scholarly journals ICT as an instrument for social and emotional ageing. A qualitative study with older adults with cognitive impairments

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Cognitive Impairments ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Older Person ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Perception Of Control ◽  
The Social ◽  
Insight Into

Inspired by theories from the field of social and emotional aging, we studied the use of ICTs by older adults with cognitive impairments. By means of qualitative interviews (N=30) with older adults with cognitive impairments and their relatives, we got a detailed picture of the role of ICTs in their daily lives. First, our data showed that older adults with cognitive impairments used ICTs to enhance their social and emotional wellbeing. This involved social interaction, feelings of belongingness, and engagement in hobbies and regular daily activities. Second, our research provided insight into the strategies applied when ICT use became too difficult, with a considerable role for the social network. When the network offered help upon request or proactively encouraged the older person, this increased the perception of control. This also applied to the indirect use of ICTs, when someone from the social network operated the devices. Denying the older person the use of ICTs undermined the perception of control. The findings provide insight into how the potential of ICT can be exploited for this target group. We end the paper with practical recommendations.

scholarly journals Intergenerational connections to improve social well-being of older adults with ADRD: A research protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 1018-1018
Author(s):  
Ling Xu ◽  
Noelle Fields ◽  
Kathryn Daniel ◽  
Brooke Troutman ◽  
Daisha Cipher
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Research ◽  
Research Protocol ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
The Social ◽  
Matched Data

Abstract There is growing concern about social isolation, loneliness, and diminished emotional well-being among persons with ADRD who live in the community. Research suggests that reminiscence strategies, especially with the production of a digital story book, combined with an intergenerational approach may yield significant benefits for older adults. Reminiscence approaches are typically implemented by trained professionals. However, the use of trained volunteers is of growing interest due to the costs associated with reminiscence programs. This research protocol describes the development and testing of an intergenerational, telephone-based reminiscence program offered by trained, young adult volunteers that includes the use of digital storytelling (DST). Specifically, the study addresses three aims: 1) Quantitatively test the effectiveness in improving social and emotional well-being of older adults with ADRD; 2) Quantitatively test attitudes towards aging and knowledge and awareness of ADRD disease among the young adults; and (3) Qualitatively evaluate the usefulness of this intervention from perspectives of the dyads. A randomized control trial is used to assess the effects of the intervention using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. The older and younger participants (n = 92 dyads) are randomly assigned to intervention (reminiscence) or sham (social visit) group, and then randomly matched. Data are collected at baseline, mid-intervention, post- intervention, 3 months-post intervention and through qualitative interviews (selected dyads). The proposed evaluation activities will allow us to determine the applicability of intergenerational reminiscence with DST as an effective intervention for supporting the social and emotional needs of persons with ADRD.

scholarly journals The switching mechanisms of social network densification

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teruyoshi Kobayashi ◽  
Mathieu Génois
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Regime Switching ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Social ◽  
Switching Property ◽  
Distinctive Type ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractDensification and sparsification of social networks are attributed to two fundamental mechanisms: a change in the population in the system, and/or a change in the chances that people in the system are connected. In theory, each of these mechanisms generates a distinctive type of densification scaling, but in reality both types are generally mixed. Here, we develop a Bayesian statistical method to identify the extent to which each of these mechanisms is at play at a given point in time, taking the mixed densification scaling as input. We apply the method to networks of face-to-face interactions of individuals and reveal that the main mechanism that causes densification and sparsification occasionally switches, the frequency of which depending on the social context. The proposed method uncovers an inherent regime-switching property of network dynamics, which will provide a new insight into the mechanics behind evolving social interactions.

Summarised research reviews upon which to promote social and emotional wellbeing in children of separated parents

2018 ◽  
pp. 21-44
Author(s):  
Mervyn Murch
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Parental Conflict ◽  
Risk And Resilience ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Behavioural Science ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
System P ◽  
The Social ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Social And Emotional Wellbeing

This chapter summarizes the principal research findings of social and behavioural science which highlight factors concerning risk and resilience in children when parental conflict results in the breakup of their families. The purpose is simply to indicate the growing background knowledge base for the practice and policy proposals for preventive support services for children. Two main streams of research are considered. The first focuses on the social and emotional wellbeing of children in schools. These institutions have a primary preventive role, as indeed do primary healthcare teams. The second, drawn largely from the field of developmental psychology, focuses more on intra-familial behavioural issues. This is a rapidly growing area of knowledge which is being recognised and applied more particularly to the field of parental conflict resolution and in the context of the interdisciplinary family justice system.

scholarly journals Promoting Participation in Daily Activities Through Reablement: A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Trine A. Magne ◽  
Kjersti Vik
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Elderly Population ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
The Social

A well-known prediction is that the growing elderly population will place a strain on our healthcare systems. At the same time, healthcare is becoming increasingly patient-centered and individualized, with the patient becoming an active participant rather than a mere object of healthcare. The need for change may be met by using a reablement service, utilizing the rehabilitation mindset through home-based services. Rehabilitation and reablement aim to provide opportunities for individuals to participate to a maximum of their potential. This study is part of a larger research project exploring different aspects of reablement in municipalities. It aims to describe how older adults engage in daily activities within the context of reablement and to explore participation in daily activities. A qualitative design was chosen, and the study is explorative in nature due to limited research on participants’ experience with reablement. Ten older adults age 70 to 94 years old were recruited and interviewed. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using systematic text condensation (STC) strategies. This study provides insights on how older adults experience participation in daily activities and important aspects for performing these activities and living independently as long as possible. Based on the older adults’ experiences, three main themes were identified when receiving reablement. First, what to achieve with reablement and feeling a sense of security to participate in daily activities. Second, how to carry out wanted activities using different skills and last, how the social network is important for enabling active living. This calls for healthcare workers to address and facilitate these in reablement. Our findings show the importance of collaborating with the social network and strengthening participation in daily activities to establish and develop existing reablement services.

Do Older Adults Have Social Lifestyles That Place Fewer Demands on Hearing?

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (09) ◽  
pp. 697-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Hsiang Wu ◽  
Ruth A. Bentler
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Sound Level ◽  
Index Score ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
The Social

Background: Listening demand, or auditory lifestyle, is an important factor that needs to be considered when selecting a hearing aid and specific amplification features. Although elderly adults often report having fewer listening demands, auditory lifestyles of people in different age groups have not been objectively quantified and compared. Although it is assumed that the social lifestyles of older adults, e.g., retirement, place fewer demands on hearing, this assumption has not been examined empirically. Purpose: The purposes of the current study were to (1) objectively characterize and compare the auditory lifestyle of younger and older adults with hearing impairment and (2) examine the relationships between age, social lifestyle, and auditory lifestyle. Research Design: This is a nonexperimental study using a correlational design. Study Sample: Twenty-seven adults with bilateral hearing impairment aged 40–88 yr were recruited and served as subjects. Data Collection and Analysis: To objectively quantify auditory lifestyle, participants carried noise dosimeters to measure sound levels in their daily lives for 1 wk. To help interpret the dosimeter data, participants used paper-and-pencil journals to describe their listening activities and environments. The auditory lifestyle was also subjectively quantified by the Auditory Lifestyle and Demand Questionnaire (ALDQ). Three self-report inventories were used to characterize participants' social lifestyles: Social Network Index, Welin Activity Scale, and Social Convoy Questionnaire. Results: A total of 1,267 journal entries covering 2,032 hr of dosimeter recordings were obtained from participants for analyses. Although younger and older participants reported spending comparable time in a given category of listening event, the dosimeter-measured sound level was higher for younger listeners. For auditory lifestyle quantified by dosimeter, correlation analyses revealed that older age was associated with lower Social Network Index scores (smaller social networks) and fewer listening demands. Regression models further indicated that the Social Network Index score more accurately predicted listening demand than age. Finally, path analysis suggested that the effect of age on listening demand was mediated by the Social Network Index score. Self-report auditory lifestyle measured by the ALDQ was not associated with age and social lifestyle. Conclusions: The results indicate that older listeners tend to encounter quieter listening situations than younger listeners. The data are also consistent with the hypothesis that older adults have less active social lifestyles that place fewer demands on hearing. Therefore, the current study suggests the important role of social lifestyle in listening demand and the need to consider this factor in clinical management of hearing loss.

scholarly journals Associations Between Social Support, Social Networks, and Financial Exploitation in Older Adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 990-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott R. Beach ◽  
Richard Schulz ◽  
Rodlescia Sneed
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
Financial Exploitation ◽  
The Social

Social support and social networks are important correlates of elder mistreatment. This study tests hypothesized associations between perceived social support, social network size, and financial exploitation (FE). A population-based survey of 903 older adults (60+) in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) found that lower perceived social support and larger social networks were simultaneously associated with higher risk for FE since age 60, controlling for known risk factors. The same associations were found for FE in the last 6 months. Older adults with larger social networks combined with lower perceived social support were most likely to report FE. When it comes to the role of social relationships and risk for FE, “more may not always be better.” Encouragement to widen the social network by “making new friends” should be stressed less than making sure these new network members will truly be supportive of the older adult.

French Primary Elections and the Internet, the Social Network of the Socialist Party, the Coopol

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 46-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marino De Luca ◽  
Anaïs Theviot
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Web Surveys ◽  
Virtual Communication ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
The Social ◽  
On Line

Beyond traditional places for exchanges within organizations (for example, ward or branch meetings), virtual communication forums give members of political parties an opportunity to express their opinions on line. The social network of the Parti Socialiste (PS) in France, the Coopol, was created on January 12, 2010, and seems to hold out new prospects for public debate. The mediated exchanges which took place on this platform have allowed us to analyze the political debate among activists between July and October 2011. The results are based on different types of data (statistical analysis of text, web surveys and qualitative interviews) gathered while observing the debate on the forum and through interviews with voters and activists. The rationale for the use of three different approaches is related to the fact that the article presents several studies that can be evaluated in their totality, but should be taken singly in each case. The information provided by this article makes it an important case study which explains in an empirical way the latest theoretical approaches within this research field.

scholarly journals Social Networks among the Older Chinese Population in the USA: Findings from the PINE Study

Gerontology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 238-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
XinQi Dong ◽  
E-Shien Chang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Socioeconomic Characteristics ◽  
The Social ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Older Chinese

Background: Social network research has become central to studies of health and aging. Its results may yield public health insights that are actionable and improve the quality of life of older adults. However, little is known about the social networks of older immigrant adults, whose social relationships often develop in the context of migration, compounded by cultural and linguistic barriers. Objectives: This report aims to describe the structure, composition, and emotional components of social networks in the Chinese aging population of the USA, and to explore ways in which their social networks may be critical to their health decision-making. Methods: Our data come from the PINE study, a population-based epidemiological study of community-dwelling older Chinese American adults, aged 60 years and above, in the greater Chicago area. We conducted individual interviews in participants' homes from 2011 until 2013. Based on sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, this study computed descriptive statistics and trend tests for the social network measures adapted from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project study. Results: The findings show that older Chinese adults have a relatively small social network in comparison with their counterparts from other ethnic and racial backgrounds. Only 29.6% of the participants could name 5 close network members, and 2.2% could name 0 members. Their network composition was more heavily kin oriented (95.0%). Relationships with network members differed according to the older adults' sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Subgroup variations included the likelihood of discussing health-related issues with network members. Conclusion: This study highlights the dynamic nature of social networks in later-life Chinese immigrants. For healthcare practitioners, developing cost-effective strategies that can mobilize social network support remains a critical undertaking in health intervention. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine the causal impact of social networks on various domains of health.

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