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‘The Taste Buddies’: participation and empowerment in a residential home for older people
- Authors:
- BAUR Vivianne, ABMA Tineke
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 32(6), August 2012, pp.1055-1078.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
The participation and autonomy of older people living in residential homes is considered to be problematic. However, in this action research project conducted in a Dutch residential care organisation the authors found ways to enhance residents' direct participation. This article we describes how a group of seven female residents, calling themselves ‘The Taste Buddies’, developed a joint vision on how meals could be improved, which enhanced the group's empowerment, building interpersonal trust, social identity and joint purpose. The authors argue that resident participation as partnership with employees and managers starts with relational empowerment among residents themselves. This process is non-linear and requires time and constructive facilitation.
Seniors as volunteers: an international perspective on policy
- Author:
- BALDOCK Cora Vellekoop
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 19(5), September 1999, pp.581-602.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Describes and contrasts public policies regarding the participation of older people in volunteer work in the countries of the United States, Australia and the Netherlands. Data were collected in 1997-98 through analysis of policy documents and through 50 interviews with researchers, policy makers and volunteer co-ordinators. The study found considerable differences between the three countries in the provision of government policies and programmes for senior volunteering. Concludes that such differences can be explained in the context of the definition of seniors' social participation employed by policy-makers in each country.
How groups of nursing home residents respond to “the CRDL”: a pilot study
- Authors:
- LUYTEN Tom, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Enabling Technologies, 12(4), 2018, pp.145-154.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe whether and how groups of nursing home residents respond to the interactive device “the CRDL”. The CRDL can translate touches between people into sounds. It recognises the type of touch and adjusts the produced sound accordingly. Design/methodology/approach: This was as an observational explorative study. Responses were coded and analysed using an existing theoretical framework. Findings: The CRDL creates an atmosphere of playfulness and curiosity. It lowers the threshold to touch, provides an incentive to touch and encourages experimentation with different types of touches on arms and hands. The sounds the CRDL produces sometimes trigger memories and provide themes to start and support conversation. Involving a (large) group of nursing home residents to interact with the CRDL is challenging. Research limitations/implications: In order to more fully understand the potential of the CRDL, its use should be studied in different group and individual sessions and the effects of tailored content, adjusted to individual preferences and/or stages of cognition should be explored. Finally, the effects of using the CRDL on the general wellbeing of nursing home residents should be studied. Practical implications: The CRDL can help caregivers to use touch to make contact with (groups of their) residents. A session should be guided by an experienced caregiver. Some familiarisation and practice with the CRDL are recommended and a quiet environment is advised. Originality/value: This paper demonstrates the potential of interactive objects, such as the CRDL, in the nursing home. (Publisher abstract)
The process of co-creating the interface for VENSTER, an interactive artwork for nursing home residents with dementia
- Authors:
- JAMIN Gaston, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 13(8), 2018, pp.809-818.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
Introduction: Interactive art installations might engage nursing home residents with dementia. The main aim of this article was to describe the challenging design process of an interactive artwork for nursing home residents, in co-creation with all stakeholders and to share the used methods and lessons learned. This process is illustrated by the design of the interface of VENSTER as a case. Methods: Nursing home residents from the psychogeriatric ward, informal caregivers, client representatives, health care professionals and members of the management team were involved in the design process, which consisted of three phases: (1) identify requirements, (2) develop a prototype and (3) conduct usability tests. Several methods were used (e.g. guided co-creation sessions, “Wizard of Oz”). Each phase generated “lessons learned”, which were used as the departure point of the next phase. Results: Participants hardly paid attention to the installation and interface. There, however, seemed to be an untapped potential for creating an immersive experience by focussing more on the content itself as an interface (e.g. creating specific scenes with cues for interaction, scenes based on existing knowledge or prior experiences). “Fifteen lessons learned” which can potentially assist the design of an interactive artwork for nursing home residents suffering from dementia were derived from the design process. Conclusions: This description provides tools and best practices for stakeholders to make (better) informed choices during the creation of interactive artworks. It also illustrates how co-design can make the difference between designing a pleasurable experience and a meaningful one. (Publisher abstract)
Older people as co-researchers: a collaborative journey
- Authors:
- BINDELS Jill, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 34(6), 2014, pp.951-973.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
In recent years there has been a distinguishable trend towards user involvement in ageing research. Researchers and policy makers both are increasingly convinced that user involvement is necessary to adapt research questions and methods to meet the needs of older people. Little is known, however, about the quality of collaborations between older people and researchers. This study systematically evaluates a collaboration undertaken between two academic researchers and three older people acting as co-researchers in an effort to identify the conditions required for equal collaboration. To evaluate the collaboration the co-researchers and academic researchers took part in individual in-depth interviews (after six months) and two reflection meetings (after six and 12 months). Throughout the collaboration, field notes were taken by both academic researchers and co-researchers. A detailed description of the collaboration is provided here, using the metaphor of a journey to illustrate the dynamics and the learning process of the participants. Interim reflection meetings – at which mutual expectations were expressed along with a frank discussion of prejudices, tasks and role divisions, and the sharing of personal and project-related needs and information – were found to be fruitful in achieving a positive working relationship and fostering an effective collaboration. We conclude that a learning perspective on participation can be a resource for learning and adaptive change. (Publisher abstract)
Older adults’ engagement in residential care: pitfalls, potentials, and the role of ICTs
- Authors:
- BLOK Marije, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(5), 2022, p.2876. Online only
- Publisher:
- Molecular Diversity Preservation International and Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Over the previous years, the residential care sector has gone through a transition from a rather paternalistic approach towards a more democratic way of caregiving. Nevertheless, many care organizations still find it challenging to engage their residents in the process of care. This study investigated the challenges regarding the engagement of older adults in residential care. As recent studies indicated the increasing opportunities of ICTs, this study paid particular attention to this in the process of engagement. The researchers followed a participatory action research approach among caregivers and older adults at a somatic care department in a care residence in the Netherlands. Methods used included 15 participants in two homogeneous group sessions, reflections on action in practice, and one mixed focus group. The findings show that both caregivers and older adults acknowledge the importance of engagement in daily care. However, their different perspectives on how this should take place, made the actual engagement of older adults a challenge. This study determined three dilemmas complicating this engagement in care, and labeled these (1) autonomy versus dependence; (2) personal experiences versus privacy; and (3) happiness versus honesty. This study found different ways of how caregivers and older adults deal with these dilemma’s in practice and defined these in terms of pitfalls and potentials. ICTs were shown to reinforce both the pitfalls and potentials. Paying attention to these challenges in residential care, including how caregivers and older adults deal with these challenges, will encourage a mutual understanding and actual engagement in decisions on daily care. Further research is recommended on the role of organizations’ management, older adults’ relatives, or older adults with cognitive impairments (Edited publisher abstract)
Social participation perspectives of people with cognitive problems and their care-givers: a descriptive qualitative study
- Authors:
- DONKERS Hanneke, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 39(7), 2019, pp.1485-1511.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
The aim of this study is to explore how community-dwelling older people with cognitive problems and their care-givers (dyads) perceive their own social participation, how care-givers evaluate the social participation of the people they care for and what factors they perceive as influential. This qualitative study performed 13 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with dyads who participated in the Social Fitness Programme. This study used content analysis to analyse the interviews thematically. Social participation perceptions include changes over time and a discrepancy in perspectives. All the people with cognitive problems and most care-givers perceived a decreased social participation. Most people with cognitive problems answered that they were satisfied, in contrast to most care-givers who were dissatisfied with the decreased social participation of the people they cared for. Analysing the influencing factors resulted in five themes: behavioural, physical, social environmental, physical environmental and activity-related. People with cognitive problems and their care-givers displayed a discrepancy in social participation perspectives. This becomes a major dilemma, especially for younger care-givers. A key element is a sometimes deliberate choice of people with cognitive problems to refrain from social participation to protect themselves from the consequences of cognitive problems and from encounters with others. This highlights the dynamics of social participation as an interaction between personal factors and the social and physical environment in which social participation occurs. (Edited publisher abstract)
How nursing home residents with dementia respond to the interactive art installation ‘VENSTER’: a pilot study
- Authors:
- LUYTEN Tom, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 13(1), 2018, pp.87-94.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- London
The goal of this study was (1) to determine whether and how nursing home residents with dementia respond to the interactive art installation in general and (2) to identify whether responses change when the content type and, therefore, the nature of the interaction with the artwork changes. The interactive art installation ‘VENSTER’ evokes responses in nursing home residents with dementia, illustrating the potential of interactive artworks in the nursing home environment. Frequently observed responses were naming, recognising or asking questions about depicted content and how the installation worked, physically gesturing towards or tapping on the screen and tapping or singing along to the music. It seemed content matters a lot. When VENSTER is to be used in routine care, the choice of a type of content is critical to the intended experience/usage in practice. In this study, recognition seemed to trigger memory and (in most cases) a verbal reaction, while indistinctness led to asking for more information. When (initially) coached by a care provider, residents actively engaged physically with the screen. Responses differed between content types, which makes it important to further explore different types of content and content as an interface to provide meaningful experiences for nursing home residents. Implications for rehabilitation: 1) VENSTER can facilitate different types of responses ranging from verbal reactions to active physical engagement. The choice of a type of content is critical to the intended experience/usage in practice; 2) Activating content seems suitable for use as a meaningful experience during the spare time in between existing activities or therapy; 3) Sessions with interactive content are short (avg. 30 mins) and intense and can therefore potentially be used as an activating therapy, activity or exercise; 4) In order to actively engage residents with dementia, the role of the care provider seems very important. (Edited publisher abstract)
Joined-up thinking: a co-housing community pilot project
- Author:
- BRENTON Maria
- Journal article citation:
- Housing Care and Support, 3(3), September 2000, pp.20-22.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The Government's welfare and housing agenda focuses on 'joined-up' thinking, choice, balanced communities and social inclusion. Because there is also much concern about the impact of an ageing population, local planners and service providers are encouraged to think creatively and work together. Presents a example from research in the Netherlands that shows how local authorities and the non-profit sector can work together in an integrated approach to older people.
The politics of old age in Europe
- Editors:
- WALKER Alan, NAEGELE Gerhard
- Publisher:
- Open University Press
- Publication year:
- 1999
- Pagination:
- 238p.,bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Buckingham
Collection of essays examining the new politics of old age from the perspective of individual countries and the European Union as a whole. Contains case studies from: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, Hungary and the USA. Each country study provides an overview of the politics of old age, including main developments, organisations, and actors. Goes on to give an account of recent national or local government developments to increase the participation of older people, analyses the barriers to participation and takes a forward look at the likely direction of policies.