scholarly journals CREATIVITY, HOPE, AND EXPECTATION IN A POETRY PROGRAM: RETHINKING WHAT COUNTS AS SUCCESS IN DEMENTIA CARE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S417-S417
Author(s):  
Kate de Medeiros

Abstract Creativity offers liberation from the framework of decline in later life in general, and within the context of dementia specifically. Cohen described the synergy of hope and expectation as ways through which people access their creative potential, especially in the face of loss. This paper explores three case drawn from a qualitative study. Eight residents living in a secure dementia care facility participated in six 30-minute interactive poetry sessions using guidelines from the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project (APP). Observations were conducted at baseline, during the intervention, and one week afterwards. All sessions were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed. Important findings included the positive potential of imagined futures, creative engagement as a tool for building social bonds, and the importance of language play. Overall, these findings point to new ways to consider success in dementia interventions by focusing on the potential to create meaningful and creative engagement opportunities.

Author(s):  
Qazi Shafayetul Islam ◽  
Nasima Akter

Introduction: “The National Dementia Strategies” in Canada emphasizes improving the knowledge of formal and informal caregivers for better care for the person living with dementia. Aim: This study aimed at exploring awareness and the attitudes of South Asian Bangladeshi family caregivers towards dementia care. Methods: It was purposive sampling and a qualitative study. The study included 45 family caregivers (>55 years) for the face-to-face interviews in Toronto, Ontario. The study used semi-structured questions. The duration of the data collection was between February and March 2020. Results: The study included the three areas related to dementia, such as a) the awareness of dementia, b: awareness of prevention and treatment as well as the awareness of caregivers about what is needed for better dementia care, and c) attitudes of caregivers towards dementia care. Many caregivers described dementia as memory loss and forgetfulness. According to the caregivers, anxiety, depression, and aging were the risk factors of dementia. The caregivers commonly perceived dementia as an unpreventable and incurable disease. Moreover, many caregivers did not know about the appropriate health providers who diagnosed and treated dementia, and they were not aware of non-pharmacological care of dementia. The caregivers perceived dementia as a shameful disease. They would not go for diagnosis if they had risks for dementia and would hide their dementia after diagnosis. Many caregivers confessed that training was essential to improve knowledge about dementia, but they did not want to be a caregiver for the person living with dementia. Conclusion: The South Asian Bangladeshi family caregivers had not enough awareness about dementia, prevention, and treatment. Dementia was associated with shame, and they had less interest in dementia care. Urgent educational training is needed in their language to improve knowledge, reduce stigma, engage them in dementia care, and achieve the goals of the National Dementia Strategies.


Author(s):  
Nooreddine Iskandar ◽  
Tatiana Rahbany ◽  
Ali Shokor

Abstract Background: Due to the common instability caused by political and security issues, Lebanese hospitals have experienced acts of terrorism multiple times. The most recent Beirut Explosion even forced several hospitals to cease operations for the first time in decades—but studies show the preparedness levels for such attacks in similar countries are low. Objective: The aim of this study is to explore the experience of Lebanese hospitals with terrorist attacks. Methods: This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders to assess their experience with terrorist bombings. Data was analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Results: The researchers found that Lebanese hospitals vary greatly in their structures and procedures. Those differences are a function of 3 contextual factors: location, culture, and accreditation status. Hospitals found near ‘dangerous zones’ were more likely to be aware and to have better response to such events. A severe lack of communication, unity of command, and collaboration between stakeholders has made the process fragmented. Conclusion: The researchers recommend a larger role for the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) in this process, and the creation of a platform where Lebanese organizations can share their experiences to improve preparedness and resilience of the Lebanese healthcare system in the face of terrorism.


2021 ◽  
pp. 103049
Author(s):  
Benjamin Hartung ◽  
Michelle Lalonde ◽  
Brandi Vanderspank-Wright ◽  
J. Craig Phillips

Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janita P Chau ◽  
Suzanne Hoi Shan Lo

Background and Purpose: Our previous study of 265 stroke survivors recruited immediately before discharge from two regional rehabilitation hospitals found state self-esteem, social support satisfaction, discharge location (home, residential care facility), and gender significantly accounted for 49% of the variance in depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges of promoting participation in life activities for stroke survivors. Methods: A qualitative study with individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted. Adult managerial persons who were responsible for the development of community, rehabilitation or residential care services for stroke survivors were recruited. All participants were asked to share the mission of their institutions, types of care services for stroke survivors, perceived importance of, barriers to and facilitators of promoting participation in life activities, and opportunities for enhancing stroke care services. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis. Results: A total of 11 participants were interviewed. Five were in-charge persons of stroke support groups, two were legislators, two from residential care facilities, and two from community-based organisations. Four key themes were generated: (1) Being institutionalized was found associated with lower levels of psychosocial health, (2) Stroke survivors’ physical and cognitive limitations were perceived as key challenges in promoting participation in life activities, (3) Healthcare providers placed more emphasis on promoting physical rehabilitation than social participation, and (4) Physical environment particularly in residential care facilities posed greater challenges to promoting participation in real life activities. Conclusions: This highlights major challenges for healthcare professionals who care for stroke survivors in residential care facilities. Further studies that investigate the associations between environmental barriers, psychological morbidity and participation restriction is needed.


Author(s):  
Elizabeth MacKinlay ◽  
Corinne Trevitt

Alzheimer's disease and other dementias raise important questions of personhood and connection for those affected. Finding meaning in the face of dementia is one of the most challenging aspects of dementia; spiritual reminiscence is a way of connecting with those with dementia when their cognitive decline seems to preclude them from participating in a meaningful life. In this chapter a context for spirituality in later life is given through description of the spiritual tasks and process of ageing. This leads to presentation of work based on a mixed methods study of 113 people in residential aged care with a diagnosis of dementia who participated in either six or 24 weeks of weekly sessions of guided spiritual reminiscence (MacKinlay & Trevitt, 2012). Relationship was found to be almost synonymous with meaning for these people. Other important themes identified were vulnerability and transcendence, wisdom, hope, despair, and response to meaning.


2020 ◽  
pp. 334-357
Author(s):  
Elizabeth MacKinlay ◽  
Corinne Trevitt

Alzheimer's disease and other dementias raise important questions of personhood and connection for those affected. Finding meaning in the face of dementia is one of the most challenging aspects of dementia; spiritual reminiscence is a way of connecting with those with dementia when their cognitive decline seems to preclude them from participating in a meaningful life. In this chapter a context for spirituality in later life is given through description of the spiritual tasks and process of ageing. This leads to presentation of work based on a mixed methods study of 113 people in residential aged care with a diagnosis of dementia who participated in either six or 24 weeks of weekly sessions of guided spiritual reminiscence (MacKinlay & Trevitt, 2012). Relationship was found to be almost synonymous with meaning for these people. Other important themes identified were vulnerability and transcendence, wisdom, hope, despair, and response to meaning.


Author(s):  
Craig Browne ◽  
Andrew P. Lynch

This chapter explores the implications of Taylor’s analysis of romanticism’s influence on modernity and the tension, in his opinion, between modernity’s dominant emphasis on instrumental rationality and romanticism’s ideals, like expression, creativity and community. Taylor wants to show, we argue, the extent to which the strains of modern society derive from this tension and how romanticism’s ideals have influenced modern political movements, particularly nationalism. In particular, Taylor’s own critical diagnoses of the ‘malaise of modernity’ are influenced by romanticism, as is evident from his observations on the fragility of social bonds in the face of industrial and technological advancement, as well as in his comments on contemporary culture’s potential loss of meaning and significance. These experiences of alienation are the other side, so to speak, of the modern ethic of authenticity, which has resulted in the widespread concern with self-realisation. Taylor argues that romantic authors, especially Humboldt and Herder, developed an expressivist theory of language, a holistic conception of liberal freedoms, and were among the first to appreciate the importance of a community’s political culture to modern freedoms. Taylor is shown to be able to claim on this basis that the debate between liberalism and communitarians has been at cross-purposes.


Author(s):  
Xiaoying Qi

Through an examination of remarriage and repartnering among the elderly, this chapter explores the occurrence of later-life cohabitation, the issues it raises for participants, and the intergenerational considerations it generates. Whereas the mainstream literature tends to treat remarriage or cohabitation among older persons as a private matter between the couples, the Chinese cases discussed in the chapter provide a contrasting perspective, in which the attitudes and expectations of adult children, especially regarding inheritance, but also in terms of the provision of eldercare, impact the cohabitation and remarriage decisions of the elderly. The chapter also identifies otherwise neglected aspects of social relationships, including concerns about the face of the persons directly involved, as well as more distant others.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 20190869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clémence Poirotte ◽  
Marie J. E. Charpentier

Several species mitigate relationships according to their conspecifics' parasite status. Yet, this defence strategy comes with the costs of depriving individuals from valuable social bonds. Animals therefore face a trade-off between the costs of pathogen exposure and the benefits of social relationships. According to the models of social evolution, social bonds are highly kin-biased. However, whether kinship mitigates social avoidance of contagious individuals has never been tested so far. Here, we build on previous research to demonstrate that mandrills ( Mandrillus sphinx ) modulate social avoidance of contagious individuals according to kinship: individuals do not avoid grooming their close maternal kin when contagious (parasitized with oro-faecally transmitted protozoa), although they do for more distant or non-kin. While individuals' parasite status has seldom been considered as a trait impacting social relationships in animals, this study goes a step beyond by showing that kinship balances the effect of health status on social behaviour in a non-human primate.


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