Perceptions of difference between aging and disability service systems consumers: implications for policy initiatives to rebalance long-term care

This study explores service professionals' perceptions of how and why older adults and younger persons with disabilities are different consumers and clients within the long-term care service sector. Data are from 2004, early in the history of federal long-term care rebalancing initiatives, reflecting perceptions at that time. Findings suggest professionals working within aging, developmental disability, and physical disability service networks believe significant distinctions exist related to age of clients and nature of service required and how it is delivered. Overall need for greater professional and organizational capacity to support provision of service to both aging and disability populations is reported.     

Perceptions of Difference Between Aging and Disability Service Systems Consumers: Implications for Policy Initiatives to Rebalance Long-Term Care

This study explores service professionals' perceptions of how and why older adults and younger persons with disabilities are different consumers and clients within the long-term care service sector. Data are from 2004, early in the history of federal long-term care rebalancing initiatives, reflecting perceptions at that time. Findings suggest professionals working within aging, developmental disability, and physical disability service networks believe significant distinctions exist related to age of clients and nature of service required and how it is delivered. Overall need for greater professional and organizational capacity to support provision of service to both aging and disability populations is reported.     

Indicators of a balanced long-term service and support system: examining the impact on individuals aging with a lifelong disability

This article explores how rebalancing efforts can support the needs of individuals aging with a lifelong disability. The National Balancing Indicator project examined the overall long-term supports and services system (LTSS) progress in five indicators within the Sustainability, Coordination and Transparency, and Prevention principles toward a balanced LTSS system for those aging with a lifelong disability. In assessing state efforts to create a balanced participant-directed LTSS system with the National Balancing Indicators, the findings suggest states are better equipping the system to handle a burgeoning population of individuals aging with a lifelong disability, but more progress is still needed. Overall, states need to continue to create a seamless system that allows individuals with lifelong disabilities to transition smoothly through the life course.     

End of Life,Chronic Illness,and Trans-Identities

In this study, the experiences and needs of a sample of 1,963 current, global, English-speaking, transgender-identified adults responding to the Transgender MetLife Survey (TMLS) as related to a number of later-life and end-of-life (EOL) preparations and concerns were examined. EOL concerns are integrated with concerns and challenges around chronic illness and disability. Overall, this population was significantly ill-prepared for the major legalities and events that occur in the later to EOL time periods. The population was found to harbor significant fears around the future. Drawing on the author's decades of survey research in transgender aging and case data along with current scientific and online literature, illustrative quotations and case examples are provided.     

Awareness of Resources for Visually Impaired Older Adults Among the Aging Network

Approximately 13% of the older adult population have severe near, intermediate and/or distance vision impairment. However, there is little recognition within the aging network that vision impairment among older adults can lead to isolation and excess disability. This article reports on a survey conducted by the Lighthouse National Center for Vision and Aging of the State Units on Aging (SUA) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) to assess their awareness of the vision rehabilitation network of services, their perceived need for more information on age-related vision loss and to identify specific projects known to or within the aging network addressing the needs of visually impaired older adults. Among the 298 respondent AAAs, 74% could identify at least one resource for visually impaired people, usually a segregated service offered exclusively to blind/visually impaired older adults. Eighty-three percent of the AAA respondents felt they needed to have more information on age-related vision impairment. The sparsity of programs within the aging network to address needs of visually impaired older persons is documented and discussed.     

Aging with a severe mental illness: challenges and treatments

Severe mental illness (SMI) impacts many different facets of individuals' lives. As they age, those with SMI experience increased physical illnesses, functional impairment, cognitive deficits, and social disability. To promote more effective social work practice with this population, this article highlights the major biopsychosocial and family issues of aging with a psychiatric diagnosis. In addition, intervention approaches that have demonstrated efficacy are summarized along with ways to coordinate services across multiple service delivery sectors. Finally, future directions in practice and research are presented to develop additional methods of support for older adults with SMI and their families.     

Aging With a Severe Mental Illness: Challenges and Treatments

Severe mental illness (SMI) impacts many different facets of individuals' lives. As they age, those with SMI experience increased physical illnesses, functional impairment, cognitive deficits, and social disability. To promote more effective social work practice with this population, this article highlights the major biopsychosocial and family issues of aging with a psychiatric diagnosis. In addition, intervention approaches that have demonstrated efficacy are summarized along with ways to coordinate services across multiple service delivery sectors. Finally, future directions in practice and research are presented to develop additional methods of support for older adults with SMI and their families.     

Are Methadone Counselors Properly Equipped to Meet the Palliative Care Needs of Older Adults in Methadone Maintenance Treatment? Implications for Training

Today's methadone patients differ greatly from those of the past. Because of the rise of polydrug use and the HIV and hepatitis epidemics, treatment has become much more complex, which multiply the concerns and complexities of treatment. Patients entering methadone programs are also more commonly presenting at ages well into their 50s, 60s, and 70s; and this phenomenon of high rates continues to grow. The majority of these individuals in treatment have presented with a number of significant comorbid medical conditions that will progress and eventually lead to death. This aging cohort must be approached with a modified treatment plan that focuses on management and promoting healthy aging, while attending to their maximum delay of illness, disease, and disability. This article argues that it is necessary for counselors working with this group to adopt a palliative care philosophy. This article also makes recommendations in areas that counselors need to be knowledgeable and skilled in to provide appropriate palliative services specific to this aging population with multiple needs as they near end of life.     

A long life with a particular signature: life course and aging for people with disabilities

What does it mean to live a long life and grow old with disabilities? Or to be an aging parent and still be a caregiver to a disabled adult child? These are questions discussed in this article, the aim of which is to show how a life course perspective adds insight to the lived experience of disability and ageing of adults with disabilities. It is argued that the time concept is fundamental to the understanding of the lives of disabled people. Results are presented which challenge established knowledge regarding disability policies, autonomy, body, biographical disruption and prerequisites of active aging.     

Welfare consequences of the Swedish disability service system

It has been frequently discussed whether the Swedish disability service system is efficient and whether it meets the demands of equity. The costs of the system for support and service were recently estimated to be USD 11 billion. This article describes the welfare situation for disabled people compared with the general population in Sweden. The Swedish disability service system has managed to provide disabled people with a disposable income over the subsistence minimum in Sweden, but also in the same range as for the general population. In other welfare parameters, disabled people appear to have great welfare losses compared with the general population. Evaluations of handicap technologies (such as service and support) aiming to reduce or compensate for these welfare losses have to meet the requirements of equity and efficiency of the Swedish disability service system.     

关于中国人口老龄化的理论思考

人口老龄化是人类社会发展的历史必然,而中国人口老龄化进程的特殊性在于中国的加速老龄化是自觉的历史选择。对中国人口老龄化有诸多隐忧无可厚非,但中国应对老龄化也存在后发优势。社会经济的发展、科技的进步、平均寿命的延长使得中国可以克服应对老龄化的悲观思维。为此,我们需要更新发展观念,重新认识老年人价值,调动全社会的积极性,制定应对老龄化的战略。     

Impact of Mid-Life Symptoms of Alcoholism on the Health and Wellbeing of Aging Parents of Adults with Disabilities

The study examined the effect of adult children’s disability on parents’ physical health in later life and the extent to which parents’ symptoms of alcoholism in mid-life moderates the link between children’s disability and later life parental health. Analyses are based on data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. The analytic sample included parents of children with developmental disabilities (n = 145) or mental health problems (n = 200) and 2,432 parents of unaffected children. The results showed that the negative health consequences in later life of having a child with a developmental disability were greater for those who showed more symptoms of alcoholism in mid-life. However, symptoms of alcoholism in mid-life did not significantly moderate the impact of an adult child’s mental health problems on parents’ later life physical health. The findings suggest a potential area where gerontological social workers could intervene, given the negative impact of symptoms of alcoholism on the health of aging parents of children with a disability who may be significantly more susceptible to the negative health impacts of alcohol compared to their younger counterparts.     

Facilitating Future Planning for Ageing Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Using a Planning Tool that Incorporates Quality of Life Domains

Abstract

When ageing families of an adult with a lifelong disability embark on a process of planning for the future, they generally think in terms of making hard and fast decisions about: (1) where the person with the disability is going to live when “the time comes”; and (2) who will take on their direct care. However, there is common trepidation among many families when it comes to launching their son or daughter with a lifelong disability. Generally, many families ignore, neglect, or simply do not engage in making any formal plans at all. When ageing families do make plans, they often focus only a place to live. This can mean that other significant aspects of a person's life (i.e., quality of life factors) are negated or neglected. Reviewing population demographics for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, it was ascertained that a sizable number of parents will be aging in the near future and that some formalized assistance for future planning was needed. To this end, a planning instrument, What the Future Holds, was developed in order to help families and other carers with planning for the future and involving a variety of quality of life domains, including health, financial, vocational, social, civil, and residential well-being.     

Importance of Land,family and culture for a good life: Remote Aboriginal people with disability and carers

Worldwide health and social outcomes of Indigenous people are poorer than those of non-Indigenous. In Australia, the Indigenous population experience disability at more than twice the rate of the non-Indigenous population, and a quarter live in geographically remote areas. The challenges associated with accessing services and supports in remote communities can impact on a good life for Aboriginal people with disability. Interviews were conducted with Aboriginal people (An angu) with disability and family carers from remote Central Australian communities and service workers. Thematic data analysis determined factors An angu viewed as essential to living a good life: connection to their Lands, being with family and engaging in cultural activities. Workers' support for a good life involves “Proper Way” help and an understanding of An angu culture. Three culturally relevant strengths-based concepts are important in supporting An angu with disability to live a good life: being connected to the Lands and family, sharing together and working together.     

日本应对老龄化的措施及对我国的启示

老龄化正在影响世界上越来越多的国家。日本是全球老龄化进程最快、老龄人口比例最高的国家。早在20世纪70年代，日本就已进入老龄化社会。目前，日本已成为超老龄化国家。面对如此严重的老龄化危机，日本采取了一系列措施，取得了一定的成效，他们的经验值得我国借鉴和学习。     

Keeping Your Eye on the Process: Body Image,Older Women,and Countertransference

Research on body image and older women has grown in the past decade. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding body image, older women, and countertransference. This article provides 7 case examples of racially and ethnically diverse women over 60, drawn from MSW student and agency staff supervision, and participant feedback from a national conference on aging workshop. Themes related to loss and grief, adult daughter and aging mother issues, incest, anger, disability, personality disorders, phobic reactions, and shame are discussed. Recommendations and implications for social work practice, education and research are provided.     

The future of adult safeguarding in Australia

Significant reforms to Australia's adult safeguarding laws and practices are in the process of occurring in the context of increasingly market‐oriented social care provision and rising human rights consciousness. Recent safeguarding developments have included federal regulatory reforms concerning disability and aged care service provision, together with significant reform activity stemming from a national inquiry into elder abuse. Despite this national activity, adult safeguarding continues largely to be an arena of state and territory responsibility. This article examines recent reform developments and asks how safeguarding laws and practices can be reformed to take account of increased federal involvement in social care regulation and the more market‐oriented ways in which social care is being provided. The article argues that while state and territory safeguarding laws and practices are unlikely to become uniform, 10 principles ought to guide continued adult safeguarding reform. These principles seek to balance respect for the autonomy of individuals with society's obligation to support those in need.     

人口老龄化与养老保障政策应对研究——基于多元社会政策建构视野

人口老龄化趋势是我国人口结构转变的一个突出现象。人口老龄化问题的突现,势必对养老保障压力提出了新的挑战,同时也会影响国家对养老政策的调整。本文基于＂人口年龄结构—国民经济因素—社会因素—养老政策＂综合分析模型,提出了养老保障政策分析的框架。本文以人口结构转变为切入点,描述了人口老龄化趋势,以及由此引发的国家系统养老保障以及公民社会养老保障挑战。为应对这些挑战,本文基于综合分析模型和现代国家治理结构特点,提出了相应的应对策略。本文认为,只有整体性福利制度构建,才能确保在国民经济发展、人口老龄化趋势与社会稳定之间取得动态平衡。     

Assessment of the Refined Aging Semantic Differential: Recommendations for Enhancing Validity

The US population is aging. Traditional perspectives have emphasized that a substantial increase in the number of gerontological social workers is needed to care for this population. However, published evidence demonstrates that, along with population growth, economic and social factors must be taken into account before predicting future gerontological social work demand. Structural lag theory is introduced to explain how these factors affect the profession and may limit its presence in gerontological work settings. Recommendations are made to correct the lag, allowing the social work profession a more substantive voice in the aging enterprise.