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Exposure to war and the quality of life of the elderly
- Authors:
- POREDOŠ Dasa, IVANEC Dragutin
- Journal article citation:
- Ljetopis Studijskog Centra Socijalnog Rada, 11(1), 2004, pp.43-62.
- Publisher:
- University of Zagreb
- Place of publication:
- Zagreb
This research included 200 elderly people, from the age of 60 upwards, in the Croatian cities of Petrinja and Kutina, communities that were 'more' or 'less' exposed to war events. The results of the analysis show that both groups of participants live average-quality lives. However, the participants from Kutina, who were less affected by war, admit to having a better-quality life. The research has also shown that the elderly, during exile, and even now, have been faced with numerous losses and sources of stress, the most significant ones being the loss of their home and previous way of living. They perceive as their greatest problem the uncertainty of the future and forcibly changed life habits. Cumulative effects of different stressors increase the feeling of fear toward the uncertainty of the future. [Article in Croatian].
Development and pilot evaluation of a psychosocial intervention program for patients with age-related macular degeneration
- Authors:
- BIRK Tanja, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 44(6), December 2004, pp.836-843.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The psychosocial needs of patients suffering from severe visual loss associated with advanced age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) are generally ignored in the clinical routine. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a psychosocial intervention programme for ARMD patients based on 6 modules in 5 weekly group sessions. These included progressive muscle relaxation, exchange of disease-related experiences, understanding the connections among thought, emotion, and behavior, description of and emphasis on the use of available resources, improvement of general problem-solving skills and information exchange on ARMD-related treatment and rehabilitation options. A preliminary evaluation was performed with the aid of a preintervention–postintervention comparison-group research design including 14 individuals (mean age 73.1) in the interventional group and 8 participants (mean age 72.6) in the comparison group. The preintervention–postintervention assessment addressed a set of emotional (e.g., positive and negative affect) as well as behavioural (e.g., limitations to activities and instrumental activities of daily living) outcome measures. Although the sample size of the pilot evaluation test was small, results demonstrate the usefulness of this pilot programme. A statistical analysis comparing the interventional and comparison groups revealed that the first benefited from the programme in 5 of 6 outcome measures. Psychosocial group intervention is a promising approach to improve quality of life in patients suffering from ARMD.
A concise alternative for researching health-related quality of life in older people
- Authors:
- WINDLE Gillian, EDWARDS Rhiannon, BURHOLT Vanessa
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing, 5(3), November 2004, pp.13-24.
- Publisher:
- Pier Professional
- Place of publication:
- Brighton
Examines a potentially shorter alternative to the sometimes lengthy and time-consuming health assessment tools used by researchers, the EQ-5D instrument. Data was obtained using trained interviewers from a randomly sampled cross-sectional survey of 423 community-dwelling older people aged 70-99. Information was obtained relating to activities of daily living, the EQ-5D, the EQ-VAS, the SF-36, use of health and social care services and the presence or absence of limiting illness, disability or infirmity. In terms of construct validity the EQ-5D was able to distinguish between hypothesised differences in the sample that could be expected to reflect differences in health-related quality of life. The EQ-5D items correlated well with conceptually similar items. Completion rates for the EQ-5D items were good, ranging from 98.3-98.8%. Completion rates for the EQ-VAS were 98.1%. Results suggest that the EQ-5D may provide a valid measure of health-related quality of life in a cross-sectional population sample of older adults, although the emphasis of the scale is very much on physical health and functioning. Results for the depression/anxiety item suggest that additional information may be needed if mental health is of concern.
Older adults' beliefs about physical activity and exercise: life course influences and transitions
- Authors:
- SCANLON-MOGEL Jennifer M., ROBERTO Karen A.
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing, 5(3), November 2004, pp.33-44.
- Publisher:
- Pier Professional
- Place of publication:
- Brighton
Using a life course perspective the authors identify perceived events, transitions and trajectories in older adults' lives that contributed to and inhibited continuous participation in physical activities and exercise in 3 stages of their lives (young, middle and late adulthood). In-depth interviews with 9 men and 6 women provided an understanding of how societal processes and opportunities, life course rules and transitions and individual meanings of physical exercise influenced older adults' perceptions of and current participation in physical activity and exercise.
My generation
- Author:
- SMITH Chris
- Journal article citation:
- Care and Health Magazine, 1.6.04, 2004, pp.18-20.
- Publisher:
- Care and Health
Looks at the future of older people's care where older people are likely to become increasingly demanding about the quality of their care.
Older people: independence and well-being: the challenge for public services
- Author:
- AUDIT COMMISSION
- Publisher:
- Audit Commission
- Publication year:
- 2004
- Pagination:
- 34p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This report summarises a series of five reports that explore the nature of change required from public services in relation to the independence and wellbeing of older people. This covers both the majority who have no need of care services (but who have a wide range of other concerns), and the minority of frail older people who may need support and care.
What are old people for? How elders will save the world
- Author:
- THOMAS William H.
- Publisher:
- VanderWyk and Burnham
- Publication year:
- 2004
- Pagination:
- 370p.
- Place of publication:
- Acton, Mass.
This book shows us how older people can: enjoy what aging has to offerand actually welcome it into our lives. It recommends the abolition of today’s version of nursing homes so that no elder has to fear being placed in an institution and the development of the capacity for peacemaking and wisdom giving that grows within older people. It also recommends the creation of Green Houses - communities where older people live together intentionally, bringing meaning and worth to the last half of life and the building of a society where aging and longevity are used to improve life for people of all ages.
Quality of life in older age: messages from the Growing Older Programme
- Editors:
- OWEN Tom, BELL Louise
- Publisher:
- Help the Aged
- Publication year:
- 2004
- Pagination:
- 19p.
- Place of publication:
- London
The purpose is to understand the aspects of quality of life which are seen as most important by older people. This is so that care interventions can be targeted at the areas of their lives that older people themselves value most. The qualitative component has involved in-depth interviews with older people. These were aimed at finding out the key components that older people believe comprise 'quality of life' and how these are played out in their lives.
Using resident reports of quality of life to distinguish among nursing homes
- Authors:
- KANE Robert L., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 44(5), October 2004, pp.624-632.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The authors used measures created to assess the quality of life (QOL) of nursing home residents to distinguish among nursing facilities. They statistically adjusted scores for 10 QOL domains derived from standardized interviews with nursing home residents for age, gender, activities of daily living functioning, cognitive functioning, and length of stay, and then we aggregated them to the facility level. The authors then compared the patterns across a sample of 40 facilities. They correlated facility characteristics with QOL scores. The pattern of QOL scores for each of the 10 domains was generally consistent within a given facility. Although resident characteristics played a major role in explaining variance, there were significant effects of facilities as well. Some modest relationships were found between facility characteristics such as ownership, percentage of private rooms, and rural–urban location and facility QOL scores. No effect of facility size was detected. This article shows that it is possible to differentiate among facilities on the basis of resident self-reported QOL.
Quality of life and older people
- Authors:
- BOND John, CORNER Lynne
- Publisher:
- Open University Press
- Publication year:
- 2004
- Pagination:
- 131p.bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Maidenhead
Provides a critical approach to the conceptualization and measurement of quality of life in social gerontology and health and social care research. The book re-examines what we mean by 'quality of life' in a post-modern world, and examines the impact of continuous personal and social changes on the lives of older people. The book explores ideas about quality of life in social gerontological literature, and describes the experiences of older people through both their own personal accounts and representations in everyday life, popular culture and scientific research. The book reviews the way that older people talk about their quality of life and how this differs from the ways that younger people, researchers and scientists, policy makers and professionals discuss it. The book draws on a range of behavioural and social science knowledge to present a new way of thinking about and understanding quality of life and older people. While the book provides a critique of existing social science theories underpinning conceptions of quality of life it also address operational issues for the use of quality of life in social gerontological research.