Pivoting an MCI Empowerment Program to Online Engagement

In the Spring of 2020, closures and safe distancing orders swept much of the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper presents a case study of pivoting an in-person empowerment program focused on lifestyle interventions for people newly diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) to an online program. Working as rapidly as possible to sustain participant engagement, our design decisions and subsequent iterations point to initial constraints in telehealth capabilities, as well as learning on the fly as new capabilities and requirements emerged. We present the discovery of emergent practices by family members and healthcare providers to meet the new requirements for successful online engagement. For some participants, the online program led to greater opportunities for empowerment while others were hampered by the lack of in-person program support. Providers experienced a sharp learning curve and likewise missed the benefits of in-person interaction, but also discovered new benefits of online collaboration. This work lends insights and potential new avenues for understanding how lifestyle interventions can empower people with MCI and the role of technology in that process.

HIFASS-LOPIN-3 Empowerment Programs and the Wellbeing of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State, Nigeria

This study examined the various empowerment programs carried out by Health Initiatives for Safety and Stability in Africa – Local OVC Partner in Nigeria – Region 3 (HIFASS-LOPIN-3) as they affect the wellbeing of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). Three objectives were outlined to include investigating the relationship between HIFASS-LOPIN-3 educational empowerment program and OVC’s school enrolment; HIFASS-LOPIN-3 provision of health services and OVC’s accessibility to quality healthcare facilities; HIFASS-LOPIN-3 skills acquisition training/financial empowerment program and the income level of OVC/caregivers. An Ex-post facto research design was employed in this study and a sample size of three hundred and eighty (380) respondents was drawn using multi-stage, simple random, stratified and snowball sampling techniques. The reliability test of the instrument was done using the test-retest reliability method. Primary data was obtained using a questionnaire and in-depth interview schedule, while secondary data was sourced from journals, texts, newspapers, internet, unpublished papers. The hypotheses were tested using Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) and Chi-Square statistical techniques, together with frequency/percentage analysis. The study revealed among others that HIFASS-LOPIN-3 educational empowerment has significantly improved OVC’s school enrolment; HIFASS-LOPIN-3 skills acquisition training/financial empowerment program has significantly improved the income level of OVC/caregivers, nevertheless, almost all the OVC who reported having income-generating skills experienced challenges like insufficient start-up capital, insecurity, and crippling economic policies. It was recommended that government should make provision for OVC’s subsidized medical bills and adequate provision for start-up capital/equipment or materials should be made for older OVC/caregivers who receive skills acquisition training.

A Comparative Study On The Effect Of Telephone And SMS Follow-Up of An Empowerment Program On Quality of Life And Fatigue In Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Three-Month RCT-Follow-Up Study

Background: Due to their debilitating and progressive conditions, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) can reduce patients' quality of life (QOL) and cause fatigue. This study aimed to compare the effect of telephone and SMS follow-up of an empowerment program on QOL and fatigue in patients with COPD.Methods: This non blind randomized clinical trial (RCT) study was conducted on 105 patients with COPD in 2016-2017 in Shahrekord city. First, the pulmonary empowerment program was implemented for six 90-min sessions. Then, the patients were randomly assigned to three control, telephone follow-up, and SMS follow-up groups (35 individuals in each group) using a random number table. Data were collected in the first and the sixth sessions of the empowerment program and at the end of the follow-up period by demographic, QOL, and fatigue questionnaires. Eventually, they were analyzed through correlation coefficient and analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests using SPSS software (Ver. 20).Results: The study results on QOL showed that the groups were not significantly different before and after the empowerment (p > 0.05). However, they were statistically significant differences were observed between the groups at the end of the quarterly follow-up period (p < 0.001). ANOVA results for fatigue indicated no statistically significant differences between the groups before and after the empowerment (p > 0.05). The three groups were not significantly different after the intervention (p = 0.05).Conclusion: Based on the results, it is recommended to utilize follow-up as an important principle in empowerment using various technology methods and design more comprehensive empowerment to reduce patient fatigue.Trial registration: Iran National Committee for Ethics in Biomedical Research (IR.SKUMS.REC.1398.104) and the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20170122032101N4) (6/4/2020).

Caregiver empowerment program based on the adaptation model increase stroke family caregiver outcome

Objective Post-stroke disability and psychosocial disorders cause burdens for the families of stroke patients, including physical and financial burdens. The physical and psychological health of family caregivers determines the quality of care they provide to patients. The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of the Caregiver Empowerment Program Based on the Adaptation Model (CEP-BAM) in increasing the family caregiver's coping ability against various problems and reducing their burden while caring for the stroke patient. Methods This research was a quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-test control group design. The intervention group received CEP-BAM, while the control group received a conventional intervention in the form of a discharge planning program for family caregivers in the hospital. The samples were caregivers who care for and facilitate the recovery of stroke patients during their convalescence at home. We selected the samples from the population using the stratified random sampling method. The number of samples completed in the study was 40 in the intervention group and 40 in the control group. Measurement of outcome variables (coping and caregiver burden) was carried out 4 times including pre-test before the intervention, post-test 1 at 4 months after the intervention, post-test 2 at 5 months after the intervention, and post-test 3 at 6 months after the intervention. Results There were significant differences in caregiver's coping (P = 0.016) and caregiver's burden (P = 0.009) in measurements between the two groups. Conclusions The CEP-BAM interventions were effective in increasing adaptive coping strategies and reducing the burden of caregivers 4 months and continuing 6 months after the intervention.

Restoration of Estuary Water Quality in the Petitenget Beach Area with the Use of Hydromacrophyte Plants in Badung Regency Bali

Tourism activities around the coast are growing rapidly, especially in the Petitenget Coastal area. Waste management by tourism actors around the area causes the contamination of the Petitenget Beach estuary. To overcome this, it is necessary to restore estuary water, one way is by utilizing the potency of the fragrant root plant as a phytoremediation agent. The purpose of this community empowerment program is to examine how effective the vetiver plant is as a phytoremediation agent for Petitenget Beach estuary water. This research was started by collecting water samples from the petitenget estuary and then conducting water quality research and testing water samples on Wangi Root plants using an artificial wetland system which was carried out for one month. From the research that has been done, it is known that the vetiver plant is quite effective in reducing the levels of chemical pollutants such as pH, BOD and COD, but this plant cannot reduce the microbiological levels contained in the water.

Parents’ Attitudes About Gender Roles In Caregiving And Practices: Perspectives From A Community-Led Parenting Empowerment Program In Rural Kenya And Zambia

Background: This study was part of a project funded by the Hilton Foundation in partnership with Episcopal Relief and Development to conduct implementation research in rural communities in Kenya and Zambia. This involves testing the feasibility and effectiveness of community-based parenting empowerment in improving nurturing care of young children in rural communities in Zambia and Kenya. Few studies have investigated fathers’ roles in nurturing care of young children (birth-age to 3), particularly responsive care and stimulation (i.e. providing opportunities for early learning) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Fathers are often perceived to be mainly responsible for the provision of the family's economic needs. However, past studies have demonstrated that fathers’ involvement in parenting has great significance for the child’s holistic growth and development.Methods: Qualitative interviews and discussions with caregivers (primary caregivers and secondary caregivers) with children below three years, program volunteers (ECD Promoters and faith leaders), Moments That Matter Program implementers and government officials involved in the program implementation. The study reported in this paper aimed to establish the effects of the parenting empowerment program on more gender-equal attitudes about gender roles in parenting and actual caregiving practices by fathers (who are not the primary caregivers), after participating in the Moments That Matter (MTM) Program in Kenya and Zambia for 24 months. Qualitative data were collected at three-time points (baseline, midline and endline). Results: The findings show that the MTM Program resulted in improved gender-equal parenting attitudes and practices among mothers/other primary caregivers and fathers. Study participants reported that most fathers were actively involved in parenting and caregiving due to their participation in the MTM Program. Conclusion: The study findings provide evidence that targeted parenting programs can influence changes in perceived gender roles in parenting.