International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 15(10), October 2000, pp.947-953.
Publisher:
Wiley
There is little information on dementia research in China in the international literature. This paper is an overview of studies on dementia conducted in China. Studies on dementia research in China were identified through a literature search, as well as through consulting Chinese psychiatrists and neurologists with expertise in the field. These studies were then reviewed. Finds that there is much research activity in China in the field of dementia and further cross-cultural studies are useful to examine the cultural differences in various areas of dementia research.
There is little information on dementia research in China in the international literature. This paper is an overview of studies on dementia conducted in China. Studies on dementia research in China were identified through a literature search, as well as through consulting Chinese psychiatrists and neurologists with expertise in the field. These studies were then reviewed. Finds that there is much research activity in China in the field of dementia and further cross-cultural studies are useful to examine the cultural differences in various areas of dementia research.
University of Leicester. Nuffield Community Care Studies Unit
Publication year:
2000
Pagination:
69p.
Place of publication:
Leicester
This literature review was undertaken to provide a background for the research, inform the selection of local authorities and aid the formulation of research tools. The review outlines the policy background to current community care provision, identifies the effect that this policy has had on services and community care practice, and reviews what little is known about the impact on older people. Throughout the emphasis is those issues which are most relevant to access to social care.
This literature review was undertaken to provide a background for the research, inform the selection of local authorities and aid the formulation of research tools. The review outlines the policy background to current community care provision, identifies the effect that this policy has had on services and community care practice, and reviews what little is known about the impact on older people. Throughout the emphasis is those issues which are most relevant to access to social care.
Extended abstract:
Author
PARKER Gillian; PHELPS Kay; FRANCIS Jenny; Title
Access to social care for older people: literature review.
Publisher
University of Leicester. Nuffield Community Care Studies Unit, 2000.
Summary
This review outlines the policy background to current community care provision, identifies the effect that this policy has had on services and community care practice, and reviews what little is known about the impact on older people.
Context
This literature review was undertaken to provide a background for the research, inform the selection of local authorities and aid the formulation of research tools. Throughout the emphasis is those issues which are most relevant to access to social care.
Contents
The introduction explains that overall objective of the research project of which this review is a part is to examine the policies and practices that local authority social services departments use to determine access to social care, either overtly or covertly, and understand the impact these have on older people. The aims of the research are to identify the policies and practices that exist within individual local authorities in respect of the allocation of resources for community care services for older people; to identify the policies and practices that are having an effect on the welfare and quality of life of older clients, and to estimate how widespread these may be elsewhere; and to describe the outcomes of these policy and practice decisions by examining in depth their impact on the quality of life of older people who are at home, or in residential or nursing home care. This literature review was undertaken to provide a background for the research, inform the selection of local authorities and aid the formulation of research tools. It outlines the policy background to current community care provision, identifies the effect that this policy has had on services and community care practice, and reviews what little is known about the impact on older people. Throughout the emphasis is on those issues which are most relevant to access to social care. The review used three main techniques to identify relevant material: electronic searching of relevant databases from 1985, use of web sites of relevant research organisations and registers, and hand-searching of relevant periodical publications that are not indexed in the electronic databases. Community care policy documents were, of course, also used. The review is divided into three areas: policy, practice and outcomes. Chapter 1 supplies contextual information by reviewing community care policy since the reforms of the 1990s. This concentrated particularly on the financial background to the changes and the emphasis put on care management as a model for delivering ‘needs-led' and cost-effective care. Changes in the health service which have affected social care are also covered. Chapter 2 outlines the impact that the 1990 community care changes have had on local authority budgets, including their charging policies, and examines what little is known about the way in which the different elements of care management are being delivered.
Conclusion
Keeping people in their own homes was one of the main aims of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990, and the evidence reviewed suggests this is happening to a greater degree than before the 1993 changes. The financial raison d'etre was that it could be cheaper to keep the frail, disabled elderly at home, based largely on evidence that this cost about two-thirds of residential care. But two necessary conditions were breached in introducing the reforms: there should be no perverse effect giving local authorities an incentive to use long-term care rather than home support; and it must be possible to replicate the success of the care management experiments across the whole country. Urgent research is needed that focuses on understanding how given local authorities respond to financial pressures on services, interpret their duties and make decisions that may affect users or potential users in predictable and unpredictable ways; explores the outcomes for older people of changes resulting from these decisions; and attempts to elucidate the link between them. This review forms the first part of a project aiming to do just that.
105 references
Subject terms:
literature reviews, older people, social care, social care provision, access to services;
This article focuses on researching quality of life in old age. Based on a review of the relevant literature, it argues that research has not reflected sufficiently the multifaceted nature of quality of life and has relied too much on the judgements of professionals rather than older people. It concludes that quality of life research in general has under-emphasised the importance of material factors in people's lives. With regard to older people, research shows that relatively poor quality of life, as reported by older people themselves, is associated with only a minority and, among this minority, twice the proportion of older women to men. The article ends with an outlines of the new Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Growing Older Research Programme on Extending Quality Life, which in three years time promises to provide usable information for policy makers and practitioners about the determinants of quality of life in old age.
This article focuses on researching quality of life in old age. Based on a review of the relevant literature, it argues that research has not reflected sufficiently the multifaceted nature of quality of life and has relied too much on the judgements of professionals rather than older people. It concludes that quality of life research in general has under-emphasised the importance of material factors in people's lives. With regard to older people, research shows that relatively poor quality of life, as reported by older people themselves, is associated with only a minority and, among this minority, twice the proportion of older women to men. The article ends with an outlines of the new Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Growing Older Research Programme on Extending Quality Life, which in three years time promises to provide usable information for policy makers and practitioners about the determinants of quality of life in old age.
Subject terms:
literature reviews, older people, policy, quality of life, ageing;
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 15(7), July 2000, pp.575-581.
Publisher:
Wiley
Demographic data predicts that in the first half of the next century there will be an increase in the absolute number of elderly people with alcohol problems. Concern has been expressed regarding the impact this trend will have upon health services, particularly the high costs of treatment and institutionalisation. This article reviews recent publications relating to the epidemiology of alcohol problems in older people and compares the prevalence rates of alcohol problems in various clinical settings. Highlights the importance of epidemiological research, which improves the understanding of the scope and impact of a disease as well as being a vital component during the planning stage for new services. This review highlights some ongoing limitations in recent research.
Demographic data predicts that in the first half of the next century there will be an increase in the absolute number of elderly people with alcohol problems. Concern has been expressed regarding the impact this trend will have upon health services, particularly the high costs of treatment and institutionalisation. This article reviews recent publications relating to the epidemiology of alcohol problems in older people and compares the prevalence rates of alcohol problems in various clinical settings. Highlights the importance of epidemiological research, which improves the understanding of the scope and impact of a disease as well as being a vital component during the planning stage for new services. This review highlights some ongoing limitations in recent research.
Subject terms:
literature reviews, older people, assessment, alcohol misuse, diagnosis;
Asks what would you feel about a practice that could double the income of some of the poorest members of the local community, improve their health, and help the local authority get more money out of central government. Recent research shows that helping pensioners claim what they are entitled to can do all those thing and more.
Asks what would you feel about a practice that could double the income of some of the poorest members of the local community, improve their health, and help the local authority get more money out of central government. Recent research shows that helping pensioners claim what they are entitled to can do all those thing and more.
Subject terms:
income, literature reviews, older people, pensions, benefits;
The research reviewed in this article considers contrasting approaches to residential care, and the different lifestyles the residents may experience as a result.
The research reviewed in this article considers contrasting approaches to residential care, and the different lifestyles the residents may experience as a result.
Subject terms:
literature reviews, older people, quality of life, residential care, care homes;
Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 32(4), 2000, pp.25-39.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
A literature review highlighting some of the findings about volunteer motivation, satisfaction, recruitment, and retention as it relates to volunteers in general, older volunteers, and illustrative of one setting, hospice volunteers. Implications for social work practice with older persons are discussed.
A literature review highlighting some of the findings about volunteer motivation, satisfaction, recruitment, and retention as it relates to volunteers in general, older volunteers, and illustrative of one setting, hospice volunteers. Implications for social work practice with older persons are discussed.
Subject terms:
hospices, literature reviews, older people, recruitment, social work methods, volunteers;
The aims of the research were to explore and understand the significant issues arising when older home owners enter long term residential and nursing home care. The key people and organisations involved are the older home owners themselves, their relatives, local authorities and independent sector care home providers. Specific objectives of this research were to gain greater understanding of: local authority policies and practices in respect to home owner occupiers entering long term care homes; the concerns within authorities about those policies and practices; the consequences for older home owners entering care homes; significant issues for home providers accepting privately paying older people as residents.
The aims of the research were to explore and understand the significant issues arising when older home owners enter long term residential and nursing home care. The key people and organisations involved are the older home owners themselves, their relatives, local authorities and independent sector care home providers. Specific objectives of this research were to gain greater understanding of: local authority policies and practices in respect to home owner occupiers entering long term care homes; the concerns within authorities about those policies and practices; the consequences for older home owners entering care homes; significant issues for home providers accepting privately paying older people as residents.
Extended abstract:
Author
WRIGHT Fay;
Title
Capital offences: variations in local authority treatment of older home owners entering residential care: a summary of some key research findings.
Publisher
The Nuffield Foundation and Age Concern Institute of Gerontology, King's College London, 2000.
Summary
The aims of the research were toexplore and understand the significant issues arising when older home owners enter long term residential and nursing home care. The key people and organisations involved are the older home owners themselves, their relatives, local authorities and independent sector care home providers. Specific objectives of this research were to gain greater understanding of: local authority policies and practices in respect to home owner occupiers entering long term care homes; the concerns within authorities about those policies and practices; the consequences for older home owners entering care homes; significant issues for home providers accepting privately paying older people as residents.
Context
Government figures show that since 1951, numbers of old people have increased significantly, there has been a 61% increase in those aged 80-84 and an 81% increase in those aged 85 and over. As very old people are more likely than those who are younger to suffer physical and mental ill health, this has significant public expenditure implications for health and social services as well as for state pensions and other social security benefits. There are also implications for long term care costs. Although relatively few people above retirement age (approx 5%) live permanently in institutional care, over a fifth of those aged 85 or over do so. Unless the proportion of people entering care homes in the last phase of their lives declines, the issue of using a home to meet care home charges will continue to be a significant concern to older people and their relatives in the future.
Method
The study had three phases, (1) a national postal survey of senior finance officers in English and Welsh social service departments (response rate 77%). (2) Structured telephone follow-up interviews with a stratified sample of approximately one in four responding finance officers (28 interviews). (3) Case studies in five English local authority areas. Factors in choosing the five were the level of home ownership amongst older people and the level of deliberate deprivation of assets to avoid care home charges reported in the postal survey. Questionnaires were piloted in one of the case study areas. Each case study included interviews with: SSD staff involved in financial assessments of older home owners seeking care home admission; independent sector care home providers, 9 in the voluntary, and 19 in the for-profit, sector; residents recently admitted to independent sector residential or nursing homes who had previously owned their own homes; and relatives recently involved in disposing of property after an older home owner has been admitted to long term care. The postal survey and the structured interviews were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Data from qualitative interviews was analysed with Ethnograph.
Contents
This ten page booklet is divided into five sections. Section one gives background information on the numbers of older people in care homes, the means test for long term care and the issues surrounding selling a home to meet care home charges. Section two describes the aims and objectives of the research. Section three sets out the methodology and the research process. The fourth section is on the main findings of the study and is divided into eight parts each part dealing with the main findings, which are: variations in local authority community care packages; local variations in assessing financial situations; older home owners failing to obtain needs assessments; variations in obtaining a local authority contract; problems with entering a care home without a local authority contract; local variations in the treatment of a carer remaining in a property; a strained relationship between local authorities and independent sector providers; and a lack of impartial advice for frail older home owners. Section five draws together conclusions from the study. The appendix gives a summary of means-testing for residential and nursing home care, the current arrangements and government proposals for change.
Conclusion
"Most authorities operate ceilings to care packages in the community. In some areas these are very stringent. Older people needing significant support at home but with insufficient income or savings to purchase additional support privately will be pressurised into moving into care homes. Home owners are particularly vulnerable to these pressures as they will usually have to sell their homes and meet care home charges themselves."
15 references
Subject terms:
income, literature reviews, long term care, nursing homes, older people, pensions, care homes;
This report focuses on the difficulties surrounding the provision of good quality, affordable and appropriate social care for older people and those with disability who live in Britain's sparsely populated areas. It draws on a wide ranging literature review, a reanalysis of data collected on local government reorganisation and on a telephone survey of rural authorities to set out agendas for research, policy and practice for those concerned with the provision of rural social care.
This report focuses on the difficulties surrounding the provision of good quality, affordable and appropriate social care for older people and those with disability who live in Britain's sparsely populated areas. It draws on a wide ranging literature review, a reanalysis of data collected on local government reorganisation and on a telephone survey of rural authorities to set out agendas for research, policy and practice for those concerned with the provision of rural social care.
Subject terms:
literature reviews, local government, older people, physical disabilities, rural areas, social services, social care, social care provision, surveys;