Journal of Gerontological Social Work最新文献

Recent surveys elevate the importance of positive psychological factors such as hope as social work practioners equip caregivers with persons experiencing Alzheimer's Disease to address burdens associated with this role. This study extends research on caregiver adaptation by analyzing the narratives of 27 caregivers with family members in the early stages of this disease. Three themes revealed the complexity and centrality of hope in their lived experience: hopeful transitions, sources of hope, and hope amplifiers. Findings supported and expanded existing hope theory while documenting the transitions, types, pathways, uncertainities, and outcomes of caregivers in this study.

This study investigates how older adults in Residential Aged Care (RAC) perceive and navigate their sexuality. Employing a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews, it examines older adults' perceptions of sexuality while living in RAC, the barriers they encounter, and the ways they maintain or adapt their sexuality. Data were collected from 15 participants in Swedish RAC facilities. Nine identified as women and six as men, with a mean age of 87.3. The analysis identified three principal themes: The Sexual Script for Older Adults, Co-creating the Script, and Navigating the Script. These themes highlight how older adults articulate their sexuality, respond to institutional norms, and sometimes resist expectations. The findings suggest that sexuality remains a substantial aspect of life for many older adults, even when they face age-related stigma or institutional limitations. This study underscores the need for RAC to better support the sexuality of older adults and advocates for policies that recognize and facilitate their sexual autonomy and well-being.

Racial and ethnic disparities in end-of-life (EOL) care planning persist, particularly due to limited knowledge of culturally sensitive practices among older Vietnamese and Filipino Americans - two of the largest Southeast Asian American subgroups. To address this gap, we used a transcendental phenomenological approach to explore attitudes, barriers, and facilitators toward EOL care planning. Three virtual focus groups were conducted: one Filipino group and two Vietnamese groups (one in English, one in Vietnamese), with nine participants aged 55 or older. This study adhered to the COREQ guidelines to ensure transparency and rigor in qualitative reporting. Thematic analysis, guided by a transcendental phenomenological lens, revealed a shared belief in the importance of EOL care planning in both groups, driven by the desire to honor personal wishes, reduce burden on family, and minimize conflict. Participants also expressed distrust in healthcare systems and emphasized the influence of family dynamics on EOL decisions. Notable differences emerged: Vietnamese participants more often described cultural practices that encouraged open conversations about death, while Filipino participants cited cultural taboos that hindered such discussions. These findings underscore the need for culturally and linguistically responsive approaches to support EOL care planning in Southeast Asian American communities.

This study examines the association between food security and the self-rated mental health of a representative sample (n = 1,073) of people 60 years and older in three regions in Ghana. A cross-sectional study design was employed, and data were analyzed using logistic regression techniques. Overall, 27% of the respondents rated their mental health as poor, while 64% reported food insecurity. Results from logistic regression analyses reveal that older people who were food insecure were more likely to rate their mental health as poor compared to those who are food secure, while accounting for theoretically relevant variables informed by the Social Determinants of Health framework (OR = 2.27; p < .001). This finding points to the link between food insecurity and poor mental health among older people in Ghana, drawing attention to food security as an important social determinant of mental health.

Approximately 10% of older Americans with dementia experience depression. Based on life review depression intervention, we developed the Caregiver-Provided Life Review (C-PLR), trained Asian (n = 15) and White (n = 25) caregivers, and delivered life reviews to their loved ones with mild depressive symptoms and early-stage dementia. This mixed-methods study found that both Asian and White care recipients' depressive symptoms decreased (Asian: p = 0.0006. White: p = 0.034). Caregivers felt the life review process positive and made them closer to their care recipients. The C-PLR intervention appeared feasible, and C-PLR may be a successful non-pharmaceutical intervention for people with mild depressive symptoms and early-stage dementia.

This study examined the associations between childhood threats (parental abuse and bullying victimization) and cognitive difficulties in mid and later life. Data were extracted from the 2022 Panel Study on Active Ageing and Society in Hong Kong (N = 5,007). Mediation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro, both for the entire sample and gender-stratified models. Findings revealed that frequent parental abuse and bullying victimization during childhood were associated with increased cognitive difficulties in mid and later life. Contemporary family functioning mediated these relationships. Gender differences were observed in the mediating role of family functioning, with its significance limited to older women.

This study explores the differences in emotional well-being associated with: attending caregiver support services and the perceived need for caregiver support services. Emotional well-being was about higher among those who attended support groups compared to those who have not, and emotional well-being was higher among those who do not have a perceived need for counselling services compared to those who have a perceived need for counselling. The findings reinforce that program leaders should place emphasis on caregivers with a perceived need for services as their emotional state may already be compromised.

This study investigates how kinless middle-aged and older adults in China experience changes in social connection over time. Unmarried individuals with children reported significantly higher levels of both social participation and non-domestic instrumental support compared to those married with children. Previously and never married childless individuals had significantly higher non-domestic instrumental support. While social participation declined for most, the never-married and childless group showed a slower decrease in support. These findings underscore the need for a dynamic perspective on kinless aging, highlighting how individuals mobilize support beyond the domestic sphere despite the absence of immediate kin.

Guided by the biopsychosocial model, this study used data from 8,247 older Chinese adults (mean age = 67.98 years) to examine whether depression mediates the association between body pain and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) disability, and whether parent-child relationships moderate this pathway. Results indicated that body pain was associated with greater depression, which predicted higher IADL disability. Stronger parent-child relationships buffered both the body pain-depression and depression-IADL disability links. These findings highlight the potential of enhancing parent-child relationships to mitigate the psychological and functional consequences of body pain among older adults.

Discussions of healthy aging often overlook sexual health due to ageism and misconceptions about older adults' sexuality. To address this gap, a health communication film intervention was evaluated among 193 social service clinicians, geriatric social work interns, and practicing clinicians. Using a mixed-methods design with pre- and posttests, participants showed a significant increase in HIV knowledge (M_pre = 7.46; M_post = 8.04; p < .001). Qualitative themes included greater awareness of sexual ageism, increased motivation for practice change, and recognition of the need for sexual health communication skills. Findings suggest film-based education enhances HIV knowledge and provider communication with older adults.