<p>ABSTRACT Introduction: This study is based on Aantonovskys SOC-theory; Sense of Coherence. SOC can be described as a theory which describes how a person experience her existence and the theory is based on three key expressions; comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. Aim: The aim of the study is to examine a group of elderly (>80 years) men and women who live alone to investigate how many percent of the group that estimate a high value of SOC. The study aims to investigate which factors contribute to the fact that a person achieve a high value of SOC and increase the understanding about how these factors concretely can appear in a persons life. Methods: Questionnaire (SOC scale) and Interviews. Results: Out of 59 questionnaires, 10 were answered completely. The 10 answers were represented equally of 50 % women and 50% men. Three persons out of ten (30%) estimated a high SOC (>160p). From the answered questionnaires, the 6 representatives with the highest estimated SOC were chosen for participating in interviews. The chosen people hade an estimated SOC-value between 132 and 177 points. The content from the interviews were analyzed and seven different subcategories were found consisting of common factors that had contributed to a high value of SOC. The subcategories were; relations, childhood, belief, conditions, career, occupation and experiences. Afterwards the subcategories were re-established to the three key-expressions; comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. Conclusions: The number of answered questionnaires in the investigation was unexpected very low and therefore the result is only to be applied as an example of the meaning that the procedure have for the result. However the result from the interviews is to be considered as possible to transmit into the work with elderly in healthcare. The result shows how factors that contribute to good health can be expressed in elderly peoples life. This makes it easier for the nurse to take care of and illuminate these factors and to work from a salutogenetic perspective.</p>

ABSTRACT Introduction: This study is based on Aantonovskys SOC-theory; Sense of Coherence. SOC can be described as a theory which describes how a person experience her existence and the theory is based on three key expressions; comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. Aim: The aim of the study is to examine a group of elderly (&gt;80 years) men and women who live alone to investigate how many percent of the group that estimate a high value of SOC. The study aims to investigate which factors contribute to the fact that a person achieve a high value of SOC and increase the understanding about how these factors concretely can appear in a persons life. Methods: Questionnaire (SOC scale) and Interviews. Results: Out of 59 questionnaires, 10 were answered completely. The 10 answers were represented equally of 50 % women and 50% men. Three persons out of ten (30%) estimated a high SOC (&gt;160p). From the answered questionnaires, the 6 representatives with the highest estimated SOC were chosen for participating in interviews. The chosen people hade an estimated SOC-value between 132 and 177 points. The content from the interviews were analyzed and seven different subcategories were found consisting of common factors that had contributed to a high value of SOC. The subcategories were; relations, childhood, belief, conditions, career, occupation and experiences. Afterwards the subcategories were re-established to the three key-expressions; comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. Conclusions: The number of answered questionnaires in the investigation was unexpected very low and therefore the result is only to be applied as an example of the meaning that the procedure have for the result. However the result from the interviews is to be considered as possible to transmit into the work with elderly in healthcare. The result shows how factors that contribute to good health can be expressed in elderly peoples life. This makes it easier for the nurse to take care of and illuminate these factors and to work from a salutogenetic perspective.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008. / Title from title screen (site viewed Nov. 20, 2008). PDF text: vii, 201 p. : col. ill. ; 2 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3315059. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

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Financial management planning styles were investigated with original data collected from 180 unmarried, elderly women with a home economics college background and living alone. Deacon and Firebaugh's (1975, 1988) household management systems theory, continuity theory from gerontology, and the construct of anticipatory socialization from sociology framed the study. Three planning styles named by Buehler and Hogan (1986) as Resource-centered (morphogenic), Goal-centered (morphostatic), and Constrained (random) were identified in the pre- and post-age 60 households. Measures of planning styles were adapted from an original instrument developed by Beard and Firebaugh (1978). Resource-centered planning was characterized as creating, increasing, or substituting resources while maintaining goals; Goal-centered as deleting, modifying, or prioritizing goals while accepting current resources; and Constrained planning as getting by day-by-day. Goal-centered measures were the most descriptive and Constrained measures the least descriptive. Planning style adopted in middle age was significantly related to style in retirement. Resource-centered planning was subject to collapse into Constrained planning. Resource-centered planning was correlated with age (inversely) and pension income; Goal-centered planning with handling finances pre-age 60 and satisfaction with financial management in retirement. Constrained planning was related to lower pre- and post-age 60 income, low level or no participation in planning retirement income and greater likelihood of dissatisfaction with financial practices in retirement. A rehearsal was related to financial management tasks rather than simulation of living alone. Among Constrained planners, the formerly-married were negatively affected by financial experience before age 60 and positively by preparedness and participation in planning retirement income compared to never-married. Many (43 percent) lived alone less than a year before retirement. More had money left over after expenses in retirement (61 percent) than pre-retirement (30 percent). Retirement income had been planned alone or with advice (43 percent), with husband (41 percent), by husband alone (4.5 percent) or not at all (8.5 percent). Eighty percent had anticipated living alone in their later years. Financial planning styles in retirement appear to reflect a pre-retirement rehearsal of family paradigms, financial practices, and planning style. / Graduation date: 1995

The design and implementation of a small-scale solar energy conversion system is presented in this thesis. The power circuit of the PV inverter is composed of a push-pull converter and a full-bridge inverter. The inverter converts DC power generated by photovoltaic cells into AC power. This design allows flexible arrangements of various solar cells modules. The systems can supply loads and feed excess power to the grid with unit power factor when operated under grid-connected mode, or supply loads exclusively by operating in the stand-alone mode. In grid-connected mode, it is controlled to follow the variations of solar panel insolation for achieving maximum power point tracking. A 150W prototype of the conversion system is implemented, simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the performance.

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The problem of social isolation among older people has been thoroughly documented, studied, and addressed through both policy and social services, and yet persists as a major social issue. There exist several notable gaps within the scholarly literature on isolation, particularly with respect to the role(s) of place-based risk factors, the relationship(s) between exclusion and social isolation, and best practices for isolation interventions. This thesis addresses these knowledge gaps and presents both empirical and theoretical contributions resulting from a three-part investigation. These studies are presented in three distinct papers to constitute a sandwich dissertation. The first paper examines the role of neighbourhood characteristics in shaping social isolation among older people by analyzing the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) baseline data in a series of multiple regressions. Findings indicate that the selected neighbourhood characteristics account for only a small portion of the social outcome measures of interest but raise meaningful questions about the intersection of place and social connection that warrant further study. The second paper investigates both the harmful and protective aspects of places in shaping isolation risk through a qualitative study of older people informed by a place-based exclusion lens. Interview results highlight several aspects of places that contribute risk of isolation and are used to adapt the model of known isolation risk factors. The third and final paper analyzes a sample of friendly visiting programs by conducting a realist synthesis to determine how, for whom, and under what conditions friendly visiting programs are most successful. Results of the synthesis are used to build a friendly visiting program theory to be tested in future studies. Together these three papers contribute to both the applied and theoretical literature on social isolation, and can inform the development of future research, policy, and intervention strategies. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The research reported in this thesis focuses on social isolation among older people and is organized into three papers. The first paper looks at data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging to learn more about how aspects of neighbourhoods might lead older people to become isolated. The second paper reports the major themes from in- depth, qualitative interviews with 17 older people living in Hamilton, Ontario. The third and final paper analyzes a set of articles evaluating friendly visiting programs for isolation older people and uncovers some of the characteristics and features of successful programs. The results of these three studies provide important insights into the ways in which neighbourhoods impact the social lives of older people, and how individual risk of becoming isolation might be tied to places. Results also show that friendly visiting programs for isolated older people can be very successful if they have certain key features included in their design.

No / This paper investigates the subjective experiences of older women living alone with Alzheimer’s disease, vascular or mixed dementia. Eight women were interviewed to explore how they managed their identities and coped with day-to-day living, in the absence of a significant co-resident other who might reflect them back to themselves. Through interpretative phenomenological analysis themes emerged about loss, embodiment, adapting, awareness, safety, relationships, exclusion and loneliness. Memory loss had the most significant impact through loss of independence. However, the women were actively engaged in re-constructing their sense of self, using a variety of coping strategies. Relationships with friends, neighbours and attendance at memory clubs were important. A search for meaningful relationships was apparent, conflicting with feeling vulnerable and a consequent desire for self protection.