bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predisposing and Facilitating Factors of Severe Psychological Distress among Frail Elderly Adults
Authors: Préville Michel , Hébert Réjean , Bravo Gina , Boyer Richard 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTA sample of frail older adults (65 years and over) living at home or institutionalized (n = 664) with a significant functional limitation was used to document predisposing and facilitating factors of severe psychological distress among frail elderly adults. Our results indicated that 48.2 per cent of the older adults living at home presented severe psychological distress symptoms, compared to 34.3 per cent of elderly adults living in institutions. The probability of reporting a severe level of psychological distress was associated with the respondents' social support, cognitive and functional status. When the respondents' cognitive and functional status were controlled, no evidence of a significant association was found between the respondents' age, gender, marital status, education or income and the level of their psychological distress symptoms. Our results showed that 77.9 per cent of the respondents with severe psychological distress symptoms were still severely distressed 12 months after their first interview. Findings suggest that severe psychological distress represents an important challenge for practitioners in gerontology and geriatrics. It is suggested that other studies focusing on the consequences of psychological distress on older adults' quality of life, functional decline, institutionalization and mortality may help document the gravity of this symptomatology in the elderly population.
Targeting Social Support: A Network Assessment of the Convoy Model of Social Support
Authors: Haines Valerie A. , Henderson Linda J. 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTOne of the most influential applications of the concepts, methods and measures of social network analysis to the study of the social support transactions of older adults is the convoy model of social support. We draw on recent debates in network methodology to provide an assessment of the convoy model that explores the role of weak ties in the support networks of older adults. The social networks generated by the target diagram which operationalizes the convoy model display the structural and functional characteristics set out in its theoretical arguments. But not all of the ties constituting these networks are conduits of social support and, more importantly, these social networks do not include all supporting and supported others. The target diagram identifies core support networks; therefore, support flowing through weak ties is missed when it is used to set the boundaries of support networks. Expanding our picture of the support networks of older adults to take systematic account of weak ties and the emotional aid, instrumental assistance, and companionship that flow through them will enhance the effectiveness of support interventions that target older adults.
Barriers to Residential Planning: Perspectives from Selected Older Parents Caring for Adult Offspring with Lifelong Disabilities
Authors: Joffres Christine 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a typology of older parents caring for adult offspring with lifelong disabilities, as well as barriers to residential planning from the perspectives of older parents caring for adult offspring with lifelong disabilities. Project participants included 54 older parents and one grandparent (all aged 60+). Information was collected via focus groups in six provinces across Canada. Transcripts were analysed using different analytical procedures, including pattern identification, clustering of conceptual groupings, identification of relationships between variables, constant comparisons, and theoretical memos. Older parents' reluctance to engage in the planning of future living options was found to be multi-factorial and linked to the macro- and micro-systems within which these families were embedded.
Some Demographic Consequences of Revising the Definition of “Old Age” to Reflect Future Changes in Life Table Probabilities
Authors: Denton Frank T. , Spencer Byron G. 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTSixty-five has long been used to define the beginning of “old age”. Yet it is clear that the definition is arbitrary, and with continuing reductions in mortality and morbidity rates it will become increasingly inappropriate as time passes. We consider how the definition might be modified to reflect changes in life table probabilities, and how the future numbers and proportions in “old age” would be affected. In a similar manner, we consider also the redefinition of the “oldest old” from a current definition of 85 and over.
Perceived Control, Coping, and Expressed Burden among Spouses of Suspected Dementia Patients: Analysis of the Goodness-of-Fit Hypothesis
Authors: O'Rourke Norm , Cappeliez Philippe 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTThe goodness-of-fit hypothesis contends that distress results due to incongruence between choice of coping strategies and perceived ability to change stressful stimuli. Goal-directed or active coping responses are believed to be most efficacious when the individual believes s/he can change or control perceived threats (i.e., problem-focused coping). Instances in which stressors must be accepted, however, would dictate reliance upon strategies to regulate distress (i.e., emotion-focused coping). Inconsistent support for this facet of Lazarus and Folkman's cognitive phenomenological model was obtained in this study of spouses of suspected dementia patients. The distinction between emotion- and problem-focused coping appears less germane than overall coping efforts relative to perceived control and caregiver burden. In addition, perceived ability to control dementia-related stressors appears to be somewhat independent of coping by caregivers. These findings are discussed in terms of the unique and chronic demands faced by spouses of persons with dementia.
A Study of a Secure Garden in the Care of People with Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Lovering M.J. , Cott C.A. , Wells D.L. , Taylor J. Schleifer , Wells L.M. 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTSpecially designed outdoor spaces (SDOS) have been developed to improve the quality of life of people with dementia. However, few follow-up studies have been done to examine their use once implemented. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how SDOS are used and the objectives of their design fulfilled. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted of a SDOS 3 years after it was built to answer the following questions: How has the garden changed from the original design? What are the current patterns of use of the garden? What factors facilitate use of the garden? What are the barriers to use of the garden? Four main sources of data were used: landscape architectural drawings, non-participant observation, focus groups, and in-depth interviews. The results lend support to the theoretical principles of garden design in the literature. The garden was considered an important part of the service program. However, factors such as garden maintenance, organizational support, staff training, and accessibility may limit its impact.
Old Enough to Know Better, dir. Ron Levaco, 2000. Available from First Run / Icarus Films, 32 Court Street, 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Videotape.
Authors: Cusack Sandra 
Published: November 2010

RÉSUMÉL'institut Fromm, situé à l'université de San Francisco, est un programme d'éducation des aîné(e)s remarquable comme le montre clairement la cassette vidéo Old Enough to Know Better. Lancé en 1976 à titre d'expérience d'une durée d'un an, ce programme, dont on célèbre aujourd'hui le cinquantième anniversaire, représente une union idéale entre un corps professoral en retraite et des personnes âgées qui désirent continuer à apprendre simplement pour le plaisir. La vidéo est un hommage au succès du programme comme l'illustre la série d'entrevues et de scènes prises dans la salle de classe. Cette étude se penche sur le modèle du programme, la pédagogie, les besoins des apprenants et des enseignants, ainsi que sur les bienfaits de l'éducation. Le but n'est pas, toutefois, de critiquer ce programme exceptionnel, mais de l'utiliser comme point de départ pour amorcer une réflexion critique sur le rôle vital que joue l'éducation dans la promotion d'une société qui vieillit sainement.
The Economic Well-Being of Older Women Who Become Divorced or Separated in Mid- or Later Life
Authors: Davies Sharon , Denton Margaret 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the economic well-being of women who become divorced or separated in mid- or later life, using 1994 data from Statistics Canada's Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics. Economic well-being is measured by adjusted economic family total money income, before-tax low-income cut-offs, and ownership of dwelling. Women and men aged 65 and over still in their first marriages are compared with women and men, aged 65 and over, who were divorced or separated at age 45 or older. Results show that women who become divorced or separated in mid- or later life are more likely to have low income than married persons and men who become divorced or separated in mid- or later life. Persons who divorce or separate in mid- or later life are less likely than married persons to live in a dwelling that is owned by a member of the household. Regression analyses show that receiving pension income and receiving earnings are positively associated with income for women who become divorced or separated in mid- or later life. Implications for the Canadian legal and retirement income systems are discussed.
The Chronic Illness Context and Change in Exercise Self-Care Among Older Adults: A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Wister Andrew , Romeder Zan 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTThis study examines the stages of change in exercise as a form of coping with chronic illness, among a panel of older adults managing arthritis, cardiovascular disease, or hypertension. Hypotheses connected to socio-demographic, exercise-history, cognitive, and illness contexts are explored in order to advance applications of the Transtheoretical Model for exercise self-care. A random sample of 735 individuals aged 51 to 95, who completed interviews at time 1 (1995–96) and time 2 (1996–97), were drawn from the Vancouver North Shore Self Care Study. Bivariate and hierarchical logistic regression analyses were performed on the data. The descriptive analyses supported two patterns: first, older persons with a chronic illness exhibited a propensity either to remain in or move into the extreme exercise stages (pre-contemplation or maintenance) in a non-sequential manner; second, elements of the illness context were primary determinants of stage of exercise change. Illness type, illness duration, activity restriction, and co-morbidity exhibited associations with exercise-stage change in the multivariate analysis. The findings have a number of direct implications for tailoring health promotion programs targetting older adults, especially those who use exercise as a form of self-care.
Validation of the RIS Eldercare Self-Efficacy Scale
Authors: Gottlieb Benjamin H. , Rooney Jennifer A. 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTThis paper presents psychometric data on a new, three-dimensional measure of self-efficacy for caregivers of older adults. Based on a sample of family caregivers of persons with dementia and a longitudinal study design (Time 1: N = 134; Time 2: N = 103), the RIS Eldercare Self-Efficacy Scale assesses relational self-efficacy, instrumental self-efficacy, and self-soothing efficacy. These three dimensions show strong internal consistency and moderate test-retest reliability. Their construct validity is demonstrated by their zero-order correlations with a set of standardized indicators of the caregivers' health and morale, personality characteristics, and personal resources. Multivariate analyses suggest that the three dimensions are more strongly trait- than state-linked. Use of this measure as a clinical screening tool and in intervention research is discussed.
Divorce and Union Dissolution: Reverberations over Three Generations
Authors: Connidis Ingrid Arnet 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTHigh divorce rates over the past 40 years have affected multiple generations and have long-term consequences for family relationships. This article applies a life course perspective as it explores the reverberation of relationship dissolution beyond the nuclear family. Qualitative data from a study involving 86 adults from 10 three-generation families illustrate the extensive reach of divorce across time and generations. An intensive analysis of two families reveals six key areas of negotiation following divorce: relationship dissolution itself; balancing work and family obligations; inlaw ties; parent-child ties; sibling ties; and intimate relationships. Multiple voices from three generations demonstrate the complexity of family relationships over time and the reverberation of individual life course transitions throughout family networks. Applying the concept of ambivalence highlights variations among social groups in the ongoing renegotiation of relationships and situations that follows the dissolution of long-term unions.
L'appropriation territoriale de la chambre: un outil d'évaluation de l'adaptation de la personne âgée en maison de retraite?
Authors: Rioux Liliane 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTThe research presented here argues for the development of an evaluation tool for elderly persons' adjustment to a retirement home that more specifically measures the psychospatial adjustment of home residents. Elderly persons who enter a retirement home must undergo a process that requires them to first disappropriate their old objects and then reappropriate the new ones that furnish their rooms. The order in which this process occurs is as follows: first, objects from their former residence; second, objects acquired after entry into a home; and, third, objects belonging to the retirement home. After the existence of this process had been verified in a sample of 130 residents aged 67 to 98 years, it was demonstrated that the evaluation tool used in this study significantly correlates with the scale developed by Castonguay and Ferron (1999) that measures elderly persons' adjustment to their environments (EAPAR), as well as with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), which evaluates levels of depression. In this study, this latter is an indicator of adjustment.
Activity and Independence: Issues in the Implementation of Activity Programs for Institutionalized Elders
Authors: Cape Elizabeth 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTIn spite of overall approval by residents and staff, a program of recreational exercise in a home for the aged had little impact. The findings suggest that (1) sponsorship and vested interest on the part of health professionals are crucial factors in program implementation, and (2) underlying optimal care of the institutionalized elderly are certain empirical and ethical issues which need to be addressed.
Socioeconomic Determinants of Early Retirement in Canada
Authors: McDonald P. Lynn , Wanner Richard A. 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTIn view of the trend toward increasing early retirement observed in Canada since the 1960's, this study attempts to determine the main socioeconomic factors influencing the decision to retire before age 65 among Canadian men and women. Using data from the 1973 Canadian Mobility Study, we estimate a series of models in which retirement is measured as both the degree of involvement in the labour force and a subjective declaration of retirement status. We conclude that those Canadians who retire early tend to be single men and married women employed by others who are better educated and whose nonearned income is higher than those who retire at a later age. As anticipated, early retirement experiences are different for men and women, reflecting the more precarious position of women in the labour market.
Evaluating Physical Capabilities in the Elderly: The Relationship Between ADL Self-Assessments and Basic Abilities
Authors: Myers A.M. , Huddy L. 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTThe relationship between ADL self-assessments and physical ability was investigated using data compiled on 128 exercise class participants. Compared with community dwelling respondents, institutionalized seniors were not only less accurate in their subjective ADL estimates, but consistently underestimated their capabilities over comparable ranges of the objective physical scale. Seniors appear to make errors estimating their functional capabilities with respect to daily activities they no longer perform and that may be restricted for reasons of institutional convenience.
Health and Social Support of Older Adults in the Community
Authors: Black M. 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTStructured interviews were conducted with forty-eight older clients discharged from a public health nursing service in order to: (1) describe their social support network and (2) identify specific components of social support related to physical, social and emotional health. The sample was comprised primarily of older widows living alone to whom family and relatives contributed the largest amount of support. Correlation analyses revealed that: (1) age, emotional support given by older persons to their supporters and aid given and received by older persons were related to physical functioning; (2) emotional, decisional and aid support given by older persons to their supports (total reciprocity) and femaleness were related to emotional functioning and; (3) emotional and aid support received by older persons and reciprocity were related to social functioning.
Elderly Women in Nursing Home and Independent Residence: Health, Body Attitudes, Self-Esteem and Life Satisfaction
Authors: Loomis Rhonda A. , Thomas Cheryl D. 
Published: November 2010

RÉSUMÉDes problèmes de santé, des attitudes corporelles, le degré d'estime de soi et la satisfaction de vivre ont fait l'objet d'une évaluation portant sur 53 femmes âgées vivant deux situations différentes. Outre le fait que les 25 résidentes d'un foyer de personnes âgées (moyenne d'âge de 79,8 ans) étaient plus âgées, elles ont signalé davantage de problèmes de santé ainsi qu'une perception plus négative de leur corps que les 28 femmes demeurant à domicile (moyenne d'âge de 68,9 ans). Les différences observées, concernant les attitudes vis-à-vis le corps et la satisfaction de vivre, sont à attribuer davantage aux nombreux problèmes de santé signalés par les résidents des foyers de vieillards qu'aux différences d'âges et de conditions de vie. Cependant, et de façon très significative, les résidents des foyers de personnes âgées étaient beaucoup moins satisfaits de leur condition physique (entre autre l'agilité, la force, la coordination) que ceux demeurant chez eux, même si l'on tient compte des correctifs apportés au chapitre de l'âge et des problèmes de santé. Les résultats montrent également que chez les femmes âgées, les attitudes vis-à-vis leur corps sont reliés à l'âge, à la santé et à la satisfaction de vivre. En outre, ces résultats sont analysés sous l'angle de la nécessité d'assurer aux résidents des centres d'accueil l'occasion de pouvoir participer à des activités physiques et à des exercices.
Using Existing Data Sets to Study Aging and the Elderly: An Introduction
Authors: Black Charlyn 
Published: November 2010

RÉSUMÉLe dévéloppement des systèmes d'information a permis la création de vastes banques de données informatisées détaillées, dont bon nombre contiennent des renseignements pertinents à la recherche sur les personnes âgées et le vieillissement. Cet article cite plusieurs types de banques de données exhaustives et fournit des exemples de chacun. Il présente ensuite les points forts et les points faibles des études menées à l'aide de données déjà existantes, puis souligne des stratégies pour l'analyse de données secondaires. Les banques de données déjà en place exigent beaucoup d'efforts dans la compilation de données individuelles et offrent d'immenses possibilités pour répondre aux questions importantes en matière de recherche sur le vieillissement.
Caught in the Triangle: The Influence of Home, Work and Elder Location on Work-Family Balance
Authors: Joseph Alun E. , Hallman Bonnie C. 
Published: November 2010

RÉSUMÉCet article étudie le contexte géographique dans lequel évoluent les soignants ayant un emploi et s'occupant d'un membre âgé de leur famille. Plus particulièrement, on y examine l'effet de la disposition spatiale du domicile du soignant, de son lieu de travail et du domicile du soigné (d'où «le triangle géographique» auquel le titre fait allusion) sur l'équilibre travail-famille. Une analyse de données tirées d'une recherche nationale sur le travail et la famille effectuée par le Réseau canadien de recherche sur le vieillissement (CARNET) indique que les paramètres du triangle géographique ont un impact certain sur le niveau de stress et d'entrave ressentis ainsi que sur le travail et le comportement d'adaptation. L'effet de déplacements plus longs au travail et de distances accrues depuis le domicile du parent âgé sur les niveaux de stress et d'entrave s'avère relié à la nature des responsabilités familiales. On a relevé des comportements d'adaptation géographique (envisagés ou mis en place dans les six mois de l'etude) chez 18 pour cent de l'échantillonnage de 595 soignants possédant un emploi; ils sont essentiellement centrés sur le point du triangle du parent aîné. Nos résultats nous amènent à prôner une attention spéciale au contexte spatial de l'équilibre famille-travail.
Working Conditions in Home Care: Comparing Three Groups of Workers
Authors: Neysmith Sheila M. , Nichols Barbara 
Published: November 2010

RÉSUMÉCette étude porte sur les similitudes et les différences entre les méthodes de soins utilisées par trois groupes de prestateurs de soins, soit les proches parents, les femmes au foyer et les bénévoles. Dans le contexte des conditions de travail, des questions ayant trait au milieu de travail, à l'isolement, à la communication, aux réactions, à l'autonomie, à la motivation et au choix font l'objet d'une comparaison au sein de ces trois groupes. Même si les capacités fonctionnelles des personnes âgées bénéficiant des soins étaient semblables, les circonstances touchant la prestation de soins variaient beaucoup. L'étude démontre que le contexte au sein duquel les soins sont prodigués représente un élément clé dans le cadre de discussions futures en matière d'établissement de politiques. Elle suggère que les tâches particulières relatives à la prestation de soins ne sont qu'un élément secondaire servant à comprendre le contexte dans lequel chaque prestateur de soins accomplit son travail.
The Statistical Analysis of Event Histories in Longitudinal Studies of Aging
Authors: Hirdes John P. , Brown K. Stephen 
Published: November 2010

RÉSUMÉLes données tirées d'études longitudinales possèdent un certain nombre d'avantages pour les recherches en gérontologie; toutefois, les effets de l'attrition et la complexité accrue des structures de données avec de multiples observations peuvent poser certains problèmes pour les analyses statistiques. Les modèles de risques proportionnels permettent un examen de l'histoire d'un événement par l'utilisation de toutes les observations d'une variable dépendante. Ces modèles peuvent comprendre des covariables afin d'accroître leur capacité d'explication. Des hypothèses et des applications de l'analyse de l'histoire d'un événement utilisant des risques proportionnels sont décrits. L'analyse des données sur la mortalité tirées de l'étude longitudinale du vieillissement menée en Ontario en constitue un exemple pertinent. Les extensions du modèle de risques proportionnels et les logiciels disponibles sur le marché sont également traités.