Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Perspectives of elderly blacks on institutional care
- Authors:
- NGIBA Ryke, STRYDOM T and H
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Maatskaplike Werk, 39(2), June 2003, pp.139-148.
This South African article reports on the perspectives of black older people regarding where they believe persons such as themselves should stay, where they themselves would like to stay, and where their families and children would like them to stay. Sixty older people were interviewed for the survey. It was found that the indigenous support system for caring for elderly people in their communities by their children is still practised and preferred by the elderly, but not significantly so by the younger generation. It became clear from the study that old-age homes were still a rather new and largely unacceptable concept to elderly black people.
Caring for older people living alone with dementia: healthcare professionals’ experiences
- Authors:
- DE WITT Lorna, PLOEG Jenny
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 15(2), 2016, pp.221-238.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Older adults living alone with dementia are at greater risk of placement in long-term care homes compared with those living with others. Healthcare professionals have vital roles in supporting them to continue living in the community. Yet, little is known about how healthcare professionals fulfill these roles and what their experiences are like. The study purpose was to describe health care professionals’ experiences of caring for older people with dementia living alone. Using a qualitative descriptive approach and qualitative content analysis method, 15 healthcare professionals were interviewed in Ontario, Canada. The overall theme of the findings, doing the best that they could for them, involved discussing sensitive care issues with what professionals viewed as gentle realism. Walking the tightrope expressed tensions in meeting professional responsibilities. Constraints (my hands are tied) and boundaries (it’s not my job, it’s not my decision) described perceived limitations on professional roles. Effects of the emotional struggle involved in working with these older people were lessened by believing that they did the right thing. The findings have implications for what could be done better for older people with dementia living alone, through integration of person-centred/relationship-centred principles in education programmes, community agency policies, a national dementia care strategy, and culture change in community care. (Edited publisher abstract)
An exploration of congruence in the community service use attitudes of older spousal caregiver-care recipient dyads
- Author:
- ZODIKOFF Bradley D.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Service Research, 35(3), 2009, pp.216-227.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This study explores the congruence in attitudes to community service use between older spousal caregiver-care recipient couples. Data collection consisted of in-person, standardised survey interviews with 30 caregiver-care recipient couples aged 60 or over referred by health and social service providers. The study used a modified version of the Community Service Attitude Inventory which is made up of 7 attitudinal subscales: confidence in service system, wait-and-see attitude, concern for opinion of others, pride in family independence, rejection of government assistance, worry and fear, and preference for informal assistance. The results indicated that the distribution of the Index of Dyadic Similarity was highly negatively skewed, indicating overall patterns of similarity at the dyadic level of analysis. Service use preferences and values across the 7 attitudinal domains were largely similar within the spousal caregiver-care recipient couples. The authors conclude that, although the overall trend of dyadic similarity was notable, variation in the Index of Dyadic Similarity suggests the need for future research to better understand within-dyadic congruence on specific attitude constructs and in relation to service use outcomes.
A look at a community coming together to meet the needs of older adults: an evaluation of the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program
- Authors:
- TRICKEY Rebecca, KELLEY-GILLESPIE Nancy, FARLEY O. William
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 50(3/4), 2008, pp.81-98.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) is a US programme that aims to maintain older people in their own homes for as long as possible by providing referral and advocacy, home visits, regular telephone contact and other services to reduce social isolation and help older people gain access to resources that they would not otherwise seek out. This exploratory, descriptive study surveyed 49 older people and 26 NHN volunteers. It shows that older people felt that their quality of life had improved, while volunteers believed that the programme was making a significant difference to their local communities. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
The effect of housing on perceptions of quality of life of older adults participating in a Medicaid long-term care demonstration project
- Authors:
- KELLEY GILLESPIE Nancy, FARLEY O. William
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 49(3), 2007, pp.205-228.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This study evaluates the FlexCare programme, designed to help older people in Utah stay in community-based settings (their own homes or a range of sheltered and assisted alternatives) that are less restrictive than nursing homes or other institutional settings. It focuses on the quality of life perceptions of 42 individuals accepted by the FlexCare programme with Medicaid funding between March and November 2001. All had previously spent time in nursing homes. The participant and family member/friend questionnaires of the Assisted Living Facility-Quality of Life/Quality of Care Index (ALF-QoL/QoC) instrument were used to assess perceptions of quality of life. Results from the 42 participants and 32 family members/friends show significant changes in mean scores between baseline and follow-up on the quality of life domains of: importance of the environment; satisfaction with environment; satisfaction with staff and care; satisfaction with activities and social relations; satisfaction with choice; satisfaction with the facility; and emotional well-being. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Creating elder-friendly communities: preparations for an aging society
- Authors:
- ALLEY Dawn, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 49(1/2), 2007, pp.1-18.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Elder-friendly communities use planning and advocacy to allow older people to remain in their local neighbourhoods despite the fact that these were not designed specifically to meet their needs. Such communities actively involve, value and support older people, both active and frail, and provide infrastructure and services that can accommodate changing needs. This paper discusses the importance of the community environment to older people, summarises existing research on their views about elder-friendliness, and reports on the views of practitioners collected using a Delphi exercise with 15 national leaders in the fields of gerontology, urban planning and community development. The key features of an elder-friendly neighbourhood include accessible and affordable transport, a variety of appropriate housing options, responsive health and care services, low crime rates and opportunities for community involvement. Some innovative programmes are highlighted and the implications for social workers discussed. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Exploring case managers' advance care planning practices
- Author:
- BLACK Kathy
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Service Research, 33(3), 2007, pp.21-30.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Community-based geriatric case managers handle increasing caseloads of frail older adults with future care needs that can be anticipated; however, little is known regarding their advance care planning practices with their clients. This qualitative study conducted 4 focus groups throughout the state of Florida in 2005 to explore 27 case managers' perceptions of their advance care planning practices. Findings suggest that case managers hold ambiguous views regarding advance care planning, perceive divergent roles in this area, and engage in a range of primarily informational advance care planning practices. Implications include the need to clarify the role and importance of advance care planning for older adults and better understand factors associated with practitioners' divergent advance care planning practices in order to enhance professional practice in this area. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Expectations of support among White British and Asian-Indian older people in Britain: the interdependence of formal and informal spheres
- Author:
- SIN Chih Hoong
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 14(3), May 2006, pp.215-224.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The article reports on findings emerging from part of a Growing Older study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council of Great Britain to explore the relationship between quality of life and the social networks and support of older people from different ethnic groups. Research involved the use of a questionnaire comprising closed- and open-ended questions. In addition, in-depth qualitative interviews covering the existence and nature of social networks and support, as well as perceptions and expectations of these, were also conducted. This article reports on data relating to a sample comprising seven White British men, 10 White British women, 12 Asian-Indian men, and nine Asian-Indian women aged 55 and over derived from the Family Resources Survey. Findings reveal that the high level of expectation for family support amongst Asian-Indian respondents coexists with a high level of expectation for state support and an acknowledgement that the ideal of family support may not always materialise. Amongst White British respondents, the high level of expectation for state support exists regardless of whether the respondent has satisfactory informal social networks. This expectation is commonly expressed in terms of rights and entitlement by White British respondents but not by Asian-Indians. Associated with this, Asian-Indian respondents display a consistently lower level of awareness and usage of a range of health and social care services. Regardless of the extent of current and past usage of services, however, respondents from both groups overwhelmingly indicate an expectation for the continued provision of such services as they would like to be able to use one or more of these at some stage.
The general practitioner and older people: strategies for more effective home visits?
- Authors:
- CARLISLE Sandra, HUDSON Harriet
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 5(6), November 1997, pp.365-374.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This article is based on findings from a pilot research funded by the Primary Health Care Development Fund in Scotland. This research confirms that community care changes have not to date effected a significant shift in GP perceptions, which are that the probable destiny of frail older people is to enter some kind of residential setting. Examines how and why GPs label certain patients as a 'problem' and uses this categorisation process to suggest that such patients are seen by GPs as having a 'moral career'. The research identifies a point in the career of the older 'problem' patient at which doctors could usefully refer to other agencies. Suggests a model for communication or collaboration as a way of enabling GPs to continue to provide sensitive and individually appropriate care for frail older patients in collaboration with appropriate others.
Barriers to and facilitators for the use of an evidence-based occupational therapy guideline for older people with dementia and their carers
- Authors:
- VAN'T LEVEN Netta, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 27(7), July 2012, pp.742-748.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The authors suggest that implementation of evidence based care cannot be taken for granted especially if it involves significant changes to clinical routines or the organisation of care. This study aimed to define barriers to and facilitators for implementing the Community Occupational Therapy in Dementia (COTiD) guideline for older people with dementia and their carers in the Netherlands. Data where gathered from focus groups involving 17 occupational therapists (OTs) and telephone interviews with 10 physicians and 4 managers. Analyses revealed the main barriers to be: OTs not feeling competent in treating older people with dementia at home according to the guideline; having difficulties prioritising in this complex treatment, both for the client and themselves; and being unsure about the minimal criteria for guideline adherence. The intensity of the programme was the main barrier. Barriers for physicians and managers were lack of knowledge about occupational therapy and its reimbursement and lack of available trained OTs. The guideline's content and focus, evidence, and external support facilitated the use of the guideline by OTs. For physicians and managers, the guideline's evidence base and its benefits for clients and carers were the main facilitators. The authors conclude that OTs' knowledge and self-confidence in using the guideline needs to increase; they will then also motivate their physicians and managers to use the COTiD intervention.