bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
THE PUBLIC VERSUS THE POLICIES: THE ETHICAL BASIS OF AUSTRALIAN RETIREMENT INCOME POLICY
Authors: McCallum J. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTThe nature of public feelings about income support for the elderly is examined in survey data and theoretical debates about this are considered. New public opinion poll evidence on compulsory retirement and various aspects of retirement income policy shows strong public support for abolition of means tests and for more public spending on the elderly. The complexity and potential inconsistency of attitudes is examined here in detail for the first time. A “public demand” model of retirement income policy is rejected and the development of policy as a corollary of industrial relations policy is argued. The public opinion opposed to means tests but the electoral support for constrained public expenditure puts party policy makers in a difficult dilemma. Strong positive attitudes to support for the elderly indicate the continuity of the “ethical” core that led to the first establishment of age pinions at the beginning of the century. The situation is, however, fluid as industry superannuation brings more workers into the bounds of the means test and as more wealthier elderly feel the conflict of expenditure constraint applied to themselves. Both sides of the political spectrum experience dilemmas in their policies vis‐a‐vis public opinion.
NORMALIZATION: SOME CRITICAL OBSERVATIONS
Authors: Fopp R. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT‘Normalization/Social Role Valorization’ has become a buzz word in the delivery of services to elderly people. After outlining the chief characteristics of normalization, the following article makes three criticisms of the policy. The first two arguments concern the inadequacy of the training and implementation of normalization. An argument about an important normalization premise regarding values and value is the subject of the third criticism. The conclusion reached is that normalization is theoretically inadequate as a policy, and has been implemented in a manner which is contrary to the complex issues which characterise human services, and the expressed and stated needs of individuals.
U3A AND SELF‐SUFFICIENCY: BENEFITS OF EDUCATION IN LATER LIFE
Authors: Swindell R. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTRecent research indicates that cognitive challenge in later life has a positive effect on both the health and longevity of those who are so challenged. This Factor, coupled with other beneficial effects of education in later life may, in part, explain why education and leisure for older persons is now on the political agenda. Unfortunately, the dearth of substantial data about the successes of various adult education programs, particularly for older Australians, is likely to hinder those who would argue for the benefits, which can accrue to the entire community, of education in later life. U3A, with its well educated and motivated membership base, appears to be uniquely placed to undertake and compile its own research data and, as a consequence, to act as a powerful lobby group on behalf of all older learners.
A MODEL FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DIAGNOSED DEMENTIA IN COUNTRY AREAS
Authors: Hueke M. 
Published: December 2008

The Wingham Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit is part of the Manning Valley Area Health Service in New England, New South Wales. The Unit provides Rehabilitation and Assessment to the Zone 1 area of the New England Health Region. The Therapeutic Activities Centre is part of this Unit and provides an activities programme on a daily basis to both inpatients and day only clients.The aged population explosion along the Mid‐north Coastal fringe (increases of 39% in some areas) has identified a need for some form of programme to address the problems associated with the maintenance of clients diagnosed with dementia in the community for as long as possible.The area has a deficit of 227 Nursing Home and Hostel places, based on 1988 figures. (Commonwealth Dept. Community Services & Health ratio is to have 40 Nursing Home beds and 60 Hostel beds per 1000 people over the age of 70).
SETTING THE CURRICULAR AGENDA ‐ A PERSONAL VIEWPOINT
Authors: Rechter B. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTThe very idea of a university implies full responsibility for determining what is taught to and learned by students. However, the increasing diversity of the professions now covered by the university umbrella has meant, in practice, that this responsibility is very often shared ‐ by the university, the State and the appropriate professional organisations. This sharing is not always explicit, amicable nor understood. The paper will examine this issue in the context of the health and teaching professions in Australia.
NEEDS OF OLDER PEOPLE: DO EDUCATION PROGRAMMES MEET THE CHALLENGE?
Authors: Marginson B. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTIt has been established that older people have the potential to continue to learn. Evidence that learning and intellectual stimulation is highly valued by older people is illustrated by the popularity of education programmes offered by the University of the Third Age (U3A). The paper will give an overview of educational opportunities presently extsting in Australia and trace the history of the development of U3A. Emphasis will be placed on issues which should be addressed if access to educational opportunities is to be improved.
THE ROLE OF THE TERTIARY INSTITUTION IN GERONTOLOGICAL EDUCATION
Authors: Cleary R. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTAs Australia's population continues to age, there will be an increasing demand for a variety of support services to enable older people to maintain a meaningful quality of life. The benefits older people obtain from their support services will depend, not only on the available financial resources to fund each programme, but equally importantly on the values and attitudes as well as skill of staff. The role of the tertiary institutions should be to enhance skill training and development as well as challenge the basis of our service delivery. This involves questioning the motivation and expectations of those who choose to seek aged care as a career and the way in which we deliver those services. Tertiary institutions should work in participation with consumer groups and service providers in achieving this goal.
ETHNO‐SPECIFIC AND MAINSTREAM NURSING HOMES: A SURVEY OF RESIDENTS FROM NON‐ENGLISH SPEAKING BACKGROUNDS
Authors: Westbrook M.T. , Legge V. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTA survey compared the experiences of 47 NESB residents in mainstream and 46 residents in ethno‐specific nursing homes and the experiences of their family carers. Residents were more satisfied with ethno‐specific homes, particularly the food and companionship. They had better relationships with staff. Carers were more satisfied with ethno‐specific homes, particularly the food. Both groups of residents had similar patterns of reaction to placement as did their carers. The aged in ethno‐specific homes had migrated at a younger age and their carers seemed better informed regarding services.
DIFFERENCES IN LIFE EXPECTANCY: SOCIAL FACTORS IN MORTALITY RATES
Authors: Taylor R. , Quine S. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTThis paper addresses the question of the relation of social and economic differentials to mortality in Australia. It will begin with a short discussion of definition and measurement of the two major domains for investigation: (a) mortality, often also expressed in a positive way as survivorship and expectation of life; and (b) social and economic factors, which are much more difficult to characterise and quantify, and extend into considerations of culture. The paper will then address the methods which can be used to relate socioeconomic status (SES) to mortality in the context of the Australian mortality decline, and the dependence of study types on data availability.A review of published studies on SES differentials in mortality in Australia will then follow, and generalised conclusions will be drawn from available information. Proposed explanations for social differentials in mortality will be explored. Important gaps in information will be described and further questions posed, and some current research in progress will also be described.Approaches to narrowing SES differentials in mortality in Australia will be outlined. These approaches will cover health service and behavioural intervention, and social and economic intervention. An integration of these approaches will be described.
THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CARING: THE PATTERN IN A SOUTH AUSTRALIAN SUBURBAN POPULATION
Authors: Kalucy E. , Baum F. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTThis paper provides a profile of a representative sample of informal carers drawn from a suburban population selected randomly from the electoral register in the inner southern area of Adelaide, South Australia. The data were collected through a mailed questionnaire survey which achieved a response rate of 71.7%. (n=1765). 13.4% (n=236) of the population defined themselves as having an unpaid carer's role. Of these 70 were resident carers and 166 non‐resident carers.Most carers were women and were significantly older than the general population. Compared with non‐resident carers, resident carers were disadvantaged in terms of income, housing, access to transport and social support, and reported significantly worse health status as indicated by a number of measures including the Nottingham Health Profile. Resident carers reported stress and restriction of activities, but also reported receiving considerable satisfaction from their caring role. The paper describes the time spent on caring and the perceived needs of the carers.
OLDER PEOPLE: THE EFFECT OF HEALTH ON THEIR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
Authors: Mott S. , Riggs A. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTThis exploratory study, funded by the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund, investigated the factors influencing the social interactions of older people.The study was based on interviews with one hundred people aged 65 years and over to determine their past activities, present pursuits and the activities, if any, in which they would like to be involved.This article, the first of two, concentrates on the way in which the study was conducted and examines the results relating to the effect of health on the social interactions of older people.
ATTITUDES HELD BY BEGINNING TERTIARY NURSING STUDENTS TOWARDS ELDERLY PEOPLE: POSITIVE OUTCOMES
Authors: Johnson P. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTA survey to assess if beginning nursing students in the initial weeks of their course held negative attitudes towards elderly people was carried out in 1989 and 1990. A total of 290 respondents showed that positive attitudes were held. Contrary to expectations, measures of association with elderly people on a regular versus non‐regular basis had little influence on whether attitudes were positive or negative. The implications of fostering positive attitudes and the educational needs of undergraduate nursing students are briefly discussed.
A POSSIBLE ROLE FOR U3A IN CONSTITUENCY RESEARCH
Authors: Swindell R. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTA new direction in research in ageing suggests that older adults are the most appropriately qualified to conduct inquiry among the ageing. In this paper, U3A is argued to be uniquely placed among organisations for older adults to take a leadership role in such constituency research. A high level of membership expertise and the widely delocalised nature of the movement are seen to be complementary attributes which support this assertion. Several U3A research initiatives are briefly discussed.
CASE MANAGEMENT FOR OLDER PEOPLE AT HOME: REVIEW OF AN ‘AT RISK’ REGISTER
Authors: Sadler P.M. , Cameron I.D. , Kerr K. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT‘At risk’ registers have been proposed as a means of improving the case management of older disabled people living at home. An ‘at risk’ register in an outer urban area of Sydney was reviewed through a survey of 34 service providers who were attending ‘at risk’ committee meetings. The opinions of the service providers regarding the case management system were examined. The details of 108 clients of community support services placed on the register from July 1991 to June 1992 were analysed. The system effectively identified clients at risk of death and institutionalisation. It was perceived as worthwhile by service providers but changes were needed to maximise its efficiency.
CASE MANAGEMENT‐THE DREAM AND THE REALITY
Authors: Rungie M. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTThis paper summarises the author's impressions of the use of case management in programs for elderly people in America. The hopes for case management as independent brokerage able to organise the community and service system to meet the needs of individual elderly people has not been realised. This has not stopped its widespread establishment in community‐based long‐term care for relatively minor gains at high cost, but with a belief that it is doing much more. Australians are likely to embrace case management for the same reasons as Americans and will be just as disappointed. Despite this lack of real effectiveness of case management, a highly individualised response to elderly people's needs is still required but, this experience indicates, will only be achieved with a much broader strategy.
“STAYING FIT AND HEALTHY”: A MODEL PREVENTIVE HEALTH FITNESS PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Hamdorf P.A. , Barnard R.K. , Penhall R.K. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTStaying Fit and Healthy (SFH) is a centre based fitness program operating in the north‐eastern suburbs of Adelaide. SFH is targeted at older persons and encompasses introductory, continuation and remedial classes. Exercise classes are conducted by accredited fitness instructors under the direction of exercise physiologists and include exercise in water, general exercise and circuit programs.SFH is promoted in the local community through various means including letter drops, roadside signs and media publicity. Participants must complete a mandatory health questionnaire before commencement and are encouraged to visit their local doctor if unsure of their suitability to exercise. SFH has a specifically designed fee structure encouraging a commitment to activity and higher frequency attendance at exercise programs.SFH provides a significant service to many participants previously not involved in organised exercise programs. With the continued expansion of the ageing segment of our community, SFH is destined to flourish further as it fulfils a demand arising from greater awareness of the benefits of activity in our lifestyle.
RESPONDING TO ELDER ABUSE—A FOLLOW‐UP STUDY OF INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES
Authors: Kurrle S. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTThis paper reviews the process of intervention in cases of eider abuse. It discusses the objectives of intervention and the specific strategies which can be employed. It reviews the interventions used and outcomes achieved in a follow‐up study of 54 cases of abuse identified in a one year study of an aged care service population. Provision of community services, counselling and respite care were commonly used intervention strategies which were initially effective. In a small proportion of cases, the abusive situation was resolved completely with the victim remaining at home. In other cases of continuing abuse, the victims chose to remain in the abusive situation. However the long‐term outcome in the majority of cases was institutionalization. This reflects both the need to separate victim and abuser to completely resolve many cases of abuse, and the high levels of disability and dependency in the population studied.
CONTEXTUALISING ABUSE OF OLDER PEOPLE
Authors: Hughes M. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTThe emerging Australian response to the abuse of older people appears to recognise that ‘elder abuse’ is not a discrete phenomenon and that the concept incorporates a range of differing dimensions. This paper argues that the development of an appropriate Australian response could be assisted by making explicit the various contexts of abuse. Specifically, the paper investigates the interpersonal and lifespan contexts of the abuse of disabled older people in caregiving relationships. It highlights the role of social exchange and interdependency in the causal processes of abuse, as well as in the prevention of abusive behaviour. It also recognises the value of understanding the patterns of conflict and exchange behaviour in the relationship throughout the lifespan. This contextualising process is served by making links between the literature on the abuse of older people and other related literatures, such as the family violence and family caregiving literatures.
‘Righting’ Wrongs for the Aged: a Bill of Rights?
Authors: Carney T. 
Published: December 2008

Opinion is divided about the extent to which the interests of the aged are amenable to rights strategies. It is argued here that rights strategies have a limited contribution. On an educative plane, there is an important place for measures which promote cultural respect for civil participation of the aged: a ‘rights orientation’. The trend towards enunciation of a separate charter of rights for the aged has some attractions, but these are outweighed by the fragmentation entailed: accentuating the processes of segregation and social stereotyping which may be responsible for much of the disadvantaged status of aged people. Universal statements of rights are preferable.The most fundamental difficulty with rights based approaches, however, is their lack of power in addressing the resourcing, service delivery and other structural issues which undergird the disadvantage experienced by some aged people. This is compounded in a federal system of government, with its rationale of preventing concentration of governmental power. This is not to deny the need for individual case‐by‐case remedies of injustice, or the symbolic and educative role of the law. An inclusive Australian Bill of Rights would advance this agenda as effectively as any measure. But it is neither a panacea nor necessarily the top agenda item. Too much store can be placed in legal remedies for social ills.
Immunisation Rates in Older Veterans and War Widows
Authors: Nair Balakrishnan , Byles Julie , Tavener Meredith , Heinze Robin 
Published: December 2008

Aim: To study the immunisation rates of veterans and war widows aged 70 years and above in New South Wales and Queensland, as part of the Preventive Care Trial. Method: A trained health care worker assessed subjects at home regarding health, illness and immunisation status. Results: Suboptimal immunisation rate for influenza (72%) and poor rates for pneumococcus (14%) and tetanus (43%) were detected. Conclusion: Subjects in this study were not immunised according to recommended guidelines. Further education campaigns are warranted to improve immunisation rates in older people.
Knowledge and Beliefs of Older Australians about Sexuality and Health
Authors: Minichiello Victor , Plummer David , Loxton Deborah 
Published: December 2008

Objective: To report on the relationships between a range of demographic and social variables of a sample of older Australians and their answers to six questions concerning sexuality and health in later life Method: A self‐completed questionnaire was returned by 844 randomly selected older persons. Two questions were included as indicators of older Australians' knowledge of the impact of health on sexuality in later life; two questions examined beliefs about the possible physical and psychological benefits of sexuality; and two questions examined older people's expectations of sexuality as people age Results: Regression analysis was performed to test for associations between sexual ‘awareness’ and gender, age, relationship status, marital status, number of sexual partners and spirituality. Responses were combined into what we have called a ‘Sexual Health Knowledge and Beliefs Index’ (SHKB Index). The results show that males and those currently in sexual relationships have significantly higher scores on this index. There were, however, significant differences for individual item scores by gender, age, being in a sexual relationship, and number of sexual partners Conclusions: The study discusses how the SHKB Index can be used to identify people who have poorer knowledge and less positive attitudes towards sexuality in later life so that education and services can be planned accordingly.
Acopia‘: a Useful Term or Not?
Authors: Obeid John L. , Ogle Susan J. 
Published: December 2008

Background: ‘Acopia’, meaning inability to cope, is increasingly used by Australian public hospital emergency departments to describe frail older patients. This raises concerns among geriatricians that significant medical illnesses in older people are being misdiagnosed or under diagnosed Objective: An audit was conducted to determine the medical status and outcomes of patients admitted with ‘acopia’ at two Sydney teaching hospitals. Methods: A retrospective audit of medical records of patients admitted with ‘acopia’ from July 1996 to June 1998 at Royal North Shore Hospital and Nepean Hospital NSW was carried out. Results: A total of 109 patients were assigned the ‘diagnosis’ of ‘acopia’ in the emergency department. 64% were female. 104 files were available for review. The 100 patients aged 65 years or more were reviewed in detail. Mean age was 80 +/‐ 10 years. The term ‘acopia’ was used mostly by senior emergency department staff. Multiple medical problems were present, especially gait disorder and dementia. The average number of medical diagnoses per patient was 8.0. Most patients were independent in activities of daily living (52%) and were living in the community (74%) prior to becoming medically unwell. The main reasons for admission were the geriatric syndromes of gait disorder, falls, confusion and incontinence. Average length of stay was approximately 13 days. Only 50% of patients were able to return home; 25% required nursing home placement. Three percent died in hospital and advanced cancer was newly diagnosed in 5%. Conclusions: We conclude that ‘acopia’ is not a useful term in that most patients labeled as such have multiple medical problems as the reason for their admission. The use of the term may result in reduced awareness of the need to seek out and treat reversible pathology in older patients. This study highlights the need for ongoing training for emergency department staff in the recognition and management of patients with geriatric syndromes.
Qualitative Aspects of Productive Ageing
Authors: Ranzijn Rob , Grbich Carol 
Published: December 2008

Objectives
. This paper reports on the proceedings of six focus groups, in both metropolitan and regional areas in South Australia, that were conducted to explore qualitative dimensions of productive ageing.
Method
. A total of 33 individuals aged between 55 and 84 years participated in loosely structured discussions of issues around the contributions they made towards their immediate families, their local communities, and society at large. Results. As well as providing rich and passionately told stories of productive involvement, the groups shed light on the ability of older people to identify and fulfil unmet needs, their eagerness to remain involved in life, and the complexity and individual nature of each person's involvement in productive activities. Conclusions. To simply list an inventory of productive activities trivialises the nature and depth of involvement. There is a need for further study into the relationship of older adults to their larger social network, by means of which older adults remain able to contribute in useful and meaningful ways.