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The heterogeneity of socially isolated older adults: a social isolation typology
- Author:
- MACHIELSE Anja
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 58(4), 2015, pp.338-356.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Recent statistics show a growing number of older adults who are living alone and are socially isolated. It is against this background that, in recent years, many interventions have been developed to address social isolation among the elderly. Evaluative studies show that most interventions are hardly effective, though. An important reason for this is the heterogeneity of the socially isolated. This article offers insight into this heterogeneity by presenting a typology with different profiles of socially isolated older adults and the intervention implications of this typology. The typology is derived from an extensive qualitative study on socially isolated elderly individuals in the Netherlands. The typology imposes some degree of order to a diversity of circumstances, ambitions, and possibilities of the socially isolated elderly, thereby deepening the understanding of the heterogeneity of this population. The definition of social isolation used in this study starts from a societal angle of incidence, namely the current policy context of Western European welfare states, in which governments emphasize the importance of independence and self-reliance of their citizens. Developed from that perspective, the typology provides a theoretical basis for applying interventions aimed at increasing self-reliance of social isolated elderly. This perspective on social isolation also has consequences for the way in which the effectiveness of interventions to alleviate social isolation is assessed. (Publisher abstract)
Daily crosswords improve verbal fluency: a brief intervention study
- Authors:
- MURPHY Mike, O'SULLIVAN Katie, KELLEHER Kieran G.
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 29(9), 2014, pp.915-919.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Objective: Phonemic verbal fluency (PVF) is a cognitive function that involves serial processes termed clustering and switching and which is impacted in both normal aging and dementia. The cognitive reserve hypothesis suggests that appropriate cognitive stimulation could maintain or improve cognitive performance. This study examines the effect on PVF performance of a brief crossword-based intervention in a cognitively normal, community-based sample. Methods: Thirty-seven members of active retirement groups volunteered to participate and were randomly assigned to a crossword group and a control group. The former attempted a crossword daily for 4 weeks while the latter kept a daily gratitude diary for the same period. Results: 2 × 2 mixed analyses of variance revealed that the crossword group performed significantly better over time than the control group in both total PVF score and in the cluster size component. Conclusion: Daily crosswords may be a simple and effective means of bolstering PVF performance in older people. (Publisher abstract)
The effectiveness of dyadic interventions for people with dementia and their caregivers
- Authors:
- MOON Heehyul, ADAMS Kathryn Betts
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 12(6), 2013, pp.821-839.
- Publisher:
- Sage
To review the effects of dyadic interventions on caregivers and care recipients in the early stages of dementia searches were carried out on four databases (AgeLine, Medline, EBSCO, and PyscINFO) and relevant literature from 2000 onwards reviewed. The twelve studies identified used a variety of intervention approaches including support group, counseling, cognitive stimulation, skill training, and notebook-keeping. This review suggests that intervention programs for early-stage dementia caregiving dyads were feasible and well accepted by participants. The reviewed studies provided rich evidence of the significance of mutual understanding and communication to partners’ well-being and relationship quality within the caregiving process. The findings suggest that these intervention approaches improved cognitive function of the care recipients, social relations, and the relationship between the primary caregivers and the care recipients, although evidence of long-term effectiveness is lacking. (Edited publisher abstract)
Managing chronic pain in older people
- Author:
- SCHOFIELD Patricia
- Journal article citation:
- Nursing Times, 109(30), 2013, pp.26-27.
- Publisher:
- Nursing Times
This article presents the results of a collaborative project between the British Pain Society and British Geriatric Society to produce guidelines on pain management for older people. The guidelines are the first of their kind in the UK and aim to provide best practice for the management of pain to all health professionals working with older people in any care setting. (Publisher abstract)
A qualitative evaluation of the provision of bereavement care accessed by service users living in a health and social care trust area in Northern Ireland
- Authors:
- MONTGOMERY Lorna, CAMPBELL Anne
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 8(2), April 2012, pp.165-181.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia
Within the health and social care sector today, the management of death and bereavement has become increasingly challenging. This qualitative study aimed to investigate the bereavement care offered to individuals living in one Health and Social Care Trust catchment area of Northern Ireland. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 key government and voluntary agency staff. The results suggest that much of the bereavement provision is based on the interest and initiative of individual staff members, with few processes to assess the level of bereavement care needed and those best skilled to provide it. Recommendations are made for a bereavement care strategy that outlines a bereavement needs assessment process. Implications for practice are presented.
Poetry in dementia care: overcoming the challenges
- Authors:
- GREGORY Helen, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Dementia Care, 20(2), March 2012, pp.20-23.
- Publisher:
- Hawker
The poem ‘opposite’ was written during Try to remember, an intervention for people with dementia. The authors have previously described the project, from its commissioning and design to the implementation and evaluation, and highlighted some of the benefits brought to people with dementia. In this second article, the authors present some of the challenges they encountered, and in doing so, present a ‘less polished’ view of the arts-based intervention. The article has sections from all four project team members (the GP, project coordinator, the poet and the researcher), each presenting their individual views on the challenges they faced. The article attempts to highlight some of the complexities, contradictions, struggles and setbacks which characterise dementia care.
Enhancing quality of life in functionally vulnerable older adults: from randomized trial to standard care
- Authors:
- GITLIN Laura N., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Generations, 34(1), Spring 2010, pp.84-87. Published online.
- Publisher:
- American Society on Aging
Individuals at any age can learn new strategies to engage in valued activities. Advancing Better Living for Elders or ABLE is a home-based intervention for functionally vulnerable older adults based on the Lifespan Theory of Control. An active phase of the intervention involves five occupational therapy sessions and one physical therapy home session (90 minutes) over six months. Use and challenges around the ABLE program are discussed.
Using spaced retrieval and Montessori-based activities in improving eating ability for residents with dementia
- Authors:
- LIN Li-Chan, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(10), October 2010, pp.953-959.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study aimed to construct a training protocol for spaced retrieval (SR). It also investigated the effectiveness of SR and Montessori-based activities in decreasing eating difficulty in older residents with dementia. Eighty-five residents with dementia were chosen from three special care units for residents with dementia in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. The institutions were randomised into three groups: spaced retrieval; Montessori-based activities; and a control group. The invention consisted of three 30 to 40 min sessions per week, for 8 weeks. Results revealed that after the intervention, the Edinburgh Feeding Evaluation in Dementia scores and assisted feeding scores for the SR and Montessori-based activity groups were significantly lower than that of the control group. However, the frequencies of physical assistance and verbal assistance for the Montessori-based activity group were significantly higher than that of the control group, suggesting residents who received Montessori-based activity needed more physical and verbal assistance during mealtimes. In conclusion, this study confirmed the efficacy of SR and Montessori-based activities for eating difficulty and eating ability.
Training to enhance adult memory (TEAM): an investigation of the effectiveness of a memory training program with older adults
- Authors:
- FAIRCHILD J. Kaci, SCOGIN F.R.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 14(3), April 2010, pp.364-373.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Prior research examining the effectiveness of memory enhancement programmes targeting both objective and subjective memory has yielded results with varying degrees of success. The current investigation aimed to evaluate an in-home memory enhancement programme for older adults that emphasised the importance of both objective memory ability and subjective beliefs about one’s memory. The participants, 53 community-dwelling older adults, were assigned to either a memory enhancement condition or a minimal social support condition. The memory enhancement participants met with a trainer once a week for 6 weeks, and had 3 training sessions targeting subjective memory which included information on aging, mood and nutrition, and 3 training sessions on mnemonics to target objective memory. The results showed that those in the memory enhancement condition had significant improvement in remembering names with faces and not misplacing household objects. Additionally, those in the memory enhancement condition also reported being more content with their memory, having fewer lapses in memory, greater use of mnemonic strategies, and were less bothered by memory complaints. Regression analyses indicated that neither levels of positive nor negative affect were predictive of participants' objective and subjective memory at post-treatment. The article concludes that these results provide support for the use of memory enhancement programs for older adults.
Assessing the effectiveness of interventions to promote advance directives among older adults: a systematic review and multi-level analysis
- Authors:
- BRAVO Gina, DUBOIS Marie-France, WAGNEUR Bernard
- Journal article citation:
- Social Science and Medicine, 67(7), October 2008, pp.1122-1132.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Many studies have investigated the effectiveness of interventions in promoting advance directives (ADs) but there is uncertainty as to what works best, and in whom. We conducted a systematic review of the evidence in this regard, using both classical meta-analysis approaches and multi-level analyses. Eleven databases were searched for relevant reports published through March 2007. All prospective studies were eligible, whether involving a single group or several and, in the latter case, regardless of the allocation mechanism. Outcomes included formal and informal ADs assessed by chart review or self-report. Heterogeneous sets of outcomes were pooled under a random-effects model. The search yielded 55 studies, half of which targeted outpatients. Most groups of subjects were educated in a single session led by one healthcare professional. Outcomes were measured within six months of the intervention in 73% of cases. The largest set of single-arm studies yielded an overall AD completion rate of 45.6%. Across randomized trials, the largest pooled odds ratio was 4.0, decreasing to 2.6 when all comparative studies were included. Multi-variable analyses identified the provision of oral information over multiple sessions as the most successful intervention. This was true regardless of the target population. These findings support the effectiveness of educational interventions in increasing the formulation of ADs and provide practical advice on how best to achieve this goal.