Search results

1 – 10 of over 127000
Article
Publication date: 12 December 2016

Joyce Weil and Elizabeth Smith

Traditional definitions of aging in place often define aging in place specifically as the ability to remain in one’s own home or community setting in later life. The purpose of

Abstract

Purpose

Traditional definitions of aging in place often define aging in place specifically as the ability to remain in one’s own home or community setting in later life. The purpose of this paper is to reframe aging in place and show how narrowly defined aging in place models can be potentially negative constructs that limit options for older adults. The authors propose a paradigm shift, or a re-framing of, the popularized idea of aging in place. The authors challenge mainstream and literature-based beliefs that are deeply rooted to the idea that aging in place ideally happens in the home in which a person has lived for many years.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews common concepts and constructs associated with aging in place as well as gaps or exclusions, and US-based aging in place policy initiatives favoring the aging in place model.

Findings

An expanded definition of aging in place embraces heterogeneity in residence types and living options. A realistic assessment of person-environment fit, matching an older person’s capabilities to his or her environmental demands, allows for the development of additional aging in place options for those living across the continuum of care.

Social implications

Aging in place should be moved from the personal “success” or “failure” of an older individual to include the role of society and societal views and policies in facilitating or hindering aging in place options. The authors demonstrate that these options, in facilities within the continuum of care, can be thought of as appealing for older persons of all levels of physical and cognitive functioning.

Originality/value

Research about aging in place tends to stress the value of one place (one’s home) over other living settings. This limits the ability of people to age in place and curtails discussion of all the items necessary to maintain place.

Details

Working with Older People, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-3666

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2007

R Atwell, I Correa‐Velez and S Gifford

Recently arrived older refugees in resettlement countries are a particularly vulnerable population who face many risks to their health and well‐being, and many challenges in…

Abstract

Recently arrived older refugees in resettlement countries are a particularly vulnerable population who face many risks to their health and well‐being, and many challenges in accessing services. This paper reports on a project undertaken in Victoria, Australia to explore the needs of older people from 14 recently arrived refugee communities, and the barriers to their receiving health and aged care. Findings from consultations with community workers and service providers highlight the key issues of isolation, family conflict and mental illness affecting older refugees, and point to ways in which policy‐makers and service providers can better respond to these small but deserving communities.

Details

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-9894

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 17 May 2022

Nichole Georgeou, Spyros Schismenos, Nidhi Wali, Karin Mackay and Elfa Moraitakis

The purpose of this study is to highlight the challenges and opportunities for the well-being of older migrants and refugees in rural Australia by learning from the example of the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to highlight the challenges and opportunities for the well-being of older migrants and refugees in rural Australia by learning from the example of the Bhutanese community in Albury, New South Wales.

Design/methodology/approach

This viewpoint focusses on health and aged care barriers that affect the well-being of older migrants and refugees in Australia. It also demonstrates how these can be intensified due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings

Engagement though agriculture, and a sense of “belonging” strengthen the cultural well-being of the Bhutanese older adults in Albury. However, major issues remain as health-related resources and information are lacking in rural Australia. How this group’s meaningful activities in Albury enabled collaborations to be built is shown in this working example and can provide lessons for other communities that experience similar problems of disconnection as they get older.

Research limitations/implications

The information regarding the Bhutanese older adults in Albury is primarily based on the authors’ personal communication with the General Secretary of the Bhutanese Australian Community Support Group in Albury Wodonga Inc.

Originality/value

Australia’s older population is growing rapidly, and older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse migrant and refugee backgrounds face numerous barriers such as limited linguistic, health and digital literacy. The authors describe common health and aged care issues that affect the well-being of older adults in rural Australia. They particularly emphasize those that occurred or intensified due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This novel information is now especially relevant to the health and aged care sectors in changing and diverse communities not only in Australia but also overseas.

Details

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, vol. 23 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-7794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 June 2014

Ben O’Mara

The purpose of this paper is to contribute a critical perspective to debate on health disparities in Australia by examining the ways in which information technology (IT) can…

1029

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute a critical perspective to debate on health disparities in Australia by examining the ways in which information technology (IT) can support more inclusive communication on aged care with refugee and migrant communities from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper analyses research and policy literature on Australian aged care, IT and participatory approaches to health communication influenced by Friere's critical pedagogy. It distils significant themes for comparison with findings from: a qualitative research project involving communities from Vietnamese, Sudanese and Samoan backgrounds and elderly members of those groups; and, a later case study conducted with elderly women of Vietnamese background. Both projects were based in Melbourne's west.

Findings

Friere's theoretical framework can be used to more fully determine the capacity of IT to perform inclusive communication on aged care with refugee and migrant communities from CALD backgrounds. This is best actioned through future research and practice that: prioritizes specific aged care issues; focuses on expanding the “transformation” and “critical consciousness” elements of Friere's dialogical theory; and, uses affordable, accessible and “multi-modal” IT combined with face-to-face bilingual facilitation and two-way communication between participants and health, community and university professionals.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the conceptual nature of the paper, the research results lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the reccomendations further.

Originality/value

The paper fills a gap in understanding about what may help in developing more inclusive aged care information using IT with elderly refugees and migrants from CALD backgrounds in Australia.

Details

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 10 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-9894

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 27 September 2019

Sarah E. DeYoung, Denise C. Lewis, Desiree M. Seponski, Danielle A. Augustine and Monysakada Phal

Using two main research questions, the purpose of this paper is to examine well-being and preparedness among Cambodian and Laotian immigrants living near the Gulf Coast of the…

1848

Abstract

Purpose

Using two main research questions, the purpose of this paper is to examine well-being and preparedness among Cambodian and Laotian immigrants living near the Gulf Coast of the USA, and the ways in which indicators such as sense of community and risk perception are related to these constructs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a cross-sectional prospective design to examine disaster preparedness and well-being among Laotian and Cambodian immigrant communities. Quantitative survey data using purposive snowball sampling were collected throughout several months in Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana.

Findings

Results from two multiple regressions revealed that sense of community and age contributed to well-being and were significant in the model, but with a negative relationship between age and well-being. Risk perception, confidence in government, confidence in engaging household preparedness and ability to cope with a financial crisis were significant predictors and positively related to disaster preparedness.

Practical implications

Well-being and disaster preparedness can be bolstered through community-based planning that seeks to address urgent needs of the people residing in vulnerable coastal locations. Specifically, immigrants who speak English as a second language, elder individuals and households in the lowest income brackets should be supported in disaster planning and outreach.

Originality/value

Cambodian and Laotian American immigrants rely upon the Gulf Coast’s waters for fishing, crab and shrimp income. Despite on-going hazard and disasters, few studies address preparedness among immigrant populations in the USA. This study fills a gap in preparedness research as well as factors associated with well-being, an important aspect of long-term resilience.

Details

Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, vol. 29 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-3562

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2022

Melanie Levasseur, Daniel Naud, Nancy Presse, Nathalie Delli-Colli, Patrick Boissy, Benoît Cossette, Yves Couturier and Julien Cadieux Genesse

This conceptual paper aims to describe aging all over the place (AAOP), a federative framework for action, research and policy that considers older adults’ diverse experiences of

Abstract

Purpose

This conceptual paper aims to describe aging all over the place (AAOP), a federative framework for action, research and policy that considers older adults’ diverse experiences of place and life trajectories, along with person-centered care.

Design/methodology/approach

The framework was developed through group discussions, followed by an appraisal of aging models and validation during workshops with experts, including older adults.

Findings

Every residential setting and location where older adults go should be considered a “place,” flexible and adaptable enough so that aging in place becomes aging all over the place. Health-care professionals, policymakers and researchers are encouraged to collaborate around four axes: biopsychosocial health and empowerment; welcoming, caring, mobilized and supportive community; spatiotemporal life and care trajectories; and out-of-home care and services. When consulted, a Seniors Committee showed appreciation for flexible person-centered care, recognition of life transitions and care trajectories and meaningfulness of the name.

Social implications

Population aging and the pandemic call for intersectoral actions and for stakeholders beyond health care to act as community leaders. AAOP provides opportunities to connect environmental determinants of health and person-centered care.

Originality/value

Building on the introduction of an ecological experience of aging, AAOP broadens the concept of care as well as the political and research agenda by greater integration of community and clinical actions. AAOP also endeavors to avoid patronizing older adults and to engage society in strengthening circles of benevolence surrounding older adults, regardless of their residential setting. AAOP’s applicability is evidenced by existing projects that share its approach.

Details

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, vol. 23 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-7794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 February 2009

Sherry Ann Chapman

To understand ageing well, one needs to study not only those who are ageing but also the places within and with which people are ageing. In the past, much ageing‐well research has…

1020

Abstract

Purpose

To understand ageing well, one needs to study not only those who are ageing but also the places within and with which people are ageing. In the past, much ageing‐well research has been focused on ensuring individuals have the “right” resources and are engaged in the “best” types of activities. However, recent theorizing has prompted the study of ageing well as a process of making sense of self amid later‐life changes. Building on Rowles' attachment‐to‐place work, the purpose of this paper is to consider how the “thick concreteness” of place influences later‐life meaning making.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a theoretical paper on ageing.

Findings

The paper draws on Casey's phenomenological conceptualization of places as imprinting themselves on bodies and selves, much as humans shape the places they inhabit. Data from interviews with older rural women in western Canada illustrates how this conceptualization can enhance understanding of ageing well relative to place as a physical, socio‐cultural and temporal phenomenon. In a place that has been depicted as inhospitable, participants have chosen to stay even as practically invisible kin and community “keepers” on the “frontier”.

Originality/value

This original paper suggests that to age well is to age locally and to make sense not only for self about self and one's own ageing but also for ageing in mutually compatible ways in that place.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 29 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 January 2024

Atinuke Arinola Ajani and Daramola Thompson Olapade

The concept of aging-in-place has gained notable significance in the last decade due to a dramatic demographic shift in global population dynamics that have considerably affected…

Abstract

Purpose

The concept of aging-in-place has gained notable significance in the last decade due to a dramatic demographic shift in global population dynamics that have considerably affected the ability of societies to adequately cater for their aging population. This paper examines some of the barriers to aging-in-place in the context of health needs, housing design and the role of retrofitting/smart home technologies in overcoming these barriers.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a narrative literature review approach, the authors undertook a comprehensive search of recent relevant literature focusing on five core thematic areas: health and aging, aging in place, barriers to aging in place, retrofitting and smart home technologies for successful aging in place. The authors entered appropriate keywords into interdisciplinary research databases and synthesized a coherent narrative discussing the thematic areas using the data extracted from the literature search.

Findings

There is a bidirectional relationship between aging and the home environment. Barriers to aging-in-place are mainly related to progressive decline in health, which alters the environmental needs of individuals. Appropriate building designs can significantly facilitate aging-in-place. The authors, therefore, highlight the role of retrofitting and smart home technologies as practical solutions to the challenges of the aging-in-place.

Practical implications

Forward planning in building design is essential to guarantee that the home environment is well adapted for the challenges of aging-in-place while also promoting healthy aging.

Originality/value

The paper shows the relationship between aging and the home environment and how building design considerations could enhance healthy aging-in-place.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 28 September 2015

Arief Rahman

Citizens are substantial stakeholders in every e-government system, thus their willingness to use and ability to access the system are critical. Unequal access and information and…

Abstract

Citizens are substantial stakeholders in every e-government system, thus their willingness to use and ability to access the system are critical. Unequal access and information and communication technology usage, which is known as digital divide, however has been identified as one of the major obstacles to the implementation of e-government system. As digital divide inhibits citizen’s acceptance to e-government, it should be overcome despite the lack of deep theoretical understanding on this issue. This research aimed to investigate the digital divide and its direct impact on e-government system success of local governments in Indonesia as well as indirect impact through the mediation role of trust. In order to get a comprehensive understanding of digital divide, this study introduced a new type of digital divide, the innovativeness divide.

The research problems were approached by applying two-stage sequential mixed method research approach comprising of both qualitative and quantitative studies. In the first phase, an initial research model was proposed based on a literature review. Semi-structured interview with 12 users of e-government systems was then conducted to explore and enhance this initial research model. Data collected in this phase were analyzed with a two-stage content analysis approach and the initial model was then amended based on the findings. As a result, a comprehensive research model with 16 hypotheses was proposed for examination in the second phase.

In the second phase, quantitative method was applied. A questionnaire was developed based on findings in the first phase. A pilot study was conducted to refine the questionnaire, which was then distributed in a national survey resulting in 237 useable responses. Data collected in this phase were analyzed using Partial Least Square based Structural Equation Modeling.

The results of quantitative analysis confirmed 13 hypotheses. All direct influences of the variables of digital divide on e-government system success were supported. The mediating effects of trust in e-government in the relationship between capability divide and e-government system success as well as in the relationship between innovativeness divide and e-government system success were supported, but was rejected in the relationship between access divide and e-government system success. Furthermore, the results supported the moderating effects of demographic variables of age, residential place, and education.

This research has both theoretical and practical contributions. The study contributes to the developments of literature on digital divide and e-government by providing a more comprehensive framework, and also to the implementation of e-government by local governments and the improvement of e-government Readiness Index of Indonesia.

Details

E-Services Adoption: Processes by Firms in Developing Nations
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-325-9

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2023

Ryan M. Carrick and Danielle Wadsworth

The purpose of this study is to investigate the transfer of learning among older adults and the importance of physical activity (PA) related to aging in place.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the transfer of learning among older adults and the importance of physical activity (PA) related to aging in place.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-methods approach examined 10 older adults aged 65–88, who were receiving occupational therapy and contemplating aging in place. Semistructured interviews determined participants' perceptions of aging in place and PA. Accelerometers assessed levels of PA over 14 days.

Findings

Interviews revealed that most participants were aware of the importance of PA but did not specify PA as being a primary contributor to continued independence with aging. Accelerometer data revealed that, on average, 96.7% of the day is spent in sedentary behavior.

Practical implications

Health-care professionals may ask the question, “What will my patient do with the information he or she has learned?” This study was useful to increase understanding of older adults’ learning, lifestyles and effects on aging independently.

Social implications

As older adults have true expectations of requirements for successful aging in place, realistic levels of PA and transfer of learning could improve the intended outcome of aging independently.

Originality/value

PA is often an overlooked factor for occupational engagement and aging in place and is novel to investigate in combination with interviews.

Details

Working with Older People, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-3666

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 127000