‘I'm happy in my life now, I'm a positive person’: approaches to successful ageing in older adults living with HIV in Ontario, Canada

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 2128-2151 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHARLES A. EMLET ◽  
LESLEY HARRIS ◽  
CHARLES FURLOTTE ◽  
DAVID J. BRENNAN ◽  
CHRISTINA M. PIERPAOLI
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Successful Ageing ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Living Well ◽  
Hiv Positive Adults ◽  
Life Threatening

AbstractWorldwide approximately 3.6 million people aged 50 and older are living and ageing with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Few studies have explored successful ageing from the insider perspective of those living well and ageing with HIV. This study draws upon the lived experience and wisdom of older, HIV-positive adults living in Ontario, Canada in order to understand their views and strategies for successful ageing. This qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with 30 individuals age 50 years and older who are HIV-positive. Purposive sampling techniques were used to recruit individuals who shared their experiences of successful ageing. Constructivist grounded theory coding techniques were used for analysis. Themes related to successful ageing included resilience strategies and challenges, social support and environmental context. Stigma and struggles to maintain health were identified as impediments to successful ageing. Models of successful ageing must take into account the potential for a subjective appraisal of success in populations suffering from chronic and life-threatening illnesses including HIV. Practitioners can draw upon organically existent strengths in this population in order to provide intervention development for older adults around the world who are struggling to manage their HIV.

Therapeutic teaching artistry: Towards a wellness model for enhancing vitality in older adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-113
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Gaines
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Arts Education ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Creative Arts ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teaching Artists ◽  
Senior Centre

This qualitative case study examined how the therapeutic aspects of drama teaching artistry was conceptualized at an urban lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) senior centre by observing and/or participating in 31 creative arts education sessions and conducting two focus groups with the centre’s older adult members. Additionally, 34 semi-structured interviews were held with the centre’s teaching artists (TAs), older adults and administrators. Using constructivist grounded theory, emergent themes led to two primary findings: (1) the conceptual category therapeutic teaching artistry articulated how TAs’ practices promoted health and wellness; and (2) a provisional major concept Being Alive captured how members’ quality of life were perceived to be enhanced by the creative arts education programming. Beyond facilitating reminiscence, preventing decline or merely stimulating older adults, TAs helped older adults internalize a greater sense of agency, affirm their own humanity and improve vitality without unethically conducting creative arts therapy.

scholarly journals Activity Disengagement: Understanding Challenges and Opportunities for Reengagement

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krista Fox ◽  
Nancy Morrow-Howell ◽  
Stephanie Herbers ◽  
Paula Battista ◽  
Carolyn M. Baum
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Social Challenges ◽  
Senior Housing ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Person Centered Approach

Although maintaining engagement in activities has a positive influence on our health and wellbeing as we age, many programs that serve older adults struggle with getting participation in the programs they offer. This study sought to explore activity disengagement among older adults in a senior housing community and identify the challenges and opportunities for reengagement with the aim of informing future intervention development and testing. Fifty-one adults over the age of 60 participated in structured interviews. Findings highlighted that many older adults have activities patterns that are not optimal for health. Many reasons given for disengaging in activities (e.g., no opportunity) were surprising given that participants lived in a setting where a variety of programs were offered. Programs need to more purposively address social challenges to participating in activities and consider a more person-centered approach when developing interventions for the older adults they serve.

The intimate lives of older adults living with HIV: a qualitative study of the challenges associated with the intersection of HIV and ageing

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (12) ◽  
pp. 2490-2518 ◽  
Author(s):  
ISABELLE WALLACH ◽  
SHARI BROTMAN
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Specific Nature ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Shed Light

ABSTRACTOlder adults living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at risk of experiencing difficulties in their intimate lives due to the combined effects of HIV and ageing. To date, little research has focused on the lived experience of sexuality. This article seeks to fill in the gap by documenting the challenges faced by this population with respect to their intimate relationships and sexual lives. Based upon the results of a qualitative study conducted in Montreal (2010–2012) using semi-structured interviews with a diverse sample of 38 people aged 50–73 and living with HIV, this study revealed several difficulties, including those related to their social location, whereby HIV and ageing intersect with other social determinants (including gender, sexual orientation and drug use). Difficulties that were identified include lower sexual desire linked to ageing, erectile changes, difficulty in using condoms, stigma related to HIV and/or ageism, changes in appearance caused by HIV and/or ageing, along with the impact of their lifecourse experiences. Our results shed light on the specific nature of the difficulties experienced by older adults living with HIV with regard to their intimate lives, as well as on the importance of using an analysis that combines the theoretical approaches of intersectionality and lifecourse to enhance our capacity for understanding complex and unique experiences.

scholarly journals Exploring Spirituality as a Forgotten Variable in the Contexts of Communities of Faith and Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 594-594
Author(s):  
Lydia Manning
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Educational Tools ◽  
Community Connections ◽  
The Creation

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to describe the lived experience of aging in communities of faith, more specifically how older adults experienced social support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 older adults ranging in age from 63 to 84 years of age. Grounded Theory coding techniques were applied to identify themes. Findings include people feeling supported by community, connections, and beliefs, but also failed regarding opportunities for elder ministry or other types of worship. Participants expressed wanting more intentional opportunities for engagement. Many participants described the desire for an “expert” in their communities of faith. We consider the culture of support and how communities of faith may need to reconsider traditional ways of meeting the needs of people as they age. Furthermore, we explore the creation of educational tools that may allow for the emergence of an aging specialist in communities of faith.

scholarly journals GO Revisited: Qualitative Analysis of the Starting and Continuing Factors of GO Activity Among Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ai Iizuka ◽  
Mari Yamashita ◽  
Chiaki Ura ◽  
Tsuyoshi Okamura
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Human Relationships ◽  
Peace Of Mind ◽  
Board Games ◽  
Living Well ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Descriptive Approach

Abstract Background GO is one of the most popular board games among older adults in Asian countries. Some studies have shown that playing GO helps maintain cognitive function and brain activity. However, the factors that facilitate older adults to start playing GO and their reasons for continuing it remain unclear. This study explored the starting and continuing factors of playing GO among older adults and found concrete methods for social implementation of GO activity aimed at the prevention of and living well with dementia. Methods In the field of large community-based interdisciplinary research, we conducted semi-structured interviews using a qualitative descriptive approach with six amateur GO players who began playing when they were 65 years or older. The contents of the interviews were the starting and continuing factors of playing GO. Results Six categories were generated for exploring the starting and continuing factors of playing GO. The participants felt motivated to start playing GO due to their interest and impression of GO and to cope with their anxieties about aging. The continuing factors represented feelings of pleasure and relaxation and fostering human relationships through GO. Age-friendly staff and user-oriented tasks were of particular importance in both starting and continuing to play GO. Conclusions GO is not just a board game; it is an effective tool in coping with aging issues, cultivating peace of mind, and facilitating interaction among people; therefore it may be useful to the community as a socially prescribed intervention. The keys to its implementation are fostering comfortable relationships between the participants and staff and allowing self-controlled task difficulty.

Mixed methods comparison of functional decline during chemotherapy, immunotherapy (IO), and/or targeted therapy in older adults with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 92-92
Author(s):  
Melisa L. Wong ◽  
Alexander K. Smith ◽  
Christine Miaskowski ◽  
Vivek Musinipally ◽  
Harvey Jay Cohen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Targeted Therapy ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Functional Impairment ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Specific Patient ◽  
Eortc Qlq

92 Background: Functional decline during NSCLC treatment is critically important to older adults. Yet, data on functional decline—particularly during chemoIO, IO, and targeted therapy—remain limited. Additionally, the best measures to capture functional decline from the patient’s perspective remain unknown. Methods: We conducted a multisite, mixed methods prospective cohort study to characterize function during systemic NSCLC treatment and compare quantitative measures with gold standard qualitative descriptions of patients’ lived experience. Prior to and at 2 months after treatment initiation, 69 adults age >65 with advanced NSCLC starting chemo, IO, and/or targeted therapy underwent geriatric assessments including instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), EORTC QLQ-C30 Physical Functioning (PF), and Life-Space Assessment (LSA). LSA measures where a person goes in their environment, how frequently, and how independently. Pretreatment functional impairment and decline at 2 months were assessed. In a qualitative substudy, 16 purposively sampled patients with diverse pretreatment function completed two semi-structured interviews (pretreatment, 2 months) to explore treatment effects on daily functioning. Grounded theory was used to code for functional decline. Using the qualitative patient experience as the gold standard, sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each functional measure. Results: Mean age was 75 (range 65-94). NSCLC treatment included IO (36%), targeted therapy (28%), chemoIO (23%), and chemo (13%). Pretreatment functional impairment was common and ~25% of patients experienced functional decline on quantitative measures at 2 months (Table). Qualitatively, 50% described functional decline at 2 months. LSA had the highest sensitivity (71%) and similar specificity (88%) as IADL and PF. Conclusions: Functional decline during NSCLC treatment is common. LSA provides a sensitive and specific patient-centered measure of function. [Table: see text]

Uplifting the voices of rural American Indian older adults to improve understanding of physical activity behavior

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Pedersen ◽  
Kari Jo Harris ◽  
Jordan Lewis ◽  
Mattea Grant ◽  
Chelsea Kleinmeyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
American Indian ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Physical Activity Behavior ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Structured Interviews

Abstract American Indian (AI) older adults experience pronounced health disparities and demonstrate one of the lowest levels of physical activity (PA) among racial and ethnic groups. Nearly half of AI older adults live in rural areas, indicating distinct challenges to participation in PA. Research to identify factors influencing PA in this population is missing from the literature, yet is critical to informing culturally relevant PA intervention development and implementation. The purpose was to identify barriers to and facilitators of PA among rural AI older adults using the ecological model and qualitative methods. A community-based approach was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with rural AI older adults. Interview questions were based on a multi-level ecological model. Content analysis was performed, using an iterative coding process to identify findings. The mean age of participants (n = 21) was 66 years. Barriers to and facilitators of PA were identified across ecological model levels. Barriers included factors such as caregiving and community responsibilities, lack of acceptable areas for walking, and overall lack of community-level support for older adult health. Facilitators included a personal connection to the land and ancestors through PA, multigenerational participation, and supportive tribal policies. This study addressed a gap in the literature by identifying barriers to and facilitators of PA among rural AI older adults, which can inform PA intervention development. With barriers and facilitators identified by AI older adults themselves, the voices of those directly affected are uplifted to shape efforts toward addressing longstanding health disparities through relevant public health interventions.

“It's not about treatment, it's how to improve your life”: The lived experience of occupational therapy in palliative care

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Badger ◽  
Rod Macleod ◽  
Anne Honey
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Optimal Care ◽  
Life Threatening Illness ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Life Threatening

AbstractObjectives:A key aim of palliative care is to improve the quality-of-life of people with a life-threatening illness. Occupational therapists are well positioned to contribute to this aim due to their broad range of interventions, client-centeredness and focus on occupation. However, there is a limited understanding of how occupational therapy contributes to the end-of-life experience, which is crucial to providing optimal care. The aim of this study is to investigate the lived experience of occupational therapy in palliative care for people with a life-threatening illness.Method:A hermeneutic interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants recruited from inpatient and outpatient sectors of a specialist palliative care hospital in Sydney, Australia.Results:The two themes developed from participant responses were: (1) occupational therapy provides comfort and safety and (2) trusting the occupational therapist to know what is needed.Significance of results:This study gives insight into the ways in which people with a life-threatening illness experience occupational therapy in palliative care. In addition, it provides a starting point to guide practice that is attentive to the needs of people with a life-threatening illness at end-of-life, thus enhancing client-centered care.

Project Roadmap: Reeducating Older Adults in Maintaining AIDS Prevention: A Secondary Intervention for Older HIV-Positive Adults

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lourdes Illa ◽  
Marisa Echenique ◽  
Gilbert Saint Jean ◽  
Victoria Bustamante-Avellaneda ◽  
Lisa Metsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Aids Prevention ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Secondary Intervention ◽  
Hiv Positive Adults

scholarly journals ‘I don't know if you want to know this’: carers’ understandings of intimacy in long-term relationships when one partner has dementia

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 946-967 ◽  
Author(s):  
JANE YOUELL ◽  
JANE E. M. CALLAGHAN ◽  
KEVIN BUCHANAN
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Intimate Relationships ◽  
Sexual Intimacy ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Relational Experiences ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Sex And Sexuality ◽  
Absent Presence

ABSTRACTThis article explores experiences of relational intimacy (including sexual intimacy) in long-term relationships when one partner has dementia. An emerging body of research focuses on living with dementia, but work on relationships between people with dementia and their family and loved ones tends to focus on understanding the experience of caring, and on constructs like ‘care burden’. Research concerned with the lived experience of relationships themselves is less frequent, and very little published work focuses on experiences of sex and intimacy. This qualitative study explores how six participants experience their intimate relationships with their partners with dementia. Semi-structured interviews provided a rich source of data which were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Three master themes emerged from our analysis: ‘everydayness’, ‘absent presence’ and ‘I don't know if you want to know this…’. Participants explored how living with dementia constructed specific, everyday relational challenges, and disrupted everyday intimacies. Intimacy, including sexual intimacy, remains an important element of older couple relationships. Relational experiences present specific and difficult to articulate experiences for the partners of people living with dementia – particularly experiences related to sex and sexuality. Representations of older adults (particularly older adults with a long-term illness) as relatively asexual beings can make elements of these relational challenges particularly difficult to express.

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