The study indicated the need to develop programs and services for older adults transitioning from home into a care home environment. Focusing on enabling older people to maintain their engagement in meaningful occupations as an important part of their identity is imperative. This study brings a better understanding of older people's experiences of transition into a care home from an occupational perspective. It has the potential to influence how elder care is planned and implemented in Slovenia and further afield.

Background The use of smart speakers to improve well-being had been trialed in social care by others; however, we were not aware of their implementation in most care homes across a region in the Southwest of the United Kingdom. For the widespread adoption of new technology, it must be locally demonstrable and become normalized. Objective The aim of this study was to install smart speakers in care homes in a rural and coastal region and to explore if and how the devices were being used, the barriers to their implementation, and their potential benefits. Methods Email, workshops, drop-in sessions, phone, and cold calling was used to contact all 230 care homes, offering a free smart speaker and some advisory support. Care homes accepting the devices were asked to complete a feedback diary. Nonresponse rate for diary completion was high and was thus supplemented with a telephone survey. Results Over the course of 7 months, we installed 156 devices in 92 care homes for older people, 50 devices for people with physical or mental health needs, and 8 for others. The devices were used mainly for music but also for poetry, recipes, light controls, jokes, and video calls. Care home managers reported the benefits for the residents, including enhanced engagement with home activities, enjoyment, calming effects, and the acquisition of new skills. Implementation problems included internet connectivity, staff capacity, and skills. Conclusions Affordable consumer devices such as smart speakers should be installed in all care homes to benefit residents. Voice-activated technologies are easy to use and promote interaction. This study indicates that implementation in care homes was possible and that smart speakers had multifaceted benefits for residents and staff. Most care homes in this region now use smart speakers for their residents, thereby normalizing this practice.

Existing literature acknowledges the contribution of a client-centred approach to the healthcare environment in general. In the occupational therapy field the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance is a model which utilizes this approach. It moves away from the traditional medical model and emphasizes the inclusion of clients in the decision-making process. Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore how Slovenian occupational therapists experience and perceive the use of a client-centred approach in their current clinical practice. Methods: A generic qualitative approach was selected and twelve semi-structured interviews were completed to gain a deeper understanding of the use of a client-centred approach in the Slovenian healthcare system. A thematic analysis was used to analyse the data and identify the participants' experiences and perceptions.

People are occupational beings and enabling older people to engage in meaningful occupations contributes to their health and well-being. Experiences of engagement and meaning in an occupation may differ in different socio-cultural contexts. The aim of this study was to explore Slovenian older people's individual experiences of engagement in occupation, with a particular emphasis on their meaningful occupations. The study employed a phenomenological research approach. Semistructured interviews were conducted with ten Slovenian older adults, living independently in their home environment. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to approach and analyze the data. The findings highlighted that meaningful occupations and daily rituals represented an important part of the participants' identities. The meanings they attached to their occupations were informed by Slovenian socio-cultural, historical and physical context. A range of people and places were identified as significant in generating and maintaining these meanings. Participants gave particular significance to the role of productive, health-promoting and family-related occupations. The study contributes new occupational science knowledge and the findings support the case for increased recognition of the importance of meaningful occupation for older people.

Uvod: Pristop, usmerjen k uporabniku, prispeva h kakovosti življenja starejših in oseb z demenco v domu starejših občanov ter k dobremu počutju zaposlenih na delovnem mestu. Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti izkušnje zaposlenih v domu starejših občanov z uporabo metode montessori pri delu s starejšimi in osebami z demenco.Metode: Narejena je bila študija primera v domu starejših občanov, kjer uporabljajo metodo montessori. Delno strukturirani intervjuji so bili izvedeni z enajstimi zaposlenimi v enem izmed domov za starejše občane v Sloveniji. Za analizo podatkov je bila uporabljena metoda analize vsebine.Rezultati: Identificirane so bile štiri kategorije: (1) vsebinski in organizacijski vidiki metode montessori pri obravnavi starejših in oseb z demenco; (2) sodelovanje med zaposlenimi, stanovalci in svojci; (3) osebni razvoj zaposlenih; (4) pomen izobraževanja za zaposlene. Raziskava pri izkušnjah zaposlenih v obravnavi starejših in oseb z demenco pokaže preplet vseh kategorij.kategorij.Diskusija in zaključek: Ugotovitve prispevajo novo znanje na področju uporabe metode montessori v domovih za starejše občane. Izkušnje zaposlenih so pokazale, da uporaba metode montessori pripomore k boljšemu razumevanju pomena sodelovanja, izobraževanja ter s tem povezanega osebnega razvoja zaposlenih. V praksi je priporočeno sistematično uvajati metodo montessori za starejše in osebe z demenco s poudarkom na izobraževanju, ki je nujna podlaga za praktično delo. Predlagamo nadaljnje raziskovanje izkušenj zaposlenih ter iskanje možnosti za uvajanje metode tudi v druge domove starejših občanov.