Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
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Older persons' perceptions of the quality of their human support systems
- Authors:
- HAWLEY P., CHAMLEY J.D.
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 6(3), 1986, pp.295-312.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
A small-scale survey showing the diversity of existing relationships.
Older adults' satisfaction with the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program
- Authors:
- KELLEY-GILLESPIE Nancy, WILBY Frances, FARLEY O. William
- Journal article citation:
- Working with Older People, 16(4), 2012, pp.154-169.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) programme is a small initiative in the US linked to the University of Utah and designed to assist older adults to remain independent in their homes and communities. This study examined the satisfaction of older adults with the services they receive, these include: information and referral, crisis intervention, advocacy, companionship and household repairs. A questionnaire examining various domains of service was developed and administered to 49 older adults who had been receiving assistance from NHN for at least six months. The findings revealed that 87 percent (41) of the participants were satisfied with services and believed that NHN helped them remain independent in the community and improved their quality of life. The authors conclude that the NHN model is innovative in its use of students, community-building approaches, and volunteers in meeting the needs of older adults. They suggest that the model could be replicated by other universities or other community-based organisations around the country. Limitations to the study are noted: it was a cross-sectional design, did not look at change over time and was conducted internally by NHN.
Exploring the impact of social network change: experiences of older adults ageing in place
- Authors:
- VOS Willeke H., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 28(1), 2020, pp.116-126.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Social networks are sources of support and contribute to the well‐being of older adults who are ageing in place. As social networks change, especially when accompanied by health decline, older adults’ sources of support change and their well‐being is challenged. Previous studies predominantly used quantitative measures to examine how older adults’ social networks change. Alternatively, this study explores the impact of changing social networks on older adults’ lives by examining their personal experiences. This study held four focus groups, two with a total of 14 older adults who are ageing in place and receiving home care and two with a total of 20 home‐care nurses from different regions and organisations in the Netherlands. Subsequently, an expert team of home‐care professionals and managers discussed and verified the results. Procedures for grounded theory building were used for analysis. Four themes of high‐impact experiences were identified: (a) struggling with illness/death of the spouse; (b) working out a changing relationship with (grand)children; (c) regretting the loss of people they have known for so long and (d) feeling dependent and stressed when helpers enter the network. Also, network dynamics were found to follow three consecutive stages: (a) awareness of social network change; (b) surprise when social network change actually occurs and (c) acceptance and adjusting to new circumstances. Together, the four themes of experiences and three stages of network change form an integrative model of the role of social network dynamics for older adults’ lives when ageing in place. (Edited publisher abstract)
The experiences of neighbour, volunteer and professional support-givers in supporting community dwelling older people
- Authors:
- DIJK Hanna M. van, CRAMM Jane M., NEIBOER Anna P.
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 21(2), 2013, pp.150-158.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of informal support networks in promoting active and healthy aging and public policy is increasingly focusing on its value. However, there is a lack of evidence about what types of support neighbours provide to older people and how neighbours collaborate with formal support-givers. This study explored types of informal neighbour support and the experiences of neighbours, volunteers and professionals providing the support. Nine Dutch neighbour support-givers, five volunteers and 12 professionals were interviewed and their responses subjected to latent content analysis. The findings reveal that commitment occurred naturally among neighbours; along with providing instrumental and emotional support, neighbour support seemed to be a matter of carefully ‘watching over each other’. However, neighbour support-givers are often frail themselves, become overburdened and lack support from professionals. The authors conclude that neighbour, volunteer and professional support-givers seem to operate in distinct, non-collaborative spheres. They suggest that professionals should identify more closely with the local neighbourhood and aim to take a more cooperative and facilitating role to strengthen and medicate neighbour and volunteer support.
Social well-being in extra care housing: emerging themes: interim report for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Authors:
- CALLAGHAN Lisa, et al
- Publisher:
- Personal Social Services Research Unit
- Publication year:
- 2008
- Pagination:
- 103p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Canterbury
This interim report presents the results of an evaluation of the first round of the Department of Health’s Extra Care Housing Funding Initiative (2004-2006). The main aim of the project is to examine the development of 19 of the 22 new build schemes opening between 2006 and 2008 from their implementation and to track residents’ experiences and health over time. This interim report describes the methodology, and reports on progress to date. In particular, it describes the initial findings for 6 of the schemes that opened in 2006: Brighton & Hove, East Riding, Havering, Northamptonshire, Peterborough, and West Sussex (Horsham DC). The early development of social life across the schemes is described, and some emerging themes highlighted. Across the 6 schemes, interviews were conducted with 33 residents and 11 members of staff. In each scheme, interviews were held with the manager and another member of staff who was involved in some way in the social life of the scheme. This report discusses the findings with regard to: the approach to social activity; activities, groups and events in place at 6 months; facilities available at 6 months; links with the local community; difficulties in establishing social life; factors aiding the development of social life; barriers to participation in social life; and the developing social climate.
'But I am not moving': residents' perspectives on transitions within a continuing care retirement community
- Author:
- SHIPPEE Tetyana Pylypiv
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 49(3), June 2009, pp.418-427.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This article investigates how continuing care retirement community (CCRC) residents define transitions between levels of care. Although older adults move to CCRCs to "age in place," moving between levels of care is often stressful. More than half a million older adults live in CCRCs, with numbers continually increasing; yet, no studies address transitions between levels of care in these communities. Twenty three months of live-in observation and 35 face-to-face in-depth interviews with CCRC residents across 3 levels of care were conducted. Thematic analysis of observation notes and interview transcripts was also carried out. Residents perceived transitions as both disempowering and final. They discussed decreases in social networks that occurred after such moves. Resident-maintained social boundaries exacerbated these challenges. Although the transition to institutional living is one of the most important events in older persons’ lives, transitions within CCRCs also are consequential especially because they are coupled with declining functional ability. These findings may inform policy for retirement facilities on topics such as increasing privacy, challenging social boundaries, and educating residents to prepare them for transitions.
Social relationships and their role in the consideration to hasten death
- Author:
- SCHROEPFER Tracy A.
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 48(5), October 2008, pp.612-621.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This study explored the quality and functioning of terminally ill elders' social relationships and their impact on elders' consideration to hasten death. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 96 terminally ill elders in the US. Logistic regression was used to determine whether aspects of social relationships significantly predicted the consideration to hasten death. The qualitative data was content analyzed to identify main themes and patterns. Logistic regression revealed that conflictual social support was a significant predictor of the consideration to hasten death. Qualitative data provided insight into findings that responsibilities to loved ones or direct verbal attempts did not deter elders' consideration to hasten death. This research highlights the importance of quality social support in elders' consideration to hasten death and exhibits the need for practitioners to assess thoroughly the quality of elder–caregiver relations.
For the sake of their health: older service users' requirements for social care to facilitate access to social networks following hospital discharge
- Authors:
- McLEOD Eileen, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 38(1), January 2008, pp.73-90.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Facilitating older service users’ requirements for access to or re-engagement in social networks following hospital discharge is recognized in social care analysis and policy as critically important. This is because of the associated benefits for restoring physical health and psychological well-being. However, it tends to be a neglected dimension of current social care/intermediate care. This paper draws on a qualitative study of voluntary sector hospital aftercare social rehabilitation projects in five UK localities, which focused on addressing this issue. Through examining older service users’ feedback and experience, the study confirms the health benefits of social care facilitating access to social networks at this crucial juncture. By providing sensitive interpersonal interaction, advocacy and ‘educational’ assistance, social care workers supported older service users’ re-engagement in a variety of networks. These included friendship, recreational and family groups, health care treatment programmes and locality based contacts and organizations. As a result, material, interpersonal and health care resources were accessed, which contributed to restoring and sustaining physical health and psychological well-being. The process of such social care also emerged as critical. This included ensuring that objectives reflected service users’ priorities; integrating ‘low-level’ home care; offering befriending; and challenging the pre-set time frame of intermediate care.
An exploration of loneliness: Communication and the social networks of older people with cerebral palsy
- Authors:
- BALLIN Liora, BALANDIN Susan
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 32(4), December 2007, pp.315-327.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
There is a large body of research focusing on the experiences of loneliness of older adults, yet little is known about the loneliness experiences of older adults with lifelong disability. In this paper, the authors present some findings from a larger qualitative study on the loneliness experiences of older people with cerebral palsy. Seven older adults with cerebral palsy participated in in-depth interviews. Analysis of the interviews identified overarching themes and recurrent topics in the data. These topics were coded and then grouped under the overarching themes. Six themes were identified. All participants agreed that the themes of communication and social networks are most important when considering loneliness. In this paper, the participants' discussion of these two themes and their related topics are presented. The results demonstrate the need to provide support and training in communication to older people with cerebral palsy who experience communication difficulty, as well as to their communication partners. They also indicate the need for policy development to assist older adults with cerebral palsy to develop and maintain their social networks and form relationships that are rewarding and enriching.
Older people in Sweden with various degrees of present quality of life: their health, social support, everyday activities and sense of coherence
- Authors:
- BORGLIN Gunilla, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 14(2), March 2006, pp.136-146.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of a sample of people (75+) reporting various degrees of Quality of Life (QoL) with respect to QoL in different areas, as well as self-rated health, health problems, social support, everyday activities and sense of coherence. A postal questionnaire was sent out in spring 2001 to a randomly selected population-based sample of 600 people in the southern parts of Sweden. A two-step cluster analysis was performed with 'present QoL' as clustering attribute. Three groups were disclosed, classified as high, intermediate and low present QoL, of which 33.8% could be regarded being at risk of low QoL. Those with low present QoL (18.4%) were the oldest and most vulnerable, a majority were women with 'poor or bad' self-rated health, high frequencies of health problems, low total QoL, low social support and sense of coherence and less physically active. Those with high present QoL (47.8%) reported more 'excellent or good' self-rated health, physical activity, satisfactory social support and higher sense of coherence and total QoL than the other two groups. Those with intermediate present QoL (33.8%) had more of 'poor or bad' self-rated health, more health problems were less physically active, had lower total QoL and sense of coherence, and less social support than those with high present QoL. The sample seemed to reflect the ageing process in that the respondents were at different stages of ageing. However, the fact that the level of social support, sense of coherence and self-rated health followed the same curve as QoL may indicate that some are more vulnerable to low present QoL given the same health and these should be targeted in preventive programmes since they report low QoL.