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Ear Care Needs among the Elderly Who Require Home Care Support and Long-Term Care

Research Project

Project/Area Number 18592422
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Community health/Gerontological nurisng
Research InstitutionOita University

Principal Investigator

SUEHIRO Rie  Oita University, Faculty of Medicine, Research Associate (30336284)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) MIENO Eiko  OITA UNIVERSITY, Faculty of Medicine, Professor (60209723)
MIZOSHITA Junko  OITA UNIVERSITY, Faculty of Medicine, Research Associate (90457614)
HAMAGUCHI Kazuyuki  OITA UNIVERSITY, Faculty of Medicine, Professor (60180931)
横山 哲代  大分大学, 医学部, 助手 (40404389)
Project Period (FY) 2006 – 2007
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2007)
Budget Amount *help
¥2,180,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000)
Fiscal Year 2007: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥1,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000)
Keywordsear care / home care / the Elderly Who Require Care Support and Long-Term Care / communication / home visiting care services / 在宅高齢者 / 通所サービス / コニュニケーション
Research Abstract

This study aims to investigate ear care needs among seniors who require home care support and long-term care (hereafter, seniors requiring support), and explores the importance of ear care services for such seniors.
First, a survey was conducted with 128 seniors who were categorized at care support level 2 and who were using day care services. The subject profiles were average age 80.0 years old, 30% males and 70% females, 20% of subjects reported functional disorders in both upper limbs, and 40% of subjects reported wet-type earwax. The level of earwax accumulation was classified into four categories: completely clogged; half clogged; one third clogged; no clogging. Among all subjects, 34 persons (26.6%) had no clogging in either ear, and 18 (14.1%) were half or completely clogged in both ears. Regarding care provision, 70% reported they cleaned their own ears, and that they took care of their ears “when feeling uncomfortable/itchy," or “after a bath." Regarding ear care tools, they us … More ed ear scoops (a traditional Japanese implement), cotton swabs, hair pins, or matchsticks. Over 20% reported they cleaned their ears between several times per month to a year. About 20% reported difficulties with “finger disabilities" and “incapacity to reach deep inside (the external auditory canal)." Accumulation of earwax seemed to be associated with functional disorders in the upper limbs (e. g., inability to perform finger-thumb opposition), male sex, wet-type earwax, and higher levels of care support needs. Regarding air hearing levels (the quartile system), right ear was 41.3dB, and left ear was 42.0dB. For the air/bone hearing gap of the right ear, completely clogged ears showed lower levels than non-clogged ears, which suggested deterioration of hearing due to earwax accumulation.
A second survey was conducted with 11 seniors who were categorized at care support levels 3 to 5 and who were using home visiting care services. The average age was 76.0 years old, and 50% had wet-type earwax. Regarding earwax accumulation, 3 persons had no clogging in either ear, and 2 persons had one ear completely clogged. About 40% of subjects reported ear care several times per month, done by themselves or by caregivers. The tools used were ear scoops, cotton swabs, and tweezers. Difficulty in caring for ears included “body movement" and “inability to take care of left ear (because of sleeping on left side)." It seems that subjects devised their own approaches, such as “cleaning only the surface areas because of pain complaints," or “using a curved hair pin." For those with completely clogged ears, common factors were non-oral alimentation, decline in self care, and need for caregiver support.
The findings of the study suggest service needs regarding ear care to home-staying seniors requiring support should start for those of lower care levels with wider dissemination of information about safe ear care methods, including the provision of safe tools. For those at higher care levels, providing caregivers and professional home-visit staff with more information about the importance of appropriate ear care is required. Less

Report

(3 results)
  • 2007 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 2006 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (7 results)

All 2008 2007 2006

All Presentation (7 results)

  • [Presentation] 在宅における重度要介護高齢者の耳垢蓄積と耳のケアの実態2008

    • Author(s)
      末弘理恵, 三重野英子, 溝下順子, 井上留実, 大村礼子, 渡邊裕美, 浜口和之
    • Organizer
      日本老年看護学会第13回学術集会
    • Place of Presentation
      石川県、石川県立音楽堂
    • Year and Date
      2008-11-08
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2007 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Presentation] Ear care and earwax accumulation among the Elderly Who Require Home Care Long-Term Care on the Care Level 3-5.2008

    • Author(s)
      Suehiro, Rie., Mieno, Eiko., Mizoshita, Junko., Inoue, Rumi., Omura, Reiko., Watanabe, Yumi., Hamaguchi, Kazuyuki.
    • Organizer
      The 13^<th> Annual Scientific Meeting of Japan Academy of Gerontological Nursing
    • Place of Presentation
      Ishikawa prefecture.
    • Year and Date
      2008-11-08
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2007 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Presentation] 重度認知症高齢者の耳垢蓄積と耳のケアの実態2007

    • Author(s)
      末弘理恵, 三重野英子, 溝下順子
    • Organizer
      第8回日本認知症ケア学会*石崎賞受賞
    • Place of Presentation
      岩手県、マリオス・盛岡市民文化ホール・岩手県民情報交流センター
    • Year and Date
      2007-10-12
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2007 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Presentation] Ear care and earwax accumulation among the Dementia Elderly.2007

    • Author(s)
      Suehiro, Eie., Mieno, Eiko., Mizoshita, Junko.
    • Organizer
      The 8^<th> Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Society for Dementia Care
    • Place of Presentation
      Iwate prefecture.
    • Year and Date
      2007-10-12
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2007 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Presentation] 重度認知症高齢者の耳垢蓄積と耳のケアの実態2007

    • Author(s)
      末弘 理惠
    • Organizer
      第8回 日本認知症ケア学会
    • Place of Presentation
      岩手県盛岡市
    • Year and Date
      2007-10-12
    • Related Report
      2007 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] 在宅要介護高齢者の耳垢蓄積と耳のケアの実態2006

    • Author(s)
      末弘理恵, 三重野英子, 横山哲代, 吉原悦子, 浜口和之
    • Organizer
      日本老年看護学会第11回学術集会
    • Place of Presentation
      東京都、東京女子医科大学弥生記念講堂
    • Year and Date
      2006-11-04
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      2007 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Presentation] Ear care and earwax accumulation among the Elderly who Require Home Care Long-Term Care.2006

    • Author(s)
      Suehiro, Rie., Mieno, Eiko., Yokoyama, Akiyo., Yoshihara, Etsuko., Hamaguchi, Kazuyuki.
    • Organizer
      The 11^<th> Annual Scientific Meeting of Japan Academy of Gerontological Nursing
    • Place of Presentation
      Tokyo.
    • Year and Date
      2006-11-03
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      2007 Final Research Report Summary

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Published: 2006-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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