This study investigated access and use of information in the health-care of home-based elderly people (EPs) in Nakuru District, Kenya. The literature review revealed a gap with respect to information behaviour in health-care of EPs in a development context. The researcher used qualitative methods; with exploratory and descriptive research design because the focus of the study was on the littleknown and socially disadvantaged community of EPs in Nakuru District. Respondents were sampled by using the snowball technique. At the end of an interview session, each respondent was encouraged to nominate someone who either shared the same or had different experiences, views, socio-economic levels and gender. The researcher collected data through face-to-face interviews with EPs, informal care providers (ICPs) and formal health-care providers (FHCPs), in order to gain insight of information behaviour in health-care of EPs, by focusing on aspects of information needs; sources; use of information and factors that influence the respective groups of respondents to access and use health-care information health-care of EPs. The findings showed that the respective groups of respondents had similar as well as diversified needs for information for health-care. The groups used both formal and informal sources of information and channels of communication to access information for health-care, with FHCPs using authoritative sources more than the EPs and ICPs. Factors such as being a professional or a lay person, cost, ease of accessibility, availability of sources and channels of communication, time and trustworthiness of a source or channel of communication determined preference for use of information. The major contribution of the study is to the theory about information behaviour: some EPs and ICPs used CAM services without informing FHCPs, thereby revealing a form of concealed information use behaviour (CIUB). / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

In South Africa prior to 1994, community-based care and support services were established for whites only. The majority of older African (black) persons received informal support from their adult children and relatives. This has waned over the years due to the social and economic changes that have put into doubt the continued viability of such support. The Older Persons Act of 2006 requires social workers to establish community-based care and support services for older persons. Hence, the study was conducted to understand the factors that influence social workers in establishing CBCSS for older persons in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province. A qualitative research method was undertaken to accomplish the goal of the study. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify suitable participants. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen social workers who provide services to older persons. The data was analysed through Tesch’s (cited by Creswell, 2009:186) eight steps of qualitative analysis and data verification was conducted following Guba’s (Kreftling, 1991) model. The major finding is that there is a need for social workers to specialise in older persons programmes (gerontology). For the programmes to be a success, it is recommended that the Department of Social Development (DSD) strive to retain social workers who are knowledgeable and experienced in older persons programmes. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-10-19T12:02:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Regislaine Leoncio Pereira.pdf: 940942 bytes, checksum: 3107b12e70f9958ec6d190d66d75b5a3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-19T12:02:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Regislaine Leoncio Pereira.pdf: 940942 bytes, checksum: 3107b12e70f9958ec6d190d66d75b5a3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The demographic revolution and the change in the epidemiological profile confront us with an unwanted reality in the aging process. Although old age is not synonymous with illness, many seniors are aging with morbidities that affect their physical and cognitive ability making them dependent on care. In this scenario the figure of the family caregiver or the care professional appears. Researches that has proposed to look at the care done by family members indicates that caregivers often become ill and succumb to the caring process. However, for reasons pursued in this study, the experience is not common to all caregivers, it is possible to find other possibilities of care in caregivers who developed a healthy relationship in this path. This study aims to discuss the issue of care and the elements that may contribute to overcome the difficulties inherent in family care at home. To do so, we rescued the history of a municipal service and interviewed family caregivers who participate in the Caregiver Support Group. The bibliographic survey pertinent to the theme was fundamental to the research. To deepen the research we used the qualitative method which will allow us to observe and understand the different stories of 06 (six) caregivers and their relationship of care to the elderly family. Center for Reference to the Elderly Health (CERESI) in Guarulhos was our scenario of observation and meeting of respondents who answered open questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and life history narratives / A revolução demográfica e a mudança no perfil epidemiológico nos confrontam com uma realidade não desejada no processo de envelhecimento. Embora a velhice não seja sinônimo de doença, muitas pessoas estão envelhecendo com morbidades que afetam sua capacidade física e cognitiva tornando-as dependentes de cuidados. Neste cenário, surge a figura do cuidador familiar ou do profissional do cuidado. Pesquisas que propuseram se debruçar sobre o cuidado realizado por familiar, indicam que não raramente os cuidadores adoecem e sucumbem ao processo de cuidar. Entretanto, por razões perseguidas neste estudo, a experiência não é comum a todos cuidadores, é possível encontrar outras possibilidades de cuidado em cuidadores que desenvolveram uma relação saudável neste percurso. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo discutir a questão do cuidado e os elementos que podem contribuir para a superação das dificuldades inerentes ao cuidado familiar no domicílio. Para tanto, resgatamos a história de um serviço municipal e entrevistamos familiares cuidadores que participam do Grupo de Apoio ao Cuidador. O levantamento bibliográfico pertinente ao tema foi fundamental para a pesquisa. Para aprofunda-la, recorremos ao método qualitativo, que permitirá observar e compreender as diferentes histórias de 06 (seis) cuidadoras e sua relação de cuidado ao idoso familiar. O Centro de Referência à Saúde do Idoso (CERESI) em Guarulhos foi o nosso cenário de observação e de encontro das entrevistadas que responderam a questionários abertos e entrevistas narrativas

This study investigated access and use of information in the health-care of home-based elderly people (EPs) in Nakuru District, Kenya. The literature review revealed a gap with respect to information behaviour in health-care of EPs in a development context. The researcher used qualitative methods; with exploratory and descriptive research design because the focus of the study was on the littleknown and socially disadvantaged community of EPs in Nakuru District. Respondents were sampled by using the snowball technique. At the end of an interview session, each respondent was encouraged to nominate someone who either shared the same or had different experiences, views, socio-economic levels and gender. The researcher collected data through face-to-face interviews with EPs, informal care providers (ICPs) and formal health-care providers (FHCPs), in order to gain insight of information behaviour in health-care of EPs, by focusing on aspects of information needs; sources; use of information and factors that influence the respective groups of respondents to access and use health-care information health-care of EPs. The findings showed that the respective groups of respondents had similar as well as diversified needs for information for health-care. The groups used both formal and informal sources of information and channels of communication to access information for health-care, with FHCPs using authoritative sources more than the EPs and ICPs. Factors such as being a professional or a lay person, cost, ease of accessibility, availability of sources and channels of communication, time and trustworthiness of a source or channel of communication determined preference for use of information. The major contribution of the study is to the theory about information behaviour: some EPs and ICPs used CAM services without informing FHCPs, thereby revealing a form of concealed information use behaviour (CIUB). / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Science)

In South Africa prior to 1994, community-based care and support services were established for whites only. The majority of older African (black) persons received informal support from their adult children and relatives. This has waned over the years due to the social and economic changes that have put into doubt the continued viability of such support. The Older Persons Act of 2006 requires social workers to establish community-based care and support services for older persons. Hence, the study was conducted to understand the factors that influence social workers in establishing CBCSS for older persons in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province. A qualitative research method was undertaken to accomplish the goal of the study. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to identify suitable participants. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen social workers who provide services to older persons. The data was analysed through Tesch’s (cited by Creswell, 2009:186) eight steps of qualitative analysis and data verification was conducted following Guba’s (Kreftling, 1991) model. The major finding is that there is a need for social workers to specialise in older persons programmes (gerontology). For the programmes to be a success, it is recommended that the Department of Social Development (DSD) strive to retain social workers who are knowledgeable and experienced in older persons programmes. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)