‘Aging’ identities: Degradation and negotiation in the search for employment

This study draws on data from interviews with individuals aged 45 to 65 (n = 30) to examine changes in identity that occur during their search for employment. Findings indicate that once participants perceive they have been labelled “old” by others (i.e. potential employers and personnel at older worker programs) they begin to define themselves as “old” and become susceptible to identity degradation. However, the majority of individuals are able to successfully negotiate their identities by drawing on social support, attending older worker programs, changing their identities, maintaining some of their key roles, and altering their overall mental outlook. This paper draws attention to the paradoxical nature of the job search process and to the latent consequences of older worker programs — individuals go to older worker programs for job search assistance, yet some of the experiences encountered during attendance at these programs mirrored many experiences encountered with discriminatory employers.     

Emergency department social work in the UK and Sweden: evaluation by older frequent emergency department attenders Kuratorsarbete på akutmottagning i förenade kungadömet Storbritannien och Sverige: en utvärdering utifrån brukarperspektivet hos äldre mångbesökare på akutmottagningen

Social work based in hospital emergency departments (EDs) in Sweden and the UK reflects a wider European social/health care policy trend. A key focus is on diverting older frequent ED attenders from ‘inappropriate’ hospital re-attendance or emergency admission, because of social care problems. However, previously there has been no evaluation of the significance of ED social work for health and well-being, from the standpoint of older frequent ED attenders themselves. In a preliminary way, our paper provides this through drawing on a small scale Swedish/UK study. Its comparative account of service user feedback underscores the importance of ED social work as a facet of European social work. It indicates that ED social work contributes to the quality of care within emergency departments, acts as a key access point to social services, and can promote both short and longer-term health. At the same time, some serious shortcomings emerge. These include under-developed referral systems, and limitations to community based services following ED social work assessment, which reflect the under-resourcing of social care provision in both countries. Moreover, service users’ experience in both Sweden and the UK reveals the risk of ED social work with older frequent ED attenders being used as a substitute for follow-up medical/nursing care when that is also required.     

Laugh and the World Laughs with You: An Attachment Perspective on the Meaning of Laughter in Psychotherapy

From infancy laughter is a right-brain-to-right-brain attachment behavior mutually aroused and regulated within the caregiver–infant partnership. Laughter continues to be attachment behavior throughout life with potential for enhancing attachment bonds or for defending against them. Laughter in psychotherapy has primarily been viewed as a discharge phenomena with typical interpretations focused on the humor that elicits the laughter rather than the meaning of the behavior itself. Viewing laughter as attachment behavior in psychotherapy provides the clinician with valuable insight about its meaning and management within the therapeutic relationship.

Gay Men

Summary

This report presents the findings from four ethnographic studies of older gay men (Brown, 1997; Brown, Sarosy, Cook & Quarto, 1997; Cook, 1991; Quarto, 1996; Sarosy, 1996). There were 69 total participants who ranged in age from 36 to 79 years; most were from 50 to 65 years of age. The purpose of these studies was to examine how older gay men have adjusted, psychologically and socially, to their sexual orientation and aging process. Participants reported that they spend 50% time or more with gay friends within their own age cohorts. Many reported being involved with the gay community in some capacity, while about 15% had no involvement with the gay community. Most participants were in regular contact with their families. Most stated that their families were aware of their sexual orientation. Most of the participants reported experiencing discrimination due to sexual orientation, and one third had experienced discrimination within the gay community based on age or ethnicity. With regard to sex life, the studies found an overall lowered frequency of sexual activity. Participants felt that HIV/AIDS has had a devastating impact on older gay men, interrupting the normal aging process for those who have contracted it and prematurely aging those who care for them. The studies' findings identified the qualities of healthy adaptation to aging for older gay males: having satisfying relationship, self-acceptance as one ages, good health, an active life with a variety of interests, and financial security.     

Depression and Religiosity in African American and White Community-Dwelling Older Adults

SUMMARY

This research examined the extent to which religiosity was predictive of level of depression, even after controlling for race, gender, social support, income sufficiency, and physical health. Data were collected using in-home interviews conducted from 1999 to 2001 with 1,000 adults age 65 to 106. Subjects were recruited from a stratified, random sample of Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older in five central Alabama counties (three rural and two urban). The sample was stratified by county, race, and sex and included balanced numbers of African American males and females and White males and females. Highly religious persons had lower levels of depression, even when controlling for other known covariates, β = -.16, t(972) p < .001. Females reported higher levels of depression, β = .07, t(972) p < .05. Although race was unrelated to depression in the model including gender and religiosity only, African Americans reported fewer symptoms of depression than did Whites when social support, income sufficiency, and physical health were added to the model, β= -.08, t(972) p < .01. Results suggest the importance of health and social service professionals' drawing upon older adults' positive spirituality in professional interventions to prevent and treat depression.     

The Moralities of Intellectual Property: Subtitle Groups as Cultural Brokers in China

This study investigates the moralities of intellectual property developed in the context of an underground network of Internet-based amateur translators in China. These translators are dedicated to unofficially subtitling and disseminating unauthorised US television programs and movies to Chinese audiences. I examine how translators have developed new moralities through their subtitling practices in the terrain of media technology. I explore how the subtitle community exists as a moral enterprise and how morality is constructed through subtitlers' disciplined practice, volunteer work and devotion to the media programs. I argue that regardless of their different opinions, subtitlers moralise their activities based on the conviction that Chinese youth and young adults want more knowledge, in spite of the state's media monopoly, and that fulfilling this need is a public good. Such a morality honours an unofficial moral code that is parallel to official state policy.     

Accommodating Culturally Meaningful Activities in Outdoor Settings for Older Adults

Abstract

A growing multicultural aging population necessitates an examination of the cultural responsiveness of American healthcare environments in enabling successful aging experiences. Environment-behavior studies establish positive effects of natural environments on the well-being of older adults. This study explored cultural differences in nature-related activities among Hispanic and Anglo-American elderly using six photographs of nature settings to elicit nature-related preferences and experiences. Findings indicate that Hispanic elderly find “furnished” natural settings more compatible with their preferred activities such as group-oriented socializing while Anglo-American elderly prefer “authentic” natural settings for preferred activities such as quiet reflection. Culture specific programming and design implications are discussed.     

Language Reversion among People with Dementia from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds: The Family Experience

Abstract

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) older people with dementia, along with their families, face many unique challenges and have unique needs. One such challenge is language reversion, an issue that has received little research attention. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study of the experiences of family members of people with language reversion emanating from dementia. Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with seven participants. The study found that the presence of language reversion created additional challenges for family members of someone with dementia, particularly if the family member did not share the person's first language. Community-based aged care services have the potential to offer valuable support, but barriers of negative past experiences, lack of communication, stigma, cultural understanding, and locality need to be overcome. While further research is recommended, these findings have implications for both policy and social work practice in community-based aged care with CALD populations.     

Prospects for Innovation in State Policies for the Elderly

A comparison of recent state efforts for the elderly shows wide variation in the extensiveness of innovative responses. Overall, the states have been fairly reluctant to undertake new financial commitments, but have engaged in a wide variety of regulatory policy responses. The sources of innovation in state policy can be attributed to differences in the following major factors: problem magnitude, financial resources, political attitudes and traditions, political capacity, and leadership and lobbying efforts. The states have frequently displayed predictable responses in relation to past levels of policy action, but there are important instances of both "under-achievers" and "unexpected achievers" on specific policies. The level of innovative activity which occurred suggests the importance of lobbying and leadership roles by and for the elderly at the state level.