In my research, I examined abandonment fears in persons with Alzheimer's disease at the Salem Veterans Affairs adult day care center. I observed fifty hours at the center, and conducted open-ended interviews with two of the participants and their respective caregivers. These two participants (Ellen and Opel) at the center expressed abandonment fears much more frequently than any of the other participants. I found that most of the time, these two women would express their abandonment fears in the form of repetitive questions about going home. Staff used two different methods to deal with the problem: 'reassurance by fact' and redirection. The staff was divided as to the efficacy of their methods and whether more frequent attendance would help Ellen and Opel to adjust to the center. Some participants were bothered by the their constant questions, while others were not. Using an existing attachment questionnaire, Ellen's daughter classified her mother as having an avoidant attachment style, but Opel's daughter classified her mother as having secure attachment. Although Ellen's behavior at the center fit with the description of a person with avoidant attachment (e.g., extreme self-reliance, activity disturbance), Opel's fearful nature did not suggest that she had a secure attachment style as her daughter believed. / Master of Science

As the need for community care increases, complete and up-to-date information about organizational structure is crucial to making appropriate decisions about the expansion of adult day services. The absence of uniform national policies results in states and communities being relegated to balancing limited funds with the demand for adult day services, and in many areas, the lack of adult day care centers altogether. This study provides an overview of the types of state reimbursement, the availability of different funding sources, and the utilization of the sources in various states.

M.A. (Social Work) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (M of Gerontology)--University of South Australia, 1994

The purpose of this study was to begin to understand what exactly occurs when young children and adult day care participants interact together during planned intergenerational activities. Data were recorded through field notes, video tapes, activity plans and evaluations and through the assessment of the interaction by using an adaptation of the Early Childhood Classroom Observation Scale. The presentation of discoveries includes a description of each of the 12 activities implemented between the two groups, the environment, interactions between staff and participants and interactions between children and adults. The findings indicate implications for practice as well as future directions for research. / Master of Science

The purpose of this study was to investigate the existence of recreation programs in adult day care centers, the utilization of textile crafts in them, and the types of textile crafts used. Systematically selected, the sample was taken from the Health Care Financing Administration's Directory of Adult Day Care Centers. A questionnaire developed for this study, and an explanatory cover letter were mailed to 203 directors nationwide. A 51 percent response rate resulted in 103 useable returns. Recreation was included in 100 of the 103 adult day care centers. The respondents indicated that clients who attended adult day care generally participated in recreation. Textile crafts were part of 97 recreation programs, and activities were directed by trained recreation staff members knowledgeable about textile crafts. Crafts made available to clients were those the staff were capable of teaching. Sewing, crocheting, and weaving were ranked by respondents as easiest for clients, and needlepoint, embroidery, and macrame’ were ranked as difficult. Although the value and benefit of textile crafts to clients was not investigated, the fact that facilities include textile crafts within their programs suggests that crafts play an important part in filling the needs of at least some of the elderly. / Master of Science

This study examined a neglected area in long term care and adult day care research: staff development. The specific purposes of this study were to describe the provision of a comprehensive staff development program in adult day care centers in Virginia in order to (a) differentiate those centers providing only the minimum required inservice training from those centers providing more comprehensive staff development programs and (b) define what meaning is placed upon staff education programs by center administrators. A mail survey design was used for this study. The questionnaire developed for the study has three sections: (a) center characteristics, (b) staff characteristics, and (c) the meaning of staff development. Quantitative analysis was conducted on the first two sections while qualitative analysis was used to examine the final section. A conceptual model for adult day care staff development programs was also developed for the study. The model was used to compare the staff development programs across adult day care centers in Virginia. The sample included all licensed adult day care center administrators in Virginia (n=43). The total response rate for this survey was 88%. Results were discussed in terms of the provision of staff development programs, as well as the meaning that was placed on staff development by the responding center administrators. The results showed that much importance is placed upon staff development programs by the center administrators and they follow through with this by providing a well rounded staff development program for their staff. / Master of Science

我國日間照顧服務已在二十多年前由政府和學者引進，成為社區照顧的一環。然，國內日間照顧服務相關研究仍聚焦於日間照顧/護營運的成本評估、日照的服務使用情形及效益，缺乏人力資源管理對於日照單位服務品質相關議題的探討，更遑論社會工作人力的討論。而回顧我的實習經驗，發現日照社工員身處的工作環境將考驗其專業與韌性，故研究者以工作適應理論出發，研究目的陳列如後：(1)瞭解日間照顧社會工作者的工作職責與角色功能；(2)描繪日照社工員的工作困境，並進一步探索「工作適應」對日照社工的意涵；(3)分析影響日間照顧服務社工員工作適應的機制和因素；(4)找出日間照顧服務社工員工作適應的策略。 本研究發現，日照社工員的工作職責和角色繁瑣，實際上日照社工員已扮演一名日間照顧服務方案管理者的角色。由於適應是個體解決困境的歷程，日照社工員面臨的工作困境包括角色困境、工作成效有限及團隊合作不順暢等問題，使社工員產生挫折和離職的念頭；而日照社工員心目中的工作適應是個動態的過程、也是平衡的狀態，即社工員的努力能否與機構的期待達成平衡。良好的工作適應展現在三個面向：(1)日照社工員的工作表現；(2)工作滿意度高；及(3)願意工作下去並發現工作的意義；其中適應良好的日照社工員應有的工作表現，包含：(1) 不會將負面情緒帶給個案；(2)在時限內完成份內工作，並追求創新；(3)幫助團隊運作順利，並與團隊成員相處融洽。 本研究亦發現「日照社工員和工作場域之間的一致性」是影響其工作適應的核心機制，即日照社工員和工作場域能否滿足彼此的要求和期待；而日照社工員和工作場域之間的一致性可為兩種類型：(1)個體的工作表現、專業知能與特質能否滿足工作環境的要求；(2)工作環境能否滿足個體的工作需求，例如工作理念、學習機會、成就感和親和等需求。而日照社工員因應工作困境所發展出來的適應策略包括：(1)做中學，包括調整工作計畫、參與教育訓練、觀摩其他日照單位、搜尋相關文獻和媒體資訊；(2)尋求社會支持，例如督導的工具性支持，及同儕/同僚的工具性和情感性支持；(3)溝通，例如向他人說明自己的工作期待和能力限制；(4)妥協，譬如接受社福界工作量龐大的事實及不同專業的文化，以及放下對社工專業角色的堅持。最後，研究者綜合上述研究發現進行深入討論，並提出數項針對未來社會工作教育和實務之建議。 / The adult day care service has been introduced by the government and scholars for twenty years and has become part of the community care. However, related research on the adult day care service in Taiwan mainly focuses on the operating cost analysis, the application, and the benefits. It lacks the exploration of the quality of the adult day care center from the perspective of human resources management, not to mention the discussion about the workforce of social worker. Reflecting on my internship, I find out that the working environment challenges the proficiency and tenacity of the social workers of the adult day care center. Hence, I start from the work adjustment theory. The research purposes are as follows, (1) to understand the responsibility and the role function of the social workers of the adult day care center (2) to delineate the work predicament of the social workers of the adult day care center, and to further explore the meaning of “the work adjustment” to them (3) to analyze the mechanism and the factors that influences the work adjustment of the social workers of the adult day care center (4) to find out the work adjustment strategy that the social workers of the adult day care center adopt This paper finds out that the work and the role of the social workers of the adult day care center is miscellaneous and complicated. In fact, they play the role of the organizers of the adult day care service. This paper finds out that the work and the role of the social workers of the adult day care center is miscellaneous and complicated. In fact, they play the role of the organizers of the adult day care service. Because adjustment is a process of problem solving, the predicament the social workers of the adult day care center face includes role difficulties, the unsatisfied work accomplishment, and the problem with teamwork. All these problems may result in their frustration and resignation. Besides, the work adjustment for them is a dynamic process. That is, whether the social worker’s effort can meet with the expectation of the day care center. A positive work adjustment is showed in three dimensions: (1) The performance of the social workers of the adult day care center (2) Job satisfaction (3) The willingness to continuing working and finding out its meaning The performance a good social worker of the adult day care center should have includes, (1) Do not bring negative emotions to the case (2) Finish the job within limited time and pursue innovation (3) Help the team to process smoothly and get along with team members well This paper also finds out that “the correspondence between the social workers of the adult day care center and the work field” is the crucial mechanism that influences the work adaptation. That is, whether the social workers of the adult day care center and the work field can meet with each other’s requirements and expectations. There are two categories of the correspondence between them (1) whether the individual’s work performance, professional knowledge, and characters can satisfy the requirements of working environment (2) whether the working environment can satisfy the need of the individual, such as the work ethic, learning opportunity, the sense of achievement, and friendship The adjustment strategies the social workers of the adult day care center develop to meet the work predicament includes (1) Leaning by doing, which includes the adjustment of working plan, attending education training, observing and emulating other daycare centers, and searching for related literature and media information (2) Appealing for social support, such as the instrumental support of supervision, and the instrumental and emotional support from their peers (3) Communication, such as explaining to other people their own work expectation and the limitation of their ability (4) Compromise, such as accepting the big workload of social work and the different professional cultures, and abandon the insistence upon the professional role of a social worker Finally, I will analyze these findings and provide several suggestions to the social work education and application in the future.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1974. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2006. / Title from title screen. Heying Jenny Zhan, committee chair; Mary Ball, Molly Perkins, committee members. Electronic text (109 p. : ill. (some col.)). Description based on contents viewed May 1, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-88).