Social Work Commons^™

Can Social Workers Recognize Depression In The Elderly?, Teresa Ramon, Monica Maria Wettengel

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to explore whether social workers can recognize depression in the elderly. The elderly who are experiencing depression usually do not seek treatment from mental health professionals. Instead they go to primary care personnel in medical settings. Yet, social workers are employed in medical settings and are part of the primary care personnel. But, often the medical and/or mental health communities' lack of recognition of late life depression results from the attitude that old age is innately a downward spiral into limitations, weakness, helplessness, and burdensome existence.

Motivation For Paticipation In The Senior Peer Counseling Program, Stephanie Auld Kleppe

Theses Digitization Project

This study looked at the Senior Peer Counseling Program to see what motivated these seniors to volunteer. Much research has been done on voluteering and the older adult population, much of it showing the benefits of volunteering on the health and well-being of the seniors that volunteer. The San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health's Agewise program has has a Senior Peer Counseling Program in effect since 1987 and increased it through MHSA (Mental Health Services Act) funding in 2007.

The Impact Of The In Home Support Services Program Reformation On Its Recipients, Jamie Michelle Neal

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the reformation of the In Home Support Services (IHSS) program. This study is significant because the IHSS program keeps many elderly citizens out of assisted living facilities. Surveys were sent to the San Bernardino County IHSS social workers to determine how the program reformation has affected their clients.

Different Patterns Among Caregivers In Their Utilization Of Formal Services And The Influence On Caregiver Burden And Health, Jeehoon Kim

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study examined how older adults and their primary family caregivers utilized formal services; and how formal service utilizations were associated with the caregiver's burden and health status. Conceptually, the caregiver's stress/appraisal model was modified by adopting a relation between formal and informal care from health economics or policy.

An Examination Of Caregiving Dyads: Community Dwelling Chronically Ill Older Adults And Their Caregivers, Jessica E. Haxton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increases in life expectancy among older adults raise important concerns about the availability of resources for an aging population living with chronic and debilitating illnesses. Living longer is complicated by the fact that many elders prefer to reside in their homes until medical or other conditions require an alternative living arrangement. The strong desire to remain at home expressed by older persons in the United States has in turn created an increased demand on informal caregiving. Consequently, adult children often bear the burden of providing care to their aging parents. In view of this demand it is critical that research …

Aps: Neglected Agency In Feed Of Transformation, Suncica Sue Vilic

Theses & Honors Papers

Approximately 3 million elders are mistreated annually in the United States. Due to factors such as increase in life expectancy, this number is likely to amplify. Adult Protective Services agencies across the nation have been established by The Social Security Act, with purpose and goal of providing services to stop elder mistreatment and prevent it from occurring further. Although program was created over 40 years ago, APS agencies continue to make little progress and are publicly and legislatively neglected when compared to child welfare programs and domestic violence programs.

This thesis presents overview of APS problems on local, state, and …

Independent Living Outcomes Evaluation Project, Craig J. Padgett

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This project developed specific examples of skills and resources for three example categories of ILST and developed recommendations for enhancing the creation of goals. It was important to develop indicators into a tiered structure for reinforcing those skills and resources into knowledge through an added educational component. Methodology was developed and necessary instrumentation and processes were designed for implementation. And, an informed consent was designed for any organization providing Independent Living Skills Training (ILST).

Assessing Gaps In Services For Geriatric Patients With Mental Health Needs, Angela Nelson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Older adults in southwest Minnesota have limited options regarding mental health services. Sanford Tracy Medical Center and Sanford Westbrook Medical Center sought to identify the needs of this population so they can better serve their patients. The following research questions were asked: Do local service providers feel gaps in services exist for older adults experiencing mental health needs in the rural southwestern Minnesota communities of Tracy and Westbrook and the surrounding areas? Do area service providers feel that geriatric patients would benefit from a mental health intervention implemented within the primary healthcare setting? A survey of area geriatric service providers …

In Our Own Words: A Qualitative Study Of Bachelor And Master Of Social Work Interns At Vitas Hospice, Martha Elizabeth Romero

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of Bachelor/Master of Social Work (BSW/MSW) interns who completed a full year internship at Vitas Hospice in San Bernardino. Using the post positivist paradigm, the researcher interviewed nine previous BSW/MSW interns to find out about their experiences as interns while at Vitas Hospice. The study was conducted by interviewing the nine interns and their responses were used to develop a theory of the interns' experience. These experiences led to learning about what was helpful and what was not helpful for their development as social workers as …

Caregivers' Perceptions Of Disabled Elders Preparations For A Natural Disaster, Brenda Marie Starkins

Theses Digitization Project

The focus of this research study was to evaluate caregivers' perceptions of how well disabled elders are prepared for a natural disaster. This study was conducted through the Inland Caregiver Resource Center. Participants included six hundred ninety-one caregivers who care for and support the disabled elderly population.

Seniors' Perceptions And Experiences Of Autonomy In A Health Care Setting, Dianne Rae Goldberg

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a process by which nursing home seniors could identify and describe feelings of autonomy. This study assumed that seniors themselves are in the best position to describe their perceptions of autonomy and the factors that contributed to those perceptions.

The Utilization Of Temporary Emergency Protective Custody Orders For At Risk Elder And Dependent Adults: An Exploratory Study, Mary Avitia-Torres

Theses Digitization Project

This study discusses how the utilization of temporary emergency protective custody orders would help Adult Protective Services (APS) social workers in San Bernardino County with their modes of interventions. This study sought to identify the gaps and challenges faced by APS social workers and help develop a theory explaining what collaborative efforts are needed by certain agencies in order to deliver effective protective services to endangered elderly and dependent adults. The research site and participants utilized for this study were APS social workers employed in the County of San Bernardino Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) Region One.

Substance Abuse Among The Aging Population: A Needs Assessment, Stephen Michael Clark

Theses Digitization Project

This needs assessment was composed of 33 clinicians' in Riverside and San Bernardino counties that work in the substance abuse field. This study was developed to test if there is a need to increase clinicians' knowledge level base when working with older adults age 65 plus with a substance abuse problem. This needs assessment looked at demographics and tested the differences between self reported knowledge and what instruments their agencies are currently using.

Elder Depression Among Nursing Home Residents, Alejandro Paul Holguin

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this was designed to confirm the hypothesis that depression is prevalent among nursing home residents. Elder depression is a huge problem in society, especially as the older population continues to grow at an alarming rate. This study investigated the correlations between demographic information and item responses.

Veteran Baby Boomer Retirement Planning, Kahalia Tunisha Anderson

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project was to explore how prepared for retirement are some military veterans who are baby boomers. The retirement prospects of baby boomers have become a leading cause of public interest. Some experts contend that the poor saving routines of boomers could possibly be the breaking point of the United States' economic growth and place financial concern on government programs such as Medicare and Social Security. The study site was the Veterans Home of California Barstow (VHCB) and the surrounding community in Barstow, CA.

Economic Insecurity And Depression Among Low Socioeconomic Status Adults, Laura Margaret Wills

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research is to discover the effects of economic insecurity and low socioeconomic status on depression in adults. Mixed correlations were discovered, but the findings appear to support the need for increased mental health services for people with low socioeconomic status.

Llmhs Elderly Services Outreach Program: Lincoln, Lyon & Murray Human Services, Jamie Olson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Right now there is a lack of professional and community knowledge regarding the services LLMHS provides to those over age 65. Thus, there are elderly who are in need of help who are not getting connected to a county long term care social worker. The elderly may need help to simply get connected to resources, have questions answered, correct misconceptions about long term care, get recommendations, or assistance paying for home and community based services. There are also many providers and professionals with questions about what LLMHS does and does not do as well as what the assistance programs can …

A Descriptive Analysis Of The Problems And Interventions Observed In Care Planning For Nursing Home Residents With Dementia, Dennis Gordon Chapman

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Abstract

In Step With Our Parents: 3-Part Educational Series, Kate Boisen-Macdonald

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to educate adult children caring for their parents, so they can identify as caregivers so they can better cope with, identify with, and/or navigate the role of care giving, and be aware of the resources available to them.

Depression Among The Elderly, Lynda Lee Omagari

Theses Digitization Project

This study will examine depression among the elderly in an assisted living facility. The main problem in depression in the elderly is the lack of diagnosis and treatment. Left untreated it affects the elderly person's overall well-being and may eventually lead to their mortality.

Social Support And Homeless Individuals 50 To 65 Years Of Age, Joseph William Staudt

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships homeless individuals have and their support systems. It analyzed what social supports an individual homeless person had in their life and how they utilized that support. This research was done due to lack of research being done on the elderly homeless population. The problem this study focuses on was homelessness among individuals between the ages of 50 and 65 years. Ten homeless people were interviewed at the Central City Lutheran Missions Cold Weather Shelter.

A Secondary Analysis Of The Rural Elderly Population In Twentynine Palms, Nicholas Rene Perez

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to identify needs of the elderly population 65 years and older, who reside in the Twentynine Palms area by conducting secondary analyses of data collected from a needs assessment survey administered by the San Bernardino County Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) from 2005. This study highlited the barriers that the residence of Twentynine Palms found to be most important. The barriers focused on in this paper will assist social workers in focusing on the urgent needs of these residents.

Degree Of Privacy Afforded In Long-Term Care, Lynn Marie Givens, Jesse Ornelas

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to assess the level of privacy among the elderly living in long-term nursing and communal facilities. The data was collected through a probability sampling at the Veterans Home of California in Barstow.

An Exploratory Study Of Health Patterns Among Older Adults Attending Two Types Of Adult Day Programs, Kimberly Louise Robinson

Theses Digitization Project

The quality of life for an elderly person may greatly diminish if social support systems aren't intact. The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of relationships between social support, self-reported health status, functional level as measured by activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activites of daily living (IADL), demographic variables, and depression among the elderly by the type of older adult program subjects attended. These two programs are a senior recreation center and an adult day health care center (ADHC). Sixty non-demented members from an Adult Day Health Care Center and Norco Senior Recreation Center located in …

Attitudes And Views Of Older Gays And Lesbians, Neil Mikel Lomeli

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to understand the views and attitudes of aging gay men and lesbian women 60 years old and greater toward receving services from social welfare agencies. The hope is to give social and welfare agencies in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties a better understanding and awareness in the needs of older gay men and lesbian women that could result in better programs for them.

Cognitive Coping And Depression In Elderly Long-Term Care Residents, Christine Viola Mccormick

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this research was to examine specific coping methods used by the elderly as they adjust to the environment of a long-term care facility, and to examine the correlations between these coping methods and levels of depressive symptomatology.

Communicating With Elderly Mental Health Clients About Medication Concordance, Eva Mary Miller

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of communication with elderly mental health clients regarding medication concordance.

Structured Decision Making In Adult Protective Services, Joseph Kenneth Lococo, Christy Anne Herff

Theses Digitization Project

The focus of this research project was to evaluate individual stakeholder perceptions of the implementation of Structured Decision Making (SDM) as a tool in risk assessment of elder abuse/neglect case referrals in Riverside County Adult Protective Services (APS). The researchers interviewed ten social workers from Riverside County APS, from line workers up to Deputy Director. Constructivist theory was used to develop a joint construct which indicated that the primary benefit of SDM was consistency. Consistency resulted in safety and proctection of the client, social worker and the agency.

Spirituality In The Daily Lives Of African American Women, Denise Estell Holmes

Theses Digitization Project

This research study was exploratory in nature and used a qualitative approach to learn firsthand from the intimate, personal and subjective experiences of African American women about the importance of spirituality and religiosity in their everyday lives.

Psychological Quality Of Life In The Nursing Home Environment, Gabriel Mejia

Theses Digitization Project

This study confirms that depression is highly prevalent in nursing homes. In addition, this study reveals incongruency between depression rates and recognition rates of depression in the nursing home environment.