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Unmet Needs And Service Utilization By Informal Caregivers, Ryan Marie Diduk-Smith

Health Services Research Dissertations

The number of Americans expected to live into their 80’s and 90’s is growing at an increased rate in the United States, and the numbers of those aging adults with multiple chronic conditions also continues to grow. It is estimated that by 2050, there will be 89 million adults over the age of 65 years living in the United States. For a variety of reasons, including policy, personal, and financial reasons, many aging adults are choosing to “age in place” or to remain in the community. With the increase in the numbers of aging adults in the community, the ability …

Aging, Executive Function, Fronto-Parietal Network Cortical Thickness: Insights From Cognitive Reserve, Katherine Reiter

Dissertations (1934 -)

Cognitive reserve (CR) indexes the nonlinear relationship between neurological insult and behavioral change. CR is manifested in both static factors (e.g., childhood environment, education) and modifiable lifestyle factors, (e.g., leisure activities). Detailed investigation of the influence of CR on cortical thickness, which indexes neuropathology, and cognitive functioning could be particularly important in understanding the heterogeneity of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). While memory decline is the hallmark of AD, executive functioning (EF) decline often predates memory changes, making EF an important target for investigating CR influences. The current study examines the relationship of CR and genetic risk for AD (ε4) on EF …

Expanding Influence Of Carepartner Program At Byu, Angela Gulisane, Todd Manwaring

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Our project found a sustainable way to provide “care for the caregivers” and reduce the need for institutional care by temporarily relieving caregivers from their duties. Originally, our plan was to use TimeBanking principles to create a pilot program that relieved caregivers of their duties by giving respite to the caregivers in the form of student volunteers. Before beginning to create our program, we performed an initial needs assessment. As part of this assessment, we learned of the CarePartner program both from CarePartner’s website and one of Shannon’s (student who worked on the program for a semester) friends. Initially, we …

Differential Number Of Days Lived Among Utah Centenarians, Haley Bronson, Jeremy Yorgason

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As a result of the nearly 77 million people born during the Baby Boom, older adults are the fastest growing segment of the population in the United States¹. Centenarians, those who live to be 100 years of age or older, are a burgeoning subgroup of the older adult population. They surpass the current life expectancy by 20 to 25 years. There is increasing interest regarding the antecedents to “ageing well” and the factors that hinder it. Insecure attachment and loneliness have been found to be related to lower well-being in older adults², as well as functional …

The Financial Exploitation And Abuse Of The Elderly, Christopher Hodges

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The criminal industry of elder financial fraud and exploitation (EFFE) is a growing concern among policy makers as well as researchers. This is due to the growing financial impact exploiters are having on their victims. EFFE is defined by the National Center on Elder Abuse as “the illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds, property, or assets (NCEA, 2017).” Following this definition, the quantity of wealth determined to have been lost due to EFFE is staggering. As the tangible capital loss has grown so has the need for more research into this topic. The research in this paper seeks …

Intergenerational Living Between College Students And Senior Housing Residents: A Framework, Laura Allen

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Ageism, the discrimination against persons of a certain age group, is one of the most important civil rights issues of the 21st century (Palmore, 2015). There are community-wide and personal strategies to combatting ageism. Homesharing and cohousing each offer concepts that can be utilized in intergenerational living because of their housing infrastructure. The relationship between college students and senior housing residents is unique because both groups are experiencing a season of life with common characteristics. This project aims to understand the relationship and tensions between stakeholders of existing intergenerational living programs to develop an implementation plan for a program at …

A Video Intervention For Professionals Working With Transgender And Gender Nonconforming Older Adults, Allison R. Warren

Dissertations

Abstract

There is consensus that providers who work with transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) older adults should use the language preferred by the older adult; however, self-efficacy in this particular context is unexplored. The current study compared the efficacy of three online interventions for aging-focused professionals designed to increase knowledge of TGNC-related terminology, decrease self-reported negative attitudes towards TGNC individuals, and increase self-efficacy for affirmative interactions. Employees and volunteers of area agencies on aging across the United States (N = 155) were randomly assigned to one of three interventions: written educational information, a video demonstration, or both the written educational …

Contextualizing The Young Adult Female Breast Cancer Experience: Developmental, Psychosocial, And Interpersonal Influences, Cameron Froude, Sandra Rigazio-Digilio, Laura Donorfio, Keith Bellizzi

The Qualitative Report

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women (American Cancer Society [ACS], 2016b). Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) as a group have a worse prognosis when compared to older adults (e.g., Tichy, Lim, & Anders, 2013). Due to limited understanding of the biology of cancers for AYAs, inadequate representation of AYAs in clinical trials, and AYAs’ unique psychosocial healthcare needs, the prognosis for this group, as compared to older women, is comparatively poor. One step in addressing the survival gap for AYAs is to explore the developmental and psychosocial factors that shape their illness experiences. This qualitative study …

Older Adults Without Close Kin In The United States, Rachel Margolis, Ashton Verdery

Sociology Publications

Objectives: We document the size and characteristics of the population of older adults without close kin in the contemporary United States.

Methods: Using the Health and Retirement Study, we examine the prevalence of lacking different types and combinations of living kin, examine how kinless-ness is changing across birth cohorts, and provide estimates of kinless-ness for sociodemographic and health groups.

Results: In 1998–2010, 6.6% of U.S. adults aged 55 and above lacked a living spouse and biological children and 1% lacked a partner/spouse, any children, biological siblings, and biological parents. Kinless-ness, defined both ways, is becoming more common among adults in …

Social Isolation And Loneliness In Older People: A Closer Look At Definitions, Mary Lou Ciolfi, Frances Jimenez Ba

Disability & Aging

Social isolation and loneliness are related and the terms are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct concepts with different definitions, health impacts, and interventions. Our population is aging and older people are at increased risk for both social isolation and loneliness and the associated negative health consequences. Understanding the important differences between social isolation and loneliness will help us recognize them earlier in vulnerable populations, engage in more meaningful conversations with older adults about their own risks, and will inform the development and delivery of more individualized, meaningful, and cost-effective interventions.

Cal State San Bernardino Social Work Students' Attitudes Toward Domestic Minor Sex-Trafficked (Dmst) Youth, Crystal Lorraine Marinelli, Andrea Sara Hunt

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST) affects hundreds of thousands of youth every year. In the past, DMST youth were often viewed by law enforcement and the criminal justice system as "offenders" and were usually arrested for solicitation even though they were minors. While new laws have begun to identify youth as victims, it has not yet been ensured that social workers have adopted this perspective. This quantitative study's purpose was to examine Cal State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) Bachelor of Social Work (BASW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) students' attitudes toward DMST youth. Participants completed an online questionnaire using …

Investigating The Attitudes Of Graduate Social Work Students Toward Severe And Persistent Mental Illness, Jennifer Nicole Thompson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Stigma is one of the foremost barriers to effective mental health treatment of consumers. Social workers currently provide the majority of mental health treatment in the United States. Examining levels of stigma present in social work students would be valuable in providing future interventions. A quantitative study was conducted utilizing an online questionnaire. The survey was distributed by the CSUSB Department of Social Work to graduate social work students. Statistical analysis utilizing SPSS software was conducted following data collection. Data analysis indicated that there was no significant difference in the attitudes regardless of exposure to severe mental illness. The findings …

Perceptions Of Preparedness For Serving Intimate Partner Violence Clients, Diana Berenice Galvan

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study utilizes a cross-sectional quantitative study design that explores the perceptions of preparedness of advanced year Master of Social Work (MSW) students, regarding intimate partner violence (IPV) clients. Currently, there may be gaps in regards to adequately preparing students for serving intimate partner violence clients. This is an exploratory study and data is collected using self-report surveys, which include questions on: demographics, perceptions of preparedness, and education/training received on IPV. This study seeks to identify a correlation between the education/training that MSW students receive on IPV, and their levels of preparedness for serving IPV clients. This study hopes to …

Exploring The Barriers Of Latino Caregivers Of Persons With Alzheimer’S And The Underutilization Of Services, Kimberly May Holton

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the barriers Latino family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s may experience, and evaluate methods to increase the utilization of these services among the population. The researcher conducted face-face interviews with staff members that have observed the underutilization and provide feedback on method on reaching this particular population. The results of the interviews were transcribed to written form, and then analyzed to identify and label themes. The following four major themes emerged. These themes were: 1) culture 2) language barriers 3) fear 4) lack of knowledge of diagnosis. The potential impact of this …

Music’S Effects On Memory, Madyson Carroll

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Many people believe that studying while background music is present enhances their eligibility to remember the criteria better. The effects of music on memory was examined through the completion of a memory card game. Young adults were asked to take part in this task twice. One game included background music, while the other did not include background music. Throughout each game, the amount of time it took the participant to complete the game in seconds, was measured. I hypothesized that the inclusion of background music will have a positive influence on one’s performance when completing a memory card game. However, …

Aging In Reading, Massachusetts: A Community Needs Assessment, Caitlin Coyle, Jan Mutchler

Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications

This report describes collaborative efforts undertaken by the Town of Reading’s Elder and Human 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. During Spring 2017, 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 Reading.

Does Spirituality Reduce The Effects Of Burnout?, Andrew Godoy, Nathan Allen

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Burnout is a topic that is drawing an increasing amount of attention in the social work field. The compassion and emotional energy that is used daily by these service providers can cause them to experience emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. The effects of burnout are detrimental on several levels. Staff will experience decreased interest and efficiency in their work and may even leave their place of employment. Clients will not receive the help that they require and agencies will suffer from staff turnover and lowered productivity. Utilizing a survey including a burnout inventory and spirituality inventory, data was …

Mealtime Interactions And Life Satisfaction Among Older Adults In Shanghai, Minzhi Ye, Lin Chen, Eva Kahana

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Objective: We examined the association between older adults’ mealtime interactions at senior centers in Shanghai and their life satisfaction. Competing hypotheses, derived from socioemotional selectivity theory and activity theory, were tested. Method: Data were obtained from the 2011 Shanghai senior center service utilization survey (N = 320). Relationships between respondents’ mealtime interactions and life satisfaction were tested using multilevel regression modeling. Results: After adjusting for demographics, interactions with tablemates (companionship, self-disclosure, and instrumental support) were positively associated with respondents’ life satisfaction. These associations varied by senior centers. However, the number of tablemates was not significantly associated with respondents’ life …

Beliefs About Substance Abusing Parents Among California State University Master Of Social Work Students, Angela R. Golden

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the beetles about substance abusing parents from California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) NEW students. The biases that human device professionals hold toward substance abusers have the potential to negatively impact clients' health, well- being, and access to services. Understanding future social workers ' biases towards substance abusing parents is key as these future professionals are likely to serve families impacted by substance abuse in their future roles. This quantitative study used a self-administered, online survey to assess the beliefs of foundation and advanced-year MSW students from CSUSB. In general, the findings …

A Descriptive Study Of The Elderly In California Substance Abuse Treatment Programs, David Berenschot

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

As gerontologists may know, there are a great deal of studies and a variety of academic literature on the misuse of alcohol and prescription medication amongst the elderly population. While there is a plethora of information on alcohol and prescription misuse, there is little reported data about the prevalence of other substance misuse experienced by this population. This study aims to help to fill that gap in the data by using quantitative methods to describe the scope of substance abuse of individuals 55-years or older. This study utilizes data from the Treatment Data Set Admission (TEDS-A). The TEDS-A is a …

Assessing Master Of Social Work Students' Interest In Gerontology, Shelly-Ann Rosemarie Whyte

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study was conducted to assess Masters of social Work students’ interest in gerontology. Students’ gerontological knowledge, attitude and experience with the aging population was examined to see if they have any influence on interest in working with older adults. The positivist worldview was used to identify students’ behavior toward older adults while checking to see if correlates to interest in working with that population. Survey questionnaire was used to collect information on student’s interest in working with older adults, their knowledge, attitude and experience. Modified versions of Palmore Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) and Kogan’s Attitude Toward Old People …

Strategies And Substance Treatment: Perceptions Of Older Adults 60 And Over, Kim Malveo Jones

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gather the perceive strategies and substance treatment needs of adults 60 and over. To examine what recovery treatment models and strategies could be most effective for the age-related complex needs of the 60 and over population who are at risk for substance misuse, use or abuse. In the coming years, there will be a substantial increase in the numbers of older adults with substance misuse and abuse problems. Even though one in five individuals who experience substance abuse are older adults many clinicians remain ill equipped to serve older clientele, and particularly those …

Understanding The Role Of Driver, Vehicle, Environment, And Policy Factors In Crash Injury Severity Among Older Adults In The United States, Chae Man Lee

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Driving is related to quality of life and health outcomes. Older drivers involved in car crashes have a higher risk of experiencing a severe injury or fatality. Understanding factors related to injury severity may identify points of intervention to promote road safety. The purpose of this study is to investigate how individual characteristics, vehicle elements, environmental elements, and driving licensing policy are associated with level of injury severity from no injury to fatal injury resulting from car crashes. Furthermore, this dissertation research utilizes the Geographic Information System (GIS) process to visualize the location of crashes and to identify the hot …

Multiple Roles In Later Life: Role Enhancement And Conflict And Their Effects On Psychological Well-Being, Emma D. Quach

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Holding both work and family roles can be a central experience for men and women, young or old. Yet, to date, the bulk of knowledge on holding roles in both domains is specific to young adults, a critical gap as conditions warrant longer work life. This inquiry thus focused on older working men and women (over 50 years of age) with at least one family role (spouse, parent of adult children, caregiver to an aging parent, or grandparent). With survey data from the Health and Retirement Study in 2010 and 2012, latent profile analysis, path analyses, and regressions were conducted …

End Of Life Care For The Incarcerated, Codie Robinson

Dialogue & Nexus

As the prison population ages, a new need has come to light – caring for those who are in the final stage of life. This paper will examine the current end of life services provided to those in prison throughout the United States. After a general awareness of the system is presented, a more complete discussion of end of life care for prisoners will be considered, in light of ethics, social justice, and the Christian perspective. The two care options presented, hospice care and compassionate release, are observed through these lenses. In order to make a decision on how to …

A Preliminary Investigation Of Empirically Based And Spiritually Based Marital Enrichment Programs, Laura Jacobi

The Qualitative Report

Similarities and differences of two empirically based marital enrichment programs, Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) and Couple Communication (CC), and two spiritually based marital enrichment programs, Couples’ Temperament Workshop and Heirs Together were examined. Using published literature and observation, foundations, goals, content, and outcomes were considered. Programs contained similar goals and content, with core curriculum surrounding communication skills and conflict management. Although outcome information is unavailable upon the spiritually based programs, it is possible that these programs may be as effective as empirically based programs validated through research considering the similarities in core curriculum; however, research is needed to …

Occupational Stress And Health Among Home Health Care Workers, Jeanette M. Zoeckler

Dissertations - ALL

Home health care workers fill an essential role in the daily lives of elderly persons. However, the work is physically and emotionally exhausting. This mixed-methods study explicates sources of stress found in agency-based caregiving in the post-industrial economy. Agencies operate under a highly regulated legal and organizational framework, but little is known about how to reduce sources of job strain to better protect workers’ health. Drawing on existing occupational health stress theories (Karasek; Siegrist; Landsbergis) and sociological stress theory (Pearlin; Fenwick & Tausig), this study explores how workers’ experiences and agency characteristics are related to home health care worker’s occupational …

Age-Related Changes In Visual Spatial Performance, Samantha Farrell

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Visual spatial skills allow individuals to understand the relationship between objects, people, and the environment for their everyday activities. Visual spatial abilities incorporate visual, motor, and cognitive components, each of which changes across the lifespan. The current study examined the effects of age-related changes and practice type on visual spatial performance. Participants between 40 and 79 years of age were asked to complete the Block Design Task (BDT) by using nine blocks to recreate various designs. Both accuracy and latency were measured to examine these changes. Task difficulty and practice type were varied and cognitive abilities were measured via MMSE …

The Roles Of Race And Empathy On Contagious Yawning, Daroon M. Jalil

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Social Psychologists often consider race to be a marker of in-group or out-group status. When looking at race, implicit bias can take forms that are more subtle than outwards racism. Two research questions were asked in this study to better understand the psychology behind racial issues. The first question was if the number of contagious yawns (CY) a person experiences depends on the race of the stimuli being viewed. Contagiously yawning more to in-group members is a phenomena seen in chimpanzees, but has not been studied in humans in a racial context. Black and white males and females were recruited …

A Systematic Review Of Mexican American Elders With Type-2 Diabetes Under Family Care Of Medication Administration In Borderland, Hsueh-Fen S. Kao, Diana L. Woods, Minzhi Ye, Lin Chen, Maria A. Amaya, Show-Mei Lin

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

The prevalence of type-2 diabetes (T2DM) among Mexican-American older adults along the U.S.-Mexico border region is at epidemic proportions. Healthcare reform is trending toward long-term home-based management of chronic conditions. Under the Mexican cultural norm of familism, daily care for elders is also often provided by family caregivers whose competence levels may vary. Adherence to the prescribed medication regimen is critical to attainment of optimal glucose control. However, there is a startling lack of literature that addresses the link between family medication administration and care recipients’ health outcome. This paper explores the role of culture in medication administration by family …