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One-year predictors of turnover among personal-care workers for older adults living at home in Italy
- Authors:
- BILOTTA Claudio, NICOLINI Paola, VERGANI Carlo
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 31(4), May 2011, pp.611-624.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Privately-employed personal-care workers for community-dwelling older adults are widespread in Italy. There have been estimated to be over 700,000 personal-care workers in Italy, with 93% being foreigners. The turnover of these workers is known to be high. This study aimed to identify the predictors of the turnover of personal-care workers. This prospective cohort study in Milan, Italy enrolled 121 older adults living at home along with their personal-care workers and 107 informal carers. The older participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment. At 1 year follow-up, 12 of the older participants had been placed in a nursing home and 26 had died. Of the 83 still living at home, 22 (26.5%) had changed their personal-care staff. Analysis found that the only characteristic of personal-care staff significantly associated with turnover at 1 year follow-up was living far away from their families. Two characteristics of the elders, namely being widowed and having cognitive impairment, were found to be predictors of a low turnover of personal-care workers. These older adults were more likely to keep their personal-care workers at the one-year follow-up independently of the perceived quality of care.
Age-related disability and bathroom use
- Authors:
- BURTON Maria, REED Heath, CHAMBERLAIN Paul
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Integrated Care, 19(1), February 2011, pp.37-43.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Over 5% of older people living in the community experience problems using the bathroom. With an ever ageing population, this age-related disability in bathroom use is destined to become even greater. Previous research has focused on how the person can be enabled to cope with the bathroom environment by functional training or introduction of assistive technologies. More recently attention has been drawn to the design of bathroom furniture. This article outlines the work undertaken to establish the views of the bathroom of older people and carers, and how involvement of older people as researchers has given strong direction, support and confidence in identification of issues in need of attention and in product development. Twenty four home visits where undertaken, and interviews were conducted to elicit views of positives and negatives within the bathroom. Main themes uncovered included concerns about safety in the bathroom, placement and sizing of furniture, and a general lack of space.
Customers' experiences of contact with the Pension, Disability and Carers Service
- Authors:
- WHITFIELD Grahame, et al
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Work and Pensions
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 63p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This report highlights findings from a research project investigating the circumstances surrounding the ways in which people who were customers of both The Pension Service (TPS) and the Disability and Carers Service (DCS) came into contact with the agency’s services. It was commissioned by the Pension, Disability and Carers Service. In depth interviews were held with men and women, 60 and older, drawn from the DCS customer database. Three discussion groups were also held. The report examines ways to overcome the barriers people experience in becoming aware of and contacting the service, making claims and in understanding the information provided and required by PDCS. It also examines how to harness the key role of family/friends and local partners in raising awareness among, and providing support to, older people in accessing services. Finally, the report outlines ways to better understand and respond to customers’ preferences and needs, and to manage and meet customers’ expectations of the service.
Research and development work relating to assistive technology 2009-10: presented to Parliament pursuant to section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970
- Author:
- GREAT BRITAIN. Department of Health
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department of Health
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 112p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Assistive technology is any product or service designed to enable independence for disabled and older people. This document is an annual report made to Parliament describing the research activity the government has funded to improve assistive technology for disabled people, as required under section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970. The report features projects that indicate the effectiveness of assistive technology in meeting the needs of disabled and older people. It aims to reflect both research and development activity relating to a wide range of impairments and health conditions and the range of government funding programmes across health, social care, education, housing and employment. Each of the 174 research projects covered in the report was started, finished, or is being carried out in the UK during the period April 2009 to March 2010, and funded by the UK government or the European Union. A complete listing of assistive technology research and development activity is included as an annex.
Social well-being of disabled older persons: an evidence of unequal ageing in Europe
- Authors:
- GASIOR Katrin, ZAIDI Asghar
- Publisher:
- European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 14p.
- Place of publication:
- Vienna
This Policy Brief from the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research examines the well-being of disabled older people living in European countries, by analysing various social dimensions such as satisfaction with present situation and living standards, future optimism, respect and social contacts. Multivariate modelling techniques were adopted to show how disability alone affects social well-being of older persons. The empirical results are derived from the 2006 European Social Survey. Results show that disability has a strong negative impact on various aspects of older people's social well-being, even after controlling for other pertinent factors such as education, gender, marital status and the income class. The analyses provide insights about the heterogeneity of older population in general, but particularly the fact that the experience of ageing will be strongly influenced by disability factors. The strategies presented to improve social well-being of older persons will entail building a supportive environment in which older people have opportunities to participate in the society even for those with a significant disability.
Attendance allowance and disability living allowance claimants in the older population: is there a difference in their economic circumstances?
- Authors:
- HANCOCK Ruth, MORCIANO Marcello, PUDNEY Stephen
- Publisher:
- Institute for Social and Economic Research
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 19p.
- Place of publication:
- Colchester
This report, on potential differences in the economic circumstances of older claimants in England of Attendance Allowance (AA, non-means tested cash benefit claimable over-65) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA, non-means tested cash benefit claimable only under 65 but receipt of which can be continued after 65), is from the Institute for Social and Economic Research Working Papers series. It consists of a non-technical summary, introduction, and sections detailing ‘Family Resources Survey’ data between 2002 and 2005, ‘DLA and work histories in the working age population’, ‘the composition of the over-65 population’, and work histories, and incomes of AA and DLA recipients in the older population. “No evidence of greater income deprivation among DLA than AA recipients in terms of equivalised pre-benefit family income” was found. The governments’ perception of greater income deprivation among DLA compared with AA claimants, due to their earlier age of onset of disability and thus impaired earnings in earlier life, which had led to recent benefit reform proposals which would treat “recipients of AA less favourably than the recipients of DLA” is questioned, as is the validity of the proposed changes. Both AA and DLA claimant groups had substantially lower levels of average pre-benefit income than the older population in general.
Social marketing strategies for reaching older people with disabilities: findings from a survey of centers for independent living participants
- Authors:
- MOONE Rajean Paul, LIGHTFOOT Elizabeth
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work in Disability and Rehabilitation, 8(2), April 2009, pp.65-81.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Centres for independent living (CILs) provide critical support, services, and advocacy to help people with disabilities live independently. In the light of the rapid increase in the number of older people with disabilities, many CILs are now considering how to actively engage older adults in their organisations. The main aim of this study was to investigate which social marketing techniques might be of use for reaching this population. Data was drawn from a postal survey sent to all individuals aged over 50 years who had received services from one of Minnesota’s eight CILs during a 2-year period between 2001 and 2003 (n=528); 264 usable surveys were processed. The study revealed that many older people with disabilities are not familiar with CILs. It is suggested that utilising the components of the social marketing mix in designing outreach efforts, including a critical examination of product, place, price, participants, and partnering, CILs and other community agencies can better reach older adults with disabilities.
Severity and correlates of depressive symptoms among recipients of Meals on Wheels: age, gender, and racial/ethnic difference
- Authors:
- CHOI Namkee G., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 14(2), March 2010, pp.145-154.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study describes a large urban Meals on Wheels programme's adoption of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) as its depression-screening tool, and reports on the PHQ-9 assessment outcomes with respect to the rates, severity, and correlates of depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 736 Meals on Wheels clients, comprising both elderly and younger homebound disabled adults. Analysis of the results was performed to examine differences in the rates and severity of depressive symptoms by age group, gender, race/ethnicity, and cognitive status, and to determine the correlates of depression symptom severity. Of the sample, 17.5% had clinically significant depressive symptoms, and 8.8% had probable major depressive disorder. A significantly higher proportion of those under age 60 years were found to have clinically significant depressive symptoms and probable major depressive disorder. The results show that age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, cognitive impairment, number of chronic medical conditions, and the nutritional risk score were significant predictors of the severity of depression symptoms. Implications of and recommendations for incorporating a valid depression-screening tool into social service agencies' existing assessment process are discussed.
The prevalence of disability in the oldest-old is high and continues to increase with age: findings from The 90+ Study
- Authors:
- BERLAU Daniel J., CORRADA Maria M., KAWAS Claudia
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24(11), November 2009, pp.1217-1225.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The objectives of this study were to examine the prevalence and type of disability in people aged 90 and older, the fastest-growing age group in the United States. It included functional data on 697 participants from the 90+ study, a population-based wanted to ignore study of ageing and dementia in people aged 90 and older. The prevalence of disability was calculated for two definitions using activities of daily living (ADL) - ADL difficulty, defined as difficulty with one or more ADL, and ADL dependency, defined as needing help on one or more ADL. The ADL most commonly causing difficulty was walking (70%), and the ADL most commonly causing dependency was bathing (51%). Age, gender, and institutionalisation were significantly associated with both ADL difficulty and ADL dependency. The study concluded that the prevalence of disability continues to increase rapidly in people aged 90 and older, and that this has major public health implications.
Unpaid older carers: the backbone of community care - what community care?
- Authors:
- DILLENBURGER Karola, MCKERR Lyn
- Journal article citation:
- Generations Review, 19(3), July 2009, Online only
- Publisher:
- British Society of Gerontology
A recent study conducted in Northern Ireland asked older parents who care for their sons and daughters with disabilities at home about their experiences. This article highlights some of their responses. Recommendations for policy makers are included.