<p>Healthcare provider practices around older adult sexuality are increasingly the focus of scholarship. Researchers use available scales to study health worker knowledge and behavior in their research. This dissertation argues the need for a new scale, because the available measures are dated and do not account for changes in attitudes and medical advances over three decades. After a review of the increasing role of physicians, social workers, and other health workers providing care for sexual issues throughout history, I describe available scales for measuring knowledge and behaviors about older adult sexuality and review research that employs them. The purpose of the dissertation was to develop a contemporary measure regarding older adult sexuality practices among health workers. I utilized a two-phase plan following Bowen and Guo&rsquo;s 12-step mixed-method approach for scale development (2012). Phase I included a literature review and qualitative interviews with experts on older adult sexuality regarding the construct. Then I created a universe of items, reviewed them with the experts, and revised items. In Phase II, I tested the items with 155 healthcare providers and conducted analysis for reliability and validity. Based on the analysis, I culled items to create a shortened scale. I proposed a scale consisting of 52 items with three subscales: a 25-item Knowledge subscale, a 13-item Attitude subscale, and a 14-item Behavior subscale. The Knowledge subscale showed poor internal reliability (<i>KR-20</i> = .625). The Attitudes (&alpha; = .825), and Behavior (&alpha; = .837) subscales showed good internal reliability. I also evaluated content validity and criterion-related validity for the subscales. Flaws in the methods and analysis make the 52-item proposed scale conceptually unsound. Limitations in generating the pool of items, evaluating the items, and testing reliability and validity did not produce a viable scale. I analyze problems with the methodological approach and propose a redesign that corrects for flaws in the approach employed here. I will use an inductive, social justice model that expands scale development to include interviews with practitioners and older adults. I conclude with a number of research, practice, and policy implications that will result from a redesigned scale. </p>

<p> As the number of older adults with dementia in nursing facilities grows, so does the need for holistic dementia training for nursing home staff. This curriculum was designed as a training tool for all nursing facility staff in order to provide practical education on how to develop individualized, psychosocial interventions for residents that have dementia. The curriculum is presented in two parts. Part I is a simulation activity and discussion to create empathy among staff members by demonstrating the perspective of an older adult with dementia. Part II is a guided practice activity on how to identify important interests and characteristics of an individual resident and apply this knowledge to create effective interventions. The training is a total of approximately 4 hours and focuses on teaching staff skills that will allow them to continue to target dementia symptoms with psychosocial interventions. The curriculum also includes a trainer&rsquo;s guide, handouts, and a survey tool for evaluation.</p>

The socio-economic challenges caused by ageing populations, are encouraging many countries to re-evaluate the place of older people in society and to adopt measures to encourage active ageing. Brazil and the UK will have similar proportions of people aged 60 or over as a percentage of the total population by 2050. As a consequence of this, changes to retirement policies in the UK and Brazil, aim to make the welfare system more financially sustainable. It is therefore relevant to study the retirement patterns of occupational groups where their members hold specialised skills, knowledge and have the scope to remain active for longer. This study aims to compare the transition to retirement of academics and their experiences of professional continuity thereafter, in Brazil and the UK. A mixed methods approach combining an on-line survey and in-depth narrative interviews was used to address the research questions. The study found that among Brazilian and UK retired academics there was a desire for a continuity of professional identity, and most tended to experience some professional continuity following retirement. How the retirees engaged in academic activities varied among individuals; the amount of activities usually related to time in retirement, age and health status. It was noted that in the UK there was more scope for alternative retirement arrangements than in Brazil. Life satisfaction in retirement was associated with financial stability, enhanced freedom and the possibility to actively use academic skills and knowledge. The findings suggest that universities’ retirement policies should be made more transparent and, in some cases, reviewed. Additionally, retirees should be encouraged to prepare for retirement to facilitate their adjustment. It is suggested that future research should investigate the retirement of women in academia, the retirement policies of universities and the retirement of academics in other countries.

<p> A Secondary Analysis was conducting with data from the SAMSHA's 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The model of behavioral health for vulnerable populations was utilized to select key variables in order to examine the alcohol use, health, mental health and alcohol use treatment of older adult Latinos. Data from 395 Latinos over the age of 50 who reported drinking alcohol in their lifetime were used. The results showed that Latino men over the ages of 50 tend to use alcohol above the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) low risk guidelines. Additionally, older adults who were in poverty, reported depression and anxiety over the past year, and reported alcohol dependence were more likely to seek mental health treatment instead of specialty alcohol treatment. The findings underscore the importance of social workers in mental health settings to not only assess older adults for depression and anxiety but also for alcohol use disorders. </p>

<p> There are basic federal and state rights that are legally provided to residents within skilled nursing facilities. While these rights aim to protect vulnerable nursing home residents from mistreatment, these civil rights granted to residents by law are continuously violated. The purpose of this project was to promote the rights of nursing home residents, specifically their rights to autonomy, dignity, and respect. A grant proposal for a training program was developed on behalf of Wise &amp; Healthy Aging, targeted towards direct care staff within skilled nursing facilities located within Los Angeles County. Components of the training program include teaching the staff about resident rights, the benefits of upholding resident rights, and how to handle or prevent common situations that they are likely to encounter related to these rights. The training program has the potential to increase the quality of life for residents, while decreasing the violations of resident rights within skilled nursing facilities.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between general health condition, living arrangements, socioeconomic status, and depression among elderly adults. The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2011-2012 dataset was utilized in order to conduct the secondary analysis of variables for this study. This study found that there is a significant relationship between general health condition, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender, and depression among the sample of elderly adult participants. The results from this study found that elderly participants who reported a poor general health condition (self-rated health) had higher levels of depression, and elderly adults who reported an excellent general health condition had lower levels of depression. A low socioeconomic status was correlated to higher levels of depression among elderly adults. This study also found that elderly minorities have higher levels of depression when compared to their counterparts. Female elderly adults were found to have higher levels of depression than males in this study. The results of this study serve to raise awareness and contribute knowledge of significant contributing factors correlated to depression among the elderly population.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Syracuse University, 2009. / "Publication number: AAT 3385821."

<p>Older Latinos often resist discussing their end-of-life plans and are least likely to have completed any advance health care directive documentation with their family. The absence of these discussions or creating documented wishes can cause family members to become even more overwhelmed and confused when a loved one is terminally ill and immediate health care decisions need to be made. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand factors preventing older adult Latinos from participating in conversations regarding end-of-life planning with other family members. Results from 13 interviews revealed that older Latinos were willing to engage in end-of-life care planning conversations with family, but they often lack sufficient information and support to do so. Specific barriers to end-of-life planning for Latinos include a lack of information on advance directives, language and communication barriers, and spiritual beliefs regarding decision-making when one is terminally ill. Directions for future research and social work implications are discussed. </p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to locate a potential funding source and write a grant to fund a program designed for older adults who suffer from serious mental illness. In this program, the older adults would be using computerized activities to enhance memory. Another portion ofthe program would be dedicated to the prevention of falls through the use of rhythmic steps in music. The program would be held by the host agency, Life Sharing Health Care in the city ofNorwalk, California, once the Archstone Foundation approved and funded the grant proposal. Since memory loss and falls are prevalent in the older adult population, it is essential to create programs whose mission is to prevent these problems from occurring or at least reduce the impairment and frequency. The actual submission and/or funding of this grant was not a requirement for the successful completion of the project.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 1992. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-03, Section: B, page: 1615. Chair: Dolores Gallagher-Thompson.