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The Role Of Ombudsman And Social Work Protecting Rights, Roni Alicia Werner

Selected Full-Text Master Theses Collection 2018-

This thesis examines the role of the Ombudsman as an independent and impartial mechanism for addressing complaints, resolving conflicts, and promoting accountability within organizations. It explores how ombudsmen function across institutional contexts—such as higher education, government, and corporate settings—to provide confidential, informal, and accessible pathways for dispute resolution.

The study analyzes key principles guiding Ombudsman practice, including neutrality, independence, confidentiality, and informality, and evaluates their effectiveness in fostering trust and organizational transparency. Through a review of relevant literature and case examples, the thesis highlights how Ombudsman offices contribute to early conflict resolution, reduce formal grievances, and support ethical decision-making.

Additionally, …

Socialization Interventions For Older Adults In Assisted Living Facilities: A Systematic Review, Anoop S. Muvva

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Older adults, defined as individuals over the age of 65, are a growing population in the United States, with projections estimating this group will reach approximately 80 million persons by 2050. Over 90% of older adults are diagnosed with a chronic condition, which can make it difficult to carry out the activities of daily living. As a result, some older adults reside in assisted living facilities, where dedicated staff provide daily support. However, issues in the delivery of care within these settings, including unmet socialization needs and complications among care staff, may contribute to social isolation. Programs designed to address …

How Does The Frequency Of Visits Impact The Quality Of Life For Nursing Home Residents?, Sophie M. Carlton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This integrative literature review examines the relationship between quantity of visitation and quality of life (QOL) of nursing home residents. The purpose of this review is to examine existing research to determine whether an optimal “dosage” of visitation exists that meaningfully enhances QOL for this vulnerable population. Establishing an evidence based- guideline may help reduce uncertainty for families and promote more consistent improvements in resident well-being. Nursing home residents are the focus of this work because their limited ability to leave the facility makes visitation one of their primary sources of non-occupational social interaction. The COVID19 pandemic further heightened the …

Age, Law, And Political Economy, Alexander Boni-Saenz

Articles

This Article examines the intersection of age, class, and the law. Its central claim is that age is an essential dimension for the analysis of law and political economy. There are two primary reasons why. First, age is embedded in a large body of legal rules that structure the labor market and address vulnerabilities associated with particular life stages. Child labor laws set minimum ages for entry into the workforce, while social welfare laws use age eligibility criteria to shape the material conditions for older adults. Second, age and its sibling concept, generation, indirectly shape economic and political relations by …

Dementia Related Programs: A Case Study Of Spousal Care And Mental Health, Candace Hoisington

Honors Program Theses

This research paper explores the experiences of informal caregivers of people living with dementia. Focusing on topics such as mental health, caregiver education, and access to supportive resources within dementia related programs. The current literature highlights significant gaps in caregiver education and access to resources for spousal and older adult informal caregivers. A qualitative study was conducted by surveying informal caregivers from the Cedar Valley, Iowa area. Analysis of the survey results included use of Braun and Clarke’s (2020) six-step thematic analysis approach. Results found from four participants caused four major themes to emerge. The informal caregivers identified friends and …

Protecting Older Individuals From Age Discrimination Harming Psychological Well-Being: Role Of Neighborhood Cohesion, Tongyu Qiu

Public Health Theses

Age discrimination is known to harm older adults’ mental health, yet factors that may protect against this harm have received little attention. Prior studies have focused primarily on individual-level factors rather than community-level characteristics, such as neighborhood cohesion, which may be more amenable to large-scale interventions and policies. To our knowledge, no prior study has examined whether neighborhood cohesion buffers the association between age discrimination and worse psychological well-being in older adults. Participants aged 60 years and older were drawn from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. We hypothesized that baseline age discrimination would predict worse psychological well-being …

Widowed And Wounded? Exploring The Health Impacts Of Adverse Childhood Experiences In Later Life Widowhood, Sierra Wickline

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Losing a spouse is considered one of the most stressful life events that disproportionately affect older individuals. Exposure to traumatic events at an early age can change the body’s response to subsequent stressors across the lifespan. These physical changes often impact people’s health. Utilizing data from the Health and Retirement Study, the current study aimed to investigate the link between: adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and three indicators of health: inflammation (i.e., c-reactive protein [CRP], reflecting immune functioning), as well as self-reported depressive symptoms and physical health, among people who have lost a spouse. Participants included 97 widowed individuals aged 68 …

Title: The Impact Of Intergenerational Program Participation On First-Year Physical Therapy Students’ Beliefs, Attitudes, And Anxiety About Aging And Older Adults: A Mixed Methods Study, Catherine Staloch

Dissertations and Theses

As the aging adult population continues to grow, the utilization and need for medical services for this population are increasing. These trends have raised concerns about the impact of ageist beliefs among health care providers on the health and well-being of older adults. Physical therapists are health care providers who care for aging adults across health care settings. Given the large percentage of physical therapists who care for older adults and the known negative health implications of ageist beliefs among providers, it is imperative that educators in physical therapy programs use learning activities that positively influence students’ beliefs, attitudes, and …

Operationalizing Cyber-Routine Activities Theory For Senior Cybercrime Prevention: An Evaluation Of The Shield Training-The-Trainer Program, Kyung-Shick Choi, Insun Park, Mijin Kim, Ji Yae Bong

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

Older adults face growing risks of cyber-enabled fraud, yet scalable, evidence-based prevention programs remain limited. Guided by Cyber-Routine Activities Theory (Cyber-RAT), this study evaluates the pilot implementation of the Seniors Harnessing Internet Education for Lasting Defense (SHIELD) Training-the-Trainer program, designed to prepare law enforcement officers and community leaders to deliver cybercrime prevention education to older adults. A key innovation of SHIELD is its integration of interactive game-based simulations, which allow participants to practice verification, refusal, and reporting behaviors in realistic cybercrime scenarios. Following the December 2025 pilot session in Boston, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants from law enforcement, …

Pregnancy And Breastfeeding Are Associated With Less Later-Life Cognitive Decline In A Longitudinal, Prospective Cohort, Molly M Fox, Jennifer E Bramen, Dayoon Kwon, Mark A Espeland, Yijia Sun, Li Zhang, Aladdin H Shadyab, Ramon Casanova, Joann E Manson, Marcus Y Chang, Verna R Porter, Leslie V Farland, Qian Xiao, Robert A Wild, Prabha Siddarth, Carolyn J Crandall

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: The brains of female mammals evolved to undergo structural and functional changes during pregnancy and lactation, equipping them for motherhood. However, long-term cognitive health implications of these adaptations in women are poorly understood.

Methods: In the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Memory Study (WHIMS; n = 7427) and WHI Study of Cognitive Aging (WHISCA; n = 2304), postmenopausal women completed reproductive history interviews, annual global cognitive assessment from mean age 70 for up to 13 years, and multi-domain cognitive testing for up to 8 years.

Results: Each additional month pregnant was associated with higher scores of global cognition. Each additional …

24-H Circadian Rest-Activity Rhythms And Physical Frailty In Older Adults: A Biopsychosocial Perspective On Sex Differences And Social Capital, Jisu Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Physical frailty is a prevalent geriatric syndrome characterized by age-related decline across multiple physiological systems. Physical frailty is associated with an elevated risk of adverse health outcomes, including chronic disease progression and all-cause mortality, representing a significant and growing public health concern. Disrupted circadian rest-activity rhythms (RARs) are increasingly recognized as clinically meaningful markers of physical frailty in older adults. However, the extent to which biological sex and social determinants of health (SDoH), particularly social capital, contribute to or modify the associations between RARs and physical frailty remains underexplored.

Therefore, this dissertation summarizes the existing literature on age-related changes in …

Childlessness And Health In Middle Age And Older Adulthood: Evidence From Singapore, Christine Ho, Dahye Kim, Rohan Ray, Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan

Research Collection School Of Economics

Health and well-being in mature adulthood are important concerns given the prevalence of individuals aging without children. We exploit two new instruments for childlessness— infertility and the number of childless siblings—and condition our analyses on a rich set of covariates including childhood health and financial status, to investigate the causal relationship between childlessness and health in middle age and older adulthood. Using a nationwide dataset of 1,500 Singaporeans aged 50 and above, we show that OLS underestimates the negativeeffects of childlessness on health. We find that childlessness leads to higher likelihood of poorer self-reported health and mental distress. The results …

Understanding Dementia Challenges In Rural Ghana: A Systematic Review, Diana Maame Agyeiwaa Agyei, Sesi Sedegah, Abena Abokoma Asemanyi, Theresa Ayertey, Wendy Yeboah

Iowa Journal of Communication

Dementia poses an escalating public health challenge in Ghana due to an expanding aging population, yet rural awareness remains critically low. Guided by Mohan Dutta’s Culture-Centered Approach (CCA), this PRISMA-compliant qualitative systematic review synthesized ten peer-reviewed articles to examine cultural perceptions and lived experiences surrounding dementia in rural Ghana. The findings highlight that cognitive decline is widely misattributed to witchcraft or normalized as standard aging. Witchcraft misconceptions subject individuals—especially older women—to severe stigmatization, social exclusion, physical abuse, and banishment to "witch camps". Meanwhile, normalizing symptoms as ordinary aging delays critical medical care and shifts family decision-making away from patients. Furthermore, …

Niu Working Papers 2025 - 2026, Northern Illinois University

Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Sketching Ot Theory: The Meaning Of Visual Notetaking To Learning Occupational Therapy Theory For Ot Students, Julia Henderson, Delainey Ebel, Ilona Jones, Katie Lee Bunting

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Visual notetaking is a creative learning strategy used in health professions education. This study defines it as any form of notes, recorded using physical or electronic means, that are not solely text-based, but incorporate some degree of color, symbolism, shapes, diagrams, and/or other visual imagery to represent concepts. While no previous studies have investigated visual notetaking in the context of occupational therapy education, occupational therapy’s prevalent use of visual representations to convey complex, relational, and holistic theoretical concepts suggests that visual notetaking may have potential as an inherently aligned and effective pedagogical approach for teaching occupational therapy theory. Our study …

Differing Circulating Microrna Profiles Of Long-Lived Polish Populations, Fabrizzio Lijeron-Herrera

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Exceptional longevity, defined as a lower biological age relative to chronological age and maintenance of functional capacity or a slowing of functional decline, is a phenotype most readily observed in centenarians and nonagenarians. These individuals exhibit a phenomenon known as compressed morbidity, spending substantially less time in poor health compared to younger elderly populations, thus representing a unique human model of delayed aging. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs), potent post-transcriptional regulators of molecular pathways, have emerged as important modulators of aging-related pathways; however, no study has comprehensively profiled miRNAs from serum in long-lived individuals from Central Europe. In particular, Polish populations present …

Varied Environmental Enrichment Schedules Differentially Affect Behavioral Performance, Davis Aschemann

Research Honors

Cognitive decline is a widespread phenomenon affecting a significant proportion of older adults. The mechanisms that cause cognitive decline are still being investigated, with recent evidence indicating that senescent cells are a primary cause of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Environmental enrichment has been linked with the potential curbing and reversal of cognitive decline, specifically the restoration of immune cell function and improved neuroplasticity. Despite the amount of research showing the beneficial effects of environmental enrichment for cognitive decline, paradigms for environmental enrichment are heterogeneous across the literature. A primary factor that differs across studies is the duration of administration of environmental …

Multimodal Machine Learning For Alzheimer's Disease Classification Using Adni Biomarker Fusion, Hesameddin Mostaghimi, Hamid R. Okhravi, Bahar Niknejad, Daniel A. Cohen, Michel A. Audette, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Despite ongoing advances, accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains challenging due to its multifactorial nature, comorbidities, and clinical heterogeneity. Accordingly, approaches that combine multimodal data may improve AD classification by integrating complementary information. To investigate this, we evaluated classification performance using a preprocessed ADNI-3 dataset comprising a shared set of clinical/cognitive features along with four imaging modality-based cohorts: trimodal (MRI + amyloid PET + tau PET), MRI + amyloid PET, MRI + tau PET, and MRI-only. We trained a range of supervised machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) classifiers using stratified five-fold cross-validation and evaluated performance using accuracy, …

Clinical Challenges Associated With Enhancing Hypertension Among The Underserved African American Population, Ashley Richardson

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Background 

African Americans face a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension, tend to develop complications at younger ages, and have disproportionately higher mortality rates. Key social determinants of health (SDoH)—including food deserts, unequal access to healthcare, and geographic disparities in healthcare resources—contribute to these ongoing inequities. Addressing both systemic and individual barriers is crucial for effective hypertension management.

Objective

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a culturally relevant, community-based intervention designed to reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure among Black adults with uncontrolled hypertension.

Methods 

Quality improvement (QI) initiatives typically employ multicomponent, equity-focused models. The primary components of …

Dynamics Of Changes Of Religiosity In Condition Of Crisis Events (Based On The Example Of The Russian-Ukrainian War), Yurii Boreiko, Fedotova Tetiana

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes changes in the religiosity of Ukrainians during the Russian-Ukrainian war as a large-scale event. It explores the nature of the connection between the traumatic experience of war and religiosity and determines the trajectory of changes in the religiosity of Ukrainians during the war. It has been established that the Russian-Ukrainian war caused social upheavals accompanied by crises in various spheres of public life. As a large-scale tragic event, the war became a catalyst for changes in self-assessment of faith in God and participation in religious practices. The level of religiosity of Ukrainians during the war was significantly …

Optimizing Behavioral Health Services For Older Adults Through Structured, Evidence-Based Group Therapy, Elizabeth A. Adwa

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Anxiety and depression are common among older adults and are often exacerbated by social isolation, grief, chronic health conditions, and limited access to mental health services (Blazer, 2020; Ong et al., 2016). To address these challenges, this project implemented a structured six‑week group therapy program designed to improve mental health outcomes and strengthen social connectedness among low‑income older adults. The program was delivered within a retirement community managed by a local faith‑based social service organization. Using a manualized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) group format, guided discussions, therapeutic activities, and peer support, the intervention aimed to reduce symptoms of anxiety and …

Fostering Connection And Shame Resilience Through Self-Compassion: An Innovative Elective For Health Professions Learners, Gioconda Mojica, Peggy Hsieh, Andrew J Revell, Rex Marco

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Shame is an emotional experience in health professions education, often contributing to burnout, isolation, and threats to professional identity. Self-compassion has been identified as a protective factor against shame. This study describes the development and evaluation of an elective designed to foster shame resilience and cultivate self-compassion among health professions students.

Methods: A 6-h elective, Fostering Connection and Shame Resilience Through Self-Compassion, was offered over 3 monthly 2-h sessions. Each session included a shared meal, abbreviated large-group conceptual learning, reflective writing, guided self-compassion practices, and small-group discussions. Participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF) at the beginning and …

Barriers And Facilitators To Recruiting Older Adult Care Homeresidents Into Clinical Trials Of Medicines And Vaccines: A Scoping Review, Selvarani Subbarayan, Imogen A. Smith-Dodd, Gabriel Nicolson, Jennifer K. Burton, Janet T. Scott, Seshadri S. Vasan, Susan D. Shenkin, Roy L. Soiza, The Watch Consortium

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Excluding Care Home (CH) residents from clinical trials of medicines and vaccines has led to an evidence gap. Findings from younger adults may not be generalisable to CH residents with frailty and dementia. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate pharmacological treatments directly in CH residents to assess their safety and efficacy.

Methods: As part of the Widening Access to Trials in Care Homes project, we conducted a scoping review using Joanna Briggs Institute methodology to identify barriers and facilitators to recruiting CH residents into clinical trials of medicinal products. We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library …

A Biographic-Narrative Of The Masquerade Collections Of Alhassan Mahamudu Saliga: Reechoing The Textile Art Future, Kweku Safo-Ankama, Enock Swanzy-Impraim

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study explores the biographical narratives of Alhassan Mahamudu Saliga’s masquerade collections. It examines his innovative textile art practices and their integration into Winneba masquerade culture. An in-depth narrative analysis was employed to interpret and construct his life story, facilitating an understanding of biographical data. The researchers employed interviews, observations, and document reviews as data collection instruments. The interviews focused on four key aspects: design concepts, construction techniques, material selection, and the benefits of using recycled materials. The findings revealed that Alhassan Mahamudu Saliga has been a prominent masquerade costume designer from 1984 to 2025. It was discovered that the …

Modifiable Risk Factors And Hearing Loss: The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2020, Yulu Zheng, Tingting Li, Zhiyuan Wu, Yahong Zhu, Zheng Guo, Xingang Li

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To explore the associations between major modifiable risk factors and hearing loss.

Methods: This serial cross-sectional study was conducted within the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2020 in the United States. Associations were assessed using modified Poisson regression and within-sample population attributable fraction (PAF).

Results: Eight thousand seven hundred and seventy adults aged 40–85 years were included in the analyses, the mean (SD) age was 58.0 (11.7) years, with 4002 men (45.6%). Hearing loss was associated with low educational attainment with prevalence ratio 1.23, 95% confidence interval (1.15, 1.31); low income 1.11 (1.04, 1.19); diabetes 1.10 (1.03, 1.18); …

I Am Still Concerned About Them: Grandmother Kinship Caregivers And The Challenge Of Abuse By Children In Their Care, Hajara Bentum, Vicki Banham, Kwadwo Adusei-Asante

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Research evidence has shown that adverse occurrences within the kinship caregiving environment, such as the grandparents' experiences of violence and abuse, may introduce new stressors or exacerbate existing aged-related challenges, leading to adverse impacts on grandparent kinship carers. Yet no research has explored the impact of abuse and violence experienced by grandparent kinship caregivers from children in their care. This study involved narrative interviews with 31 grandmother kinship caregivers in Ghana to explore the adverse effects of the abuse they have experienced from children in their care. The study findings revealed the following impacts on grandmothers: (1) high blood pressure, …

Where’S My Tweed Jacket With Leather Elbow Patches? The Challenges Of Aging Gracefully In Higher Education, John A. O’Rourke, Christina Gray

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This paper presents an examination of one veteran academics’ experience in higher education. Via an autoethnographic reflection of a two-decade career, the work-related situations that impact on job enjoyment and challenge motivation to bring enthusiasm year-after-year are discussed. Veteran academics have seen higher education transform dramatically during their tenure and the pressure points that impact on wellbeing are discussed and aligned to contemporary research. In response to the challenges associated with aging in higher education, this paper examines how veteran academics need to prioritize self-care and explores ways that universities can maximize the accumulated knowledge and pedagogical skillset of these …

Configurations Of Work Design: A Person-Centered Perspective Of Job Demands And Resources In The Healthcare Sector, Arian Kunzelmann, Mina Askovic, Vivien W. Forner, Nate Zettna, Anupama Jolly, Shanta Dey, Helena Nguyen, Anya Johnson, Sharon K. Parker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Work design is fundamental Human Resource Management (HRM) responsibility, which is crucial for employee well-being. Current HRM research on work design largely relies on variable-centered approaches. We argue that a person-centered approach uncovers more complex interaction patterns that are often obscured and provides a more holistic view of work design. Additionally, work design research often neglects occupational specificity, focusing on universal work characteristics. While this is important for generalizability, it can miss important industry and occupational variations, such as in healthcare. In this research, we focus on both universal work characteristics (feedback, autonomy, and support) and a dominant occupation-specific work …

Feasibility And Preliminary Efficacy Of Integrative Neuromuscular Training For Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Study, Anna Maria Markarian, U. Newton, Dennis Taaffe, Nicholas G. Gottardo, Santosh Valvi, Carolyn J. Peddle-Mcintyre, Jodie Cochrane Wilkie, Daniel A. Galvão

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) often exhibit early deficits in muscle and movement competence, which can compromise long-term health. Integrative neuromuscular training (INT), a multifaceted approach combining fundamental movement activities with strength exercises, may help address these deficits during critical developmental periods. Methods: Eight children treated for ALL (aged 6–12 years) completed a supervised INT intervention (2 sessions/week for 8 weeks). Primary outcomes were feasibility (recruitment, retention, adherence, compliance, and tolerance) and program acceptability. Secondary outcomes included muscle function (isometric midthigh pull [IMTP], countermovement jump, and handgrip strength), dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived body composition, peripheral quantitative computed …

Non-Pharmacological Sleep Interventions For Dementia Caregivers: A Systematic Review Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Aisling Smyth, Lambert, Mark Jenkins, Adugnaw Zeleke Alem, Misganaw Gebrie Worku, Sujatha Shanmugasundaram

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Caregivers of people living with dementia frequently report poor sleep. This systematic review describes evidence from randomised controlled trials of non-pharmacological sleep interventions for dementia carers. Methods: A systematic search of major databases was undertaken. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane ROB 2.0 tool. Narrative synthesis followed Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines due to substantial heterogeneity. Findings: Eighteen articles were included. Risk of Bias analyses revealed most studies had high overall risk of bias, primarily from selection of reported result bias. Interventions comprised of five categories: sleep-promoting, carer well-being, exercise, technology-based and complementary therapy. High variability between …