Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 31(1), January 2011, pp.79-88.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
... to an ageing agency and, ultimately, its clients. The authors discuss relevant literature, influential factors in the course's development, outcome data, and highlight various elements critical to the course's success.
This article presents ideas on the design of an undergraduate learning experience for social work students. Although content on older adults is a natural fit in many parts of the undergraduate curriculum, doing so in a research course can be a difficult challenge. The article outlines an undergraduate research course that has achieved both of these goals and also made significant contributions to an ageing agency and, ultimately, its clients. The authors discuss relevant literature, influential factors in the course's development, outcome data, and highlight various elements critical to the course's success.
Subject terms:
older people, outcomes, student social workers, ageing, curriculum development;
An introduction to the Ageing Better Measures Framework, a compendium of 63 measures, survey scales and their data sources which look at individual outcomes
related to ageing and later life. The document looks at how the framework was developed, how it can be used and potential areas for future development.
(Edited publisher abstract)
An introduction to the Ageing Better Measures Framework, a compendium of 63 measures, survey scales and their data sources which look at individual outcomes
related to ageing and later life. The document looks at how the framework was developed, how it can be used and potential areas for future development.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
ageing, outcomes, older people, instruments, surveys, quality of life;
The Ageing Better Measures Framework is a compendium of 63 measures, survey scales and their data sources looking at outcomes at the individual level related to ageing and later life. It is split into 12 broad topics: finance, major life transitions, fulfilling work, physical and mental health activity, health and wellbeing, plans for the future, community contributions, home and neighbourhood,
(Edited publisher abstract)
The Ageing Better Measures Framework is a compendium of 63 measures, survey scales and their data sources looking at outcomes at the individual level related to ageing and later life. It is split into 12 broad topics: finance, major life transitions, fulfilling work, physical and mental health activity, health and wellbeing, plans for the future, community contributions, home and neighbourhood, social connections, recreation and leisure, relationships, and care and support services. It will be useful for anyone who is interested in ageing-related data or evaluation of ageing-related activities. The Framework in excel format.
(Edited publisher abstract)
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between social support and the health outcomes of older adults, ages 50 and older, with dementia in the United States, using data from the 2012 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 446). The dependent variables included depressive symptoms (CES-D), self-reported health, number of chronic conditions, and the sum of activities of daily living (ADL) limitations. The key independent variables were measures of social support including marital status, children living within ten miles, relatives near, good friends near or in congregation, how often they attend religious services, relatives in congregation, and number of times they get together with people. Guided by the convoy model, this study focused on the layers of social support that typically surround an aging adult and the types of support within those layers. Findings of the logistic regression suggest that attending religious services was significantly associated with the ADL (p = .004). Having friends near or in a congregation was negatively associated with number of ADL limitations (p < .001), and positively associated with the likelihood of fewer depressive symptoms (p < .001). Results suggest that social support may be playing an important role in the health of aging adults with dementia. It may be important to focus on how to better ensure reliable social networks for aging adults with dementia and how to help secure meaningful social connections. Future research should prioritize assessing the effects of the quality of social supports on different types of health outcomes, within varying social proximities.
(Edited publisher abstract)
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship between social support and the health outcomes of older adults, ages 50 and older, with dementia in the United States, using data from the 2012 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 446). The dependent variables included depressive symptoms (CES-D), self-reported health, number of chronic conditions, and the sum of activities of daily living (ADL) limitations. The key independent variables were measures of social support including marital status, children living within ten miles, relatives near, good friends near or in congregation, how often they attend religious services, relatives in congregation, and number of times they get together with people. Guided by the convoy model, this study focused on the layers of social support that typically surround an aging adult and the types of support within those layers. Findings of the logistic regression suggest that attending religious services was significantly associated with the ADL (p = .004). Having friends near or in a congregation was negatively associated with number of ADL limitations (p < .001), and positively associated with the likelihood of fewer depressive symptoms (p < .001). Results suggest that social support may be playing an important role in the health of aging adults with dementia. It may be important to focus on how to better ensure reliable social networks for aging adults with dementia and how to help secure meaningful social connections. Future research should prioritize assessing the effects of the quality of social supports on different types of health outcomes, within varying social proximities.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
dementia, ageing, older people, social care, outcomes, health;
... in terms of welfare strategies and in terms of outcomes. To explain rankings along the State Effectiveness Index and its individual components, the report focuses on two potential explanations: population ageing, and welfare strategies. The report found that population ageing has a negative impact on State Effectiveness, and that some welfare strategies can mitigate this relationship while others can
(Edited publisher abstract)
Technical report presenting a new index for measuring the effectiveness of welfare states, and comparative performance analysis of countries across Europe. The report analyses the last 10 years of European welfare provision using Eurostat and OECD data and ranks countries according to their performance on a set of outcomes. Analyses are provided in the areas of: poverty and social exclusion, health, access to education, access to quality housing and intergenerational fairness. The analysis also assesses how rankings changed between 2003 and 2013 for each individual index. To explore why some countries may achieve better outcomes than others, the report also identifies a set of ‘welfare strategies’ adopted to pursue those outcomes. The report found wide variation across countries, both in terms of welfare strategies and in terms of outcomes. To explain rankings along the State Effectiveness Index and its individual components, the report focuses on two potential explanations: population ageing, and welfare strategies. The report found that population ageing has a negative impact on State Effectiveness, and that some welfare strategies can mitigate this relationship while others can exacerbate it. It found that strategies favouring longer working lives and more generous benefit provision for families appear to have a positive impact on state effectiveness, while strategies focusing on preventing poverty in old age ultimately prove detrimental.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
comparative studies, outcomes, welfare state, social policy, evaluation, demographics, ageing;
This evaluation toolkit is to help provider organisations to improve the quality of support for people with learning disabilities as they grow older. It aims to enable providers to understand the values, knowledge and skills that need to be in place to support people as they grow older so that their lives are as happy, healthy and fulfilling as possible and draw up and deliver an action plan to improve the support provided to people as they grow older. It uses the 8 outcomes from the Association for Real Change 'Real Change Challenge on Older People'. It provides indicators for each of the eight outcome that providers can use to assess themselves against using a traffic light system (red, amber and green). The toolkit suggests resources to help achieve each outcome. There is also a template for developing an action plan to help organisations implement the necessary changes.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This evaluation toolkit is to help provider organisations to improve the quality of support for people with learning disabilities as they grow older. It aims to enable providers to understand the values, knowledge and skills that need to be in place to support people as they grow older so that their lives are as happy, healthy and fulfilling as possible and draw up and deliver an action plan to improve the support provided to people as they grow older. It uses the 8 outcomes from the Association for Real Change 'Real Change Challenge on Older People'. It provides indicators for each of the eight outcome that providers can use to assess themselves against using a traffic light system (red, amber and green). The toolkit suggests resources to help achieve each outcome. There is also a template for developing an action plan to help organisations implement the necessary changes.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
learning disabilities, ageing, person-centred care, performance evaluation, quality of life, outcomes, assessment;
Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 57(1), 2014, pp.24-36.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
This article describes a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Gero-Ed Center BEL Project's activities and reports its final outcomes. An oral history interview in paired human behaviour and practice skills courses addressed gerontological social work competencies focused on assessing and addressing values and biases regarding ageing, and the ability to relate concepts and theories of ageing
(Edited publisher abstract)
This article describes a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Gero-Ed Center BEL Project's activities and reports its final outcomes. An oral history interview in paired human behaviour and practice skills courses addressed gerontological social work competencies focused on assessing and addressing values and biases regarding ageing, and the ability to relate concepts and theories of ageing to practice. Significant increases in perceived proficiency in these competencies occurred, as did significant decreases in negative attitudes toward older people and working with older adults. Qualitative data supported these results. Findings suggest social work educators utilise a combination of classroom-based and experiential learning to maximise student development.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
social work education, outcomes, ageing, skills, attitudes, older people, student social workers;
Purpose: Previous research on psychosocial adaptation of sensory-impaired older adults has focused mainly on only one sensory modality and on a limited number of successful aging outcomes. We considered a broad range of successful aging indicators and compared older adults with vision impairment, hearing impairment, and dual sensory impairments and without sensory impairment. Design and Methods: Data came from samples of severely visually impaired (VI; N = 121), severely hearing-impaired (HI; N = 116), dual sensory-impaired (DI; N = 43), and sensory-unimpaired older adults (UI; N = 150). Participants underwent a wide-ranging assessment, covering everyday competence, cognitive functioning, social resources, self-regulation strategies, cognitive and affective well-being, and 4-year survival status (except the DI group). Results: The most pronounced difference among groups was in the area of everyday competence (lowest in VI and DI). Multigroup comparisons in latent space revealed both similar and differing relationship strengths among health, everyday competence, social resources, self-regulation, and overall well-being, depending on sensory status. After 4 years, mortality in VI (29%) and HI (30%) was significantly higher than in UI (20%) at the bivariate level, but not after controlling for confounders in a multivariate analysis. Implications: A multidimensional approach to the understanding of sensory impairment and psychosocial adaptation in old age reveals a complex picture of loss and maintenance.
(Publisher abstract)
Purpose: Previous research on psychosocial adaptation of sensory-impaired older adults has focused mainly on only one sensory modality and on a limited number of successful aging outcomes. We considered a broad range of successful aging indicators and compared older adults with vision impairment, hearing impairment, and dual sensory impairments and without sensory impairment. Design and Methods: Data came from samples of severely visually impaired (VI; N = 121), severely hearing-impaired (HI; N = 116), dual sensory-impaired (DI; N = 43), and sensory-unimpaired older adults (UI; N = 150). Participants underwent a wide-ranging assessment, covering everyday competence, cognitive functioning, social resources, self-regulation strategies, cognitive and affective well-being, and 4-year survival status (except the DI group). Results: The most pronounced difference among groups was in the area of everyday competence (lowest in VI and DI). Multigroup comparisons in latent space revealed both similar and differing relationship strengths among health, everyday competence, social resources, self-regulation, and overall well-being, depending on sensory status. After 4 years, mortality in VI (29%) and HI (30%) was significantly higher than in UI (20%) at the bivariate level, but not after controlling for confounders in a multivariate analysis. Implications: A multidimensional approach to the understanding of sensory impairment and psychosocial adaptation in old age reveals a complex picture of loss and maintenance.
(Publisher abstract)
Aging and Mental Health, 16(4), May 2012, pp.438-451.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
During late life, older adults are exposed to stressors of social losses and increasing frailty, which can threaten their quality of life (QOL). The Proactivity Model of Successful Aging proposes that older adults utilise personal and social resources in anticipation of, and in response to, age-related stressors. The aim of this study was to examine how internal and external resources contribute to the maintenance of QOL outcomes (psychological well-being and social activities) among older adults who experience normative stressors of aging. Data was obtained from the Florida Retirement Study, a panel study which focuses on late-life adaptation of retirement community-dwelling elderly persons. Five annual interviews were conducted with a sample of 561 participants. QOL outcomes were measured at the 5th year, and predictor variables were measured in the 4 prior annual waves. The findings showed that stressors negatively influenced QOL 4 years later. Internal and external resources led to better QOL 4 years later, both directly and indirectly through proactive adaptations of marshalling support and planning for the future. These findings lend support to the Proactivity Model of Successful Aging by documenting the value of proactive adaptations (such as exercise, planning ahead, and marshalling support) as proximate influences on QOL outcomes.
During late life, older adults are exposed to stressors of social losses and increasing frailty, which can threaten their quality of life (QOL). The Proactivity Model of Successful Aging proposes that older adults utilise personal and social resources in anticipation of, and in response to, age-related stressors. The aim of this study was to examine how internal and external resources contribute to the maintenance of QOL outcomes (psychological well-being and social activities) among older adults who experience normative stressors of aging. Data was obtained from the Florida Retirement Study, a panel study which focuses on late-life adaptation of retirement community-dwelling elderly persons. Five annual interviews were conducted with a sample of 561 participants. QOL outcomes were measured at the 5th year, and predictor variables were measured in the 4 prior annual waves. The findings showed that stressors negatively influenced QOL 4 years later. Internal and external resources led to better QOL 4 years later, both directly and indirectly through proactive adaptations of marshalling support and planning for the future. These findings lend support to the Proactivity Model of Successful Aging by documenting the value of proactive adaptations (such as exercise, planning ahead, and marshalling support) as proximate influences on QOL outcomes.
Working with Older People, 15(3), 2011, pp.106-111.
Publisher:
Emerald
... and social care; workforce planning; person centred planning; reablement; housing; partnership for older people programme; and Dorset age partnership. The agenda of work provided in this paper provides a snap shot of the journey towards improving services in more efficient ways. The paper provides tips to follow for improving service provision for older people which include not cutting Ageing Well
Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole were, in 2008, selected to participate in a pilot project called Total Place, the focus of which was to examine how services could be improved and provided at less cost by bringing together all public sector partners around specific themes for older people. This paper presents the progress to date of Dorset. Areas tackled included: locality working; connecting health and social care; workforce planning; person centred planning; reablement; housing; partnership for older people programme; and Dorset age partnership. The agenda of work provided in this paper provides a snap shot of the journey towards improving services in more efficient ways. The paper provides tips to follow for improving service provision for older people which include not cutting Ageing Well programmes, not having constant talks about dementia, and making sure providers do not reinvent the same solutions to care.
Subject terms:
integrated services, local authorities, older people, outcomes, social care provision, ageing;