“Friendly” Initiatives: An Emerging Approach to Improve Communities for Vulnerable Populations

A growing number of cities and towns are implementing “friendly” initiatives to change the community’s social and physical infrastructure to address the needs of a particular vulnerable segment of their population. Three prominent examples are aging-friendly, child-friendly, and immigrant-friendly initiatives. Although the limited but growing literature describes these initiatives as promising strategies to improve the quality of life of the targeted population, to date there has been little written about the underlying goals, values, and assumptions of these efforts. Using the value-critical approach, this article aims to better understand these aspects of population-friendly initiatives by examining the scholarly and grey literature. Social workers engaged in community and policy practice can play a key role in these efforts and call attention to the ways they may alleviate or exacerbate inequities. Future research is needed to assess the effects of these initiatives on their targeted population as well as other community residents.     

Perceived Need for Home- and Community-Based Services: Experiences of Urban Chinese Older Adults With Functional Impairments

Guided by Cantor’s social care model, this study identified individual, family, and social support factors that influence urban older adults’ need for home- and community-based services, including medical and rehabilitation, instrumental care and support, and psychosocial services. The data were extracted from the Sample Survey on Aged Population in Urban/Rural China conducted by the China Research Center on Aging in 2006. Results from multiple logistic regression show that older adults’ need for medical and rehabilitation services is significantly related to instrumental activities of daily living, depression, not having filial children, friend support networks, and having a confidant. Older adults’ need for instrumental care and support is related to their educational attainment, financial strain, instrumental activities of daily living, not living with children, and friend support networks. Finally, older adults’ need for psychosocial services is significantly related to educational attainment, depression, not being married, friend support networks, and having a confidant. Implications for social service development are discussed.     

The Impact of In-Home Services Utilization on the Institutionalization of Older People in Korea

As a result of aging populations, institutionalization of older people is creating an increasing financial burden in many countries. The purpose of the present study was to explore the impact of in-home service utilization on institutionalization. The subjects were newly certified as eligible for long-term care insurance between January and February 2009 in Korea. The follow-up period was 40 months, to April 2012. We used logistic regression models to identify factors influencing the transition to institutional service, adjusting for gender, age, living status, income level, activities of daily living, and chronic disease. The institutionalization rate was estimated to be 17.3% over 40 months. The interval from transitional living to institutionalization was 36 ± 8 months. Risk factors of transition to institutional services are being female, having advanced age, living with friends or cousins, getting dementia, and not using in-home services. We determined that institutionalization is mitigated by use of in-home services. Therefore, supplying appropriate in-home services to current nonusers would help to greatly reduce the rate of institutionalization of older people.     

论我国刑事被害人的控告犯罪权之完善

刑事被害人在刑事诉讼中不能仅仅成为国家追诉犯罪的工具,而应该具有诉讼主体地位,其权利应当得到保障。控告犯罪是刑事诉讼的起点,我国被害人控告犯罪的权利存在着诸多缺陷,不能保障被害人的有效参与。应当完善被害人控告犯罪的权利,保障被害人对刑事诉讼程序的有效参与。     

Staff Reactions Toward Lesbian,Gay, or Bisexual (LGB) People Living in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) Who Actively Disclose Their Sexual Orientation

Fifty-three staff members currently working in residential aged care facilities located in Barcelona, Spain, were asked about the way they would react if a resident told them that he or she felt sexually attracted and had maintained sexual relationships with another resident of the same gender. Acceptance of non-heterosexual sexual orientation was a frequent answer, and around one in four professionals stated that they would try helping the resident in question, by offering a private space or giving some emotional support. However, some reactions were not consistent with a respectful approach toward sexual diversity, as, for instance, informing the resident’s family or advising the resident to keep his or her sexual orientation hidden. We highlight the importance of developing formal policies and offering formal training to staff in order to address the specific needs of older LGB people living in RACFs.     

论职业病病人的人身损害补偿与赔偿请求权--以《职业病防治法》第58、59条规定为中心

职业病病人的人身损害通常具有缓发性、不可逆等特质。《职业病防治法》第58、59条分别规定了工伤保险待遇给付请求权和人身损害赔偿请求权。工伤保险待遇在本质上属于人身损害补偿,如要实现损害之全部填补,职业病病人可以选择从契约关系、侵权行为、保险契约、法律之特别规定等视角,以仲裁或诉讼方式请求用人单位予以人身损害赔偿。     

进退两难:相对不起诉制度之博弈分析

相对不起诉制度是我国1996年修改后的<刑事诉讼法>对检察机关免予起诉制度废除后的产物.从10余年的司法实践过程来看,相对不起诉在检察机关应用较少,主要是体现了检察权对审判权的谦抑.从该制度最初的功能设计分析,相对不起诉是为处理刑事案件作适当分流而设计的,它应该是解决刑事案件中利益冲突的途径之一.长期的实践表明,该制度面临着许多矛盾,这些矛盾导致相对不起诉制度处于一个进退两难的境地.因此,从保护被害人权利来说,完善相对不起诉制度,使之成为刑事案件中利益冲突解决的正式途径,应该是新的刑事诉讼修改的一个重要内容.     

Understanding Older Americans' Attitudes,Knowledge, and Fears About Vision Loss and Aging

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present study was to identify factors associated with attitudes, knowledge, and fear of age-related vision impairment in a representative sample of US adults age 55 and older. Data were obtained from a national telephone survey. Attitudes toward vision impairment and aging were positive, but fears were extensive and knowledge was lacking. Higher socioeconomic status and experience with nonrelated persons who were visually impaired predicted better attitudes and greater knowledge. Being a women and having experience with persons who were visually impaired predicted lower fear. Findings emphasize the importance of accurate knowledge and training about visual impairment for practitioners working with this population.     

Presence and Visibility of Outdoor and Indoor Physical Activity Features and Participation in Physical Activity Among Older Adults in Retirement Communities

Abstract

In this paper we examine how the presence and visibility of outdoor and indoor physical activity resources (e.g., walking path/ trail, outdoor tennis courts, gardens, etc.) influences participation in physical activity among elderly residents in non-profit continuing care retirement communities and other senior housing communities. This paper reports findings from a survey of 800 such communities. A social ecological model was used to study the relationships between the environment and physical activity behavior. A fifty-two percent response rate (n = 398) was obtained. Campuses with more attractive outdoor and indoor physical activity facilities had more residents participating in different types of physical activity.