Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 10
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and its derivatives in screening for heavy drinking among the elderly
- Authors:
- AALTO Mauri, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 26(9), September 2011, pp.881-885.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is an instrument with structured questions, a maximum score of 40 and a standard cut point at which the subject is considered to be a heavy drinker (> 8). This study aimed to evaluate whether tailoring the cut point improves the performance of AUDIT for older people. It used a sub-sample of people from the National FINRISK Study. The 517 participants, aged 65-74 years and based in southern Finland, completed versions of the AUDIT and the Timeline Follow-back interview regarding alcohol consumption. A subject was defined as a heavy drinker if consuming more than 8 drinks on average in a week or more than 4 drinks on at least one day during the previous 28 days. The article describes and discusses the analysis and results. It reports that the AUDIT was an accurate method for screening heavy drinking among older people if the cut point was tailored to this age group (the optimal cut point was >5), and that questionnaires including questions about quantity-frequency and binge drinking performed better than those questionnaires including only one or the other.
Social protection of older people in Finland from the eighteenth to the twenty-first centuries: messages for current policy and practice from an historical analysis
- Author:
- TOPO Päivi
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 41(5), July 2011, pp.876-893.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This article explores how social protection of the elderly has evolved in Finland since the eighteenth century, and examines the influence of historical developments on current policy. It highlights two inter-connected themes in particular – the shifting levels of paternalism and the cycle from early ‘annual auctions’ through state provision to increased privatisation and commissioning of services. The shifting levels of paternalism show that there has been a shift from strong to weak paternalism and from the duties to the rights of people in their old age. Recent developments, however, show distressing indications of leaving the most vulnerable old people to fend for themselves in a complex care system. With respect to increased privatisation and commissioning of services, statistics show that more severe problems of health and functioning are now required before gaining access at higher charge to services of a quality that may have deteriorated. Abuse and violence are understood in this article as an issue of structural discrimination associated with old age, living in poverty or suffering from severe problems of health and functioning without access to necessary care and assistance. The implications for social work policy balancing protection and personalisation are discussed.
Livindhome: living independently at home: reforms in home care in 9 European countries
- Authors:
- ROSTGAARD Tina, et al
- Publisher:
- Danish National Centre for Social Research
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 252p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Copenhagen
This report presents findings from the project Living Independently at Home: Reforms in organisation and governance of European home care for older people and people with disabilities (LIVINDHOME). The study provides an overview of recent and current reforms in the organisation and governance of home care systems in nine European countries, and analyses the intended and unintended results of these reforms, in particular, how the reforms have affected the organisation, supply and quality of care. The focus of the study is home care for older people and for people with disabilities. In countries that have more family-oriented welfare traditions (Austria, Germany, Italy, Ireland), comprehensive approaches to long-term care have started to develop only relatively recently. Despite increases in funding for long-term care, home care provision in Italy and Ireland remains highly fragmented, with major local variations in access to services. The second group of countries (Denmark, England, Finland, Norway, and Sweden) have had more or less comprehensive home care services in place for many years. These have been delivered by local authorities under a legislative framework set by central government. Reforms have here involved the introduction of market- and consumer-related mechanisms into the supply and delivery of home care.
Ageing and health status in adults with intellectual disabilities: results of the European Pomona II study
- Authors:
- HAVEMAN Meindert, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 36(1), March 2011, pp.49-60.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
POMONA II was a European Commission funded public health project collecting information from 14 countries using a set of key health indicators specifically relevant for people with intellectual disabilities. This research focused on age-specific differences relating to environmental and lifestyle factors and the 17 medical conditions measured by the POMONA Checklist of Health Indicators. The article describes how information was collected using the POMONA Health Interview Survey and Evaluation Form from a sample of 1,253 participants in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. It then presents the results of the analysis, with tables showing characteristics of people with intellectual disabilities in the study, frequency of social contacts with relatives or friends according to age, lifestyle risk factors in people with intellectual disabilities according to age, and general and age-specific prevalence rates of health problems. The authors discuss how healthy older adults with intellectual disabilities are with regard to lifestyle factors, and whether there are health disparities between older adults with and without intellectual disabilities. They note that some evidence of health disparities was found for older people with intellectual disabilities, particularly in terms of under diagnosed or inadequately managed preventable health conditions.
Motivation to physical activity among adults with high risk of type 2 diabetes who participated in the Oulu substudy of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study
- Authors:
- KORKIAKANGAS Eveliina, TAANILA Anja M., KEINANEN-KIUKAANNIEMI Sirkka
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 19(1), January 2011, pp.15-22.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Globally, the number of people at risk of, or diagnosed with, type 2 diabetes is increasing. However, this can be prevented by lifestyle changes such as increased levels of physical activity. This study researched the motivators and barriers to physical activity among individuals with high risk of type 2 diabetes who participated in a sub-study of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study in Oulu, Finland. It also considered whether the motivators or barriers changed during the follow-up from 2003 to 2008. Questionnaires were conducted twice; in the first follow-up in 2003 63 participants answered the questionnaire, and in the second follow-up in 2008 71 participants answered the questionnaire. Findings indicated that motivators to physical activity included weight management, feelings of physical and mental well-being. Social relationships associated with exercise were also motivators. In conclusion, the authors suggest that regular counselling is important in order to promote exercise among older people, and that motivators to exercise are strengthened by positive experiences of exercise.
What happens to quality in integrated homecare? A 15-year follow-up study
- Authors:
- PALJARVI Soili, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Integrated Care, 11(2), 2011, Online only
- Publisher:
- International Foundation for Integrated Care
A case study of a joint homecare unit in Finland, created following the merger of home healthcare and home help services in 1994 - 1995, is used to explore the impact of structural integration on home care quality. The case study included a before–after comparison with baseline and four follow-up measurements during 1994–2009, using interviews with clients (n=66–84) and postal inquiries to relatives (n=73–78) and staff (n=68–136). Home care quality was analysed in three domains: sufficiency of care; responsiveness of care; and guiding, counselling and informing clients. Despite the organisational reform involving extensive mergers of health and social care organisations and cuts in staff and service provision, homecare quality remained at almost the same level throughout the 15-year follow-up. According to the clients, it even slightly improved in some homecare areas. The results show that despite the structural integration and cuts in staff and service provision, the quality of homecare remained at a good level. The results suggest that structural integration had a positive impact on homecare quality. To provide firmer evidence, the authors call for additional research with a randomised comparison design. (Edited publisher abstract)
Perpetrators of abuse against older women: a multi-national study in Europe
- Authors:
- DONDER Liesbeth De, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adult Protection, 13(6), 2011, pp.302-314.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Results from part of the prevalence study Abuse and Violence against Older Women in Europe, conducted in Finland, Austria, Belgium, Lithuania and Portugal in 2010, are presented in this paper. The study focused on home-dwelling women aged 60 years or older and included interviews with 2,880 older women. This paper explores the findings concerning perpetrators of abuse among older women living in the community and whether differences between perpetrators of different forms of abuse could be detected. The results showed that 28.1% of older women reported experiencing at least one kind of violence and abuse in their own home in the last 12 months by someone who was close to them. The findings indicated that emotional abuse occurs most often, followed by financial abuse, and that the current partner or spouse most often commits the abuse, but that depending on the type of abuse different perpetrators are more likely. The paper includes tables showing rates of different kinds of abuse and perpetrators of abuse, including types of abuse, levels of severity, and victim characteristics.
Older adults' own reasoning for their alcohol consumption
- Authors:
- IMMONEN Sirpa, VALVANNE Jaakko, PITKALA Kaisu H.
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 26(11), November 2011, pp.1169-1176.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Compared to younger age groups, relatively little is known about the reasons older people drink. Data were collected using a postal survey of a random sample of 2100 elderly people (≥65 years) living in the medium-sized city of Espoo, Finland. Of the 71.6% who responded, 868 said that they use alcohol and 831 gave reasons for their drinking. “At-risk users” were defined as consuming more than 7 drinks per week, or 5 or more drinks on a typical drinking day, or using 3 drinks or more several times per week. The main reasons for alcohol consumption were “having fun or celebration” (58.7%), “social reasons” (54.2%), “using alcohol for medicinal purposes” (20.1%), and “with meals” (13.8%). Younger age groups more often reported using alcohol for “having fun or celebration” and “for social reasons.” The older age groups more often used “alcohol for medicinal purposes”. Men used alcohol more often than women “as a pastime” or “as a sauna drink”. “At-risk users” reported using alcohol because of “meaningless life,” for “relieving depression,” “relieving anxiety,” and “relieving loneliness.” The authors conclude that older adults have diverse alcohol consumption habits like other age groups. However the oldest group reported using alcohol for medicinal purposes and ‘at-risk users” admitted that they use alcohol because of a meaningless life, and relieving depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
A good place to grow older: synthesis report: Peer Review in Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2010, London, 18-19 January 2011
- Authors:
- HOKEMA Anna, TESCH-ROMER Clemens
- Publisher:
- Peer Review in Social Protection and Social Inclusion
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 40p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Vienna
Peer Reviews are a key instrument of the EU framework ‘the open method of coordination’. They aim to enable open discussion on social protection and social inclusion policies in the different EU Member States and facilitate the mutual learning process among them. This publication reports on a Peer Review held in London in January 2011 which focused on strategies for building ‘a good place to grow older’. The Peer Review was hosted by the UK Department for Work and Pensions and also involved representatives from Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania and Spain. This publication covers: the policy debate at European level; the main elements of the UK’s policy; the experiences in peer countries and stakeholder contributions; and discussions at the Peer Review meeting covering UK policy reforms (including pension reform and reforms to health and social care), the role of ‘Big Society’, and the principles behind the reforms. The main conclusions and key lessons to emerge from the Peer Review relate to: the transferability of the UK reforms; older people as a societal resource; old age as part of life’s course; diversity; active ageing and the extension of working life; volunteering; partnerships across sectors; the role of stakeholder organisations; access to information; the role of the environment; and strategies for scaling up pilot projects.
Neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of life in patients with very mild and mild Alzheimer's disease
- Authors:
- KARTTUNEN Kristina, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 26(5), May 2011, pp.473-482.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) is believed to range from 50 to 90% in Alzheimer' s disease (AD). Studies suggest that a high proportion of subjects with mild cognitive impairment display clinically meaningful NPS. This study examined the prevalence and significance of NPS in very mild and mild AD patients focusing on their influence on the well-being of the patients and their caregivers. A total of 240 Finnish patient-caregiver dyads were enrolled. Assessment scales included three Quality of Life (QoL) instruments; generic 15D, disease-specific QoL-AD and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). NPS were present in 76.5% of patients with very mild AD and in 84.9% of patients with mild to moderate AD. The most frequent symptoms were apathy, depression, irritability, and agitation. The strongest predictor of self-reported QoL-AD scores was depressive symptoms whereas functional decline and presence of NPS predicted poor caregiver ratings of patients' QoL. However, caregiver depression also influenced their ratings. The authors conclude that NPS are common even in the early stages of AD. NPS were significantly associated with caregiver assessment of the patient's QoL but not with patients' self-assessed QoL. Depression decreases QoL, but may remain unrecognised in AD patients, emphasising the need for careful assessment of NPS before deciding on the treatment.