Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 45
Older adults’ experience of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods analysis of stresses and joys
- Authors:
- WHITEHEAD Brenda R., TOROSSIAN Emily
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 61(1), 2021, pp.36-27.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Background and Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is experienced differently across individuals, and older adults’ different life experiences lead to a variety of ways of coping. The present study explores older adults’ reports of what about the pandemic is stressful, and what brings joy and comfort in the midst of stress. Research Design and Methods: An online survey asked 825 U.S. adults aged 60 and older to complete questionnaires assessing 3 psychological well-being indicators: perceived stress, negative affect, and positive affect. Participants also responded to open-ended questions about what was stressful and what brought joy or comfort at the time of the survey. A mixed-method approach first qualitatively analyzed the open-ended responses, content analysis identified themes most frequently reported, and quantitative analysis examined the associations between various stressors and joys and the psychological well-being indicators. Results: Qualitative analysis revealed 20 stress categories and 21 joy/comfort categories. The most commonly reported stressors were confinement/restrictions, concern for others, and isolation/loneliness; the most commonly reported sources of joy/comfort were family/friend relationships, digital social contact, and hobbies. Demographic comparisons revealed variations in experience. Independent t tests revealed stress from concern for others, the unknown future, and contracting the virus to be significantly associated with poorer psychological well-being; faith, exercise/self-care, and nature were associated with more positive psychological well-being. Discussion and Implications: Results are discussed in the context of stress and coping theory, highlighting the importance of understanding the unique stress experience of each individual for effective distress intervention. (Edited publisher abstract)
Coping with the caregiving role: differences between primary and secondary caregivers of dependent elderly people
- Authors:
- BARBOSA Ana, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 15(4), May 2011, pp.490-499.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The coping strategies employed by primary carers of older people are well researched. However, little is known about secondary carers, who often share caring responsibilities. The Portuguese version of the of Caregivers' Assessment Management Index was administered to 90 primary carers, and 90 secondary carers in the Aveiro district of Portugal. Results indicate that emotion-cognitive strategies are less efficient for secondary caregivers. Common problem-solving strategies adopted by both types of caregivers involve relying on own their experience and expertise and addressing and finding a solution to the problem. Neither group were highly efficient at managing care-related stress, but both identified benefits from taking time off. The authors conclude that engaging secondary caregivers in available interventions is of paramount interest, as they can reduce the burden of primary carers and help delay institutionalisation for older people.
Finding meaning as a mediator of burden on the health of caregivers of spouses with dementia
- Authors:
- MCLENNON Susan, HABERMANN Barbara, RICE Marti
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 15(4), May 2011, pp.522-530.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study investigated the role of “finding meaning in caregiving” as a way of coping with the effect of caregiver burden on health, controlling for influencing factors. Participants included 84 community-residing spousal caregivers for older people with dementia. Face-to-face questionnaires were administered, and tested variables including background and context, caregiver burden, “finding meaning through caregiving” (FMTCG), and caregiver physical and mental health. Findings indicated that FMTCG partially mediated the relationship between caregiver burden and caregiver mental health, but caregiver burden was not associated with negative physical health. This study adds new information to the caregiving role by including “finding meaning in caregiving” as a mediator in the stress-coping process. Caregiver burden had an indirect effect on caregiver mental health that was partially mediated by finding meaning. The study highlights the importance of the positive aspects of caregiving as potential barriers to burden.
A longitudinal study of coping and burnout among Japanese family caregivers of frail elders
- Author:
- OKABAYASHI Hideki
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 12(4), July 2008, pp.434-443.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The purpose of this study is to clarify causal relations between coping strategies and burnout in family caregivers of frail elders in Japan. Baseline and 1-year follow-up interviews were conducted with 546 caregivers living in suburban Tokyo. Using newly refined measures, five coping strategies of caregivers (Keeping Their Own Pace, Positive Acceptance of Caregiving Role, Diversion, Informal Support Seeking, and Formal Support Seeking), and caregiver burnout were measured, as well as several confounding factors. After controlling for these confounding factors, results of cross-lagged effects modelling showed that adoption of a Diversion coping strategy decreased caregiver burnout, while increases in burnout decreased caregiver Positive Acceptance of Caregiving Role. The beneficial effect of an Adaptive Avoidance Coping strategy, Diversion, on caregiver mental health was confirmed in this two-wave longitudinal study. The mechanism by which Diversion appears to work is by containing caregiving stressors from completely spilling over into caregivers' personal lives. In addition, the study also shows that preventing a decline in caregiver mental health (i.e. an increase in burnout) allowed caregivers to more easily embrace the caregiving role and, as a result, elder care-recipients were better positioned to receive high quality care.
Enhancing the well-being of family caregivers to patients with Alzheimer's Disease
- Author:
- JIVANJEE Pauline
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 23(1/2), 1994, pp.31-48.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Includes a description of findings from a naturalistic study of the impact of caregiving on the lives of people caring for a relative with Alzheimer's Disease. The study focused on caregivers' strengths and the ways that they maintained and enhanced their well-being. Findings indicate that caregivers experience their situation in widely divergent ways. Caregivers are able to enhance their well-being by taking care of their own health and by the use of active and cognitive coping strategies, social support, and respite. The implications of the findings for social work practice and social policy are discussed.
Buddhism-as-a-meaning-system for coping with late-life stress: a conceptual framework
- Author:
- XU Jianbin
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 22(1), 2018, pp.100-108.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Religion is increasingly conceptualised as a meaning system for adjustment and coping. Most of the conceptualisations are grounded in the Judeo-Christian tradition. They may thus not be applicable to Buddhism, which provides a distinct tenor of meaning for coping. This article seeks to construct a conceptual framework of Buddhism-as-a-meaning-system for coping with late-life stress. Method: Literature review and conceptualisation were employed. Results: Under this framework, Buddhism functions as a meaning system involving existential meaning, cognitive meaning, and behavioural meaning. Conclusion: There is reason to believe that this framework promises to offer a holistic conceptual map of Buddhist coping in late life. Thus, it could serve as a guide for further empirical and theoretical exploration in the uncharted terrains of Buddhist coping in old age. In addition, gerontological practitioners could use this framework as a frame of reference when working with elderly Buddhist clients who are in stressful circumstances. (Publisher abstract)
Resilience, stress, and life quality in older adults living with HIV/AIDS
- Authors:
- FANG Xindi, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 19(11), 2015, pp.1015-1021.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: This study tested the mediating effect of resilience on the relationship between life stress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older people, 50 years of age and older, living with HIV/AIDS (OPLWHA). Method: Data from 299 OPLWHA were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) to define a novel resilience construct (represented by coping self-efficacy, active coping, hope/optimism, and social support) and to assess mediating effects of resilience on the association between life stress and HRQoL (physical, emotional, and functional/global well-being). Results: SEM analyses showed satisfactory model fit for both resilience and mediational models, with resilience mediating the associations between life stress and physical, emotional, and functional/global well-being. Conclusion: Resilience may reduce the negative influence of life stress on physical, emotional, and functional/global well-being in OPLWHA. Interventions that build personal capacity, coping skills, and social support may contribute to better management of HIV/AIDS and increase HRQoL. (Edited publisher abstract)
Age differences in stressors, coping resources, and general well-being among Korean immigrants
- Authors:
- WOO Hyeyoung, LEE Kyoung Hag, HONG Young Joon
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Service Research, 40(4), 2014, pp.415-428.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This study explored 346 Korean immigrants living in California to examine: a) differences in stressors, coping resources, and general well-being (anxiety, depression, positive well-being, self-control, vitality, and general health) between younger (18–64 years old) and older (65–96 years old) Korean immigrants; and b) differences in associations of stressors and coping resources with general well-being in the 2 groups. Results revealed that the older immigrants experienced higher levels of socioeconomic stressors and psychological/physical problems. In addition, English-language problems, low education, and financial difficulties were more consistently associated with lower levels of general well-being in the older immigrants than in the younger immigrants. Social support, religious practice, and spiritual coping were more likely to alleviate the detrimental consequences of stressors on general well-being in the older immigrants than in the younger immigrants. To improve the general well-being of older Korean immigrants, the results suggest: a) emphasis of social and health care services with bilingual capability; b) improved social support systems; and c) utilization of spiritual assessments and interventions. Future research should extend the current study with longitudinal data of a more generalizable sample of Korean immigrants. (Publisher abstract)
“Caring for one's own”: variation in the lived experience of African-American caregivers of elders
- Authors:
- SHERIDAN Michael J., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 23(1), 2014, pp.1-19.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This study provides in-depth, descriptive data on the caregiving context and indicators of caregiving stress, rewards, and resources reported by 300 African-American family caregivers of elders residing in the community. Findings revealed generally high levels of caregiving intensity in terms of types of assistance given and hours of caregiving provided. On average, participants reported moderate levels of time-dependence, developmental, and financial burden, but relatively low levels of social and physical burden and emotional and relationship distress. Caregivers also reported high levels of caregiving rewards, including meaning, purpose, and connection/attachment to the care recipient. In terms of resources, both informal and formal levels of support were generally low, while religion/spirituality emerged as an important resource for the majority of the sample. Finally, findings show higher levels of approach versus avoidant coping strategies. Although some commonalities among participants were noted in these areas, close examination of the dispersion of scores in all areas reveals a multifaceted and diverse picture of the caregiving experience, suggesting caution against oversimplification or reliance on general assumptions when providing services to African-American caregivers. This article concludes with four key implications for effective and culturally sensitive social work practice with this heterogeneous population and notes directions for future research. (Edited publisher abstract)
Examining self-protection measures guarding Adult Protective Services social workers against compassion fatigue
- Author:
- BOURASSA Dara
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(9), June 2012, pp.1699-1715.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Compassion fatigue is a recognised phenomenon that may occur when a social worker, or any helping professional, listens to clients’ traumatic histories. Adult Protective Services (APS) social workers could be at risk for developing compassion fatigue as they are the first responders to an abused or neglected individual. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore APS workers’ perceptions on working with older adult clients who are abused and neglected in order to identify and define the symptoms and potential repercussions of compassion fatigue. The participants were 9 APS social workers. Data were collected through 3 waves of intensive semi-structured interviewing, over a 4-month time frame. All interviews lasted approximately 1 to 1.5 hours each, with a total cumulative time of 4.5 hours for each participant. It was found that this group of social workers were not experiencing compassion fatigue. The participants discussed the personal characteristics and professional factors that led to the creation of boundaries that protected them against the symptoms and effects of compassion fatigue. The implications centre around the elements needed to implement boundaries in order to maintain a separation between the work and home environment.