Journal of Adult Protection, 13(1), February 2011, pp.46-52.
Publisher:
Emerald
This personal article discusses the failure of safeguarding procedures designed to protect older adults from abuse and injury within care settings. It highlights the case of the author’s frail mother, who, after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, was placed into a nursing home. Because of several unexplained injuries to her fragile skin, she was subjected to safeguarding procedures with care managers in three separate areas. The article describes the impact of the three safeguarding procedures on the author’s mother's welfare. Her experience underlines the finding of the Report on the Consultation on the Review of the ‘No Secrets’ guidance - that too often the vulnerable adult, particularly where that adult lacks capacity, is sidelined, and the process works in the interests of the nursing home.
This personal article discusses the failure of safeguarding procedures designed to protect older adults from abuse and injury within care settings. It highlights the case of the author’s frail mother, who, after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, was placed into a nursing home. Because of several unexplained injuries to her fragile skin, she was subjected to safeguarding procedures with care managers in three separate areas. The article describes the impact of the three safeguarding procedures on the author’s mother's welfare. Her experience underlines the finding of the Report on the Consultation on the Review of the ‘No Secrets’ guidance - that too often the vulnerable adult, particularly where that adult lacks capacity, is sidelined, and the process works in the interests of the nursing home.
Subject terms:
injuries, older people, vulnerable adults, safeguarding adults, case studies, care homes, elder abuse;
This article reviews how the concept of vulnerability had been developed in various disciplines. It goes on to develop a framework which captures those aspects of a vulnerability approach which are most relevant to the study of ageing. The article then examines these domains with reference to the research literature on ageing and old age: what might be meant by outcomes, exposure, threats and coping capacities with reference to older people. The article finally 're-assembles' the concept through two examples, one based on work on vulnerability to homelessness in old age in Britain, and the other on vulnerability to a lack of care in old age, which draws on the authors work in Indonesia.
This article reviews how the concept of vulnerability had been developed in various disciplines. It goes on to develop a framework which captures those aspects of a vulnerability approach which are most relevant to the study of ageing. The article then examines these domains with reference to the research literature on ageing and old age: what might be meant by outcomes, exposure, threats and coping capacities with reference to older people. The article finally 're-assembles' the concept through two examples, one based on work on vulnerability to homelessness in old age in Britain, and the other on vulnerability to a lack of care in old age, which draws on the authors work in Indonesia.
Subject terms:
homelessness, older people, risk, social networks, vulnerable adults, case studies, coping behaviour;
This report reviews existing evidence and presents primary research in four case study care settings (two residential and two extra care) in England to assess the risks of summertime overheating, and investigate the preparedness of the care settings, both now and in the future. Hotter, drier summers with heatwaves of greater frequency and intensity have serious implications for the UK’s ageing population. The report shows that summertime overheating is both a current and future risk in care schemes, yet there is currently little awareness or preparedness at all levels, from designers to frontline staff, to implement suitable and long-term adaptation strategies. There is a perception that older people ‘feel the cold’, but less recognition that heat can also present a significant health risk and design for overheating is not commonplace; there is low prioritisation of overheating and future climate change (in briefing and design). There is a mismatch between the overheating risks predicted by climate modelling and those measured by empirical monitoring, which underplays present-day risks from high temperatures. The study found that there is a lack of effective heat management across the case studies due to a number of design and management issues, including lack of investment in appropriate strategies (such as external shading), conflicts between passive cooling strategies and occupant requirements. The report concludes that collaboration among government departments and professional institutions is necessary to harmonise and standardise health-related and building thermal comfort-related overheating thresholds, with particular consideration for care settings.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This report reviews existing evidence and presents primary research in four case study care settings (two residential and two extra care) in England to assess the risks of summertime overheating, and investigate the preparedness of the care settings, both now and in the future. Hotter, drier summers with heatwaves of greater frequency and intensity have serious implications for the UK’s ageing population. The report shows that summertime overheating is both a current and future risk in care schemes, yet there is currently little awareness or preparedness at all levels, from designers to frontline staff, to implement suitable and long-term adaptation strategies. There is a perception that older people ‘feel the cold’, but less recognition that heat can also present a significant health risk and design for overheating is not commonplace; there is low prioritisation of overheating and future climate change (in briefing and design). There is a mismatch between the overheating risks predicted by climate modelling and those measured by empirical monitoring, which underplays present-day risks from high temperatures. The study found that there is a lack of effective heat management across the case studies due to a number of design and management issues, including lack of investment in appropriate strategies (such as external shading), conflicts between passive cooling strategies and occupant requirements. The report concludes that collaboration among government departments and professional institutions is necessary to harmonise and standardise health-related and building thermal comfort-related overheating thresholds, with particular consideration for care settings.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
older people, environment, risk, prevention, vulnerable adults, case studies, extra care housing, residential care, social care provision;
Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 27(1), 2015, pp.74-89.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
While the literature acknowledges that older people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities are particularly susceptible to financial abuse by their family members, there is a dearth of research that explores the nature of CaLD older people's vulnerability to this form of abuse. This case study examines unique dynamics shaping this form of abuse and demonstrates how emotional vulnerability and dependence, exacerbated by cultural and linguistic disconnection, can place older people at risk.
(Publisher abstract)
While the literature acknowledges that older people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities are particularly susceptible to financial abuse by their family members, there is a dearth of research that explores the nature of CaLD older people's vulnerability to this form of abuse. This case study examines unique dynamics shaping this form of abuse and demonstrates how emotional vulnerability and dependence, exacerbated by cultural and linguistic disconnection, can place older people at risk.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
communities, older people, financial abuse, emotional abuse, black and minority ethnic people, multicultural approach, case studies, elder abuse, vulnerable adults;
Personalisation was a key element in reforming the adult and social care system in England. Personal budgets are central to this reform, and enable recipients of social care to choose and commission their own services. This paper results from a case study in the West Midlands led by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) in the Soho/Victoria ward of Smethwick. The ‘Friends and Neighbours’ initiative, a community-run organisation, brings the personalisation and empowerment agendas together. One of the gaps in research concerns the crucial role of carers, which is fundamental to the personalisation agenda reaching its objectives. Sandwell took an asset-based, social capital approach to ‘Friends and Neighbours’, in which the challenge was that “personalisation has the potential to deliver services in new and different ways that are nearer to what service users and their carers want and need”. This report describes the case study which used a research methodology based on a process-focused strategy of evidence gathering. Finding are analysed in terms of these themes: the policy context, trust, capacity building, tension management, and relocation of power. It concludes that the role of the local authority, as a necessary broker, is indispensable in this process.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Personalisation was a key element in reforming the adult and social care system in England. Personal budgets are central to this reform, and enable recipients of social care to choose and commission their own services. This paper results from a case study in the West Midlands led by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) in the Soho/Victoria ward of Smethwick. The ‘Friends and Neighbours’ initiative, a community-run organisation, brings the personalisation and empowerment agendas together. One of the gaps in research concerns the crucial role of carers, which is fundamental to the personalisation agenda reaching its objectives. Sandwell took an asset-based, social capital approach to ‘Friends and Neighbours’, in which the challenge was that “personalisation has the potential to deliver services in new and different ways that are nearer to what service users and their carers want and need”. This report describes the case study which used a research methodology based on a process-focused strategy of evidence gathering. Finding are analysed in terms of these themes: the policy context, trust, capacity building, tension management, and relocation of power. It concludes that the role of the local authority, as a necessary broker, is indispensable in this process.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
personalisation, personal budgets, social capital, community care, carers, vulnerable adults, older people, informal care, local authorities, case studies;
Looks at the case of an 82 year-old women who suffered severe neglect while living with her son, but after a spell in residential care expressed a desire to return home. Looks at the dilemma this presented to adult protection staff.
Looks at the case of an 82 year-old women who suffered severe neglect while living with her son, but after a spell in residential care expressed a desire to return home. Looks at the dilemma this presented to adult protection staff.
Subject terms:
older people, relatives, rights, risk, vulnerable adults, assessment, case studies, care homes, elder abuse;
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 17(10), October 2002, pp.895-906.
Publisher:
Wiley
Recent developments in a number of research fields afford prospects for advances in primary and secondary prevention of dementia. These include findings from case-control and cohort studies of associations with earlier head injury and vascular disease, possibilities of pharmacological protection for persons at high risk for Alzheimer's disease, and the use of more effective anti-dementia drugs in the mild to moderate stages of severity. Research aimed at tertiary prevention is lagging behind, but there are some indications that the worst features of late-stage decline could already be mitigated by improvements in community support services and nursing-home care. Containment of the growing social and economic burdens of dementia calls for a national policy to ensure that new research findings can be translated into practice and applied to the benefit of all old people who stand in need. For this purpose the most appropriate conceptual framework is supplied by a preventive model, broadly similar to those already developed for some other forms of chronic degenerative disease.
Recent developments in a number of research fields afford prospects for advances in primary and secondary prevention of dementia. These include findings from case-control and cohort studies of associations with earlier head injury and vascular disease, possibilities of pharmacological protection for persons at high risk for Alzheimer's disease, and the use of more effective anti-dementia drugs in the mild to moderate stages of severity. Research aimed at tertiary prevention is lagging behind, but there are some indications that the worst features of late-stage decline could already be mitigated by improvements in community support services and nursing-home care. Containment of the growing social and economic burdens of dementia calls for a national policy to ensure that new research findings can be translated into practice and applied to the benefit of all old people who stand in need. For this purpose the most appropriate conceptual framework is supplied by a preventive model, broadly similar to those already developed for some other forms of chronic degenerative disease.
Subject terms:
literature reviews, medication, long term conditions, nursing homes, older people, policy formulation, prevention, social care provision, vulnerable adults, Alzheimers disease, case studies, dementia, evidence-based practice, head injuries;