Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Rotational field placements: integrative review and application to gerontological social work
- Authors:
- GOUGH Heather R, WILKS Scott E.
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Education (The International Journal), 31(1), 2012, pp.90-109.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Increasing numbers of social work schools in the United States are replacing year-long field placements with rotational field placements (RFP), particularly for gerontology students, during which students move between 2 or more field internship sites within a given academic year. The rapid growth of RFP programmes reflects changing ideas about field education and social work student training needs. In the context of gerontology, RFP programme goals are multi-fold: maximising student exposure to the continuum of care across multiple service settings; increasing student experience working with diverse client populations; and facilitating development of the cross-disciplinary team collaboration skills frequently required of gerontological social workers. RFP models represent a decisive break from traditional field practicum models, raising fundamental questions with regards to educational outcomes and student experience. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the available empirical data on social work RFP programmes, summarising their benefits, risks and problem areas. It aims to provide a foundation for informed debate on the design, benefits and costs of adopting such a model across contexts. The article further includes strategies for minimising potential risks with such placements, as well as discussion of research limitations and suggestions for future research.
An emerging typology of community aging initiatives
- Authors:
- LEHNING Amanda, SCHARLACH Andrew, WOLF Jennifer Price
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Community Practice, 20(3), 2012, pp.293-316.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philapelphia, USA
Although the majority of older people would like to remain in their own homes, many have to leave for nursing homes or other care facilities. In order to help older persons meet their long-term care needs and age in place, a growing number of initiatives have been implemented across the United States aiming to bring about comprehensive changes in community physical and social environments. The aim of this study was to develop a typology of community ageing initiatives and examine variations in these initiative types including the methods they use, roles of participants, funding sources, and challenges. Community ageing initiatives nationwide were identified through an online search and contact persons at these initiatives were invited to participate in an online survey. The final sample consisted of 124 community ageing initiatives. These initiatives were grouped into 5 categories: community-wide planning; consumer-driven support networks; cross-sector systems change initiatives; residence-based support services; and single-sector services. It is hoped that this emerging typology may serve as a useful organising framework from which to develop future evaluations of the effectiveness and sustainability of these initiatives.
Resilience and coping as predictors of general well-being in the elderly: a structural equation modeling approach
- Authors:
- TOMÁSA José Manuel, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 16(3), April 2012, pp.317-326.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Well-being is a complex construct concerning optimal experience and functioning. One of the constructs that can determine well-being is coping. This study aimed to explore the relationships between problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping and resilience with well-being in the elderly. Hypotheses about these relationships are tested within a structural modelling framework. The aims of this article are: to test for the validity of the 3 constructs involved in the structural model; to test for the effects of both coping strategies and resilient coping on well-being in a sample of elderly, by means of a structural model with latent variables; and to empirically study whether a brief scale of resilient coping could predict well-being over and above that predicted by the coping resources. The study participants comprised 225 non-institutionalised elderly people living in the city of Valencia, Spain. The participants completed a survey with included measures of well-being, resilient coping, and coping strategies. Analyses indicate that the best predictive model is that with a single predictor of well-being: resilient coping. Resilient coping is able to predict a significant and large part of the variance in well-being, without the need for including coping strategies.
The U.S. long term care system: development and expansion occurring retirement communities as an innovative model for aging in place
- Authors:
- GUO Kristina L., CATILLO Richard J.
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing International, 37(2), June 2012, pp.210-227.
- Publisher:
- Springer
- Place of publication:
- New York
This paper describes the importance of naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) in the United States to promote the health and mental well being of older individuals through the collaborative efforts of formal and informal home and community based services and support. NORCs are considered a crucial model for aging in place since older adults prefer to remain in the comfort of their homes, and services can be provided in a much more efficient and cost effective manner. This paper examines the strengths, opportunities, and challenges of existing NORCs and discusses the need for the development and expansion of additional NORC programs as an innovative and viable solution for older adults aging in place.
Late-life bereavement and complicated grief: a proposed comprehensive framework
- Authors:
- SHAH Shruti N., MEEKS Suzanne
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 16(1-2), January 2012, pp.39-56.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Following a bereavement, some older adults experience grief reactions that are considered to be difficult or complicated in terms of duration and emotional intensity. The recent proposal to include the construct of complicated grief (CG) as a diagnostic category for the upcoming Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V has resulted in a proliferation of research on CG. The aim of this review is to critically examine the construct validity in light of a proposed conceptual framework that considers pre-loss conditions in the prediction of late-life grief outcomes, and to determine the degree to which research supports the inclusion of CG as a valid standardised diagnostic entity. The review critically examines current bereavement and grief models, exploring discriminant and convergent validity between CG and uncomplicated grief and other psychopathological constructs in terms of symptom intensity, symptom trajectories, bereavement outcomes, and treatment response. The findings show mixed support for differentiating CG from other outcomes of bereavement. They also emphasise the importance of considering pre-bereavement circumstances, such as pre-existing depression, in the conceptualisation of broader bereavement outcome. A comprehensive framework that emphasises pre-bereavement circumstances is proposed in order to better predict various grief trajectories and outcomes of late-life loss.
Caring for the caregivers: developing models that work
- Authors:
- BROWDIE Richard, NOELKER Linda
- Journal article citation:
- Generations, 36(1), 2012, pp.103-106.
- Publisher:
- American Society on Aging
This article describes innovative approaches to family respite for family members of elderly participants in the Ohio HCBS (Home and Community Based Services) waiver programme—individuals who are, by definition, financially and functionally eligible to be served in nursing homes. The article provides an overview of the programme—who it serves and how, and with what results, and also offers case studies of how this programme has made continuing HCBS possible for older adult HCBS waiver clientele. (Edited publisher abstract)
Where the heart is ... A review of the older people's home care market in England: October 2012
- Author:
- OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY. IPC Market Analysis Centre
- Publisher:
- Oxford Brookes University
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 47p.
- Place of publication:
- Oxford
Home care covers a range of care and support interventions delivered to a person in their own home. It can include, for example, support with domestic tasks, shopping, home maintenance, and personal care. It is a fragmented sector still characterised mainly by small private employers running small or medium sized businesses, but larger providers also see opportunities for responding to potentially increased demand as the population ages. Self-funders and personal budget holders are becoming increasingly important purchasers of care and some providers are developing new and very different ways of approaching this market. This report offers a picture of the current home care market, some of the challenges it faces and a model for its future development. It aims to provide a basis for dialogue between commissioners, consumers and providers about what home care services might look like in the future. It sets out an approach for the reconfiguration of home care and provides a framework within which different parts of the market can develop. To deliver this model would require Government (both local and national) to work together with providers whilst at the same time persuading the general public that older old age does not always have to be a period of incapacity and ill health or one where care is inevitable and beneficial.
Different strokes for different folks
- Authors:
- ALI Shahid, WARD Cameron
- Journal article citation:
- Health Service Journal, 122(6318), 2012, pp.19-21.
- Publisher:
- Emap Healthcare
An increasing ageing population and greater demand for services means services need to be commissioned that are more patient centric, effective, better quality and lead to better outcomes. The Ali-Cameron model, developed by the authors, puts forward an alternative commissioning model which could ensure that NHS services are more effective. The principles used for developing the model include: patient-centred care; innovation; use of existing best practice; quick decision making; light bureaucracy; rapid implementation; and integrated care delivery. It aims to build on how GPs naturally make clinical and business decisions.
Coping with negative life events in old age: the role of tenacious goal pursuit and flexible goal adjustment
- Authors:
- BAILLY Nathalie, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 16(4), May 2012, pp.431-437.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This paper considers the question of how older adults cope with negative life events. It draws on a model suggested by Brandtstädter which addresses the dynamics of goal striving throughout the life span, allowing a clearer understanding of how people adapt as they get older. The model postulates 2 fundamental modes of self-regulation: tenacious goal pursuit (TGP) and flexible goal adjustment (FGA). The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between negative life events and TGP and FGA in elderly people, and their effects on mental health. The participants were 670 community-dwelling elderly people who completed measures of TGP, FGA, negative life events and depression. Analyses of the findings demonstrate the role of TGP and FGA in coping with negative life events. While both FGA and TGP were related to depression, FGA was found to have beneficial effects for the participants who had encountered negative life events. With age, people become less tenacious, but no conclusive relationship was found between flexibility and age. The findings support the importance of both modes of coping for the mental health of older adults. In particular, the ability to adjust goals is shown to be critical as a way of preventing the development of depressive symptoms following negative life events.
Proactive aging: a longitudinal study of stress, resources, agency, and well-being in late life
- Authors:
- KAHANA Eva, KELLEY-MOORE Jessica, KAHANA Boaz
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 16(4), May 2012, pp.438-451.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
During late life, older adults are exposed to stressors of social losses and increasing frailty, which can threaten their quality of life (QOL). The Proactivity Model of Successful Aging proposes that older adults utilise personal and social resources in anticipation of, and in response to, age-related stressors. The aim of this study was to examine how internal and external resources contribute to the maintenance of QOL outcomes (psychological well-being and social activities) among older adults who experience normative stressors of aging. Data was obtained from the Florida Retirement Study, a panel study which focuses on late-life adaptation of retirement community-dwelling elderly persons. Five annual interviews were conducted with a sample of 561 participants. QOL outcomes were measured at the 5th year, and predictor variables were measured in the 4 prior annual waves. The findings showed that stressors negatively influenced QOL 4 years later. Internal and external resources led to better QOL 4 years later, both directly and indirectly through proactive adaptations of marshalling support and planning for the future. These findings lend support to the Proactivity Model of Successful Aging by documenting the value of proactive adaptations (such as exercise, planning ahead, and marshalling support) as proximate influences on QOL outcomes.