scholarly journals Vet To Vet Maine: COVID 19 Effect on a Veteran Companion Pilot Study in Reducing Social Isolation and Loneliness

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 745-746
Author(s):  
Marilyn Gugliucci ◽  
Amy Lin ◽  
Shirley Weaver
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
The United States ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Sign Test ◽  
Care Partners

Abstract Background Maine veterans represent 11.8% of Maine population, twice that of the United States. Veterans are at risk for social isolation, loneliness and suicide. The mission of Vet To Vet (V2V) Maine, a non-profit organization, connects trained veteran volunteers with fellow veterans (veteran friends) for companionship, assistance with benefits, and support independent living. This study: (1) assessed if V2V program fulfilled its mission; and (2) determined any care partner effects from the program. Methods Mixed methods research spanned 6-months, 2019-2020. Twenty-four participants; trained Veteran Volunteers (VV) were paired with Veteran Friends. Four Care Partners (CP) of Veteran Friends participated. Assessments included pre/post Veteran Rand Health Survey (VR-12), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Late Onset Stress Symptomatology (LOSS) Short Form. CPs completed pre/post Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI-22) assessments. Qualitative interviews focused on visits/activities, relationship building, and program feedback. Data analyses included Wilcoxon Sign Test and NVivo 12+ Qualitative Data Analysis Software. Results Pre/post data failed to show significance (P=.05), however trends supported an improvement in mental and physical health scores. COVID-19 was a confounding variable as state stay-at-home orders occurred at the companion program study mid-point. Three key themes included; (1) Veteran Companionship; (2) Effects of COVID; and (3) Care Partners. The V2V Companion program was determined effective and reported highly successful relationship matches. CPs confirmed the importance and benefits of V2V. Conclusion The V2V Maine companion program pilot research supported success in connecting Veterans Volunteer and Veteran Friends; fostering companionship, friendships, mentoring, assisting with benefits, and supporting independent living.

Restoring Damaged Relationships Through the Art of Invitation: Application with Addicted Incarcerated Women

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katti J. Sneed ◽  
Debbie Teike
Keyword(s):  
Human Services ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Incarcerated Women ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Health And Human Services ◽  
Guiding Principle ◽  
Faith Based ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Complementary Approach

This article presents a description of Art of Invitation as a complementary approach to traditional addiction treatment through the alignment of Art of Invitation (AOI) with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Ten Guiding Principles for Recovery.  AOI is a faith based relationship building approach that combines key Judeo/Christian teachings with relationship building tools, skills, and concepts for those seeking to build and restore relationships.  SAMHSA, as the leading agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, spearheads public health efforts to advance behavioral health within the United States.  Each Guiding Principle is presented along with a description of how AOI is shared with incarcerated women, an often neglected population, participating in an inpatient treatment program housed in a community corrections facility.

scholarly journals Preparedness and response to an emerging health threat—Lessons learned from Candida auris outbreaks in the United States

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Diane Meyer ◽  
Elena K. Martin ◽  
Syra Madad ◽  
Priya Dhagat ◽  
Jennifer B. Nuzzo
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New York ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Healthcare Organizations ◽  
Candida Auris ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Healthcare Facilities

Abstract Objective: Candida auris infections continue to occur across the United States and abroad, and healthcare facilities that care for vulnerable populations must improve their readiness to respond to this emerging organism. We aimed to identify and better understand challenges faced and lessons learned by those healthcare facilities who have experienced C. auris cases and outbreaks to better prepare those who have yet to experience or respond to this pathogen. Design: Semi-structured qualitative interviews. Setting: Health departments, long-term care facilities, acute-care hospitals, and healthcare organizations in New York, Illinois, and California. Participants: Infectious disease physicians and nurses, clinical and environmental services, hospital leadership, hospital epidemiology, infection preventionists, emergency management, and laboratory scientists who had experiences either preparing for or responding to C. auris cases or outbreaks. Methods: In total, 25 interviews were conducted with 84 participants. Interviews were coded using NVivo qualitative coding software by 2 separate researchers. Emergent themes were then iteratively discussed among the research team. Results: Key themes included surveillance and laboratory capacity, inter- and intrafacility communication, infection prevention and control, environmental cleaning and disinfection, clinical management of cases, and media concerns and stigma. Conclusions: Many of the operational challenges noted in this research are not unique to C. auris, and the ways in which we address future outbreaks should be informed by previous experiences and lessons learned, including the recent outbreaks of C. auris in the United States.

scholarly journals Facing the Journey Together: Using Digital Media to Support Dementia Care Among Asian Americans

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 542-542
Author(s):  
Angelica Yeh ◽  
Marie Mayen-Cho
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Pacific Islanders ◽  
Japanese American ◽  
Culturally Appropriate ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
Care Information ◽  
Depth Interviews

Abstract Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) in the United States have limited access to dementia care information that is linguistically and culturally appropriate. Alzheimer’s Los Angeles created “Faces of Caregiving”, a video project available with English/Japanese subtitles, documenting in-depth interviews with 7 Japanese/Japanese-American familial care partners of individuals living with dementia. It touched on the personal yet universal aspects of each journey embedded in a particular family context. The 5 video profiles were subsequently shown at 3 community sites to attendees comprised of mostly older-adult APIs. Among 85 attendee responses, approximately 90% stated they were more likely to seek out information on and support for Alzheimer’s disease, felt more open to talking about the disease, and were more likely to advocate and raise awareness for the disease. This program could be replicated for other API communities, allowing individuals to learn more effectively from a peer-to-peer experience in a culturally familiar setting. Part of a symposium sponsored by the Aging Among Asians Interest Group.

Educational Downgrading: Adult Education and Downward Mobility

2021 ◽  
pp. 003804072098289
Author(s):  
Corey Moss-Pech ◽  
Steven H. Lopez ◽  
Laurie Michaels
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Adult Education ◽  
Educational Aspirations ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
The United States ◽  
Job Seekers ◽  
Downward Mobility ◽  
Precarious Labor ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Returning To School

Scholarship on adult education throughout the life course focuses on the relationship between education and upward mobility. Scholars rarely examine how adults’ educational aspirations or trajectories are affected by downward mobility or an increasingly precarious labor market. Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews with 21 job seekers in the post–Great Recession labor market in the United States, this article advances the concept of educational downgrading: returning to school in pursuit of a credential lower than the highest level of education one previously sought or attained. We explore three pathways to downgrading connected to downward mobility: occupational dead ends, career reversals, and educational inflation. In the process, we highlight how individuals adjust their practical educational aspirations as they navigate a contemporary economy in which careers are unstable and credentials are needed for many kinds of jobs across the occupational hierarchy.

scholarly journals Transforming Gerontological Research by Meaningfully Engaging Persons Living With Dementia

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 728-728
Author(s):  
Michael Lepore ◽  
Richard Fortinsky
Keyword(s):  
Research Participation ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
Gerontological Research ◽  
Scientific Meetings ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Services And Supports ◽  
Study Designs

Abstract Whereas persons living with dementia have commonly been subjects of gerontological research, participation of persons with dementia in designing and conducting studies and in scientific research meetings has been rare in the United States. In recent years, person-centered research models have arisen which give persons with dementia and their caregivers core roles in the research enterprise. As “co-researchers” with academic/professional researchers, persons with dementia and their caregivers are engaged in all aspects of the research enterprise, jointly developing research questions and study designs, collecting and analyzing data, planning research meetings, and disseminating results. International studies have shown that conducting research in collaboration with the population that is being studied has potential to enhance the quality and appropriateness of research and has been identified as an essential component of studies examining the effectiveness of different approaches to care. This session spotlights innovative advances in gerontological research that meaningfully engages persons with dementia. First, the engagement of persons with dementia in scientific meetings is addressed drawing on the examples of the 2017 and 2020 National Research Summits on Care Services and Supports for Persons with Dementia and their Caregivers (i.e., Summits). Next, a study using a patient engagement framework for caregivers and individuals with mild cognitive impairment living at home is discussed. Finally, the Empowering Partnerships program, which prepares researchers, persons with dementia, and care partners to collaborate in conducting research is reviewed. Outcomes and challenges of these innovations are examined, and the need for academic/professional researcher roles to evolve is discussed.

How Universal Is a Construct of Loneliness? Measurement Invariance of the UCLA Loneliness Scale in Indonesia, Germany, and the United States

Assessment ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 107319112110345
Author(s):  
Joevarian Hudiyana ◽  
Tania M. Lincoln ◽  
Steffi Hartanto ◽  
Muhammad A. Shadiqi ◽  
Mirra N. Milla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Model Fit ◽  
Short Version ◽  
Loneliness Scale ◽  
The One

The UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-20) and its short version (ULS-8) are widely used to measure loneliness. However, the question remains whether or not previous studies using the scale to measure loneliness are measuring the construct equally across countries. The present study examined the measurement invariance (MI) of both scales in Germany, Indonesia, and the United States ( N = 2350). The one-, two-, and three-factor structure of the ULS-20 did not meet the model fit cut-off criteria in the total sample. The ULS-8 met the model fit cut-off criteria and has configural, but not metric invariance because two items unrelated to social isolation were not MI. The final six items (ULS-6) exclusively related to social isolation had complete MI. Participants from the United States scored highest in the ULS-6, followed by participants from Germany and then Indonesia. We conclude that the ULS-6 is an appropriate measure for cross-cultural studies on loneliness.

scholarly journals An Onsite Fitness Facility and Integrative Wellness Program Positively Impacted Health-Related Outcomes Among Teachers and Staff at an Urban Elementary/Middle School

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 216495611987327
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A Parker ◽  
Patrick F McArdle ◽  
Debbie Gioia ◽  
Ariel Trilling ◽  
Mary Bahr-Robertson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
The United States ◽  
Measurement Information ◽  
Wellness Program ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Fitness Facility ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Improve Health

Background Given the large number of obesity-focused studies conducted in schools, there is a surprising lack of data regarding teacher workplace health behaviors in the United States. Objective To determine the feasibility and effectiveness of an onsite fitness facility with a structured integrative wellness program to improve health-related outcomes among teachers and staff at an urban elementary/middle school. Methods A 2-year mixed-methods analysis using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures and qualitative interviews included 39 teachers and staff employed at an urban elementary/middle school in Baltimore, Maryland. The fitness facility was dedicated exclusively to teachers and staff and the integrative wellness program included group exercise classes, yoga, mindfulness, and nutrition competitions. T tests were used to compare quantitative outcomes at baseline, the end of year 1, and the end of year 2. Results Compared to baseline, at year 1, there was a significant improvement in the PROMIS Sleep Disturbance score. From baseline to end of year 2, there were significant increases in the PROMIS Global Physical Health as well as significant decreases in Sleep Disturbances, Fatigue, and Social Isolation. Qualitative interviews conducted at the end of year 1 indicated that teachers who used the facility felt that it improved their mood, increased their energy, motivated them to eat healthily, and gave them opportunities to socialize with their colleagues in new ways. This impact was further enhanced in year 2. Conclusions An onsite fitness facility with an integrative wellness program may improve health-related outcomes among urban elementary school teachers and staff, with the greatest benefits seen after 2 years of implementation.

scholarly journals Asian American Older Adults and Social Isolation: A Systematic Literature Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 328-328
Author(s):  
Simona Kwon ◽  
Deborah Min ◽  
Stella Chong
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Minority Group ◽  
The United States ◽  
Eligibility Criteria

Abstract Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial and ethnic minority group in the United States, whose population is aging considerably. Previous studies indicate that social isolation and loneliness disproportionately affects older adults and predicts greater physical, mental, and cognitive decline. A systematic literature review using PRISMA guidelines was conducted to address this emerging need to understand the scope of research focused on social isolation and loneliness among the disparity population of older Asian Americans. Four interdisciplinary databases were searched: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and AgeLine; search terms included variations on social isolation, loneliness, Asian Americans, and older adults. Articles were reviewed based on six eligibility criteria: (1) research topic relevance, (2) study participants aged >60 years, (3) Asian immigrants as main participants, (4) conducted in the United States, (5) published between 1995-2019, and (6) printed in the English language. The search yielded 799 articles across the four databases and 61 duplicate articles were removed. Abstracts were screened for the 738 remaining studies, 107 of which underwent full-text review. A total of 56 articles met the eligibility criteria. Synthesis of our review indicates that existing research focuses heavily on Chinese and Korean American immigrant communities, despite the heterogeneity of the diverse Asian American population. Studies were largely observational and employed community-based sampling. Critical literature gaps exist surrounding social isolation and loneliness in Asian American older adults, including the lack of studies on South Asian populations. Future studies should prioritize health promotion intervention research and focus on diverse understudied Asian subgroups.

Cultural Differences in Advance Care Planning and Implications for Practice

2021 ◽  
pp. 003022282110295
Author(s):  
Jung-Hwa Ha ◽  
Changsook Lee ◽  
Jennifer Yoo
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
The Us ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Advance Care

This study examined cultural differences in advance care planning (ACP) and various strategies that social workers use to initiate conversations on ACP. We conducted qualitative interviews with 12 social workers in South Korea and the US and a thematic content analysis of the transcribed data. Our findings show that different cultural norms and generational viewpoints surrounding death and health-related decision-making influence how people prepare for end-of-life care (EOLC). Whereas principles of self-determination and autonomy guide ACP practices in the US, decisions regarding EOLC are more often made in consultation with family members in Korean and Korean-American communities. Nevertheless, social workers in both countries identified relationship-building, empowerment, and individualized approaches as common strategies in initiating discussions on ACP.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document