NCAOP - Research and Publications

Quality of Life

April 2008
Report No. 103

End-of-Life Care for Older People in Acute and Long-Stay Care Settings in Ireland
Eamon O'Shea, Kathy Murphy, Philip Larkin, Sheila Payne, Katherine Froggatt, Dympna Casey, Áine Ní Léime and Mary Keys

This report details the results of research that focuses, for the first time in Ireland, on the quality of life and quality of care at the end-of-life for older people in various care settings including acute hospitals, public extended care units, private nursing homes, voluntary nursing homes and welfare homes. It also provides a comprehensive account of current legal issues surrounding end-of-life decision-making. The report offers a new model of care at the end-of-life which goes beyond specialist palliative care provision to embrace a compassionate apporach that supports older people who are living with, or dying from, progressive, chronic and life-treatening conditions and attends to all their needs: physical, psychological, social and spiritual.

Click here for the full text: End-of-Life Care for Older People in Acute and Long-Stay Care Settings in Ireland (PDF | 1 MB).
Click here for the joint IHF/NCAOP statement: End-of-Life Care for Older People in Acute and Long-Stay Care Settings in Ireland (PDF | 1.1MB).

May 2007
Report No. 99

The Quality of Life of Older People With a Disability in Ireland
Kathy Murphy, Eamon O'Shea, Adeline Cooney and Dympna Casey

This report explores the interface between ageing, disability and quality of life in Ireland and is the first qualitative study on ageing and disability undertaken in this country. The report is grounded in extensive consultation with older people and includes examples of early and later-life onset disability. The study shows many attributes and needs to be common to these two groups, which provides support for greater integration of public policy for ageing and disability services.

Click here for the full text: The Quality of Life of Older People With a Disability in Ireland [1.8 MB].

March 2005
Report No. 84

Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Older Irish People
Pearl Treacy, Michelle Butler, Anne Byrne, Jonathan Drennan, Gerard Fealy, Kate Frazer and Kate Irving

This report documents the prevalence and experience of loneliness and social isolation among older people in Ireland. It also compares the prevalence of loneliness among older groups and provides a profile of those older people describing loneliness.

Click here for the full text: Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Older Irish People [636 KB].

September 1986
Report No. 14

"It's Our Home": The Quality of Life in Private and Voluntary Nursing Homes
Joyce O'Connor and Marie Walsh

This study, which complements Report No. 13, concentrates on the quality of life of residents in a sample of 24 voluntary and private nursing homes. It also outlines the experience of staff working in these homes.

Click here for the full text: "It's Our Home": The Quality of Life in Private and Voluntary Nursing Homes [21.7 MB].

September 1986
Report No. 12

This is Our World: Perspectives of Some Elderly People on Life in Suburban Dublin
Mary Horkan and Audrey Wood

This publication documents the findings of a study on older people's experiences of living alone in an urban setting (see also Reports No. 6 and No. 14).

Click here for the full text: This is Our World: Perspectives of Some Elderly People on Life in Suburban Dublin [291 KB].

May 1984
Report No. 6

The World of the Elderly: The Rural Experience
Mary Daly and Joyce O'Connor

This is one of a number of Council publications that document the perceptions and attitudes of older people in various settings (see also Reports No. 12 and No. 14). This particualr report looks at the experience of older people living alone in a rural area.

Click here for the full text: The World of the Elderly: The Rural Experience [380 KB].