The environmental temperature of the residential care home : Role in thermal comfort and mental health?

Journal article

Cleary, Michelle, Raeburn, Toby, West, Sancia and Childs, Charmaine. (2019). The environmental temperature of the residential care home : Role in thermal comfort and mental health? Contemporary Nurse. 55(1), pp. 38-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2019.1583068

Publication dates
Authors	Cleary, Michelle, Raeburn, Toby, West, Sancia and Childs, Charmaine
Abstract	Background: In the midst of changing environmental conditions and increasing populations aged over 65 years, how best to provide nursing care that promotes mental health and wellbeing within residential aged care facilities is an important concern. Aim/Objective: To explore the perceptions of temperature control, thermal comfort and nursing care in a small group of older Australians. Design: Descriptive, qualitative study using thematic analysis. Methods: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with a group of older Australians living within an aged care facility. Interviews were taped, transcribed and then analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Five adults participated. Themes emerging included: (1) balancing nursing care and resident autonomy; (2) the importance of mobility to cope with temperature; and (3) r⁠eliance on habitual behaviour to cope with temperature. The importance of experiencing a sense of choice and ability to self-regulate personal environment arose as a substantial concern. Conclusions: The attention of older residents to personal issues related to thermal comfort linked to physical and mental health emphasise the importance of concerns regarding mobility, nursing care and autonomy. For older age residents the interplay between thermal comfort and behaviour adaptation is influenced by nurses and their control of the residential environment.
Keywords	adaptation; aged care; autonomy; mental health; physical health; thermal comfort
Year	2019
Journal	Contemporary Nurse
Journal citation	55 (1), pp. 38-46
Publisher	Routledge
ISSN	1839-3535
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)	https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2019.1583068
PubMed ID	30757957
Scopus EID	2-s2.0-85062336595
Page range	38-46
Funder	University of Tasmania (UTAS)
Publisher's version	License All rights reserved File Access Level Controlled
Output status	Published
Online	27 Feb 2019
Publication process dates
Accepted	10 Feb 2019
Deposited	23 Apr 2025
Grant ID	C0025653
Additional information	© 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/91q8z/the-environmental-temperature-of-the-residential-care-home-role-in-thermal-comfort-and-mental-health

Restricted files

Publisher's version

(1 files)

8
total views
0
total downloads
3
views this month
0
downloads this month

These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Sir Henry Parkes and the relationships that enabled Nightingale Nursing to advance mental healthcare in nineteenth century Australia

Raeburn, Toby, McDonald, Paul, Schapiro, Sophie and O'Reilly, Rebecca. (2025). Sir Henry Parkes and the relationships that enabled Nightingale Nursing to advance mental healthcare in nineteenth century Australia. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 34(1), p. Article e13430. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.13430

A qualitative investigation of nurses’ knowledge and practice gaps, regarding confidentiality and risk-actuated public interest disclosure-related decision-making

Conlon, Darren, Raeburn, Toby and Wand, Timothy. (2024). A qualitative investigation of nurses’ knowledge and practice gaps, regarding confidentiality and risk-actuated public interest disclosure-related decision-making. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law. pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13218719.2024.2372797

Self-determination theory : A framework well suited to informing research of adverse inpatient mental health experiences

Raeburn, Toby, Chang, Claire R., Kuek, Jonathan Han Loong and Ndwiga, Dorothy W.. (2024). Self-determination theory : A framework well suited to informing research of adverse inpatient mental health experiences. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. pp. 1046-1053. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2024.2385566

Out-of-home care, contact orders and infant mental health : Recognising a unique developmental stage in law, policy and practice

Gregory-Wilson, Rachel, Handsley, Elizabeth, Spencer, Liesel and Raeburn, Toby. (2024). Out-of-home care, contact orders and infant mental health : Recognising a unique developmental stage in law, policy and practice. University of New South Wales Law Journal. 47(1), pp. 68-104. https://doi.org/10.53637/GNMD3155

Lived experience perspectives of factors that influence mental health recovery in Singapore : A thematic analysis

Kuek, Jonathan Han Loong, Raeburn, Toby, Chow, Melissa Yan Zhi and Wand, Timothy. (2024). Lived experience perspectives of factors that influence mental health recovery in Singapore : A thematic analysis. Mental Health and Social Inclusion. 28(5), pp. 429-437. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-09-2022-0063

Nurses’ understanding of their duty of confidentiality to patients in mental health care : A qualitative exploratory study

Conlon, Darren, Raeburn, Toby and Wand, Timothy. (2024). Nurses’ understanding of their duty of confidentiality to patients in mental health care : A qualitative exploratory study. Collegian : The Australian Journal of Nursing Practice, Scholarship and Research. 31(3), pp. 144-153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2024.02.002

A constructivist grounded theory study on mental health recovery from a lived experience perspective in Singapore

Kuek, Jonathan Han Loong, Raeburn, Toby, Chow, Melissa Yan Zhi and Wand, Timothy. (2024). A constructivist grounded theory study on mental health recovery from a lived experience perspective in Singapore. Community Mental Health Journal. 60(2), pp. 394-402. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-023-01184-0

Lunatic asylums and Indigenous Australians during the nineteenth century

Raeburn, Toby, Bradshaw, Julie, Best, Odette and Cleary, Michelle. (2023). Lunatic asylums and Indigenous Australians during the nineteenth century. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 44(1), pp. 18-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2022.2126569

Lived experiences of mental health conditions in Singapore : A constructivist grounded theory study

Kuek, Jonathan Han Loong, Raeburn, Toby, Chow, Melissa Yan Zhi and Wand, Timothy. (2023). Lived experiences of mental health conditions in Singapore : A constructivist grounded theory study. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 69(3), pp. 735-743. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640221135111

How to use microhistory methodology in mental health research

Raeburn, Toby, Zugai, Joel, Liston, Carol, Saunders, Paul and Doyle, Kerrie. (2023). How to use microhistory methodology in mental health research. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 44(1), pp. 71-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2022.2129532

The focus on weight in the inpatient care of anorexia nervosa : A qualitative investigation of consumer perspectives

Zugai, Joel, Gill, Katherine, Molloy, Luke, Raeburn, Toby and Ramjan, Lucie. (2023). The focus on weight in the inpatient care of anorexia nervosa : A qualitative investigation of consumer perspectives. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 33(2), pp. 388-396. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.13242

Mental health professionals’ perspectives regarding how recovery is conceptualized in Singapore : a constructivist grounded theory study

Kuek, Jonathan Han Loong, Raeburn, Toby, Liang, Angelina Grace and Wand, Timothy. (2023). Mental health professionals’ perspectives regarding how recovery is conceptualized in Singapore : a constructivist grounded theory study. Journal of Mental Health. 32(4), pp. 736-743. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2023.2182431

Risk-Actuated Public Interest Disclosure Practices of Nurses Working in Mental Health, Pertaining to Confidential Information of Patients

Conlon, Darren, Raeburn, Toby and Wand, Timothy. (2023). Risk-Actuated Public Interest Disclosure Practices of Nurses Working in Mental Health, Pertaining to Confidential Information of Patients. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 44(6), pp. 474-481. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2023.2214225

Cognitive Continuum Theory : Can it contribute to the examination of confidentiality and risk-actuated disclosure decisions of nurses practising in mental health?

Conlon, Darren, Raeburn, Toby and Wand, Timothy. (2023). Cognitive Continuum Theory : Can it contribute to the examination of confidentiality and risk-actuated disclosure decisions of nurses practising in mental health? Nursing Inquiry. 30(2), pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12520

Team teaching in undergraduate nursing programs : A scoping review

Pathrose, Sheeja Perumbil, Raeburn, Toby, Sanchez, Paula, Elmir, Hind, Alomari, Albara and Ogunsiji, Olayide. (2022). Team teaching in undergraduate nursing programs : A scoping review. Collegian : The Australian Journal of Nursing Practice, Scholarship and Research. 29(3), pp. 390-397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2021.09.005

Perceptions of hospital-based Registered Nurses of care and discharge planning for people who are homeless : A qualitative study

Grech, Elizabeth and Raeburn, Toby. (2021). Perceptions of hospital-based Registered Nurses of care and discharge planning for people who are homeless : A qualitative study. Collegian. 28(1), pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2020.02.004

Mental health in nursing : Theory and practice for clinical settings

Foster, Kim, Marks, Peta, O'Brien, Anthony and Raeburn, Toby. (2021). Mental health in nursing : Theory and practice for clinical settings Elsevier Australia.

Decision-making processes of a nurse working in mental health, regarding disclosure of confidential personal health information of a patient assessed as posing a risk

Conlon, Darren, Raeburn, Toby and Wand, Timothy. (2021). Decision-making processes of a nurse working in mental health, regarding disclosure of confidential personal health information of a patient assessed as posing a risk. Collegian: The Australian Journal of Nursing Practice, Scholarship and Research. 28(3), pp. 261-267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2020.08.010

The Homeless and Their Animal Companions : An Integrative Review

Cleary, Michelle, Visentin, Denis, Thapa, Deependra Kaji, West, Sancia, Raeburn, Toby and Kornhaber, Rachel. (2020). The Homeless and Their Animal Companions : An Integrative Review. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research. 47(1), pp. 47-59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-019-00967-6

Experiences of hospitalised homeless adults and their health care providers in OECD nations : A literature review

Grech, Elizabeth and Raeburn, Toby. (2019). Experiences of hospitalised homeless adults and their health care providers in OECD nations : A literature review. Collegian. 26(1), pp. 204-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2018.04.004

Disclosure of confidential information by mental health nurses, of patients they assess to be a risk of harm to self or others : An integrative review

Conlon, Darren, Raeburn, Toby and Wand, Timothy. (2019). Disclosure of confidential information by mental health nurses, of patients they assess to be a risk of harm to self or others : An integrative review. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 28(6), pp. 1235-1247. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12642

Colonial surgeon Patrick Hill (1794–1852) : unacknowledged pioneer of Australian mental healthcare

Raeburn, Toby, Liston, Carol, Hickmott, Jarrad and Cleary, Michelle. (2019). Colonial surgeon Patrick Hill (1794–1852) : unacknowledged pioneer of Australian mental healthcare. History of Psychiatry. 30(1), pp. 90-103. https://doi.org/10.1177/0957154X18809925

Two approaches, one goal : How mental health registered nurses’ perceive their role and the role of peer support workers in facilitating consumer decision-making

Cleary, Michelle, Raeburn, Toby, West, Sancia, Escott, Phil and Lopez, Violeta. (2018). Two approaches, one goal : How mental health registered nurses’ perceive their role and the role of peer support workers in facilitating consumer decision-making. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 27(4), pp. 1212-1218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2020.09.005

'Walking the tightrope' : The role of peer support workers in facilitating consumers' participation in decision-making

Cleary, Michelle, Raeburn, Toby, Escott, Phil, West, Sancia and Lopez, Violeta. (2018). 'Walking the tightrope' : The role of peer support workers in facilitating consumers' participation in decision-making. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 27(4), pp. 1266-1272. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12474

Life of Martha Entwistle : Australia's first convict mental health nurse

Raeburn, Toby, Liston, Carol, Hickmott, Jarrad and Cleary, Michelle. (2018). Life of Martha Entwistle : Australia's first convict mental health nurse. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 27(1), pp. 455-463. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12356

Liverpool “lunatic asylum” : A forgotten chapter in the history of Australian health care

Raeburn, Toby, Liston, Carol, Hickmott, Jarrad and Cleary, Michelle. (2018). Liverpool “lunatic asylum” : A forgotten chapter in the history of Australian health care. Collegian. 25(3), pp. 347-353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2017.08.003