Ph.D project by Karoline Grødal
The certification scheme “Joy of Life” Nursing Homes has been presented as part of a national strategy for volunteerism in the health and care services in Norway (Mld. St. 29 (2012-2013)). The aim is to safeguard the nursing home residents´ social, cultural, and spiritual needs through fulfilment of nine “joy of life” criteria that comprise e.g., facilitating maintenance of their hobbies and to get out in fresh air minimum once a week. The scheme is thus primarily aimed at the residents, but it is also assumed that it can be beneficial for the employees through e.g., a better work environment.

The objective of this project is to investigate this assumption with an organizational psychology perspective, with both quantitative and qualitative research methods. With a longitudinal design, employees in certified nursing homes will be compared to employees in non-certified nursing homes on factors such as job demands, job resources, work engagement and work-related sense of coherence. The employees´ perception of the certification process will also be explored, and further analyzed in relation to the aforementioned factors.

This research will hopefully contribute to knowledge about how to promote a healthy and good work environment in “Joy of Life” Nursing Homes, and also nursing homes in general.

Ph.D project by Eva Rinnan

Human life expectancy is increasing worldwide. By 2050, the percentage of those 80 and older will be 31%, up from 18% in 1988. Consequently, there will be an increased need for nursing home (NH) care. The Norwegian government has chosen  Joy of Life-nursing home certification (JOL-NH) as a national innovation strategy in elderly care. All NHs in Trondheim Municipality will be certified during 2015, whereas in Bergen municipality the NHs have not yet taken part in the JOL-NH certification strategy.

The overall idea of this research project is to study and evaluate the implementation of the JOL-NH certification. The intention is to explore the phenomenon Joy-of-life for older individuals living in NHs, as well as to compare various aspects of certified JOL-NHs in Trondheim with NHs in Bergen. Do patients in JOL-NHs experience better quality of life and care quality than NH patients in Bergen? 

The Foundation Livsglede for eldre (Joy-of-life) is the owner of the certification arrangement. To become a certified JOL-NH nine quality-of-care-criteria have to be fulfilled. 

However, until now evidence-based research evaluating the effects of this JOL-NH strategy is missing. Accordingly, there is a great need for evidence in the field of NH care. Knowledge about the outcome of the JOL-NH certification strategy is important for the development of quality of care in NHs.