scholarly journals Caregiver Task Difficulties at the End of Life: A Latent Cluster Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 775-776
Author(s):  
Kristin Litzelman ◽  
Irene Kizza ◽  
Ashley Berghoff
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Sample ◽  
Cluster Membership ◽  
Emotional Management ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Caregiver Coping

Abstract Caregivers engage in myriad tasks from household help to complex medical care. However, little information is available on how caregivers experience individual tasks – particularly key end-of-life tasks such as managing breathing problems or patients' sadness and anxiety. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess task difficulty. Using data from the National Health and Aging Trends Survey and the National Survey on Caregivers (2015-2017), we assessed eleven caregiving tasks in 241 primary caregivers of care recipients in their last month of life. A latent cluster analysis revealed three key clusters: 1) pervasive difficulties, in which caregivers reported difficulty across most or all of the tasks; 2) minimal difficulties; and 3) emotional management difficulties, in which caregivers reported difficulty with managing sadness and anxiety and lower levels of difficulty on the other tasks. Weighted frequency analyses revealed that caregivers in the pervasive difficulties cluster were most likely to be filial caregivers (85% versus 63% of the full sample, p<0.05) or co-residing with the care recipient (49% versus 37% of the full sample, p<0.05). Caregivers identified as having pervasive difficulties were also more likely to report providing intensive care, more than 100 hours per week (54% versus 36% of the full sample, p<0.05). Care recipient condition was not associated with cluster membership. The findings highlight the need to consider caregiver coping at the task-level and have implications for understanding unmet needs. Future research will assess predictors of cluster membership and how task difficulties are associated with symptoms and well-being outcomes.

scholarly journals Please, Do Not Interrupt Me: Work–Family Balance and Segmentation Behavior as Mediators of Boundary Violations and Teleworkers’ Burnout and Flourishing

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7339
Author(s):  
Vânia Sofia Carvalho ◽  
Alda Santos ◽  
Maria Teresa Ribeiro ◽  
Maria José Chambel
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Boundary Violations ◽  
Family Balance ◽  
Work Family Balance ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship

The lockdown, in the COVID-19 pandemic, is considered an external crisis that evokes innumerous changes in individuals lives. One of the changes is the work and family dynamics. Based on boundary theory we examine the mediated role of work and family balance and boundary segmentation behavior in the relationship between boundary violations and teleworkers’ stress and well-being. However, because women and men live their work and family differently, gender may condition the way teleworkers lead with boundary violations and boundary segmentation. Hypotheses were tested through moderated mediation modeling using data collected of 456 teleworkers during lockdown. In line with our expectations, teleworkers who have suffered most boundary violations were those with least boundary segmentation behaviors and with least work-family balance which, in turn was related to higher burnout and lower flourishing. Furthermore, gender was found to moderate the relationship between boundary violations from work-to-family and segmentation behavior in the same direction and this relationship was stronger for females than for males. We discuss implications for future research and for managing teleworkers, creating sustainability, both during a crise and stable days.

Investigating the Relationships between Mobility Behaviours and Indicators of Subjective Well–Being Using Smartphone–Based Experience Sampling and GPS Tracking

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 714-732
Author(s):  
Sandrine R. Müller ◽  
Heinrich Peters ◽  
Sandra C. Matz ◽  
Weichen Wang ◽  
Gabriella M. Harari
Keyword(s):  
Experience Sampling ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Gps Tracking ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Physical Environments ◽  
Using Data

People interact with their physical environments every day by visiting different places and moving between them. Such mobility behaviours likely influence and are influenced by people's subjective well–being. However, past research examining the links between mobility behaviours and well–being has been inconclusive. Here, we provide a comprehensive investigation of these relationships by examining individual differences in two types of mobility behaviours (movement patterns and places visited) and their relationship to six indicators of subjective well–being (depression, loneliness, anxiety, stress, affect, and energy) at two different temporal levels of analysis (two–week tendencies and daily level). Using data from a large smartphone–based longitudinal study ( N = 1765), we show that (i) movement patterns assessed via GPS data (distance travelled, entropy, and irregularity) and (ii) places visited assessed via experience sampling reports (home, work, and social places) are associated with subjective well–being at the between and within person levels. Our findings suggest that distance travelled is related to anxiety, affect, and stress, irregularity is related to depression and loneliness, and spending time in social places is negatively associated with loneliness. We discuss the implications of our work and highlight directions for future research on the generalizability to other populations as well as the characteristics of places. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals PREPARATION FOR FUTURE IN OLD AGE: WHY AND WHY NOT?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S749-S749
Author(s):  
Helene H Fung
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Older Chinese ◽  
Using Data

Abstract With population aging, many people can expect to spend 30 or more years in old age. The five papers included in this symposium aim at shedding light on whether and how to make plans for old age, using data from the “Aging as Future” Project. First, Park and Hess used data spanning across adulthood from Germany, Hong Kong and the USA to examine how changes experienced in domains of functioning and the importance attached to these domains influenced preparations for old age. Next, de Paula Couto and Rothermund, examining Germans aged 40-90 years, pointed out that prescriptive age stereotypes might be the main drive for why people make preparations for age-related changes. The remaining three papers use qualitative data to qualify the above quantitative findings. Adamson and Ekerdt interviewed older Midwest US residents. They observed that SES greatly impacted how older adults perceived and made plans for their future. The final two papers examined how rural vs. urban contexts might affect preparations for future. Liou interviewed older adults in rural Tainan and found that their ideal old age was one about no future preparation, at least not about making plans for themselves (called “tranquil life”). Ho and colleagues, in contrast, found that for older Chinese residing in urban Hong Kong, not preparing for the future (called “time freeze”) was negatively related to physical and psychological well-being. The symposium will end with an overall discussion on future research directions on whether and how to make plans for old age.

The effects of confronting one’s own end of life on older individuals and those with a life-threatening disease: A systematic literature review

2021 ◽  
pp. 026921632110425
Author(s):  
Helena Kukla ◽  
Angélique Herrler ◽  
Julia Strupp ◽  
Raymond Voltz
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Clear Trend ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Life Threatening

Background: Awareness of the impending end of one’s life can pose profound existential challenges, thereby impairing well-being. Confronting one’s own end of life may be an approach to meet the psychological needs and consequently enhance overall well-being. Different approaches of confrontation have been evaluated positively using measures of psychosocial comfort. To date, there exists no systematic overview on the different ways of confrontation (e.g. psychosocial or individual coping approaches). Aim: To synthesize the existing knowledge on the effects of different approaches of confronting one’s own end of life on older individuals and those with a life-threatening disease. Design: A systematic review of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods full research reports was conducted. The retrieved studies were screened and appraised for methodological quality by two independent reviewers based on MMAT and CASP. The findings were synthesized narratively using the meta-summary technique by Sandelowski and Barroso. Data sources: Medline, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched from inception to 12/2020. Results: N = 49 studies reported on different approaches of confronting one’s own end of life, including psychosocial interventions, meaning-enhancing approaches, educational programs, and learning from lived experiences. The results suggest a clear trend toward beneficial effects on psychosocial comfort (e.g. anxiety, sense of meaning, well-being). Conclusion: Low-threshold opportunities of confrontation have the potential to improve well-being and should be emphasized in practical implementation. The results can serve as a comprehensive basis for future research aiming to investigate the determinants of psychosocial comfort for people nearing the end of life.

A metasynthesis study of family caregivers’ transition experiences caring for community-dwelling persons with advanced cancer at the end of life

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 602-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Duggleby ◽  
Jamie Tycholiz ◽  
Lorraine Holtslander ◽  
Peter Hudson ◽  
Cheryl Nekolaichuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Qualitative Studies ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Life Transition ◽  
Transition Experience

Background: Family caregivers (broadly defined as family and friends) experience multiple concurrent transitions when caring for a person with advanced cancer. Aims: To (a) explore the transition experience of family caregivers caring for persons with advanced cancer living in the community, (b) describe potential triggers for transitions, (c) identify what influences this experience, and (d) develop a conceptual framework of their transition experience. Design: Sandelowski and Barroso’s methodology for synthesizing qualitative research included (a) a comprehensive search of empirical literature, (b) quality appraisal of qualitative studies, (c) classification of studies, and (d) synthesis of the findings. Data sources: Literature was sourced from six electronic data bases. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) published qualitative studies (and mixed-method designs) of the caregiving experience of family caregivers of community-living persons with advanced cancer at the end of life, (b) participants (caregivers and care recipients) of 18 years of age and above, (c) studies published in English in any country, and (d) studies published between 2004 and 2014. Results: A total of 72 studies were included in the metasynthesis. Family caregivers experience a “life transition” whereby their lives are permanently altered. The participants described the process of redefining normal which consisted of coming to terms with their situation and connecting with others. Outcomes of these processes were as follows: (a) maintaining a sense of personhood, (b) reframing hope, (c) maintaining self-efficacy, (d) finding meaning, and (e) preparing for the death of their care recipient. Conclusion: The findings provide a framework to guide the development of supportive programs and future research.

Examining the Influence of Care-Recipient Resistance on Family Caregiver Emotional and Physical Well-Being: Average Frequency Versus Daily Fluctuation

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumi Shirai ◽  
Susan Silverberg Koerner
Keyword(s):  
Physical Health ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Average Frequency ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Daily Fluctuation ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
The Impact

Although existing cross-sectional research suggests that dependent older family members’ resistive behavior (care-recipient [CR] resistance: verbal or nonverbal rejection or resistance toward caregiver [CG] assistance) can be challenging for informal family CGs, we know little about the impact of the occurrence patterns of CR-resistance—average frequency versus daily fluctuation—on CG emotional and physical well-being. To document CGs’ daily experiences with CR-resistance and their emotional and physical well-being, the present study applied short-term repeated measures, collecting data on 8 consecutive days from 63 CGs in Southern Arizona, the United States. Multilevel modeling of the daily data revealed that neither average frequency nor daily fluctuation in CR-resistance alone had a significant impact on CG emotional/physical health. However, the combination of experiencing relatively high frequency and high daily fluctuation in CR-resistance was associated with significant increases in CG physical health symptoms ( b = .34, p < .01). Specifically, on days when a CG faced more CR-resistance than his or her usual amount, significant increases in physical health symptoms existed for CGs with relatively high average frequency of CR-resistance, but not for CGs with relatively low average frequency of CR-resistance. Based on our results, it appears that monitoring and maintaining a reasonable level of CR-resistance are effective strategies to maintain CG resilience to the negative impact of CR-resistance daily fluctuation. The findings are interpreted in light of Stress Theory, and recommendations for future research and practical interventions are offered.

scholarly journals Patterns of risky driving behaviors among Tuscan adolescent drivers: a cluster analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
V Lastrucci ◽  
F Innocenti ◽  
C Lorini ◽  
A Berti ◽  
C Silvestri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Risky Driving ◽  
Cluster Membership ◽  
Driving Behaviors ◽  
Adolescent Drivers ◽  
Risky Driving Behaviors

Abstract Background Adolescents have a high risk of road traffic accident (RTA) because of their high engagement in risky driving behaviors (RDBs); to date, very few studies have investigated the patterns of RDBs. The aim of the study is to identify distinctive RDBs patterns and to examine their associations with RTAs in a sample of adolescent drivers Methods The EDIT project is a cross-sectional survey carried out in a representative sample (6.824) of Tuscany Region students aged 14-19 years. The study analyses a subsample of students who reported to drive/ride at least once a week (2764). Self-reported frequency in the last year of the following RDBs was determined: talking on phone; texting; using GPS; talking to passengers; smoking; eating; listening to loud music; fatigued driving; speeding; and driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs. A cluster analysis was conducted to identify RDBs patterns. A multivariate model was used to evaluate the difference in the risk of RTA across clusters; ANOVA and post-hoc pairwise comparisons were used to further characterize cluster membership Results Four distinct RDBs clusters were identified: “safe”(45.6%), “average”(21.8%), “careless but not DUI”(21.5%) and “reckless and DUI”(11.2%) drivers. When compared with “safe” drivers, “careless but not DUI” and “reckless and DUI” drivers showed a significantly higher risk of RTA (respectively, OR 1.68, 95%CI 1.29-2.18, p &lt; 0.001; OR 2.88; 95%CI 2.10-3.95, p &lt; 0.001). Clusters were characterized by several significant differences in sociodemographic variables, cell-phone use, quality of the relationships with parents, school performances, mental health and well-being, health behaviors, gaming, bullying and risky sexual behaviors Conclusions RDBs evidently occur in typical patterns that are linked with different RTA risks. Several domains of adolescent life seem to be involved in cluster membership. An awareness of this clustering enables to better targeting adolescents at higher risk of RTA Key messages RDBs occur in patterns in adolescents, and indicators of risky behaviors and of mental and social well-being may help to identify RDBs clusters at high risk of road traffic accidents. Multimodal prevention approaches in risky driving behaviors are likely to be more successful than targeting a single behavior in adolescents.

scholarly journals Human Character in the IPIP: Towards Shorter, More Content-Valid, and Cross-Culturally Comparable IPIP-VIA Character Strength Scales

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Bluemke ◽  
Melanie Viola Partsch ◽  
Gerard Saucier ◽  
Clemens M. Lechner
Keyword(s):  
Big Five ◽  
Character Strengths ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Personality Item ◽  
Self Transcendence ◽  
Using Data

The “Values in Action” (VIA) framework is currently the most prominent approach to conceptualizing human character. VIA posits 24 character strengths that are purportedly valued across cultures and promote the well-being of both individuals and communities. However, unresolved limitations in the assessment of these character strengths continue to hamper theoretical progress in research on human character based on the VIA framework. Here we sought to lay a new foundation for ad-vanced assessment of strengths by refining and extensively validating an existing open-science inventory from the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP). Using data from a U.S. community sample and four quota samples from the United Kingdom and Germany, we investigated whether valid, cross-culturally comparable, and economical assessment of the VIA character strengths is possible with the IPIP. Experts selected suitable items with the aim to obtain 24 balanced-keyed short scales. Different experts then translated these items to German. Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, we established essential unidimensionality and well-fitting measure-ment models for each scale. All scales achieved at least partial scalar invariance across languages. Reliability estimates were satisfactory. Extensive analyses of the strengths’ nomological network placed character strengths between Big Five personality traits and basic human values, confirming that VIA strengths emphasize self-transcendence rather than self-enhancement. With few excep-tions, the 24 character strengths scales were sufficiently distinct from the Big Five, and many showed incremental predictive validity, also for “good life” criteria. The 96-item inventory “IPIP-VIA-R” offers a sound and fully open-science approach to future research on character strengths.

scholarly journals Caregiving Across the Life Course: Life History Findings from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS)

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 797-797
Author(s):  
Marina Larkina ◽  
Jacqui Smith
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Recipient ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Unpaid Care ◽  
The People ◽  
Multiple Caregiving ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Age Range

Abstract Informal caregiving, defined as unpaid care provided to a relative or friend with some sort of special need, is a topic of research across different disciplines. Previous research highlights the prevalence and heterogeneity of caregivers in terms of their age, gender, relationship with the care recipient, and the duration of care provision. However, most research focuses on a specific episode of caregiving. Little is known about the people who provide care to multiple recipients throughout their own life. To fill this gap, we examined data from the HRS Spring 2017 Life History Mail Survey (N = 3520; age range 50-101 yrs). Participants reported their relationship with people to whom they had provided unpaid care for ≥ 6 months (max 5) and listed the start and end years of care. Compared with people who had not provided care, caregivers (N = 1000, 28%) were more likely to be women, white, and currently widowed. They cared for their parents (67%), spouses (22%), children (11%), or other relatives (16%) and 30% reported providing care two or more times (M = 1.44, SD = 0.81). Respondents, who reported multiple episodes of caregiving were more likely to be women, widowed, aged between 25 and 50 at the time of first providing care. People who first cared for their spouse were less likely to report multiple caregiving episodes comparing with those who cared for parents or children. Future research will examine the health and well-being consequences associated with caregivers’ histories of providing unpaid care to others.

Health and Well-Being in the Year before Death: The Association with Quality of Life and Care at the End-of-Life

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (10) ◽  
pp. 1475-1485
Author(s):  
Hyo Jung Lee ◽  
Brent J. Small ◽  
William E. Haley
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Plans ◽  
Advance Care ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Health And Well Being

Objective: We examined whether older adults’ health and well-being during their final year of life predicts end-of-life (EOL) quality of life (QOL) and quality of care (QOC). Methods: Using data from deceased participants ( n = 1125) in the 2011–2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study, we performed latent class analysis to identify profiles of health and well-being, and we examined the association between these classes and EOL QOL and QOC. Results: Four classes were identified: healthy/happy (20%), frail/happy (37%), cognitively impaired/moderately distressed (27%), and highly impaired/highly distressed (16%). Persons in the highly impaired/highly distressed class showed a poorer QOL at the EOL, whereas those in the healthy/happy class reported a lower level of QOC at the EOL. Discussion: The benefits of maintaining health and well-being often carry forward to EOL. Older adults with high impairment and distress merit greater attention such as assuring care and advance care plans.

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