scholarly journals The Community-Based Information Infrastructure of Older Adult Digital Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (s1) ◽  
pp. 65-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah Lenstra
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Information Infrastructure ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Technology Learning ◽  
Institutional Contexts

Abstract In the United States of America, senior centers and public libraries are ubiquitous social institutions found in virtually every municipality. This article analyses these institutions as community-based information infrastructure in the digital learning practices of older adults. Older adults turn to these institutions to learn technology in retirement. How learning takes place in these spaces is shaped both by the institutions, and by the older adults. Negotiations between institutions and older adults shape digital learning. These negotiations are shaped by societal ageism. This article shows that older adults are not passive participants in technology learning, using services provided for them by others, but instead actively shape both how learning services are proffered and the institutional contexts in which these services exist. By learning to embrace the agency of older adults, these under-funded public institutions could powerfully reconfigure themselves for an information society that is also ageing.

Agency and ageism in the community-based technology support services used by older adults

First Monday ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah Lenstra
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Technology Support ◽  
Institutional Policies ◽  
Community Based ◽  
The World ◽  
One Year

Many older adults turn to community-based institutions as they learn digital technologies in retirement. In the U.S., these institutions include public libraries and senior centers. A one-year study of technology support services in these spaces finds that older adults adapt services to meet their digital learning and literacy needs. Simultaneously, societal ageism, manifested in institutional policies and practices, hinders the agency of older adults. These findings suggest that community-based technology support services need to transcend ageism and embrace the agency of community elders, who are a growing and important segment of local communities throughout the world.

scholarly journals Transformative Action: A Theoretical Framework for Breaking New Ground

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Institutions ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Affairs ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Institutionalized Racism ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Status ◽  
Transformative Action

Developed by Paulo Freire, critical consciousness (CrC) is a philosophical, theoretical, and practice-based framework encompassing an individual’s understanding of and action against the structural roots of inequity and violence. This article explores divergent CrC scholarship regarding CrC theory and practice; provides an in-depth review of inconsistencies within the CrC “action” domain; and, in an effort to resolve discrepancies within the existing CrC literature, presents a new construct—transformative action (TA)—and details the process of TA development. Comprising three hierarchical levels of action (critical, avoidant, and destructive) for each level of the socio-ecosystem, TA serves as a model for community-based practitioners, such as those working in the fields of social work and public affairs. The authors argue that transformation is necessary to deconstruct the social institutions in the United States that maintain and perpetuate systemic inequity, creating dehumanizing consequences. Through critical TA, community workers can make visible hidden socio-structural factors, such as institutionalized racism and White privilege, countering the historic trend of community workers acting as tools of social control—that is, socializing individuals to adapt to marginalized roles and accept inferior treatment; maintaining and enforcing the status quo; and facilitating conformity with inequitable societal norms and practices. The authors also discuss the implications of community-based TA practice.

Determining the Long-Term Effectiveness of a Group-Based Physical Activity Program

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 401-408
Author(s):  
Anamica Batra ◽  
Richard C. Palmer ◽  
Elena Bastida ◽  
H. Virginia McCoy ◽  
Hafiz M. R. Khan
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Population Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Evidence Based Programs ◽  
The Impact

Objective. In 2015, only half (48%) of older adults in the United States (≥60 years) reported engaging in any kind of physical activity. Few studies examine the impact of evidence-based programs when adopted in community-based settings. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of EnhanceFitness (EF) upto 12-months. Method. EF was offered to older adults in South Florida. A total of 222 EF classes were offered between October 2008 and December 2014. Program consisted of a 1-hour session held three times a week. Even though participation was required for 4 months, 1,295 participants continued the program for at least 1 year. Results. All participants showed significant improvement in outcome measures. A mean change of 1.5, 1.7, and 1.9 was seen in number of chair stands at 4, 8, and 12 months (p < .001), respectively. The number of arm curls performed improved from 16.8 at baseline to 18.8, 18.8, and 19.2 at 4-, 8-, and 12-months, respectively. Participants improved their up-and-go time by decreasing from 9.1 (baseline) to 8.7 (4 months) to 8.6 (12 months; p = .001). Discussion. Randomized controlled trials are commonly used to determine the efficacy of an intervention. These interventions when disseminated at the population level have the potential to benefit large masses. EF is currently offered at more than 700 locations. This tremendous success of EF brings attention to an important question of continuous monitoring of these programs to ensure program consistency and intended outcomes. The model used by the Healthy Aging Regional Collaborative could be replicated by other communities.

scholarly journals Public Library in the United States: Sanctuary of Sciences or Social Shelter?

2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Y. Neshcheret
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Home Visiting ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Order ◽  
Legal Norms ◽  
Permanent Home ◽  
The Unemployed

Based on local normative acts regulating the rules of conduct in public libraries in the United States, the author analyses the most acute problems associated with non-observance of public order and violation of legal norms by people without definite occupation and permanent home visiting reading rooms. Personnel of the American libraries is concerned with the problem of relationship with the specified category of users representing a quite significant part of the total number of visitors. Of particular concern are the incidents of drug use. Libraries are very vulnerable, as open to everyone, and users can spend there as much time as they would wish. In order to solve the problems associated with stay in library of the unemployed and homeless visitors, libraries actively cooperate with the city’s social institutions and with local police departments. Libraries have always been the guardians of humanistic values; however, today they are vulnerable to the challenges of time; they are trying to find a compromise between their duty to serve all users (regardless of their social status) and the need to maintain public order. There is required serious and responsible work on the rules governing user behaviour for solving this challenging problem. Introduction of rules for readers is dictated primarily by the objective to provide the ability for libraries to fully fulfil their mission. Created to ensure the protection of rights, interests and safety of users and library staff, the rules should be based on the current legislation to avoid ambiguity and, at the same time, to be humane, “flexible” and focused on contemporary realities.

scholarly journals The downside of digital inclusion: Expectations and experiences of privacy and surveillance among marginal Internet users

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 597-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seeta Peña Gangadharan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Underserved Populations ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Digital Inclusion ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Internet Users

Increasing broadband adoption among members of underserved populations remains a high priority among policymakers, advocates, corporations, and affected communities. But questions about the risks entailed in the flow of personal information are beginning to surface and shine light on the tension between broadband’s benefits and harms. This article examines broadband adoption programs at community-based and public institutions in the United States in order to understand the ways in which privacy and surveillance issues emerge and are engaged in these settings. While adults who enroll in introductory digital literacy classes and access the Internet at public terminals feel optimistic about broadband “opportunities,” they encounter “privacy-poor, surveillance-rich” broadband. Users experience myriad anxieties, while having few meaningful options to meet their concerns.

Community-dwelling older adults' perceptions of dignity: core meanings, challenges, supports and opportunities

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1292-1313 ◽  
Author(s):  
KATHY BLACK ◽  
DEBRA DOBBS
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

ABSTRACTDignity is a universally important issue for all people, and particularly vital for older adults who face multiple losses associated with ageing. In the United States of America and beyond, the maintenance of dignity is a key aim of policy and service provision for older people. Yet surprisingly little research has been conducted into the meaning of dignity to community-based older adults in the context of everyday life. As life expectancy continues to increase worldwide, unprecedented numbers of people are living longer than ever before. The majority of older adults will face declining health and other factors that may impact dignity in the course of ageing in their communities. This paper reports on a study that explored older people's understandings and experiences of dignity through focus groups and a survey. Three key components of dignity are identified: autonomy, relational and self-identity. In addition, the paper discusses a range of factors that can facilitate or inhibit a sense of dignity for older people, including long-term health issues, sensory deficits and resilience to life events. Finally, the implications of these findings for policy and practice are considered in the context of American social structures and values.

scholarly journals A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a Nurse-Led Community-Based Health Home for Ethnically Diverse Older Adults With Multimorbidity in the Adult Day Health Setting

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 131-144
Author(s):  
Tina Sadarangani ◽  
Lydia Missaelides ◽  
Emily Eilertsen ◽  
Harini Jaganathan ◽  
Bei Wu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Registered Nurse ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nutritional Risk ◽  
Emergency Department Utilization ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Health Home

Multimorbidity affects 75% of older adults (aged 65 years and older) in the United States and increases risk of poor medical outcomes, especially among the poor and underserved. The creation of a Medicaid option allowing states to establish health homes under the Affordable Care Act was intended to enhance coordinated care for Medicaid beneficiaries with multimorbidity. The Community-Based Health Home (CBHH) model uses the infrastructure of the Adult Day Health Center (ADHC) to serve as a health home to improve outcomes for medically complex vulnerable adults. Between 2017 and 2018, we used a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach to (a) quantitatively examine changes in depression, fall risk, loneliness, cognitive function, nutritional risk, pain classification, and health care utilization over the course of 12 months in the program and (b) qualitatively explore the perspectives of key stakeholders (registered nurse navigators, participants, ADHC administrators, and caregivers) to identify the most effective components of CBHH. Using data integration techniques, we identified components of CBHH that were most likely driving outcomes. After 12 months in CBHH, our racially diverse sample ( N = 126), experienced statistically significant ( p < .05) reductions in loneliness, depression, nutritional risk, poorly controlled pain, and emergency department utilization. Stakeholders who were interviewed ( n = 40) attributed positive changes to early clinical intervention by the registered nurse navigators, communication with providers across settings, and a focus on social determinants of health, in conjunction with social stimulation and engagement provided by the ADHC. CBHH positions the ADHC as the locus of an effective health home site and is associated with favorable results. CBHH also demonstrates the unique capacity and skill of registered nurses in integrating health and social services across community settings. Continued exploration of CBHH among diverse populations with multimorbidity is warranted.

scholarly journals Public Libraries Could Better Serve Older Adults by Having More Programming Specifically Directed Toward Them

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Glusker
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
United States Of America ◽  
Adult Literacy ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Capital City ◽  
The Impact

A Review of: Bennett-Kapusniak, R. (2013). Older Adults and the Public Library: The Impact of the Boomer Generation. Public Library Quarterly, 32(3), 204-222. doi: 10.1080/01616846.2013.818814 Abstract Objective – To determine whether programming at public libraries in the United States is aimed at older adults, and whether the programs help older adults maintain their health and well-being. Design – Web site evaluation. Setting – Public libraries in the United States of America. Subjects – The main library of each public library system located in the capital city of each of the 50 states in the United States of America. Methods – A scan of each of the web sites of the selected public library branches was performed by the author, to determine the number of programs specifically directed towards older adults. Main Results – The scan of sites indicated that there was very little programming specifically aimed at older adults and their needs. Mainly, offerings for older adults took the form of mixing in with adults of all ages. Computer technology class offerings were particularly lacking. The majority of libraries had programs to teach how to access library resources and electronic media (although not necessarily aimed at older adults), programs for those who are less mobile, as well as some adaptive technology for those with sensory disabilities. In addition, the majority of libraries had adult literacy programs, and active collaboration with community organizations. Conclusions – Public libraries can do more to develop programs specifically for older adults. They should take into account the wide diversity of older adults’ information and other needs. In particular, they should consider offering programs that focus on technological skills, and also should offer assistive technology for older patrons. There also needs to be more research on the needs of older adults, from the perspective of the patrons themselves and that of library staff.

Library services to an aging population: A nation-wide study in the United States

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 738-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah Lenstra ◽  
Fatih Oguz ◽  
Courtnay S. Duvall
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Staff Development ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Study Results

This study presents a large-scale study of public library services to older adults in the United States. A random sampling method was used to identify public libraries (n=226) for the study. Results suggest that libraries serve their aging communities in multiple ways. Some libraries provide a plethora of specialized programs focused on the specific needs of older adults. Others extend core library services to ensure they are accessible to older adults. Others invest in infrastructure and staff development to prepare for an aging society. Some do not provide any specialized programs or services for older adults. There is great unevenness in terms of library services for older adults across the nation. The discussion suggests additional work needed to better understand this unevenness, and to address it.

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