scholarly journals Why People Emigrate to Work in Elder Care?

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 54-67
Author(s):  
Gražina Rapolienė ◽  
Liat Ayalon

Emigration is one of the sorest problems in Lithuania. Emigrants from Lithuania most often fill the sector of unskilled labour in the target countries, one of which is elder care. Financial factors are considered the main motivation for emigration; however, migration is a complex phenomenon and requires a more nuanced investigation. The aim of this article is to analyse subjectively identified reasons of emigration from Lithuania to work in the elder care sector and motivation in choosing a particular country. The thematic data analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews revealed that emigration is motivated by an entirety of reasons: beside financial factors other „push“ (family, health) and „pull“ (knowledge about the country, family formation) factors are important. The move also is facilitated by the chain migration factors. The importance of the economic reasons for migration is revealed in cases of financial insecurity (loss of employment, threat of company bankruptcy, financial difficulties in the parents’ family etc.). Economic considerations become significant again, when comparing the job options and working conditions available to migrants. Work in the care sector for older people is seen as relatively easy, accessible and well paid. Other “push” factors were related to an unsatisfactory life situation, including stressful employment, and unsatisfying family relationships. The desire to get to know a foreign country, the opportunity to start a family or establish oneself there can work as „pull“ factors. The decision to emigrate was supported by the chain migration factors – encouragement, help and support of previously established immigrants. In some cases, it emerged as an independent factor of migration people emigrated, invited by relatives or acquaintances from abroad even though they did not initially plan to migrate. With the rapidly growing share of older people in Lithuania and the underdeveloped care services, the opportunity to retain potential emigrants by creating attractive working conditions for them in Lithuania, remains untapped. Policies should aim to improve the working conditions and opportunities in the care sector in Lithuania in order to encourage Lithuanians to stay in the country. In addition, regulations to better absorb (returning) migrants should be in place, given the ongoing movement between countries.

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 9-20
Author(s):  
Claudia Bale

Objective: The aim of this mixed-methods study is to capture and understand impoverished Guatemalan community members’ perspectives of their own health needs on a community level in order to guide Hope of Life (HOL) Non-Profit organization’s health promotion interventions in the villages they serve. Methods: A modified health needs assessment survey was conducted with 96 participants from four impoverished villages in the department of Zacapa, Guatemala. Survey responses were analyzed for significant differences in 4-item individual, family, and community health scores across demographic variables and significant correlations with reported personal health conditions and children’s health conditions. Five semi-structured interviews were also conducted with community leaders from three of the villages surveyed. Interviews were audio recorded and responses were transcribed verbatim and translated from Spanish to English. Thematic analysis using HyperRESEARCH qualitative analysis software version 4.5.0. was conducted to identify major themes. Results: The mean age of the 96 participants surveyed was 40.4 years and the majority were women, married or in Union, and have children. Women reported a significantly lower individual and family health score than men. The most rural village included in the study had significantly lower family health scores than the three sub-urban villages in the study. Among the personal health problems reported by participants, alcohol consumption, dental problems, and malnutrition were significant predictors of lower individual health scores. Themes that emerged from the interview analysis included the greatest community health needs, perceived negative community health behaviors, barriers to health care access, HOL’s impact, and suggestions for community health promotion.   Conclusion: The results of this study reveal many unmet health needs and barriers to healthcare that Guatemalan village communities face. Community-based participatory research using a mixed approach voices communities’ perspective on their perceived needs and is an important tool to guide non-profit aid and intervention serving impoverished communities.


Author(s):  
Artur Fabiś ◽  
Arkadiusz Wąsiński ◽  
Oldřich Čepelka

Abstract The goal of the paper is to identify the message in letters written by Polish and Czech seniors. The letters were subject to qualitative analysis. The method used was the analysis of the inspired texts—letters written by older people to the younger generation, which may become a didactic tool for the younger generations to learn from the biographies of seniors. The result of the analysis is a list of categories reflecting the main aspects dominating in the letters. These categories are: message addressed to a younger generation, important events and people in individual life story, reflection upon the meaning of life and concerns and challenges in the course of life. All the seniors express their affirmation of family, share ethical reflections on their relationships with other people and on passing. Thus, the main message of the letters is a call to cherish family relationships, nurture relations with other people and show respect to others.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 2333794X2110123
Author(s):  
Inese Stars ◽  
Liene Smane ◽  
Zanda Pucuka ◽  
Ieva Roge ◽  
Jana Pavare

Information on family health-related quality of life (FHRQoL) among families of children with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is limited. This qualitative study explores the impact of pediatric COVID-19 on FHRQoL from the parents’ perspective. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents (n = 20) whose children had tested positive for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Inductive thematic analysis revealed the following 10 themes that represented parents’ perception of FHRQoL while taking care of a child with COVID-19: pediatric COVID-19 as a disease with many unknowns; emotional saturation; internal family relationships in the context of “a new experience”; routine household activities and daily regimen while family is in lockdown; plenty of free time; a wide social support network; social stigma associated with COVID-19; different options for work; savings and debts; challenges with family housing and transport availability. Our results show that parents experience multiple effects of pediatric COVID-19 with regard to FHRQoL.


2021 ◽  
pp. 096973302098176
Author(s):  
Nertila Podgorica ◽  
Emiljano Pjetri ◽  
Andreas W Müller ◽  
Daniela Deufert

Background: As a non–European Union member state, Albania is increasingly orienting itself on Western models regarding human rights, patient rights, and legal regulations for healthcare. Due to its limited fiscal and legal power, enforcing legal and ethical regulations poses a major problem. Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate nurse’s knowledge and experiences regarding ethical and legal issues in Albanian elder care in state-funded and privately run institutions. Research design: The study was conducted using an inductive and qualitative design, utilizing a focused ethnographic approach, based on Roper and Shapira’s framework. Method: Data were collected between June 2017 and September 2018 using participant observation, field notes, and semi-structured interviews with 15 nurses in seven different elder care institutions. In total, 100 h of observation and 15 interviews were performed. Data analysis was based on Mayring’s qualitative content analysis. Ethical consideration: The approval for the study was obtained from UMIT—The Health and Life Sciences University, Austria. Findings: The findings of the study fell into the following main categories: “Everyday care issues,” “End-of-life issues,” “Legal issues,” and “Ethical-legal education and conflicts.” Discussion: The participants reported many ethical and legal issues when describing their everyday challenges and displayed a strong lack of ethical and legal education. Despite a wide spectrum in the quality of care between private and state-funded nursing homes, older people mostly do not know their own diagnosis. Conclusion: This study indicates that further ethical and legal education is needed. Furthermore, nurses need to be better prepared for ethical conflicts with families, as strengthening patient rights could come into conflict with traditional rights of the Albanian family.


BMC Nursing ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Cheng ◽  
Jiong Tu ◽  
Xiaoyan Shen

Abstract Background With China’s population ageing rapidly, stroke is becoming one of the major public health problems. Nurses are indispensable for caring for older patients with acute and convalescent stroke, and their working experiences are directly linked to the quality of care provided. The study aims to investigate registered nurses’ experiences of caring for older stroke patients. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was adopted. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 26 registered nurses about their lived experiences of caring for older stroke patients. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results Two main themes were identified. First, the nurses identified an obvious gap between their ideal role in elderly care and their actual practice. The unsatisfactory reality was linked to the practical difficulties they encountered in their working environment. Second, the nurses expressed conflicting feelings about caring for older stroke patients, displaying a sense of accomplishment, indifference, annoyance, and sympathy. Caring for older stroke patients also affects nurses psychologically and physically. The nurses were clear about their own roles and tried their best to meet the elderly people’s needs, yet they lack time and knowledge about caring for older stroke patients. The factors influencing their working experiences extend beyond the personal domain and are linked to the wider working environment. Conclusions Sustaining the nursing workforce and improving their working experiences are essential to meet the care needs of older people. Understanding nurses’ lived working experiences is the first step. At the individual level, nurse mangers should promote empathy, relieve anxiety about aging, and improve the job satisfaction and morale of nurses. At the institutional level, policymakers should make efforts to improve the nursing clinical practice environment, increase the geriatric nursing education and training, achieve a proper skill mix of the health workforce, and overall attract, prepare and sustain nurses regarding caring for older people in a rapidly aging society.


Author(s):  
Katherine E. McManus ◽  
Adrian Bertrand ◽  
Anastasia M. Snelling ◽  
Elizabeth W. Cotter

Parents, health professionals, and communities are integral in the development of nutrition behaviors that reduce children’s risk for high body mass index (BMI) and chronic disease. The aim of this study was to conduct formative evaluations with key health informants and parents to understand the specific strategies that families use at mealtimes to promote their family’s health, along with the barriers they face in attending current nutrition education programming. Focus groups (in English and Spanish) were conducted with parents (n = 22; 63.64% Black/African American, 13.64% Black but not African American, 18.18% Hispanic/Latinx) whose household was located in a community where 50% of residents’ gross income was ≤185% of the federal poverty level. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six key informants with expertise in family health and nutrition. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes across interviews. Six general themes emerged from the interviews including perceptions of health, relationships, health behaviors, facilitators, barriers, and desired changes. Across the six themes, participants responded with suggestions for community-based health promotion programs such as incorporating a broader definition of health to better address the individual and systemic barriers that perpetuate health inequities and make healthy eating difficult. Participants identified stress reduction, health literacy, and cooking knowledge as areas of interest for future programming.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. e37193
Author(s):  
Anna Luisa de Oliveira Salles ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Peres Sampaio ◽  
Leonardo Dos Santos Pereira ◽  
Nickson Scarpine Malheiros ◽  
Renan Araújo Gonçalves

Objetivo: identificar os recursos utilizados pelo enfermeiro da estratégia saúde da família (ESF) para estimular a adesão do paciente ao tratamento da Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica. Método: abordagem qualitativa. O projeto foi aprovado por Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa. A coleta de dados ocorreu no período de abril a agosto de 2017, por meio de entrevista semiestruturada com 10 enfermeiros atuantes em unidades de ESF localizadas no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Os depoimentos dos sujeitos foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Resultados: os enfermeiros realizam consultas de enfermagem garantindo a adesão dos participantes em atividades educativas de grupo, como palestras e orientações de enfermagem. Conclusão: o sistema utilizado na adesão ao tratamento é similar entre as unidades de ESF mantendo um padrão preconizado pela literatura.ABSTRACTObjective: to identify the resources used by Family Health Strategy (FHS) nurses to encourage patient adherence to treatment for Systemic Arterial Hypertension. Method: qualitative approach. The project was approved by the research ethics committee. Data were collected between April and August 2017, through semi-structured interviews of 10 nurses working in FHS units in Rio de Janeiro state. The transcriptions underwent Bardin content analysis. Results: the nurses held nursing appointments thus fostering participants’ adherence in group educational activities, such as talks and nursing guidance sessions. Conclusion: the treatment adherence system used is similar among FHS units, maintaining a pattern recommended by the literature.RESUMENObjetivo: identificar los recursos utilizados por el enfermero de la estrategia de salud familiar (ESF) para estimular la adhesión del paciente al tratamiento de la hipertensión. Método: enfoque cualitativo. El proyecto fue aprobado por el Comité de Ética en Investigación. La recolección de datos ocurrió en el período entre abril y agosto de 2017, por medio de entrevista semiestructurada junto a 10 enfermeros que trabajan en unidades de ESF ubicadas en el estado de Río de Janeiro. Las declaraciones fueron sometidas al análisis de contenido de Bardin. Resultados: los enfermeros realizan consultas de enfermería garantizando la adhesión de los participantes en actividades educativas de grupo, como charlas y orientaciones de enfermería. Conclusión: el sistema utilizado en la adhesión al tratamiento es similar entre las unidades de ESF manteniendo un patrón preconizado por la literatura.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole E. van Gelder ◽  
Ditte L. van Haalen ◽  
Kyra Ekker ◽  
Suzanne A. Ligthart ◽  
Sabine Oertelt-Prigione

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown evoked great worries among professionals in the field of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) as they expected a rise of the phenomenon. While many countries reported increased DVA, the Netherlands did not. To understand this discrepancy and the overall impact of the lockdown on DVA support services, we interviewed DVA professionals about their experiences with DVA during the rise of COVID-19, the impact of the lockdown on clients and working conditions, and views on eHealth and online tools. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted among 16 DVA professionals with various specializations. This data was analyzed using open thematic coding and content analysis. Results Most professionals did not see an increase in DVA reports but they did notice more severe violence. They experienced less opportunities to detect DVA and worried about their clients’ wellbeing and the quality of (online) care. Furthermore, their working conditions rapidly changed, with working from home and online, and they expressed frustration, insecurity and loneliness. Professionals feel eHealth and online tools are not always suitable but they do see them as an opportunity to increase reach and maintain services when physical contact is not possible. Conclusion This study suggests DVA was probably under-detected during the lockdown rather than not having increased. The Dutch system heavily relies on professionals to detect and report DVA, suggesting a need for critical evaluation of the accessibility of professional help. Professionals experienced significant challenges and should themselves be supported psychologically and in their changed work practices to maintain their ability to aid survivors.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hila Axelrad ◽  
Alexandra Kalev ◽  
Noah Lewin-Epstein

PurposeHigher pensionable age in many countries that are part of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and a shrinking pension income force older people to postpone their retirement. Yet, age-based discrimination in employers' decisions is a significant barrier to their employment. Hence, this paper aims to explore employers' attitudes regarding the employment of workers aged 60–70, striving for a better understanding of age discrimination.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 30 managers, experts and employees in retirement age in Israel.FindingsFindings reveal a spectrum of employers' attitudes toward the employment of older workers. The authors' analytical contribution is a conceptual typology based on employers' perceived ability to employ older workers and their stated attitudes toward the employment of older workers.Social implicationsThe insights that emerge from this research are fundamental for organizational actors' ability to expand the productive, unbiased employment of older workers.Originality/valueBy understanding employers' preferences and perspectives and the implications on employers' ability and/or willingness to employ older workers, this research will help policymakers formulate and implement policy innovations that address these biases.


Author(s):  
Anne Kelemen ◽  
Clara Van Gerven ◽  
Katherine Mullins ◽  
Hunter Groninger

Background: Palliative care (PC) clinicians are well trained to address physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs of patients who have a serious illness. However, one area that is often overlooked is intimacy and sexuality. Objective: To explore patient concerns regarding intimacy as it relates to illness, family reactions, physician conversations, and coping strategies and challenges. Methods: Eligible subjects (at least 18 years old, capacitated, receiving PC consultation at the lead author’s institution) participated in semi-structured interviews between November and December 2017. Transcripts were open-coded and analyzed using Dedoose 3.5.35 software. A constant comparative method was used to identify patterns in the data. Results: 21 interviews were analyzed and several themes emerged. Participants described the effect of physical and mental/emotional changes on their relationships. Family relationships, romantic relationships, and sexuality were prominent in patients’ experiences of intimacy and how it changed as the illness progressed. Relationships were often noted to strengthen during the course of illness, while sexual activity was frequently reported to be negatively impacted. Patients consistently reported little provider communication on the impact of illness on intimacy beyond instructions about what sexual activities they could or could not engage in. Conclusion: This study underlines the significant impact of serious, progressive illness on relationships, sexuality, and physical and emotional intimacy. It highlights that these topics continue to be priorities for patients with serious illness, and that medical teams frequently fail to address them at all. Future research should further explore these issues across diverse patient populations.


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