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Social support as a moderator of the relationship between religious participation and psychological distress in a sample of community dwelling older adults
- Author:
- DULIN Patrick L.
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Religion and Culture, 8(2), June 2005, pp.81-86.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This study investigated relationships among religious participation, social support, and psychological distress within a sample of older adults while controlling for the influence of significant demographic variables. Community-dwelling older adults between the ages of 65 and 90 (n = 115) completed a packet of instruments including the Negative Affect Scale of the PANAS, the Social Provisions Scale (SPS) and a tailored survey that included questions regarding religious participation and demographic variables. Correlational and multiple regression analyses were performed to determine predictors of negative affect. Results indicated that religious participation continued to predict negative affect with the effect of demographic variables statistically controlled for. Subjective social support was also found to moderate the relationship between religious participation and psychological distress. Religious participation appears to be more important regarding alleviating distress for those elderly low in social support compared with those high in social support. Religious participation may thus occupy an important position with regards to factors that manage psychological distress among elderly individuals, particularly for those low in social support.
Use of senior centers as a moderator of stress-related distress among Latino elders
- Authors:
- FARONE Diane Weis, FITZPATRICK Tanya R., TRAN Thanh V.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 46(1), 2005, pp.65-83.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Little is known about the moderating effects of community services on psychological distress among Latino elders in the United States. This study explores the use of senior centres as an intervention strategy to moderate the harmful impact of stress on psychological distress. The study was conducted using data from the 1988 National Survey of Hispanic Elderly People (N = 2,299) in the United States. To examine the direct and moderating effects of the use of senior centres on the relationship between stress and psychological distress the authors applied multiple regression analysis to an initial model, a direct effect model, and a moderating model. The results indicated that, under stressful life situations, respondents who used senior centres experienced lower levels of psychological distress than those who did not. Implications of the findings for senior centres and for further research are discussed. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Psychosis in the elderly
- Editors:
- HASSETT Anne, AMES David, CHIU Edmond
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 259p.
- Place of publication:
- Abingdon
Across the spectrum of psychopathology in later life, psychotic symptomatology has been the most neglected, and although literature in this area is increasing, this is the first book to address the need for an overarching framework to examine and understand late-life psychotic phenomena. Exploring the practical and ethical issues that arise when managing psychotic elderly patients in the community, as well as the sequelae of stigmatisation and carer stress, this text: brings together the latest research findings on schizophrenia as it presents in later life; covers the frequent comorbidity of psychotic symptoms with cognitive impairment, mood disturbance and physical illness; highlights the diversity of late-life psychotic symptomatology, discussing both aetiological considerations and management strategies.
Easing the burden of caregiving: the impact of consumer direction on primary informal caregivers in Arkansas
- Authors:
- FOSTER Leslie, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 45(4), August 2005, pp.474-485.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This study assess the effect of consumer-directed care on the emotional, physical, and financial well-being of the primary informal caregivers of the Medicaid beneficiaries who voluntarily joined Arkansas's Cash and Counseling demonstration. The demonstration randomly assigned beneficiaries to a programme in which they could direct their own disability-related supportive services (the treatment group) or rely on traditional agency services (the control group). Outcome measures were constructed from telephone interviews with 1,433 caregivers who provided beneficiaries with the most unpaid assistance at baseline, and multivariate regression models to estimate programme effects. Interviews occurred between February 2000 and April 2002, 10 months after beneficiaries' random assignment. At follow-up, treatment group caregivers provided fewer hours of assistance than did their control group counterparts, on average, and they reported better emotional, physical, and financial well-being. Permitting interested Medicaid beneficiaries to direct their own in-home supportive services reduces burden on informal caregivers, which may help reduce beneficiaries' nursing home use.
Psychosocial benefits of solitary reminiscence writing: an exploratory study
- Authors:
- ELFORD H., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 9(4), July 2005, pp.305-314.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Claims have been made that reminiscence has benefits for older people's psychological well-being, and that writing memories may be a therapeutic process. This paper describes an exploratory study in which five nursing home residents engaged in a process of writing their memories by themselves, in a series of booklets containing memory prompts and photographs, over a period of four weeks. Each completed booklet was typed up by researchers and returned to participants the following week, with a bound copy provided to participants at the end of the study period. Analysis focuses on two sets of data: an in-depth case study of one participant, and a thematic analysis of field notes, researcher reflections, and the written material produced by the other study participants. The case study revealed three main themes: views on the past; sharing the past; and confidence in writing about the past. The field note analysis indicated the presence of four themes: proof and maintenance of skills; psychological or internal processes; social contact; and pleasure in reminiscence. The writing was seen as cathartic and provided a meaningful purpose, an opportunity to exercise writing skills and memory, and a focus for participants to share key stories with others. This exploratory study suggests that there is potential in using solitary writing within a reminiscence framework to improve psychological well-being in older people. However, caution should be exercised when encouraging older people to write their stories. Issues of confidentiality, audience, support, and appropriateness of the activity for the individual need consideration.
Functions of reminiscence and mental health in later life
- Authors:
- CAPPALIEZ P., O'ROURKE N., CHAUDHURY H.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 9(4), July 2005, pp.295-301.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study examines the extent to which various forms of reminiscence predict life satisfaction and psychiatric distress with and without control for the contribution of personality traits (n?=?420). Among older adults, reminiscences to revive old problems and to fill a void of stimulation were associated with lower life satisfaction and greater psychiatric distress. Reminiscence to maintain connection with a departed person also predicted psychiatric distress. In contrast, reminiscences for death preparation and to foster conversation were linked with higher life satisfaction. Based on our proposed model of the functions of reminiscence, discussion focuses on adaptive and non-adaptive uses of reminiscence in later life.
Older adults' health and changes in late-life drinking patterns
- Authors:
- MOOS R. H., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 9(1), January 2005, pp.49-59.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study focused on the prospective associations between older adults' health-related problems and their late-life alcohol consumption and drinking problems. A sample of 1,291 late-middle-aged community residents (55-65 years old at baseline) participated in a survey of health and alcohol consumption, and was followed one year, four years, and 10 years later. Health-related problems increased and alcohol consumption and drinking problems declined over the 10-year interval. Medical conditions, physical symptoms, medication use, and acute health events predicted a higher likelihood of abstinence and less frequent and lower alcohol consumption. However, overall health burden predicted more subsequent drinking problems, even after controlling for alcohol consumption and a history of heavy drinking and increased drinking in response to stressors. Among older adults, increased health problems predict reduced alcohol consumption but more drinking problems. Older adults with several health problems who consume more alcohol are at elevated risk for drinking problems and should be targeted for brief interventions to help them curtail their drinking.
Health-related quality of life and attitudes to long-term care among carers of older people using social services
- Author:
- ILIFFE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Research Policy and Planning, 23(3), 2005, pp.165-173.
- Publisher:
- Social Services Research Group
Using three standardised measures to screen for activity limitation (ADLs), depression (GHQ-28) and health related quality of life (HRQoL) (SF36), a study of carers and people aged 75 and over referred consecutively to social services departments in adjacent inner city areas showed a high prevalence of limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs), that a substantial proportion (42 per cent) had GHQ-28 scores high enough to suggest depression and their scores on the SF-36 showed that many carers were low in vitality and tired. Co-resident carers had poorer psychological health and more difficulties with social functioning than non-resident carers, and were older, but were not significantly different in self-reported physical health. Whether carers wanted the cared-for person to remain at home for as long as possible depended on their relationship (spouse or not) and whether the older person was depressed. The carers' own psychological health was not related to their attitude to institutional care. The study suggests that targeting social care resources on carers showing psychological distress may not reduce downstream expenditure on long-term care.
Depression and caregiver burden among rural elder caregivers
- Authors:
- BUTLER Sandra S., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 46(1), 2005, pp.47-63.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Through a simple screening tool, the Maine Primary Partners in Caring (MPPC) project identified individuals providing care to older adults through rural primary care practices, in order to provide “upstream interventions” before caregivers were in crisis. This paper describes a sample of 62 rural family caregivers identified through their physicians' offices. High levels of caregiver burden and depression were reported. Family support and knowledge of caregiver tasks predicted decreased caregiver burden and depression, while isolation predicted increased caregiver burden. Implications of these results for gerontological social workers are outlined. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Gender differences in the contributions of risk factors to depressive symptoms among the elderly persons dwelling in a community, Japan
- Authors:
- KATSUMATA Yuriko, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(11), November 2005, pp.1084-1089.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The aim was to examine the relative importance of risk factors associated with depressive symptoms and gender differences in exposure to the risk factors among the elderly persons living in the community. The data came from the Minamifurano-town Aging Study, a community-based sample of non-institutionalized elderly persons aged 65 years or older. Of the 731 eligible subjects, 665 were assessed for four domains of the potential risk factors (demographic characteristics, health and disability, stress, and social networks) and depressive symptoms according to the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The mean overall GDS-score was 10.9 (SD 6.2), 10.2 (SD 6.0) in men and 11.6 (SD 6.4) in women. The stress domain in men and the health and disability domain in women contributed most to the explanation of the variation in the GDS-score. Stress for men and health and disability status for women were important factors associated with depressive symptoms. Future studies should determine whether modification of these factors may prevent depression among the elderly persons living in the community.