Australia
This paper reports on a study exploring the experiences and meaning of social participation for family carers of people living with dementia. Participants were 33 family carers (17 spouses and 16 adult children) of older adults diagnosed with dementia (any stage or type) who responded to advertisements by the national Alzheimer's association, Alzheimer's Australia. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face and/or telephone intervie…
Let's talk about sex
Providing support to surrogate decision-makers for people living with dementia
The prevalence of dementia will continue to increase with the ageing of the population. Many people living with dementia will reach a stage where surrogate decision-makers-mostly family carers-will need to make a range of decisions on their behalf. The aim of this study was to learn from surrogate decision-makers how they can be most effectively supported in this role. The study employed a qualitative design using semi-structured face-to-face or …
Pastoral Care in Aged Care Settings
Intimate relationships in residential aged care
Intimacy contributes to our well-being and extends into older age, despite cognitive or physical impairment. However, the ability to enjoy intimacy and express sexuality is often compromised—or even controlled—when one moves into residential aged care. The aim of this study was to identify what factors influence senior residential aged care staff when they make decisions regarding resident intimate relationships and sexual expression. The study u…
There’s No Doubt about It, You’ve Got to Maintain Your Family and Friends”
Social participation in older age has been positively associated with enhanced health and wellbeing. This project examined key aspects of social participation for older people living in the community to identify what was most important for maintaining social participation in the event they transitioned to living in a nursing home. We conducted interviews and focus groups with 36 older people, aged 65 years or older living in the community in Vict…
You’ve Got to Connect with the People”
This research sought to explore the meaning of, preferences for, and involvement in social participation for older people living in nursing homes in Victoria, Australia. A qualitative descriptive study using semistructured interviews with twenty older people living in four geographically and ethnically diverse nursing homes was conducted between 2020 and 2022. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed. All the older people had been very so…
Having to ‘go beyond’
Activity programs are run by many nursing homes (also known as residential aged care facilities or long-term care facilities) however little is known about how activities are chosen or how well they meet the needs of residents. The aim of this study was to learn more about activity programs currently offered to older people living in nursing homes in Victoria, Australia. Interviews were undertaken with 13 activities/lifestyle staff working across…
Models of education for care workers in Australian nursing homes
Introduction: Providing high-quality care in nursing homes requires a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. The Australian nursing home workforce is made up predominantly of personal care workers who are unprepared educationally to provide care to older people with complex care needs. We describe the design, development, and implementation of two education packages for Australian personal care workers to improve their knowledge and confidence in p…
Kindness, respect and consultation’ versus ‘being kept active and busy’
High-quality care is a right and an expectation of older people living in nursing homes; however, recent Australian evidence suggests that the care provided is sub-standard. To understand what older Australians living in nursing homes and their family members expect of high-quality aged care, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with older people (n = 51) and family members (n = 29) in 15 nursing homes. Transcripts were thematically analyse…
Evaluating the Co‐Design and Implementation of a Multicomponent Intervention to Improve Communication in Aged Care
Medicine (11 works) · Psychology (10 works) · Nursing (7 works) · Sociology (7 works) · Gerontology (6 works) · Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes (5 works) · Health care (5 works) · Social Psychology (5 works) · Dementia (4 works) · Disease (4 works)