Abstract The aim of this study was to construct a theory of an environment supporting the well-being of the home-dwelling elderly from Northern Finland. The development process proceeded as follows: 1) description of elements of environment supporting the well-being of home-dwelling elderly aged over 65 years (physical, social and symbolical environment) and, using concept synthesis, construction of hypothetical models of a physical, social and symbolic environment supporting well-being, 2) development of an indicator to test the hypothetical models and 3) testing the hypothetical models. The analysed data (N = 39) of the first stage consisted of theme interviews with home-dwelling elderly persons. Hypothetical models of an environment supporting the well-being of home-dwelling elderly were constructed using inductive concept synthesis. In the second stage, the reliability of the indicator designed to test the hypothetical models was evaluated by a panel of experts consisting of 15 students of nursing science and three doctors of Health Sciences. The data (n = 96) used to test the reliability of the second indicator consisted of the results of a postal questionnaire to elderly over the age of 65 from Northern Finland. The questionnaire also included questions about answering the indicator aimed further development. The data were analysed by looking at descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients. The data (n = 328) of the final stage of the study comprised again home-dwelling elderly from Northern Finland. The data were analysed using explorative and confirmatory factor analyses to test the hypothetical models. In addition, the data were analysed using statistical methods. According to the theory, an environment supporting the well-being of home-dwelling elderly from Northern Finland is made up by its physical, social and symbolical attributes. The attributes defining a physical environment supporting well-being are a northern environment, an environment ensuring safety and a pleasant physical environment. A social environment supporting well-being is made up of the availability of assistance, contact with family members, friends supporting well-being and a pleasant living community. A symbolic environment supporting well-being comprises the idealistic attributes of well-being, spirituality, the normative attributes of well-being and historicalness. The information gained from the study can be used to broaden the knowledge base of gerontological nursing science and gerontological nursing in supporting the health and well-being of home-dwelling elderly. / Tiivistelmä Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli rakentaa teoria kotona asuvien pohjoissuomalaisten ikääntyneiden hyvinvointia tukevasta ympäristöstä. Teorian kehittämisprosessi eteni seuraavasti: 1) kuvattiin kotona asuvien yli 65-vuotiaiden pohjoissuomalaisten ikääntyneiden hyvinvointia tukevan ympäristön osa-alueita (fyysinen, sosiaalinen ja symbolinen ympäristö) ja rakennettiin käsitesynteesin avulla hypoteettiset mallit hyvinvointia tukevista fyysisestä, sosiaalisesta ja symbolisesta ympäristöstä, 2) kehitettiin mittari hypoteettisten mallien testaamiseksi ja 3) testattiin hypoteettisia malleja. Ensimmäisen vaiheen analysoitavan aineiston (n = 39) muodostivat kotona asuvien yli 65-vuotiaiden ikääntyneiden teemahaastattelut. Induktiivisen käsitesynteesin avulla tuotettiin hypoteettiset mallit pohjoissuomalaisten ikääntyneiden hyvinvointia tukevasta ympäristöstä. Toisessa vaiheessa hypoteettisten mallien testaamiseksi kehitetyn mittarin luotettavuutta arvioi asiantuntijapaneelissa 15 hoitotieteen loppuvaiheen opiskelijaa sekä kolme terveystieteiden tohtoria. Toisen mittarin luotettavuuden testaamisessa käytetyn aineiston (n = 96) muodostivat pohjoissuomalaisten yli 65-vuotiaaiden ikääntyneiden postikyselyn vastaukset. Kyselylomake sisälsi myös mittariin vastaamista koskevia kysymyksiä sen edelleen kehittämiseksi. Aineisto analysoitiin tarkastelemalla tilastollisia tunnuslukuja ja korrelaatiokertoimia. Tutkimuksen viimeisen vaiheen aineisto (n = 328) muodostui niin ikään kotona asuvista pohjoissuomalaisista ikääntyneistä. Aineistolle tehtiin eksploratiiviset ja konfirmatoriset faktorianalyysit hypoteettisten mallien testaamiseksi. Lisäksi aineistoa analysoitiin tilastollisin menetelmin. Kehitetyn teorian mukaan pohjoissuomalaisten kotona asuvien ikääntyneiden hyvinvointia tukeva ympäristö rakentuu sen fyysisten, sosiaalisten ja symbolisten ominaisuuksien myötä. Hyvinvointia tukevaa fyysistä ympäristöä määrittävät pohjoinen ympäristö, turvallisen toiminnan mahdollistava ympäristö ja viihtyisä fyysinen ympäristö. Hyvinvointia tukeva sosiaalinen ympäristö rakentuu avun saamisesta, yhteydenpidosta omaisiin, ystävistä ja viihtyisästä asuinyhteisöstä. Hyvinvointia tukeva symbolinen ympäristö muodostuu hyvinvoinnin ideaalisista ominaisuuksista, hengellisyydestä, hyvinvoinnin normatiivisista ominaisuuksista ja historiallisuudesta. Tutkimuksessa tuotetulla tiedolla voidaan laajentaa gerontologisen hoitotieteen tietoperustaa tuettaessa kotona asuvien ikääntyneiden terveyttä ja hyvinvointia. Gerontologisessa hoitotyössä teoriaa voidaan käyttää eräänlaisena ajattelun tai päätöksenteon apuvälineenä jäsentämään ikääntyneiden hyvinvointia tukevaa ympäristöä.

There are more people in rural areas today that will relocate to a bigger city and the urban areas are increasing towards this negative development. Cities will be overcrowded in the future, meanwhile the population in sparsely populated areas decreases. In sparsely populated areas, there are fewer possibilities in work and education, there is also limited access to service and public transportation.  This study focuses on social sustainable physical environment in sparsely populated areas. The purpose of this project is to produce a proposal on a design of a new residential area in urban areas with social sustainability aspects. The study focuses exclusively on the physical environment and how it can further social sustainability for the residents.  Because of the fact that more people relocate to bigger cities, the council of Bengtsfors wants to change this negative process. For the benefit of the citizens, Bengtsfors needs more and better public meeting areas but also more possibilities regarding work and education. By making Bengtsfors a more appealing place, the chance of people staying increases. As part of the study a survey was made, where the citizens of Bengtsfors county got the chance to make their voices heard by answering questions. Interviews with people working for the council and the company Fridh & Hell bygg AB were also made. The result of the survey and the interviews showed that public places and green areas were important, this was then implemented in the final proposal of the design.

Studiens syfte var att undersöka vilka faktorer och hänsynstaganden som legat till grund i en byggprocess när en ny konceptförskola planerats i relation till barns utveckling och lärande i den fysiska miljön. Genom en fallstudie har en specifik byggprocess undersökts genom semistrukturerade digitala intervjuer tillsammans med två förskolerektorer, en lokalplanerare, en tillgänglighetssakkunnig samt byggentreprenadens projektledare och två arkitekter som ses som byggprocessens nyckelpersoner. En av konceptförskolornas verksamma förskollärare är också delaktig i studien. Resultatet visar på att byggprocessen tog hänsyn till yttre faktorer som barnanpassad och flexibel interiör och glasdörrar för transparens, neutrala färgkombinationer och en tillgänglig utomhusmiljö för att skapa en fysiskt tillgänglig, trygg och inkluderande konceptförskola för alla barn oavsett ålder eller motoriska förmågor. Specifika platser i konceptförskolan har visat sig fungerar både bra och mindre bra. Resultatet har analyserats tillsammans med en relationell dynamisk systemteori och en ekologisk systemmodell som tillsammans belyser hur den fysiska miljön skapar eller hindrar meningserbjudanden och proximala processer, samt hur de beslut som tas i exosystemet påverkar barnets möjligheter till utveckling och lärande. Slutsatserna är att det är viktigt att i det tidiga förstadiet noga diskutera vem konceptförskolan byggs för, vilka kunskaper beslut grundas på och analysera hur detta kommer att påverka barnet. Att redan tidigt i byggprocessen inkludera konceptförskolans brukares perspektiv kan gynna slutprodukten för att undvika misstag som inte går att förändra i efterhand. Vidare är det viktigt att planlösningen fungerar för att skapa tillgängliga och trygga fysiska miljöer som främjar barns utveckling och lärande men också för att bidra till en bättre arbetsmiljö för pedagogerna. / The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors and considerations that formed the basis of a construction process when a new concept preschool was planned in relation to children's development and learning in the physical environment. Through a case study, a specific construction process has been investigated through semi-structured digital interviews together with two preschool principals, a local planner, an accessibility expert and the construction project manager and two architects who are seen as the construction process's key people. One of the concept preschools' active preschool teachers is also involved in the study. The results show that the construction process took into account external factors such as child-friendly and flexible interiors and glass doors for transparency, neutral color combinations and an accessible outdoor environment to create a physically accessible, safe and inclusive concept preschool for all children regardless of age or motor skills. Specific places in the concept preschool have been shown to work both well and less well. The results have been analyzed together with a relational dynamic systems theory and an ecological systems model that together shed light on how the physical environment creates or hinders meaning offers and proximal processes, and how the decisions made in the exosystem affect the child's opportunities for development and learning. The conclusions are that it is important in the early pre-school to carefully discuss who the concept preschool is built for, what knowledge decisions are based on and analyze how this will affect the child. Including the concept preschool users' perspectives early in the construction process can benefit the end product in order to avoid mistakes that cannot be changed afterwards. Furthermore, it is important that the floor plan works to create accessible and safe physical environments that promote children's development and learning, but also to contribute to a better working environment for educators.

Bakgrund: Vårdmiljön kan delas in i två kategorier, varav den ena är objektiv och den andra är subjektiv. Båda dessa miljöfaktorer påverkar livskvaliteten för personer med demens. Vårdmiljön inkluderar rum, byggnader, inom-/utomhus och trädgårdar. Förståelse för vårdmiljön och dess påverkan hos demenssjuka är därför avgörande för vårdpersonal, sjuksköterskor och anhöriga som bör engagera sig i att implementera rätt vårdmiljö som skapar en kvalitativ levnadsstandard hos individer med demenssjukdom. Syfte: Att undersöka forskning om vårdgivares erfarenheter av hur patienter med demenssjukdom påverkas av sin vårdmiljö. Metod: Litteraturundersökningen grundar sig på det systematiska flödesschemat enligt Polit & Beck, (2012). Litteraturstudien börjar med att formulera en frågeställning och finna därmed relevanta sökord. Granskningen gick utifrån SBU:s (2014) och studien styrkas med aktuell forskning. Resultat: Utifrån 12 granskade artiklar som genomförts i USA, England, och Australien gällande vårdmiljön och socialmiljön instämmer vårdpersonal, sjuksköterskor och anhöriga enhälligt att en trivsam hemmiljön stärker självvärdet för individer med demenssjukdom och måste individanpassas. I och med detta behöver vårdpersonal, sjuksköterskor och anhöriga vara delaktiga i tillämpande och implementeringen av rutiner och anpassningen av miljön för de demenssjuka. Konklusion: Vårdmiljön och socialmiljön och hur den inrättas och implementeras är direkt avgörande för levnadsstandarden hos individer med demenssjukdom. En trevlig och behaglig hemmiljö som individen med demenssjukdom kan känna igen skapar trygghet. En socialmiljö där individen med demenssjukdom kan vara delaktigt och kognitivt engagera sig skapar självvärde. / Background: The care environment can be divided into two categories, one of which is objective, and the other is subjective. Both environmental factors affect the quality of life of people with dementia. The care environment includes rooms, buildings, indoor / outdoor and gardens. Understanding the care environment and its impact on people with dementia is therefore crucial for care staff, nurses and relatives who should be involved in implementing the right care environment that creates a qualitative standard of living for individuals with dementia. Objective: To investigate research on caregivers' experiences of how patients with dementia are affected by their care environment. Method: The literature review is based on the systematic flow chart according to Polit & Beck, (2012). The literature study begins with formulating a question and thereby finding relevant keywords. The literature study is supported by current research. The review template used was from SBUs (2014). Result: Based on 12 reviewed articles conducted in the USA, England, and Australia regarding the care environment and the social environment, care staff, nurses and relatives unanimously agree that a pleasant home environment strengthens the self-esteem of individuals with dementia and must be individually adapted. As a result, healthcare professionals, nurses and relatives need to be involved in the application and implementation of routines and the adaptation of the environment for people with dementia. Conclusion: The care environment and the social environment and how it is set up and implemented are directly correlated with the standard of living for individuals with dementia. A pleasant and comfortable home environment that the individual with dementia can recognize creates security. A social environment where the individual with dementia can be involved and cognitively get involved creates self-worth.

Bakgrund: Sedan pandemins start har det blivit vanligare att arbeta hemifrån. Vid distansarbete kan aktivitetsmönstret förändras då gränsen mellan arbete och fritid lätt kan suddas ut. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva hur distansarbete påverkar aktivitetsmönstret hos yrkesverksamma personer mellan 19–35 år. Metod: En kvantitativ tvärsnittsstudie genomfördes för att samla in data genom en egenkonstruerad enkät. Med inspiration från instrumentet GAP i vardagens aktiviteter och från Patterns Of Daily Occuaptions har frågor konstruerats. En blandning mellan snöbollsurval och bekvämlighetsurval användes. 36 personer deltog i studien. Data analyserades med hjälp av Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) och de öppna frågorna med inspiration från kvalitativa analysmetoder. Resultat: Studiens resultat visar att aktivitetsmönstret har påverkats av att arbeta på distans. De flesta deltagarna upplevde att de hade mer tid för sina vardagsaktiviteter vid distansarbete jämfört med arbete på arbetsplatsen samt att den fysiska miljön i hemmet påverkar arbete på distans. Slutsats: Flertalet deltagare upplever sämre ergonomi och minskad arbetsro och många upplever att de har en mer flexibel vardag vid distansarbete. / Background: Since the start of the pandemic, it has become more common to work from home. During teleworking, activity patterns may change as the boundary between work and leisure can be easily blurred. Aim: The aim was to describe how teleworking affects the activity pattern of professionals between 19–35 years of age. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional study was performed to collect data through a self-constructed questionnaire. With inspiration from the instrument GAP in everyday activities and Patterns of Daily Occuaptions, questions have been constructed. A mixture of snowball and convenience selection were used. 36 people participated in the study. Data was analyzed using SPSS and the open questions with inspiration from qualitative analysis methods. Results: The results of the study show that the activity pattern has been influenced by teleworking. Most participants felt they had more time for everyday activities during telework compared to work at the workplace and that the physical environment at home affects teleworking. Conclusion: Most participants experience poorer ergonomics and reduced peace of mind and many participants felt they had a more flexible everyday life when teleworking.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka de erfarenheter förskollärare beskriver om skapandet av den fysiska miljön i förskolan utifrån barns intressen, nyfikenhet och undersökande i stunden. För att nå vårt valda syfte har vi utgått från följande frågeställningar: Vilka strategier använder förskollärare för att ge barnen inflytande över utformningen av den fysiska miljön i förskolan? Vilka utmaningar lyfter förskollärare att de möter i skapandet av fysiska miljöer i förskolan utifrån barns intresse och undersökande? Vi har valt att utgå från ett barndomssociologiskt perspektiv i studien, vilket inte enbart handlar om kunskapen om barn och barndom utan något som också bör förstås i relation till tid och rum. Detta betyder att barn blir till och påverkas på olika sätt beroende på vilken miljö som omger dem. Vi har använt oss av en kvalitativ forskningsmetod, där det insamlade materialet har skett i fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer med olika förskollärare. Resultatet visar på olika erfarenheter och utmaningar hos förskollärarna kring arbetet med att utforma en miljö utifrån barnens intresse och inflytande, samt betydelsen av vilket förhållningssätt förskolläraren väljer att ta. Förskollärarna beskriver såväl erfarenheter kring vikten av en gemensam barnsyn i arbetslaget som utmaningar i arbetet med att tillgodose varje enskilt barns behov och intressen. / The purpose of the study is to examine the experiences preschool teachers describe about the creation of the physical environment in preschool based on children's interests, curiosity and exploration in the moment. To achieve our chosen purpose, we have started from the following questions: What strategies do preschool teachers use to give the children influence over the design of the physical environment in preschool? What challenges do preschool teachers highlight that they face in the creation of physical environments in preschool based on children's interest and exploration? We have chosen to start from a childhood sociological perspective in the study, which is not only about the knowledge about children and childhood, but something that should also be understood in relation to time and space. This means that children are conceived and affected in different ways depending on the environment that surrounds them. We have used a qualitative research method, where the collected material has been done in four semi-structured interviews with different preschool teachers. The results show different experiences and challenges among the preschool teachers regarding the work of designing an environment based on the children's interest and influence, as well as the importance of the approach the preschool teacher chooses to take. The preschool teachers describe both experiences of the importance of a common view of children in the work team and challenges in the work to meet each individual child's needs and interests.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the management strategies conducive to establishing constructive discipline for optimal learning. The study represented a case study conducted in a primary school in the Empangeni district of KwaZulu-Natal. An in-depth literature study was followed by an empirical investigation based on a qualitative research design employing focus group and individual interviews. The research findings revealed that optimal learning is achieved through effective classroom management practices promoting constructive discipline. A classroom environment in which constructive discipline prevails includes the organisation of the physical environment in a functional way, the consideration of instructional strategies such as teachers being well-prepared for the lesson, as well as class routines and procedures being well communicated. Based on the findings of the empirical investigation, and concurring with the findings from literature, recommendations were made regarding classroom management strategies for constructive discipline in order to arrange for optimal learning. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed.

A wide range of research fields have studied how emotions and behavior are affected by the physical environment. This gestalt theorist approach of experimental research as well seeks to measure emotion (using the valence-arousal scale) and micro-scale community development interactions when weighted physical environment factors are adjusted. Community development (CD) interactions at the micro-scale have received but slight attention from scholars in the CD research field and this study aims partially to investigate developing objective measures from social observations. CD interactions from recordings along with self-reported emotion through surveys in four quasi-experimental groups (where the environments were constructed based on peer-reviewed literature to cause emotional reactions) and one control group made up the data collected for this experiment. While the results of this experiment displayed apparent convincing quantitative differences in both CD interactions and emotion when the physical environment was manipulated, the results of a one-way ANOVA indicated no statistical significance to either dependent variable. The conclusions suggest limiting the physical factors of the environment to produce more precise changes as a result of the manipulated quasi environments.

The aim of this study was to investigate the management strategies conducive to establishing constructive discipline for optimal learning. The study represented a case study conducted in a primary school in the Empangeni district of KwaZulu-Natal. An in-depth literature study was followed by an empirical investigation based on a qualitative research design employing focus group and individual interviews. The research findings revealed that optimal learning is achieved through effective classroom management practices promoting constructive discipline. A classroom environment in which constructive discipline prevails includes the organisation of the physical environment in a functional way, the consideration of instructional strategies such as teachers being well-prepared for the lesson, as well as class routines and procedures being well communicated. Based on the findings of the empirical investigation, and concurring with the findings from literature, recommendations were made regarding classroom management strategies for constructive discipline in order to arrange for optimal learning. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)