Depressive Symptoms among Former Spousal Caregivers: Comparing Stressors,Resources, and Circumstances of Caregiving Cessation among Older Husbands and Wives

Little research focuses on the mental health of caregivers (CGs) who stop providing care to their community-dwelling spouse. We examine depressive symptoms of former primary CG spouses who stopped caregiving over a two-year follow-up period when the care recipient (CR): (1) no longer has functional problems; (2) continues having functional problems; or (3) dies. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (2000–2014), we located 2,370 couples who were both 50+ at baseline and where one partner provided help with ADL and/or IADL limitations but did not do so two years later. OLS regressions stratified by gender indicated that both male and female former spousal CGs whose CR died had significantly more depressive symptoms than those who ceased caregiving when their spouse did or did not still have functional problems. Former wife CGs who were older and whose husbands had more baseline ADLs had fewer follow-up depressive symptoms; wife CGs whose husbands had a nursing home stay had more depressive symptoms. Former husband CGs who had provided longer monthly hours of care had fewer follow-up symptoms. Findings underscore the importance of targeting mental and physical health services to both former caregiving husbands and wives, especially after spousal death.     

Using Theraplay in shelter settings with mothers & children who have experienced violence in the home

This article describes a group program for women and children exposed to violence in the home. The program is primarily based on Theraplay, an attachment-based intervention approach for working with both adults and children who have a variety of emotional and behavioral difficulties. The theoretical and research bases, as well as the guiding principles of Theraplay, will be outlined and discussed, and the rationale for its application to a shelter setting will be highlighted. Finally, the benefits of and challenges to implementing such a program and the implications for practice and further evaluation will be explored.     

How can I motivate you to do it my way?

Want to motivate others? Establish meaningfulness and value to them of what they are supposed to do for you, and provide the tools they need to do it. Until they see the value to them, and that value outweighs their perceived risks or costs of doing it, you may get motion but you won't get motivated behaviors. Without motivated behaviors, you'll waste a lot of time trying to goad them on toward your goal, which they don't share. What we want is bilateral motivation toward a common goal. If we're smart, we don't want to be the only ones who are motivated, and others just move.     

Pathological gambling and switching addictions: Report of a case

The phenomenon of switching addictions, defined as a substitution of one chemical or behavioral addiction pattern for another, has been observed in clinical practices for some time. This case study describes a patient who, in attaining abstinence from alcohol and other drug dependence, became a pathological gambler. The complexities of personal history, medical history and psychiatric history are described as well problems in treatment.     

Internal barriers to help seeking for middle-aged and older women who experience intimate partner violence

There has been relatively little qualitatively or quantitatively published research to guide the field in identifying and addressing barriers to seeking help for older women who experience domestic violence. Women over the age of 45 have seldom been participants in research on domestic violence. This paper describes results from a qualitative study that focused on reactions to and internalization of abusive behaviors of an intimate partner. Twenty-one focus groups were conducted with 134 middle- aged and older women. Analysis of the data identified six factors that describe reactions to abusive behavior that become barriers to help seeking, including self-blame, powerlessness, hopelessness, the need to protect family, and the need to keep such abuse secret from others. These.     

The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Practice: Views and Experiences of Social Workers and Students

Findings from surveys of qualified social work practitionersand students indicate a need for social work education and practiceto focus attention both on the importance of religious and spiritualbeliefs in the lives of many service users and on the potentialusefulness of religious and spiritual interventions. In thisBritish study, undertaken in 2003 and 2004, students were lesslikely than their qualified colleagues to consider religiousor spiritually sensitive interventions as appropriate. Attitudesvaried little between those students who held religious beliefsand those who did not, but Muslim students and qualified socialworkers were more likely to view these types of interventionsas appropriate. The authors conclude that there is a clear needfor all social work practitioners and educators to give greaterpriority to exploring the potential significance of religiousand spiritual beliefs in their training, in their professionalpractice and in the lives and perspectives of service usersand colleagues. Social workers need to be able to respond appropriatelyto the needs of all service users, including those for whomreligious and spiritual beliefs are crucial. ‘Culturallycompetent’ practice depends, amongst other things, onan understanding and appreciation of the impact of faith andbelief.