Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Imagined bodies: architects and their constructions of later life
- Authors:
- BUSE Christina E., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 37(7), 2017, pp.1435-1457.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This article comprises a sociological analysis of how architects imagine the ageing body when designing residential care homes for later life and the extent to which they engage empathetically with users. Drawing on interviews with architectural professionals based in the United Kingdom, the authors offer insight into the ways in which architects envisage the bodies of those who they anticipate will populate their buildings. Deploying the notions of ‘body work’ and ‘the body multiple’, this analysis reveals how architects imagined a variety of bodies in nuanced ways. These imagined bodies emerge as they talked through the practicalities of the design process. Moreover, their conceptions of bodies were also permeated by prevailing ideologies of caring: although the authors found that they sought to resist dominant discourses of ageing, they nevertheless reproduced these discourses. Architects’ constructions of bodies are complicated by the collaborative nature of the design process, where the authors' find an incessant juggling between the competing demands of multiple stakeholders, each of whom anticipate other imagined bodies and seek to shape the design of buildings to meet requirements. The findings extend a nascent sociological literature on architecture and social care by revealing how architects participate in the shaping of care for later life as ‘body workers’, but also how their empathic aspirations can be muted by other imperatives driving the marketisation of care. (Edited publisher abstract)
Mentalization in dementia care: an autoethnographic account of a project worker’s experiences
- Authors:
- LUXMOORE Bethany, McEVOY Phil
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 21(3), 2017, pp.147-156.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Mentalization is a psychodynamic concept that can help us to understand our emotional responses to others. The purpose of this paper to illustrate how the concept of mentalization may be applied in dementia care. Design/methodology/approach: An autoethnographic account of the author’s experiences (first author), working as a project manager in which the author used the concept of mentalization to pay close attention to how the author’s emotional responses to people with dementia influenced thier communicative interactions. Findings: This paper outlines how the author processed the author’s own internal experiences in both mentalizing and non-mentalizing modes, as the author wrestled with feelings of conscious incompetence. In the non-mentalizing mode, the author was pre-occupied with the author’s own anxieties. The author struggled to relate to or make sense of the experiences of the individuals with advanced dementia that the author engaged with. Moving towards a mentalizing stance helped the author to attune to the embodied experiences of the people with dementia and recognise the reciprocal nature of our communicative interactions. Originality/value: This paper illustrates the role that mentalization may play in developing natural and authentic strategies to support communicative engagement in dementia care. These strategies may be of potential value to family carers. Family carers who can maintain a mentalizing stance may be more able to respond in empathic, person- centred ways to people who are living with dementia. On the other hand, non-mentalizing responses may be a root cause of mis-understanding and emotional disengagement. (Publisher abstract)
Improving older people's oral health
- Author:
- ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. Faculty of Dental Surgery
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Surgeons. Faculty of Dental Surgery
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 20
- Place of publication:
- London
This report raises concerns about the significant impact that poor oral health is having on older people’s general health and quality of life. It makes a number of recommendations to improve oral healthcare for older people in England. They include: that key health and social care professionals should receive training in oral health; for regulators to make standards of oral care part of their assessments of hospitals and care homes; and for Government, health services, local authorities, care providers, regulators and the oral health profession to work together to improve access to dental services for older people. Although primarily applicable to England, a number of the recommendations also relevant for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. (Edited publisher abstract)
Predictors of loneliness and different types of social isolation of rural-living older adults in the United Kingdom
- Authors:
- de KONING Jolanthe Louise, STATHI Afroditi, RICHARDS Suzanne
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 37(10), 2017, pp.2012-2043.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Loneliness and social isolation are recognised, conceptually distinct threats to health and wellbeing in older age but limited evidence is available on their predictors in rural populations. This study performed logistical regression modelling to explore the predictors of loneliness, isolation from one's family and isolation from one's community in 884 British rural-living older adults (57.9% female; mean age = 71.5, standard deviation = 8.1 years) within the Grey and Pleasant Land data-set. While 13 per cent of participants reported feeling lonely, 49 per cent reported isolation from their family and 9 per cent reported isolation from their community. Minimal cross-over between groups was observed. Widowhood, financial difficulties, area deprivation, and self-reported impairments in physical and mental health predicted loneliness. Greater financial difficulty gave lower odds of isolation from one's family, and higher levels of community engagement gave lower odds of isolation from the community. Ageing in place (longer residency) was the only common predictor for all three dependent variables. Initiatives aimed at tackling loneliness and social isolation in rural-living older people must recognise that the two concepts are distinct, affecting different population sub-groups with mostly different risk factor profiles. Future interventions and policies should clearly identify whether their target is loneliness or social isolation and tailor their interventions appropriately. (Publisher abstract)
Exploring the inequalities in the context of kinship care
- Authors:
- CHAPMAN Alexandra, TARRAT Anna
- Publisher:
- ARK
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 8
- Place of publication:
- Belfast
This policy brief is based on the workshop held at Queen’s University Belfast to explore grandparents’ experiences of kinship care from different perspectives, including research, policy and personal experience. It summarises the main issues from the presentations and examines the themes that emerged from the discussions. These cover: gender roles, financial pressures and taking on the role of kinship carer unexpectedly. The briefing shows that kinship carers provide a valuable resource to families and that any barriers or inequalities carers face must be recognised and tackled. The workshop discussions also show that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach does not work in kinship care, because each situation is so unique. It calls for more progress to support older kingship carers in the UK, especially older male carers which are missing from policy debates. (Edited publisher abstract)
Older people, fraud and scams
- Author:
- AGE UK
- Publisher:
- Age UK
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 4
- Place of publication:
- London
This briefing presents key facts on the numbers of older people who are victims of fraud and scams. It outlines what banks; local agencies, such as social services and the police; and the Government can do to protect older people from the impact of fraud and scams. (Edited publisher abstract)
Reducing emergency hospital admissions: what is the role of social care? Strategic briefing
- Author:
- MILLER Robin
- Publisher:
- Research in Practice for Adults
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 20
- Place of publication:
- Dartington
This briefing looks at the factors that influence emergency admission rates and the role of adult social care in preventing emergency admissions to hospital. It explores how services can adopt strengths-based approaches when working with older people. It also builds an understanding of how preventable factors, such as loneliness, contribute to hospital admissions. Case studies demonstrate how these approaches have been used successfully in practice. It also discusses the concept of 'avoidable' and presents four comprehensive models of hospital avoidance. It concludes by outlining implications for social care commissioning and workforce. The briefing is intended for senior managers, service leads and commissioners. (Edited publisher abstract)
Music therapy: positive results, changes that last
- Author:
- HSU Ming Hung
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Dementia Care, 25(5), 2017, pp.28-29.
- Publisher:
- Hawker
Music therapy is an established clinical intervention, delivered by qualified music therapists who are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. Music therapy sessions have parallels with psychotherapy sessions where music is used to regulate a resident's emotions through music. This article explains how music therapy can help care professionals respond better to the needs of people with dementia. (Original abstract)
Investigating perceptions of disgust in older adult residential home residents
- Authors:
- LAFFAN A.J., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 21(2), 2017, pp.206-215.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: As people become increasingly physically dependent as they make the transition into older age, they may lose the ability to control bodily functions. Problems with eating, voiding and washing can be linked with feelings of disgust and, given the necessity for some of being assisted with intimate care activities, it has been suggested that self-focused disgust and concerns over the disgust of others may become important preoccupations in older people, with the potential to further impair their quality of life. Method: In a mixed-methods study, feelings of disgust in 54 physically dependent older adults living in residential homes were investigated. Participants completed measures of disgust sensitivity, mood, and two new scales assessing feelings of self-disgust and perceived other-disgust related to intimate care activities. Six of the residents who reported high levels of self-disgust also participated in semi-structured interviews. Results: Results indicated that disgust was uncommon. Where present, self-disgust was related to perceptions of others’ feelings of disgust and general disgust sensitivity. These results were benchmarked against 21 community-dwelling older adults, who reported believing they would feel significantly more disgusting if they were to start receiving assistance. A thematic analysis identified the importance of underlying protective factors, the use of strategies and carer characteristics in ameliorating feelings of disgust. Conclusion: The results are discussed with reference to the disgust literature, with recommendations being made for ways in which self-disgust can be minimised in those making the transition to residential homes. (Publisher abstract)
‘The nourishing soil of the soul’: the role of horticultural therapy in promoting well-being in community-dwelling people with dementia
- Authors:
- NOONE Sarah, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 16(7), 2017, pp.897-910.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Two-thirds of people with dementia reside in their own homes; however, support for community-dwelling people with dementia to continue to participate in everyday activities is often lacking, resulting in feelings of depression and isolation among people living with the condition. Engagement in outdoor activities such as gardening can potentially counteract these negative experiences by enabling people with dementia to interact with nature, helping to improve their physical and psychological well-being. Additionally, the collaborative nature of community gardening may encourage the development of a sense of community, thereby enhancing social integration. Despite increasing evidence supporting its therapeutic value for people with dementia in residential care, the benefits of horticultural therapy have yet to be transposed into a community setting. This paper will examine the theoretical support for the application of horticultural therapy in dementia care, before exploring the potential of horticultural therapy as a means of facilitating improved physical and psychological well-being and social integration for people living with dementia within the community. (Publisher abstract)