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Book part
Publication date: 24 August 2005

Tadashi Saga

Care for the elderly is the most pressing problem now facing Japan. For maintaining a long and healthy life, it is important to refine the self-care of people and to create a…

Abstract

Care for the elderly is the most pressing problem now facing Japan. For maintaining a long and healthy life, it is important to refine the self-care of people and to create a well-balanced system of support involving health care, welfare, nursing care, and medical treatment. Mutual support within each local community is also indispensable for restructuring care-minding areas. Due attention should also be paid to the ethical aspects concerning care of the elderly. This chapter attempts to reflect on the brief history of the care for the elderly in Japan.

Details

Taking Life and Death Seriously - Bioethics from Japan
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-76231-206-1

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 24 June 2022

Maedeh Ghorbanian Zolbin, Isto Huvila and Shahrokh Nikou

The purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between elderly people's health literacy skills and those people's decision to make use of digital health service…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the relationship between elderly people's health literacy skills and those people's decision to make use of digital health service platforms. Despite the substantial influence of digitisation on the delivery of healthcare services, understanding how health intervention strategies might help empower elderly people's health literacy skills is critical.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper analyses the existing trends in research on the convergence of health literacy, health intervention programmes and digital health service platforms by reviewing 34 studies published between 2000 and 2020.

Findings

The findings of the review indicate three primary themes (health literacy skills, health management competency and attitude/confidence), which provide a summary of the current literature, and in all three the results show that health intervention programmes help to enhance health literacy skills of elderly people. Based on the review results and by organising the fragmented status quo of health intervention research, the authors develop a comprehensive research model and identify future research directions for research in this domain.

Practical implications

The findings will be useful to health professionals in two ways: (1) the findings provide practical information about the growing need to implement health literacy intervention programmes to satisfy elderly people's appetite for accessing health services due to cognitive and physiological impairments, and (2) the finding help them to understand that with digital health platforms, elderly people have quicker access to health services, improving the quality of care provided to them.

Originality/value

This paper presents a comprehensive research model for analysing the impact of health literacy skills on older people's ability and intention to access digital health information sources, considering various health intervention approaches.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 78 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 April 2017

Jiehua Lu and Yun Zhang

The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes and consequences of the patterns of Chinese elderly population’s living arrangements. It contains information that can be…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the changes and consequences of the patterns of Chinese elderly population’s living arrangements. It contains information that can be considered for future policy making for the elderly and to gain a better understanding of the social transition in China.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the analysis of the population census data in 2000 and 2010, the authors examined the changes and trends of the living arrangements of the elderly Chinese population. Furthermore, the authors analyzed factors influencing the Chinese elderly’s living arrangements according to the data acquired from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.

Findings

First, the proportion of the elderly people living with children has been decreasing. Second, the proportions of elderly people “living alone” and “living with spouse independently” has largely increased. Third, the changes and trends showed differences between urban and rural regions.

Originality/value

By looking at the characteristics among elderly people with different living arrangement patterns, those that are “living alone” are typically in disadvantaged conditions, and thus special attention should be paid with regards to related research and policies for the elderly who are “living alone.”

Details

Asian Education and Development Studies, vol. 6 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-3162

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 1995

Sally Herne

Since the beginning of the 1990s, nutrition education and healthpromotion have increasingly focused on the influence of diet on thequality of life in old age. The Government′s…

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Abstract

Since the beginning of the 1990s, nutrition education and health promotion have increasingly focused on the influence of diet on the quality of life in old age. The Government′s Health of the Nation policy in 1991 and the COMA report on The Nutrition of Elderly People in 1992 both emphasized the need for older age groups to adopt the dietary changes recommended for the population as a whole. In order to promote healthier eating habits and consequently improve health status, it is first vital to understand what makes elderly people follow particular dietary patterns and, equally, which factors constrain their choice. Reviews the current state of research on the social, economic, psychological, physiological, educational and personal factors which mediate food choice in later life. Indications are that it is the structural influences on choice which have the greatest impact – education, income, class and access to good health care. As a result, action at national level in the form of health and social policy designed to take into account the needs of older generations is highlighted.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 97 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 May 2016

Kai Victor Hansen

With the growing older population, the increasing interest in the elderly’s eating habits and the meal situation go hand in hand and are challenges in many countries, including…

Abstract

Purpose

With the growing older population, the increasing interest in the elderly’s eating habits and the meal situation go hand in hand and are challenges in many countries, including Norway. The purpose of this paper is to investigate, part of an ongoing project in Norway, address four categories of elderly people: healthy elderly (HE), old people with home care, elderly living in institutions, and critical ill elderly.

Design/methodology/approach

The aim of this study was to investigate related articles concerning food and the elderly in the four identified categories, defining six different meal experience categories to disclose possible gaps in the research in terms of core product, room, personal service, company, atmosphere, and management control systems (MCS). Database searches, conducted through JSTOR and Web of Science, started with words in combination with “elderly and meal experiences” and were narrowed down to the most relevant papers with words from the six meal experience categories. Ultimately, 21 of 51 downloaded papers from international journals were reviewed.

Findings

A comparison of the four elderly groups was made across the six different meal experience categories, which disclosed several gaps. Among the 21 papers, five focused on HE, 12 on older people living with home care, 16 on elderly living in institutions, and one on critical ill elderly. The specific under-researched gaps include room, company, atmosphere, and MCS.

Research limitations/implications

Future research will need to investigate these groups more thoroughly, and the research should concentrate on the HE and critical ill in connection with the six meal experience aspects.

Originality/value

The combination of meal experience aspects towards different elderly categories is an original perspective on the aim of the literature review.

Details

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, vol. 29 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0952-6862

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 December 2018

Outi Tuisku, Satu Pekkarinen, Lea Hennala and Helinä Melkas

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the publicity around the implementation of the Zora robot in elderly-care services in Lahti, Finland. The aim is to discover opinions…

2035

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the publicity around the implementation of the Zora robot in elderly-care services in Lahti, Finland. The aim is to discover opinions concerning the use of robots in elderly care as well as the arguments and justifications behind those opinions. Zora is a humanoid robot intended to promote mobility and rehabilitation. The Lahti pilot was the first Zora pilot in Finland in public elderly-care services. It received much publicity, both regionally and nationally.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on an empirical case study on the implementation of the Zora robot in elderly-care services. The data consist of interviews with personnel who operated Zora and comments from the general public about the “Zora” robot. Two data sources were used: 107 comments were collected from online and print media, and the personnel (n=39) who worked with Zora were interviewed. The data were analysed by means of interpretative content analysis.

Findings

The results show that public opinion is mainly negative, but that the commentators apparently have little information about the robot and its tasks. The personnel had more positive views; they saw it as a recreational tool, not as a replacement for their own roles.

Originality/value

There is clearly a need for more information, for a better informed discussion on how robots can be used in elderly care and how to involve the general public in this discussion in a constructive way.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 32 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 December 2021

Lídia Serra, Cristina Almeida and Luís Silva

The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of general cognitive functioning and positive and negative affects on loneliness in the elderly people and to analyze the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of general cognitive functioning and positive and negative affects on loneliness in the elderly people and to analyze the mediating effect of positive affects on the relationship between negative affects and loneliness.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample of this study consists of 61 people with an average age of 83 years who receive specialized institutional support. Study participants answered a set of questionnaires in which their sociodemographic characteristics, characteristics of the support received, cognitive functioning, positive and negative affects and loneliness were assessed.

Findings

Cognitive functioning did not reveal a significant relationship with loneliness. On the other hand, there was a positive and significant relationship between negative affects and loneliness and a significant marginal relationship between positive affects and loneliness. Negative affects proved to be predictors of loneliness, and there was an influence of positive affects by mediating the relationship between negative affects and loneliness.

Originality/value

This study showed that negative affects are risk factors for the appearance of loneliness in the elderly people who receive specialized institutional support and should be considered in intervention programs that aim to reduce loneliness and social isolation of the elderly people.

Details

Housing, Care and Support, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-8790

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 March 2023

Xusen Cheng, Liyang Qiao, Bo Yang and Zikang Li

With the great changes brought by information technology, there is also a challenge for the elderly's acceptance. This study aimed to determine the antecedents of elderly people's…

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Abstract

Purpose

With the great changes brought by information technology, there is also a challenge for the elderly's acceptance. This study aimed to determine the antecedents of elderly people's usage intention of financial artificial intelligent customer service (FAICS) and to examine the relationships between various factors and thus to help them better adapt to the digital age.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed method, including the qualitative and quantitative study, was utilized to explore answers of the research questions. As the qualitative study, the authors used semi-structured interviews and data coding to uncover the influencing factors. As the quantitative study, the authors collected data through questionnaires and tested hypotheses using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results of data analysis from interviews and questionnaires suggested that perceived anthropomorphism and virtual identity of elderly users have a positive impact on their perceived ease of use, and the perceived intelligence of elderly users positively influences their perceived ease of use, satisfaction and perceived usefulness. Additionally, the elderly's cognition age can moderate the effects of perceived usefulness and satisfaction on their usage intention of FAICS.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by taking the elderly group as the research participants and combining those influencing factors with technology acceptance model and information systems success model. The findings provide a basis for accelerating the promotion of FAICS and help address the problem that the elderly have difficulty adapting to a new technology.

Details

Internet Research, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2002

Li‐Fan Liu and Anthea Tinker

For elderly people the decision to enter an institution is usually the result of complex interactions which involves not only themselves but also professionals and family members…

Abstract

For elderly people the decision to enter an institution is usually the result of complex interactions which involves not only themselves but also professionals and family members. This research concerns the role of families in the decision‐making process over the admission of their elderly relatives to nursing homes in Taiwan. The families' views, including their influence and involvement in the process, were examined. It was found that most elderly people in Taiwan were cared for in their own homes by family members, but under certain circumstances, nursing home entry seemed inevitable. The decision‐making process, mainly within a family context, was influenced by the needs of the elderly people, by their adult children, including their availability, and by perceptions about nursing home entry. The pattern of family care and involvement may change and reasons are suggested for this.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 August 2023

Jiaji Zhu, Xin Li, Yushi Jiang and Wenju Ma

Promoting the adoption of digital payments by the elderly plays an important role in the development of the digital economy. The purpose of this study is to build an extended…

Abstract

Purpose

Promoting the adoption of digital payments by the elderly plays an important role in the development of the digital economy. The purpose of this study is to build an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) model to predict the elderly's intention to pay for digital services under COVID-19 epidemic constraints.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the extended TPB model, 320 qualified participants were recruited on the network. The structural equation model was tested using the SmartPLS3.3 tool, and the moderation effects were tested through SPSS26 and the Process macro.

Findings

The results showed that the three dimensions of TPB theory, the basic elements (perceived value and perceived risk), and the external environment (COVID-19 pandemic) were important factors that influence the elderly users' intention to adopt digital payments. Further research found that motivation factors (personal innovativeness, intergenerational support, and social support) can positively moderate these effects.

Research limitations/implications

The results of the study provide a further explanation for understanding the willingness of elderly people to adopt digital payments during the COVID-19 pandemic and bring inspiration to system developers and social managers to reduce the risk of COVID-19 pandemic and increase the share of digital payments for this category.

Originality/value

This paper used the extended TPB theory to construct a fundamental environmental motivation (FEM) framework for understanding the main influencing factors of elderly users' intention to adopt digital payments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 51 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

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