scholarly journals The Impact on Older People’s Wellbeing of Leaving Heritage Volunteering and the Challenges of Managing this Process

Author(s):  
Bruce Davenport ◽  
Andrew Newman ◽  
Suzanne Moffatt

The benefits of volunteering for older volunteers and for the organisations who host them is well-documented. The impact of being obliged to leave volunteering due to age-related conditions, and any challenges that this creates for volunteer managers, are under-researched. This study explored how volunteers and volunteer managers experienced this point in the volunteering lifecycle and whether the topic warranted further research. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with fourteen older people, who were (or had been) volunteers at one of three cultural heritage organisations in the north-east of England alongside seven volunteer managers from those organisations. These represented the diversity of heritage organisations in the region. Volunteers discussed leaving volunteering in terms of loss but also indicated that forms of personal appraisal and agency were possible, ameliorating the impact of leaving. Volunteer managers discussed how organisational frameworks and the relationships they formed with volunteers shaped their practices. These relationships created a sense of organisational reciprocity which led some managers to exceed the rules in order to sustain people in their volunteering. The results suggest that supporting personal agency could ameliorate the impact of leaving volunteering but that organisations would benefit from articulating the extent and the limits of that support.

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 464-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence Achilles Nnyanzi

The aim of this study was to explore the reactions of children aged 10–11 years towards being weighed and measured and subsequently told their correct weight as part of the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). The study was undertaken in primary schools in a Primary Care Trust (PCT) in the North East of England, UK. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted post-NCMP measurement (and the feedback) with a sample of 21 children, aged 10–11 years, conveniently sampled from the primary schools in the PCT. Findings from the study indicate that the NCMP, especially the weight feedback letter caused annoyance, panic and worry among children who were indicated to have weight problems and oversensitised all children about weight issues, regardless of their weight category. The NCMP is a potentially useful ‘wake-up call’ to the fact that something needs to be done for children identified to be overweight or obese but needs to be delivered with a sensitivity to the impact of the news on the child.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 945-945
Author(s):  
Ruheena Sangrar ◽  
Stephanie Chesser ◽  
Michelle Porter

Abstract Public health messages during the COVID-19 pandemic have indicated a higher risk for older people and/or those who have multiple health conditions. Subsequent societal discourse, however, has at times arguably protested the full protection and treatment of older people from COVID-19, potentially contributing to internalized ageism. To date, how older people interpret age-related pandemic messaging and discourse has not been explored. This study examined older adults’ perspectives of age-related COVID-19 messaging and societal discourse, as well as their perceptions of vulnerability, using a social constructionism framework. Adults age 65 to 89 years participated in semi-structured interviews about their thoughts and experiences with ongoing pandemic-related public messaging. Preliminary analysis suggests that participant perspectives of COVID-19 messaging are situated along a continuum of concern associated with contracting the virus. While some, for example, describe minimal concern, others express being fearful. Individual perceptions of safety appear to be informed, in part, by the presence or absence of an underlying health condition. Individual approaches to media criticism and consumption, personal risk-taking thresholds, financial stability, and social connectedness also appear to influence how the participants perceive pandemic-related messaging. Findings suggest the framing of COVID-19 and pandemic protocols, as well as the media’s sensationalization of age-related issues, can impact older peoples’ perceived vulnerability of contracting the virus. Future research is needed to understand the long-term implications of ongoing pandemic-related messaging on older adults’ experiences of aging, as well as the consequences such messaging could pose to for their health and social behaviors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Webster ◽  
Laura Doggett ◽  
Stephanie Gardner

The offender personality disorder (OPD) pathway was implemented in 2012 to help improve services for people with personality difficulties within the criminal justice system. The OPD pathway acknowledges the importance of supervision, training and reflective practice for staff working with this client group and such activities have therefore been embedded within this initiative. Despite the research from this pathway identifying benefits to both staff and service users, there is a gap in knowledge about the impact of reflective practice. This study aims, therefore, to increase this knowledge base by exploring staff’s experience and perception of reflective practice as part of the OPD pathway programme. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were completed with 32 members of National Health Service and National Probation Service staff within offender management teams and approved premises in the North East of England. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, resulting in the emergence of four key themes relating to the utility of reflective practice sessions. The findings suggest that reflective practice is useful, however, there are some barriers to attending sessions. The findings have implications for service delivery and workforce development within the OPD pathway programme and more widely within NPS.


Author(s):  
K Senthilkumar ◽  
G Ravikumar ◽  
RP Aravindhbabu

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease that causes abortions, infertility and mastitis in cattle. This research was aimed at investigating the temporal and spatial pattern, sex, age, breed wise distribution of leptospirosis in Tamil Nadu. A seroreactivity of 28.2% was noticed among cattle in seven agro-climatic zones. The temporal trend of leptospirosis recorded during the post-monsoon season (30.5%) was significant when compared to the pre-monsoon season (25.8%). The spatial distribution revealed a high proportion of leptospirosis (31.2%) in the North East zone in comparison with the other zones. The serogroups Australis (37.9%), Hebdomadis (30.6%), Hardjo (29.9%), Javanica (28.1%) and Pomona (19.7%) were predominant in all the agro-climatic zones. The observation of 44.2% seroreactivity in buffaloes is most probably associated with the wallowing behaviour. A high seroreactivity of 31.1% in Holstein Friesian than that compared with the native breed discloses a breed susceptibility. A seroreactivity of 30.2% in animals aged above three years shows an age-related susceptibility, but there was no significant difference between the sexes. The seroreactivity among the animals in an organised farm (33.8%) is higher than in individually reared animals (25.5%) indicating the impact of the rearing system. The three Leptospira strains isolated were identified as the Leptospira interrogans serogroup Australis, Canicola and Sejroe. This study depicted the epidemiology of leptospirosis in cattle and emphasises the need of leptospirosis to be included in cattle health surveillance programmes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Joanne Harris ◽  
Ian C Elliott

Background/Aims Evidence of the impact and effectiveness of lean systems thinking in healthcare settings remains mixed. This study explores the impact of participation in a process mapping activity on employee engagement and distributed leadership in the NHS. Methods A qualitative study was undertaken using semi-structured interviews with nine employees within an NHS trust in the north east of England. Questions explored participants' experiences of process mapping. A thematic analysis was then carried out. Findings Following the implementation of process mapping, staff appeared more engaged and there was a closer relationship between teams and management. The end result of process mapping was increased employee engagement, greater team working, well-distributed leadership, increased job satisfaction and reduced stress levels. Conclusions Participation in process mapping can have a number of positive impacts, including improved team working, reduced staff stress levels and improved relationships between staff and management. Using process mapping could help NHS trusts to implement a more distributed method of leadership.


2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. bjgp18X696929
Author(s):  
Jill Mitchell

BackgroundThere is an emerging debate that general practice in its current format is out-dated and there is a requirement to move to a federated model of provision where groups of Practices come together. The emergence of federations has developed over the past 5 years but the factors that influence how federations develop and the impact of this new model is an under researched area.AimThe study explored the rationale around why a group of independent GP practices opted to pursue an alternative business venture and the benefits that this strategy offered.MethodA single organisational case study of a federation in the North of England was conducted between 2011–2016. Mixed methods data collection included individual and group semi-structured interviews and quantitative surveys.ResultsFederations promote collaborative working, relying on strategic coherence of multiple individual GP practices through a shared vision and common purpose. Findings revealed many complexities in implementing a common strategy across multiple independent businesses. The ability of the federation to gain legitimacy was two dimensional – externally and internally. The venture had mixed successes, but their approach to quality improvement proved innovative and demonstrated outcomes on a population basis. The study identified significant pressures that practices were experiencing and the need to seek alternative ways of working but there was no shared vision or inclination to relinquish individual practice autonomy.ConclusionOrganisational development support is critical to reform General Practice. Whether central funding through the GP Five Year Forward View will achieve the scale of change required is yet to be evidenced.


Breathe ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison McMillan ◽  
Mary J. Morrell

Key pointsSleep disordered breathing (SDB) is common and its prevalence increases with age. Despite this high prevalence, SDB is frequently unrecognised and undiagnosed in older people.There is accumulating evidence that SDB in older people is associated with worsening cardio- cerebrovascular, cognitive and functional outcomes.There is now good evidence to support the use of continuous positive airway pressure therapy in older patients with symptomatic SDB.Educational aimsTo highlight the prevalence and presentation of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in older people.To inform readers about the risk factors for SDB in older people.To explore the impact of SDB in older people.To introduce current evidence based treatment options for SDB in older people.Sleep disordered breathing (SBD) increases in prevalence as we age, most likely due to physiological and physical changes that occur with ageing. Additionally, SDB is associated with comorbidity and its subsequent polypharmacy, which may increase with increasing age. Finally, the increased prevalence of SDB is intrinsically linked to the obesity epidemic. SDB is associated with serious outcomes in younger people and, likewise, older people. Thus, identification, diagnosis and treatment of SDB is important irrelevant of age. This article reviews the age-related changes contributing to SDB, the epidemiology and the risk factors for SDB in older people, the association of SDB with adverse outcomes, and diagnostic and treatment options for this population.


2019 ◽  
Vol 96 (8) ◽  
pp. 766-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inessa V. Averyanova ◽  
S. I. Vdovenko ◽  
A. L. Maksimov

Natural and climatic conditions of the environment of Northeast Russia and particularly Magadan region are the very factor mostly influencing adaptive responses by individuals inhabiting the region. Compensatory and adaptive responses in indigenes and newcomers of the region can be assumed to have their specific features. In 2009 there was executed the examination of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and gas exchange in 392 cases aged of 17-19 years, including Europeans (Caucasians) born in the North in the 1st-2nd generation and indigenes. The methodologically similar study was carried out in 2014 in 265 persons, referred to the same cohorts of North-born Caucasians and Indigenes from the Magadan region. The results of the study executed in 2009 testified to a small number of physiological parameters that were reliably different in Caucasians vs. Indigene subjects. In 2014 no difference was found between the two examined cohorts throughout the observed parameters. The revealed changes in gas exchange, external respiration and cardiovascular systems demonstrated by modern young Indigenes of Northeast Russia testified to the fall in the effectiveness of their breathing. All that makes them farther from the classic “polar metabolic type” and their morphofunctional status becomes closer to European male subjects of Northeast Russia. Thus, we can observe a clear tendency towards “convergence in programs” of the adaptive changes between populations of the North residents undergoing similar natural, environmental and social factors.


Finisterra ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (62) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Pike ◽  
Mário Vale

The industrial policy in the UK and in Portugal, as in most EU countries, seeks to attract new investment capacity, to create jobs and to promote the impact of the so-called "demonstration efect" of "greenfield" development strategies pursued in the new plants of inward investors on existing or "brownfield" plants. This industrial policy focus is particularly evident in the automobile industry.This paper compares the industrial policy oriented towards the automobile industry in the UK and in Portugal. Two recent "greenfield" investments are analised: Nissan in the North-East region (UK) and Ford/VW in the Setúbal Peninsula (Portugal), as well as three "brownfield" plants: Ford Halewood and GM Vauxhall Ellesmere Port in the North-West region (UK) and Renault in Setúbal (Portugal). The first part starts with a discussion of industrial policy in the automobile sector, the role of "greenfield" development strategies and the "demonstration effect" on "brownfield" plants. Then, the limits of new inward investment are pointed out, basically their problems and restrictions. Afterwards, the structural barriers to the "demonstration effect" within "brownfield" plants are outlined and some possabilities for alternative "brownfield" development strategies are presented.


2021 ◽  
pp. 238008442110419
Author(s):  
M. Hijryana ◽  
M. MacDougall ◽  
N. Ariani ◽  
L.S. Kusdhany ◽  
A.W.G. Walls

Introduction: The impact of periodontal disease on oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL) has often been investigated from a quantitative research perspective, which is based on clinical findings and an OHRQoL questionnaire. Very few studies have examined the issue from the view of qualitative research. To our knowledge, there have been no previous qualitative studies focusing the effect of periodontal disease on OHRQoL in Indonesian older people. Objectives: To explore and understand the impact of periodontal disease on the OHRQoL of older people as a subjective reflection in relation to periodontal disease experiences. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in a sample of 31 older people with generalized chronic periodontitis. Thematic analysis was used to identify the key issues in participants’ accounts. The analysis was undertaken by 2 independent coders to ensure reliability. To achieve thematic saturation, successive interviews were undertaken until 5 sequential interviews did not bring new themes. Results: Participants reported the negative effects likely related to periodontal disease. The impacts of periodontal disease were described by these older people as affecting more than pain, physical discomfort, and physical function restrictions. Periodontal disease also affected their psychological and social aspects of daily living. In addition, this study identified themes related to individual and environmental factors that may modify and personalize periodontal disease experiences. Furthermore, this study identified a misleading belief that problems related to periodontal disease were a normal part of aging, which might influence individuals’ expectations toward oral health. Relatedly, participants frequently reported that the progression of tooth mobility to tooth loss was an inevitable part of the aging process. Conclusions: Periodontal disease negatively affected participants’ OHRQoL. It is fundamental to understand older people’s perceptions toward their periodontal disease as well as individual and environmental factors that may have an influence on their periodontal disease experiences. Knowledge Transfer Statement: This study is a reflection of Indonesian older people’s subjective periodontal disease experiences. Therefore, the present study can be used to understand older people’s perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and experiences toward periodontal disease and how this disease may affect their quality of life. This study also highlights a widespread and misleading belief that oral problems related to periodontal disease are an inevitable part of aging in this study population.


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