The role of manager in children's homes: the process of managing and leading a well-functioning staff team

This paper is based on qualitative findings from a mixed methods project which investigated the roles of managers of children's homes and the relationship of these to their use of resources and the outcomes for young people in their care. The research formed part of the Costs and Effectiveness of Services to Children in Need research initiative, originally funded by the Department of Health. Main findings from the project overall and in particular from the multi-level modelling analysis indicated that the influence which the process of providing care has on the kind of outcomes experienced by young people is of paramount importance. This paper provides a brief overview of the project and its aims. Drawing on the qualitative strand of the project and overall project findings, the paper investigates three aspects of managing children's homes: establishing working relationships with staff teams, the role of managers and bringing about working with the young people in their care. It situates the role of manager within the wider context of literature on leadership and investigates what leadership in children's homes entails. Finally, the paper highlights the importance of the role of manager in relationship to the development of good practice in children's homes.     

The intimate world of strangers – embodying the child in foster care

In this paper we look at fostering with particular regard to embodiment and the body, the boundaries around it and related aspects of intimacy in foster home settings. Based upon mixed qualitative methods comprising mainly audiotaped interviews and audiotaped diaries it was possible to document and analyse key activities, meanings and relationships that inform the private world of foster care. In doing so, the paper looks first at sociological notions of the body, we then deploy these conceptual tools in regard to a sequence of seemingly mundane yet profoundly important day-to-day encounters between the fostered child and the private lives of the foster family. The notion of fostering as the coming together of strangers in which all parties have to learn the often tacit and emergent rules of intimacy within a family setting is depicted here in regard to aspects of joint habitation and boundary regarding the body. Themes around physical care, nurturing, space and privacy, touch and cleanliness are explored in order to reveal more of the private encounters that construct the embodied world of fostering.     

Attitudes Toward Aging and Retirement Homes Before and After Entry Into a Retirement Home

The change of one's habitual living conditions in favor of institutionalized living in a retirement home can be a stressful event. Therefore, the question arises: How does entry into a retirement home affect attitudes toward one's life and aging and toward retirement homes? In order to answer this question, we used longitudinal data from 53 older individuals who were surveyed before and after entry into a retirement home. The data revealed that attitudes toward one's life and aging changed negatively and attitudes toward retirement homes changed positively; however, there are gains and losses in both attitudes.     

China's ‘Socializing Social Welfare’ policy: a study on service quality in society-run homes for the aged in Beijing

This study aims to examine service quality in the emergent society-run homes (SRH) in Beijing from the perspective of residents in the context of ‘Socializing Social Welfare’ policy reform. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were combined to provide a comprehensive approach. A novel instrument for measuring service quality was developed and validated. Nine dimensions and three domains of service quality were identified and explored. The measuring instrument reveals that service quality in the SRH is barely satisfactory. With the findings of this study and the corresponding recommendations, it is hoped that the quality of institutional care service for the elderly can be improved, the social capital of the SRH can be promoted, and an integrated system of diversified care services can be formed and serve the needs of the increasing population of aged people.     

Theorizing Sexuality, Sexual Abuse and Residential Children's Homes: Adding Gender to the Equation

This article is primarily concerned with emphasizing the importanceof gender in relation to understanding and responding to sexualityand sexual abuse/exploitation issues within residential children’shomes. Initially, past research and inquiry reports are analysedand evaluated, not only in relation to their overall conclusionsand recommendations, but also with regard to their consideration,misrepresentation or omission of gender issues. A theoreticalframework is then drawn up which takes into account historicaldebates and contestations around notions of gender. This illustrateshow gender is frequently conflated or merged with understandingsabout sex and sexuality. This theoretical conceptualizationis then extended to consider the effects of the social constructionof childhood and childhood sexuality, and how sex, gender andsexuality may commonly be represented and understood withinorganizational, public-sphere contexts. Important findings froma recent indepth qualitative research project focused on sexualityissues in children’s homes are then presented thematicallyand through narrative excerpts. These findings are also locatedwithin and made comprehensible in relation to the theoreticalframework previously constructed. The conclusion examines theimplications of the findings presented and their theorization,and briefly evaluates the usefulness of recent policy initiativesintended to improve the care and development of ‘lookedafter’ children.     

民营养老机构中的老年虐待:表现、原因和对策

随着老龄化进程的加剧以及核心家庭的迅速增加,机构养老成为部分老年人主动或被动的选择.然而大多数入住民营养老机构的老年人在一定程度上遭受了暴力虐待,这些暴力可以粗略划分为软暴力和硬暴力.机构护工个人素质不高、机构缺乏监管、老年人子女的疏忽都是导致老年人虐待发生的原因.缓解对策主要包括:一是要完善相关法律法规和制度建设,二是民营养老机构要加强监管和控制,三是护工要提高个人素质和技能,四是老年人的子女要加强对老年人的关注,五是老年人要加强自我保护,寻求积极干预,六是要加强第三方的监督和评估.     

Latinas in Treatment

Abstract

This study analyzed secondary data collected from a recovery home specifically for Hispanic female substance abusers, and from four other recovery homes. Demographics, drug use history, and length of stay were compared to determine if participants of the culturally specific home remained in the program longer, and the reasons why. Results indicated that the women in the Hispanic recovery home stayed over a month longer and were more likely to be poor, unemployed, and methamphetamine or heroin addicts. Regression analysis was used to determine how these and other characteristics predicted length of stay, a variable that has been found to correlate with successful outcomes. Length of stay was associated with the culturally specific program, prior arrests, and years of problem drug usage. Implications for program design and treatment are discussed.     

Facility Organizational and Facility Resident Characteristics in Nursing Homes Serving Residents With a Mental Health History

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of mental health disorders among nursing home residents has been noted. The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics among nursing homes serving residents with a mental health history. A retrospective, cross-sectional design was conducted using the 2003 national Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting facility data merged with the resident-level Minimum Data Set resulting in 2,499 nursing homes. Across facilities, 22% of the total residents had a diagnosis of a mental disorder not including any form of dementia. Among those with a mental health history, 53% of facility residents had depression and 37% had schizophrenia.     

Bringing Together Housing and Aging Services

Aging organizations generally do not consider housing issues as an important priority. Research suggests that lack of knowledge may be a significant barrier that prevents their involvement in housing-related activities. This article reports on a study that examined the extent and level of AAAs' involvement in housing-related activities with particular attention to instances of cooperation and collaboration between AAAs and housing agencies. It employed a national survey of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). Further, since the lack of knowledge about housing is a barrier to involvement, the study examined the role of a housing specialist in motivating higher levels of activity. Though there is no single overall indicator of activities to do with housing, the results indicate a range of activities pursued by AAAs. The presence of a housing specialist within the AAA generally served as a catalyst, motivating higher levels of this kind of activity. The importance of housing as a component of a comprehensive long-term care continuum is also discussed.     

Targeting Services to Those Most at Risk

Abstract

The budget crises facing many state Medicaid programs have increased interest in the goal of linking services and housing as a way to provide more options to people with disabilities at less cost than institutional care. This article examines some of the premises underlying this interest, especially with respect to linking supportive services and federally subsidized housing for older persons. The first section provides a brief history of the activity in this area. The second section examines the risk factors associated with nursing home admission and how those factors match the characteristics of renters receiving subsidies. The third section focuses specifically on the likelihood that subsidized renters will also become eligible for Medicaid. The fourth section explores the capacity of housing programs to meet the challenges associated with service delivery. Finally, the conclusion examines the implications for public policy decision-makers interested in linking services and housing in order to address the long-term care (LTC) needs of older persons with modest incomes.