Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Needs Assessment For The Topsfield Council On Aging, Jan E. Mutchler, Ceara Somerville

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

The Town of Topsfield’s older population grew substantially during the last decade. Increases are expected to continue as the number of seniors increase moving forward, as well as the share of the Topsfield population they represent. In response to these demographic changes, a study was undertaken to generate and organize information on the older residents of Topsfield and the community organizations supporting their well-being. Special focus was placed on needs of older residents along with the capacity of the Topsfield COA to meet those needs. Methods used included description of existing data, key informant interviews, and focus groups aimed at …

Shineseniors: Personalized Services For Active Ageing-In-Place, Liming Bai, Alex I. Gavino, Wei Qi Lee, Jungyoon Kim, Na Liu, Hwee-Pink Tan, Hwee Xian Tan, Lee Buay Tan, Xiaoping Toh, Alvin Cerdena Valera, Elina Jia Yu, Alfred Wu, Mark S. Fox

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Singapore faces a major challenge in providing care and support for senior citizens due to its rapidlyageing population and declining old-age support ratio. The concept of Ageing-in-Place was introduced by the Singapore government [1] to allow older people to live independently in their own homes and communities so that the need for institutionalised care will only be utilised when necessary. We have three fundamental questions that this project will answer: 1. How to make community care serviceseffective through innovations in care delivery? How to lower the cost of service delivery and improve 2. productivity of caregivers, by leveraging information and …

Canada's Oldest Old: A Population Group Which Is Fast Growing, Poorly Apprehended And At Risk From Lack Of Appropriate Services, Jacques Légaré, Yann Décarie, Kim Deslandes, Yves Carrière

Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/ Un Réseau stratégique de connaissances Changements de population et parcours de vie Document de travail

The future of population aging in industrialised countries, including Canada, will be driven not by lower fertility but by extensions in life expectancy. Declining mortality will have the most effect on the oldest age groups.

In this context, Peter Laslett’s (1989) ideas on rethinking traditional approaches to the life cycle are fundamental. He argues that we need to move from three stages of life to four: childhood; adulthood; then the new third age lasting from retirement until old age, which becomes the fourth age (or the oldest-old).

This report examines the present and future characteristics of the oldest old, and …

Aging In Boxford: Planning For An ‘Active And Involved’ Future, Nina Silverstein, Caitlin Coyle

Gerontology Institute Publications

This planning study was conducted to investigate current and anticipated needs, interests, preferences, and concerns of Boxford adults aged 45 and older. Special emphasis is placed on gauging future age-related services needed by residents, including those provided by the Boxford Council on Aging and its Senior Center (hereafter, COA), as well as the existing physical infrastructure of the COA relative to these service needs now and in the future. A primary focus of this study was whether Boxford is a town where lifelong residents will feel supported in later life.

The goals of the project were (1) to identify the …

Needs Assessment For Littleton Elder And Human Services And The Council On Aging, Jan E. Mutchler, Bernard A. Steinman, Ceara Somerville, Maryam Khaniyan, Mai See Yang

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes efforts undertaken by the Town of Littleton Council on Aging, in partnership with the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Littleton’s older population. The focus of this report was on two cohorts of Littleton residents—those aged 50 to 59 (referred to as “Boomers”), and the cohort of individuals who are currently aged 60 and over (“Seniors”). The content of this report is intended to inform the Town of Littleton, the Littleton Council on Aging and Senior …

Aging In Barnstable: Striving For High Livability In A Cape Cod Community, Bernard A. Steinman, Ceara Somerville, Hayley Gleason, Maryam Khaniyan, Mai See Yang

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes collaborative efforts undertaken by the Town of Barnstable Senior Services Division and the Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging, within the Gerontology Institute at the McCormack Graduate School, University of Massachusetts Boston. Beginning in Fall 2014, these organizations partnered to conduct a study to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of the Town’s older resident population, with respect to living and aging in Barnstable. The focus of this report was on two cohorts of Barnstable residents — those aged 50 to 59 (referred to as “Boomers”), and the cohort of individuals who are currently …

A Formative Evaluation Of Select Evidence-Based, Healthy Aging Programs For Seniors In East Central Illinois, Kathleen Raynor

Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development—Student Research

This study serves as a formative evaluation of two evidence-based, healthy aging programs that are funded by the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging (ECIAAA). The first, the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, is a six-session course designed to alleviate symptoms of chronic health issues in older adults and encourage participants to act as self-advocates in regard to their health. The second program, A Matter of Balance, attempts to reduce fear and risk factors related to falls in older adults over the course of eight sessions. The methodology of this study involves focus groups with former participants of these programs …

Reporting Practices, Knowledge And Opinion Of Policy Regarding Drivers With Dementia Among Arkansas Neurologists And Geriatricians, Erika Martin Gergerich

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: States have various policies regarding a physician's ability or responsibility to report at-risk drivers with dementia to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Some states have mandatory reporting policies, others have optional reporting policies and some have no policy regarding this issue. Arkansas has no reporting policy regarding drivers with dementia to the DMV. Therefore, physicians in Arkansas face the risk of liability if they report a patient against their will to the DMV in good faith. Neurologists and geriatricians are often in a position to diagnose and treat individuals with dementia. Research Questions: The following three research questions …

Careers In Aging: Increasing Interest And Investigating Career Paths, Paul Cunnington

Masters Theses

This qualitative study explored the perspective of young professionals on how to increase interest in choosing a career in the field of aging and how their own career path led to their current employment in the field of aging. Fifteen professionals in the field of aging, ranging in age from 23 to 34, participated in semi-­‐structured interviews. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis. Results confirmed prior research that professionals working in the field of aging come from a variety of disciplines. Participants noted attractive aspects of a career in the field of aging, including flexibility and mobility. To increase …

From Data To Community Action: A Case Study Building On The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Community Profiles, Nina M. Silverstein, Brittany Gaines, Darlene Adams, Dorothy Wideman

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Healthy Aging movement is a driver in the promotion of Evidence-Based programs such as Chronic Disease Self- Management (CDSMP) programs related to falls prevention and diabetes. Such programs are critical in any recommendations for short or long term interventions to communities to address challenges to aging well.

Pension Action Center: Protecting Your Retirement, Louise Cataldo, Michele Tolson

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Pension Action Center (PAC) is a one-of-a-kind organization serving New England and Illinois that touches the lives of thousands of low- moderate income people, who often have nowhere else to turn when they need help understanding and obtaining their retirement benefits.

Disaggregating Activities Of Daily Living Limitations For Predicting Nursing Home Admission, Joelle H. Y. Fong, Olivia S. Mitchell, Benedict S. K. Koh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Objective: To examine whether disaggregated activities of daily living (ADL) limitations better predict the risk of nursing home admission compared to conventionally used ADL disability counts. Data Sources: We used panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) for years 1998–2010. The HRS is a nationally representative survey of adults older than 50 years (n = 18,801). Study Design: We fitted Cox regressions in a continuous time survival model with age at first nursing home admission as the outcome. Time-varying ADL disability types were the key explanatory variables. Principal Findings: Of the six ADL limitations, bathing difficulty emerged as …

Organizing Voices In Maine To Support Successful Aging, David C. Wihry

Maine Policy Review

David Wihry discusses the efforts of four associations in Maine that are supporting successful aging by organizing the voluntary, private, and public sectors; embracing a multidisciplinary perspective; and bringing together partners from across the state to make a larger impact on policy, attitudes about aging, and the well-being of older adults.

Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Determining The Relationship Between Social Networks And The Risk For Falls, Smita Sikhrakar

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Falls among community-dwelling older adults is a big public health problem, which have an effect on older adults' health, independence, and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between social networks and the risk for falls among community-dwelling older adults. This was a descriptive correlational study, which utilized a cross-sectional survey for the data collection. The dependent and independent variable of this study were the risk for falls among the community-dwelling older adults, and the strength and type of social networks respectively. In this study, 218 community-dwelling older adults were recruited, who were living …

Sex, Dementia, And Long-Term Care: Public Perspectives, Erin L. Yelland

Theses and Dissertations--Family Sciences

The current mixed methods study utilized an ecological framework to examine public perspectives toward sexual behaviors among long-term care residents with dementia. Analyzing attitudes of the public is an integral component of understanding the entire ecological system that affects the development and overall well-being of a long-term care resident. Attitudes were examined using a multiple segment factorial vignette with a probability sample of 329 respondents from a southern state. Results indicate that attitudes were not statistically affected by sex or the elapsed time since diagnosis, and age, spousal disposition, and degree of intimacy predicted attitudes. A respondent’s education level also …

Direct Care Staff And Influential Factors, Michelle Jean Ryan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The shortage of direct care workers will continue to influence the quality of care that the elderly population will receive. With the projected increase of worker shortages there will be not enough direct care workers to take care of the growing elderly population. With the baby boomer population's need for long term care, the need for qualified staff is also growing. Staff training development and consistent staffing, along with employee friendly benefits and policies will be needed to recruit and retain employees. The growing aging population, along with the increase in demand for quality care drives a need to find …

Worlds Of Connection: A Hermeneutic Formulation Of The Interdisciplinary Relational Model Of Care, Susana Lauraine Mccune

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Despite a general agreement across health care disciplines that Advanced Care Planning (ACP) and Advanced Directives (ADs) add important elements to a patient's end-of-life care desires, and can inform their loved ones and advocates, help create ease of mind, and enhance quality of care, they continue to remain significantly underused. More than half of Americans transition to chronic and terminal illness without having completed them. The aim of this study was to increase the frequency and enhance the quality of communication about Advance Directives and Advance Care Planning within the clinical relationship. The resulting Interdisciplinary Relational Model of Care (IRMOC) …