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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Coping Strategies Of Dual-Role Informal Caregivers, Lorilee Maldonado Jan 2021

Coping Strategies Of Dual-Role Informal Caregivers, Lorilee Maldonado

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are nearly 43.5 million informal caregivers (ICGs) in the United States, and this number will nearly double by 2030. Trying to fulfill the needs of an aging family member and commitments to work, home, and other relationships create a constant state of stress that may result in either leaving the workforce or placing the care recipient in a facility. Finding strategies that support both roles is economically and socially critical. This study explored the strategies that some ICGs have acquired that enable them to cope with these pressures. Work-family conflict theory, focusing on the conflict between work and family …


Social Support Of Caregiver Sons Of Parents With Dementia, Ralph Callanta Pascual Jan 2021

Social Support Of Caregiver Sons Of Parents With Dementia, Ralph Callanta Pascual

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the growing number of male caregivers, few researchers have examined social supports for caregiver sons of parents with dementia. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological study was to contribute to the empirical literature on the social support of caregiver sons of aging parents with dementia. The research question centered on the lived experience of social support of caregiver sons of parents with dementia. The theoretical framework was the social role theory. The sample consisted of eight caregiver sons of parents with dementia. Participants were interviewed using semi-structured, researcher-developed questions. The results were generated from coding and thematizing processes, …


Assisted Living Transitions: Experiences Of Family Members Of Older African American Women, Carol A. Shaw Burns Jan 2021

Assisted Living Transitions: Experiences Of Family Members Of Older African American Women, Carol A. Shaw Burns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLong-term care, also known as aging services, is evolving to meet the needs of the aging population in the United States, which is increasingly ethnically and racially diverse. The objective of this qualitative multiple case study was to understand how immediate family members experienced the transition of older African American women as they moved into assisted living facilities. Black feminist theory provided a theoretical framework. Narrative interview data were collected from four adult children family caregivers who facilitated the move. Three themes emerged from the content analysis: (a) Transition is not planned in advance and does not happen until a …


Optimizing The Use Of Normative Data In Dementia Diagnostic Evaluations, Laurie Holler Jan 2021

Optimizing The Use Of Normative Data In Dementia Diagnostic Evaluations, Laurie Holler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cognitive tests are typically scored and interpreted using an appropriate normative reference group, often similar age individuals with similar levels of education. Psychometric testing theory presupposes that demographic correction is always beneficial, supporting the ubiquitous use of age and education correction in clinical practice. In the context of dementia, however, there is some evidence suggesting that demographic correction (specifically age correction) may reduce the sensitivity of cognitive tests to age-related cognitive decline. It was hypothesized that age correction would reduce the utility of cognitive tests for detecting cognitive change in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia due to …


Staff Education On Medication Screening Tool For Nursing Home Residents, Jinkee Sarah Beltran Jan 2021

Staff Education On Medication Screening Tool For Nursing Home Residents, Jinkee Sarah Beltran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) among nursing home residents continues to be high. Researchers have demonstrated that the use of a medication screening tool identifying PIMs can improve medication safety among older adults. Screening tools, such as the Beers criteria and the Screening Tool for Older Persons’ Prescriptions (STOPP), are evidence-based guidelines that use several validated criteria to identify PIMs in older adults’ medication regimens. While the use of these tools is standard in the acute care setting, limited studies have been conducted regarding their use in the nursing home setting. The purpose of this project was to …


Integration Of Morphine And Virtual Reality: Pain Management For Adult Hospice Cancer Patients, Arlisa Hurd Jan 2021

Integration Of Morphine And Virtual Reality: Pain Management For Adult Hospice Cancer Patients, Arlisa Hurd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is currently a problem in that cancer patients engaging in hospice may experience an excessive amount of perceived pain and a decreased quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore an intervention that could lessen the perceived pain experienced by, and increase the quality of life of, cancer patients engaging in hospice. Immersion music virtual reality (IMVR) allows a user to interact with a realistic, computer-generated environment. 3D music (IMVR) is likely suited for pain management with patients in hospice and was used for this study. The theory for the study is the gate control theory. …


Experience Of Parents Receiving In-Home Behavioral Treatment For Their Child With Autism, Gerald Lavarias Jan 2021

Experience Of Parents Receiving In-Home Behavioral Treatment For Their Child With Autism, Gerald Lavarias

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In-home applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment has well-documented results and is widely recommended for children with autism. Since 1987, parents have sought and implemented ABA treatment in their homes for their children with autism. However, research on parents’ lived experiences with in-home ABA treatment is limited. As such, there is a need to study the impact and influence of ABA treatment on parents’ quality of life (e.g., challenges, scheduling, parenting). This qualitative study explored parents’ lived experiences while their children with autism received in-home ABA treatment. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the experiences of 5 parent participants who …


The Lived Experiences Of Grandparents As Primary Caregivers For Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Idonia Kaleena Barrett Jan 2021

The Lived Experiences Of Grandparents As Primary Caregivers For Children Of Incarcerated Parents, Idonia Kaleena Barrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the last decade, the number of grandparents in the United States acting as caregivers for children who have incarcerated parents has increased significantly. Incarceration separates individuals from their families and limits contact with the outside world. The imprisoned parent is dependent on the caregiver, who becomes the "gatekeeper" to maintain contact with their child. It can be challenging for the grandparent to maintain parent-child contact because of the hardships they endure as primary caregivers, which may cause them to experience strain. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive phenomenological study was to determine the lived experiences of grandparents who serve …


An Educational Program For Nursing Home Nurses On Sepsis In Older Adults, Wendy Belden Jan 2021

An Educational Program For Nursing Home Nurses On Sepsis In Older Adults, Wendy Belden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elderly nursing home patients’ high rates of hospitalization due to sepsis impact their morbidity and mortality and significantly cost the U.S. healthcare system. Skilled nursing facility (SNF) nurses who have the knowledge to assess older adults for signs and symptoms of sepsis and communicate findings to providers are instrumental in providing improved care for patients. The purpose of this doctoral project was to provide a group evidence-based educational intervention on sepsis care of older adults geared toward nurses working in SNFs. The practice-focused question asked whether an educational intervention focused on the signs and symptoms of sepsis in the elderly …


Assisted Living Transitions: Experiences Of Family Members Of Older African American Women, Carol A. Shaw Burns Jan 2021

Assisted Living Transitions: Experiences Of Family Members Of Older African American Women, Carol A. Shaw Burns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLong-term care, also known as aging services, is evolving to meet the needs of the aging population in the United States, which is increasingly ethnically and racially diverse. The objective of this qualitative multiple case study was to understand how immediate family members experienced the transition of older African American women as they moved into assisted living facilities. Black feminist theory provided a theoretical framework. Narrative interview data were collected from four adult children family caregivers who facilitated the move. Three themes emerged from the content analysis: (a) Transition is not planned in advance and does not happen until a …


An Educational Program For Nursing Home Nurses On Sepsis In Older Adults, Wendy Belden Jan 2021

An Educational Program For Nursing Home Nurses On Sepsis In Older Adults, Wendy Belden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elderly nursing home patients’ high rates of hospitalization due to sepsis impact their morbidity and mortality and significantly cost the U.S. healthcare system. Skilled nursing facility (SNF) nurses who have the knowledge to assess older adults for signs and symptoms of sepsis and communicate findings to providers are instrumental in providing improved care for patients. The purpose of this doctoral project was to provide a group evidence-based educational intervention on sepsis care of older adults geared toward nurses working in SNFs. The practice-focused question asked whether an educational intervention focused on the signs and symptoms of sepsis in the elderly …


Primary Care Physicians’ Attitudes, Beliefs, And Actions Toward Geriatric Treatment, Andrea Renee Holzner Jan 2021

Primary Care Physicians’ Attitudes, Beliefs, And Actions Toward Geriatric Treatment, Andrea Renee Holzner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn the United States, an estimated 49.2 million older adults seek specialized geriatric medical treatment from a primary care physician (PCP). Due to a nationwide geriatrician deficit resulting from significant aging population growth, PCPs now manage specialized geriatric issues, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive assessments, and physiological impairments, such as Parkinson’s, due to non-normative aging. Although PCPs may take geriatric courses, geriatric specialization is beyond a normative primary care medical practice. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore primary care physician attitudes, beliefs, and actions, toward geriatrics and to expand the understanding of primary care physicians’ geriatric …


Collectivism And Uncertainty Avoidance In Narrative Oral Histories Of Resettled Syrian Refugees, Suzy S. Ismail Jan 2020

Collectivism And Uncertainty Avoidance In Narrative Oral Histories Of Resettled Syrian Refugees, Suzy S. Ismail

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotional resilience among resettled refugees is an indicator of cultural integration and adaptation into a host country which in turn impacts schools, resettlement agencies, and refugee service organizations in how they can best meet the needs of refugees. The documented decline in emotional resilience among resettled Syrian refugees during the past decade is linked to the problem of cultural value disparities causing a resultant decline in mental health and socioemotional wellbeing. The purpose of this narrative qualitative study was to explore expressions of cultural value dimensions such as collectivism and uncertainty avoidance in oral histories of resettled Syrian refugees. Applying …


Systematic Review Of Falls Among Older Individuals In The Long- Term Care Settings, Nonyelum Patience Odenigbo Jan 2020

Systematic Review Of Falls Among Older Individuals In The Long- Term Care Settings, Nonyelum Patience Odenigbo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls are common in the older population and can result in disability, increased dependence, or mortality. Falls have received increased attention in the literature as the most common cause of injuries among older individuals. The incidence of falls in the older population has a positive correlation with adverse health issues necessitating major lifestyle adjustments. The problem is magnified for older patients in long-term care settings where they are 3 times more susceptible to falls. The purpose of this project study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to understand the impact and incidence of fall rates among older …


Evaluation Of Inappropriate Use Of Antibiotics In The Long-Term Care Community, Charlene A. Hughes Jan 2020

Evaluation Of Inappropriate Use Of Antibiotics In The Long-Term Care Community, Charlene A. Hughes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of antibiotics prescribed in the 65 and older population significantly increased related to the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Although empiric treatment is necessary at times, it can lead to antibiotic resistance; therefore, clinical symptomology with an active infection verified by diagnostic testing is the requirement for the treatment of a UTI. This project addressed the practice-focused question of how the implementation of an evidenced-based antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) in a nursing home on the East Coast may impact the overuse of antibiotics in that clinical setting. The project, guided by the theory of planned behavior, was …


Understanding The Increase In Military Couples Seeking Counseling Throughout The Military Lifecycle, Ellen F. Saccoia Jan 2020

Understanding The Increase In Military Couples Seeking Counseling Throughout The Military Lifecycle, Ellen F. Saccoia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the start of military operations following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the nation has experienced the longest sustained war in its history. Military couples are at an increased risk of experiencing relationship stressors due to supporting long-term global military operations. Most of the research literature identifying the difficulties experienced by active-duty military couples was conducted over the past two decades following September 11, 2001. Missing from the literature are present-day problems facing military couples seeking counseling following the drawdown of overseas military operations (see United States Government Accountability Office [U.S. GAO], 2016). The purpose of this action …


Predictive Factors Of Determinants Of Health And Services Provided At Adult Day Service Centers, Nardia Anthonalla Aldridge Jan 2020

Predictive Factors Of Determinants Of Health And Services Provided At Adult Day Service Centers, Nardia Anthonalla Aldridge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The National Association of Adult Day Service Centers has suggested that adult day service centers can provide services to meet the complex needs of the older adult and delay nursing home placement. Researchers have yet been able to establish the predictive nature of determinants of health in Adult Day Care Centers (ADSCs). The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between the determinants of health and the presence of therapeutic services and nursing services at ADSCs. The open system theory guided this study. Data sets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016 Adult Day Services …


Work-Life Balance Of Rotational Workers In The Nigerian Energy Sector, Israel Olalekan Jolaolu Jan 2020

Work-Life Balance Of Rotational Workers In The Nigerian Energy Sector, Israel Olalekan Jolaolu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rotational workers in the Nigerian oil and gas industry otherwise referred to as the energy sector, are confronted with challenges and stresses of work-life balance (WLB). Using boundary theory, 15 oil and gas workers with more than 5 years of rotational work experience were recruited to examine the strategies they employed to deal with the stresses and work-life balance required for the social well-being of the workers, which translates to improved job performance in the oil and gas sector in Nigeria. The research question was designed to explore the lived experiences of rotational workers with more than 5 years in …


Probate Attorneys’ Understanding Of The Inclusion Of The Lucid Interval In Testamentary Capacity Proceedings, Jeremy Cassius Jan 2020

Probate Attorneys’ Understanding Of The Inclusion Of The Lucid Interval In Testamentary Capacity Proceedings, Jeremy Cassius

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study focused on the experience of probate attorneys with the lucid interval in contested will cases. There is a gap in the research for understanding the lucid interval for people who live with dementia. Dementia can affect the testamentary capacity (TC) of a testator who is signing a will because the testator may not understand all the property that is in their possession. This causes difficulties and conflict for families when a loved one dies. It can also cause the testator to be susceptible to undue influence. The present study analyzed data from interviews with 6 probate attorneys about …


Predicting Behavior To Engage In Fall Prevention Practices: The Role Of Interests And Basic Psychological Needs, Jan Fay Kress Jan 2020

Predicting Behavior To Engage In Fall Prevention Practices: The Role Of Interests And Basic Psychological Needs, Jan Fay Kress

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA fall is associated with adverse outcomes that include occupational, physical, cognitive, and psychological decline together with economic and caregiving burden. Despite the continued increase in prevalence of falls globally, most studies address the well-known risk factors of falls but exclude the behavioral risk factors associated with human actions, emotions, and everyday choices. Following the theory of self-determination and person object of interest framework, this quantitative, nonexperimental study was conducted using face-to-face and web surveys to examine the relationship between motivational, relational, and sociodemographic/medical conditions to predict engagement in fall prevention practices in a sample of 75 community dwellers, 65 …


Veterans' Perceptions Of Behavioral Health Services For Posttraumatic Stress, Larence Kirby Jan 2020

Veterans' Perceptions Of Behavioral Health Services For Posttraumatic Stress, Larence Kirby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Behavioral health services exist for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); yet, untreated diagnoses may lead to the risk of compromised behavioral health. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of OEF/OIF veterans regarding their decision to seek and retain behavioral health services for addressing PTSD. The research focus and questions were employed through the theoretical concepts of Heidegger’s hermeneutic phenomenological theory, Heider’s attribution theory, and Beck’s cognitive behavioral theory. In-person interviews were conducted to collect data from 8 OEF/OIF veterans who had encounters with behavioral …


Adult Attachment For African American Women Who Have Mothers With Borderline Personality Disorder, Elizabeth Uchechi Onyeali Jan 2020

Adult Attachment For African American Women Who Have Mothers With Borderline Personality Disorder, Elizabeth Uchechi Onyeali

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effects that borderline personality disorder (BPD) can have on the loved ones of those who suffer from the mental illness is significant and can be deleterious and enduring. Maternal BPD can adversely impact mother-daughter relationships by fostering abnormal connections and insecure attachment bonds. This is particularly the case for African American mothers, of whom research suggests that the early attachment bond between them and their daughters significantly shapes how their daughters behave, perceive themselves, and relate to others. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore how the experiences of being raised by a mother diagnosed …


Improving Effective Pain Assessment And Management In Elderly Patients, Omotola A. Adebayo Jan 2020

Improving Effective Pain Assessment And Management In Elderly Patients, Omotola A. Adebayo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inadequate management of pain is common in the elderly, and the negative implications are often profound. Untreated pain has been associated with negative consequences such as depression, anxiety, sleep disruption, weight loss, and limitations in the performance of daily activities and functions. The purpose of this educational project was to improve the assessment and management of pain of elderly patients residing in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). The project question examined the effects of staff education on the nursing staff’s knowledge of pain assessment and management. Nonlicensed personnel are at the forefront of providing direct patient care in LTCFs. Knowles’s theory …


Older Adults' Access To Medicaid's Home-And Community-Based Services, Joe Henry Horton Jan 2020

Older Adults' Access To Medicaid's Home-And Community-Based Services, Joe Henry Horton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the U.S. population ages, the need for public policies regarding long-term care increases, as the need is unequal to demand. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the role of senior service providers (SSPs) who have dealt with health policies from being responsible for the decision-making processes of implementing federal and state guidelines in Michigan on access and wait-listing of older adults for home and community-based services (HCBS). The theoretical foundation for this study was the social construction and policy design theory. The central research question sought perceptions of SSPs as to their ability to …


Adult Attachment Functioning Of Former Foster Youth Initially Placed In Early Adolescence, Adrienne Miller Jan 2020

Adult Attachment Functioning Of Former Foster Youth Initially Placed In Early Adolescence, Adrienne Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child attachment has been an area of study among scholars for several decades; however, early adolescent attachment is a specific age period that few scholars have examined, especially pertaining to child welfare where placement is a necessary but forced attachment disruption. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to examine the likelihood of early adolescent attachment during initial placement and to explore the frequencies of this population securely attaching postplacement based on the added variables of placement setting (foster home/kinship home/group home/institution) and sibling accessibility. Attachment theory was the lens through which to analyze the 83 results received via anonymous …


Comparison Of Advance Care Planning Interventions And Older Adults’ Advance Directive Completion Rates, Tammy Biehler Jan 2020

Comparison Of Advance Care Planning Interventions And Older Adults’ Advance Directive Completion Rates, Tammy Biehler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the benefits of advance care planning (ACP), only one third of older adults in the United States have completed it. To address this gap, health care organizations are implementing ACP programs to engage older adults in the process. These programs can be delivered in various ways, including 1:1 conversations, classes, and web-based tools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate which ACP option was associated with highest participation and advance directive (AD) completion rates in older adults. Social cognitive theory provided the framework to understand the impact the ACP environment and personal characteristics’ have on the odds …


Reintegration Process Of Previously Incarcerated African American Women Older Than 50 Years, Eva Carol Brent Jan 2019

Reintegration Process Of Previously Incarcerated African American Women Older Than 50 Years, Eva Carol Brent

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Successful reintegration of ex-offenders is difficult for most, evidenced by high recidivism rates. Ex-offenders face a broad range of obstacles once released from prison, including personal, social, and employment barriers. This study was an examination of the issues that contributed to a successful or unsuccessful reintegration as reported by ex-offenders. Participants included 10 ex-offenders who participated in interviews regarding the conditions that they believed were necessary for successful community reintegration. The conceptual framework for this study came from the ecological perspective, also known as the person-in-environment theory. Data collection involved one-on-one interviews with the participants. Data analysis was conducted through …


Exploring The Challenges Non-Clinical Departments Encounter During Eden Alternative Implementation, Keith George Jan 2019

Exploring The Challenges Non-Clinical Departments Encounter During Eden Alternative Implementation, Keith George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recommends new guidelines that shift healthcare delivery in nursing homes and long-term care facilities from an institutional model to a person-centered care model. Although clinical outcomes are measured and tracked, there was limited literature about the challenges non-clinical departments face in a nursing facility during implementation of a person-centered model. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the challenges non-clinical staff experience while transitioning to an Eden Alternative philosophy, a person-centered care model. The theoretical foundation of this study relied upon Bressers' Contextual Interaction Theory. The research questions for this study …


Separated By The Child Welfare System: The Journey Of One Set Of Fraternal Twins, Jocelyne Coan Bond Jan 2019

Separated By The Child Welfare System: The Journey Of One Set Of Fraternal Twins, Jocelyne Coan Bond

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the separation of twins in foster care and examined how their lived experiences relate to their interpersonal relationships as adults. Many researchers have studied the long-term impact of nontwin sibling separation in foster care, but little is known about the separation of twins, leaving a significant gap in existing literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences twins who were separated in foster care as relates to their interpersonal relationships during adulthood. A qualitative, narrative approach was used to gather the lived experiences of one set of twins. The research questions examined how …


Caregiver Review Of Nonpharmacological Interventions For Behavioral Symptoms Associated With Dementia, Karla Chaney Ballew Jan 2019

Caregiver Review Of Nonpharmacological Interventions For Behavioral Symptoms Associated With Dementia, Karla Chaney Ballew

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and affects an individual’s overall cognitive function, including orientation, memory, and executive function. Most AD patients in the United States reside in residential care facilities or private homes under the care of individuals with little education on the challenges of the AD patient. Among the challenges faced by caregivers are behavioral and psychological symptoms related to dementia (BPSD). Education has been shown to improve caregivers’ treatment of BPSD in AD patients and to improve caregiver retention. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based education module guided by …