From the Ground Up: How to Effectively Merge Research and Practice to Build Impactful Community Programs

The purpose of this presentation is to guide those interested in working in community non-profits through the program development process. Furthermore, this presentation highlights the importance of using an evidence-based eye when building programs--bridging what has been learned in the classroom with real world, hands on experience. The presentation will focus on the presenter\u27s academic and professional journey to being responsible for building a program from the ground up--focusing on what was learned along the way. In this presentation, participants will be walked through the process that guided the development of Delaware County\u27s Caregiver Program. Information will be shared regarding how to effectively utilize literature, research, create meaningful logic models, increase program enrollment, and track program outcomes to ensure program sustainability. Participants will have the opportunity to review program data as well as engage in discussions about identifying community needs and collaborating with community partners to ensure programmatic success

“They’re in My Heart, Mind, and Cells”: What Continuing Bonds Reveal About Social Networks

Abstract Background and Objectives Research suggests that robust social networks have positive effects on peoples’ well-being. An instrumental methodology for studying networks is the social convoy model, a diagram of concentric circles that illustrate network size, structure, and satisfaction. Convoys have been described as dynamic. Specifically, as people age, their convoys become stronger and smaller due to focusing on what matters most and accumulating losses. Therefore, convoys only include meaningful, living persons. The continuing bonds model posits that it is normal for people to maintain connections with the deceased. The objective of the current study was to integrate the social convoy and continuing bonds models in order to examine the presence of deceased loved ones in convoys. Research Design and Methods Eighteen individuals (M = 66 years), recruited via fliers and snowball sampling, participated in one semistructured interview regarding the death of a loved one and their convoy. Participants also completed a convoy model, identifying where the deceased fit (if anywhere) when they were alive and at present. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for themes. Results Three themes emerged: communication (i.e., writing or speaking to the deceased), continuity (i.e., a continuing relationship), and reciprocity (i.e., perceived exchange of support(s)). Eighty-nine percent of participants felt their loved one’s death did not change their convoy presence and 88% reported that their positioning in the convoy remained unchanged. Discussion and Implications This research offers a new way to think about convoys and may prompt the development of supportive interventions for bereaved individuals. </jats:sec

Breaking the Silence Associated With Death and Dying: New Directions in End-of-Life Research

Abstract Conversations surrounding end-of-life care and bereavement continue to remain relatively silenced within gerontology and the general population. The purpose of this symposium is to break the silence associated with death, dying, and bereavement by sharing emerging perspectives and interventions related to end-of-life experiences. This symposium features four presentations that examine bereavement and end-of-life care from the viewpoints of individuals, families, practitioners, and researchers. Carr provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of research regarding death, dying, and bereavement - mapping out how current technological and demographic shifts have changed the nature of end-of-life experiences. Stemen presents an illustrative case study that examines how cause of death (e.g., chronic illness, suicide) shapes grief and subsequent social relationships for surviving individuals. Utz explores conversations that occur between families and professionals embedded within the hospice system, showcasing reactions from families who experienced live discharge from hospice services. Last, Ogle sheds light on the roles taken on by state tested nursing assistants (STNAs) in end-of-life care as well as the training and education they receive and need on end-of-life issues. Lichtenberg, our discussant, will tie these emerging perspectives together in order to initiate an important dialogue with attendees regarding the actions needed to break the silence associated with death and dying so that we can better serve individuals, families, and professionals.</jats:p

Exploring Cause of Death in Social Convoy Membership: The Case of Pauline

Abstract People receive support from a fluid convoy of individuals. Historically, convoy membership has been limited to meaningful, living persons. However, research incorporating the continuing bonds model suggests that individuals who have died can also be convoy members as relationships can be preserved through pictures, memories, and after death communication experiences. Building on this idea, this presentation uses a qualitative case study to explore whether (and if so, how) continuing bond relationships are influenced by the way that individuals die. Pauline, a 67 year-old widow, compares the “natural” deaths of her sister and father-in-law to the suicide of her husband. Careful readings of her interview transcript reveal that the unexpected way that her husband died became a salient part of her identity and the way she connects with others. Consequently, this case study provides insights for researchers who may consider cause of death as a potential contributing factor to convoy membership.</jats:p

Local Initiatives to Fund Services for Elders: Increased Community Recognition of the Importance of Social Care

Abstract Despite the growing number of older adults in the U.S., federal and state funding for non-medical supportive services remains limited. Recent work reports that states with a more generous supply of supportive services, including home delivered meals and personal care, have fewer low care residents in nursing homes. To boost this supply, some local communities across the nation are exploring alternative funding sources. Our review found 400 local communities across 15 states using voter-approved local revenue streams to fund aging services, such as property tax levies and payroll and sales taxes, and that this strategy has been politically popular. In this paper we provide results from the first national survey of these local communities. Study results found considerable variation by state in number and scope of local initiatives, with Ohio and Michigan each reporting about 70 communities with local property tax levies, while California and Washington had only one community each using this approach. Local programs ranged in size from generating less than $25,000 in annual revenue to more than$35 million. The organizational structure for these programs, and the administrative approaches, such as the use of care managers, varied by state and community. Programs provided an array of services, but typically included traditional social care services such as home delivered meals, homemaker/personal care, transportation, and home emergency response systems. Criteria for program participation also varied, but most were targeted to serve older adults with disability who did not meet Medicaid financial or functional eligibility criteria.</jats:p

Local Initiatives to Fund Services for Older Americans: Community Recognition of the Importance of Social Care

Despite the growing proportion of older adults in the United States, federal and state funding for nonmedical supportive services remains limited. To meet increasing demand, some communities across the nation are exploring alternative funding sources for aging services. Although no systematic database exists to track such local programs, through an array of data sources including a national survey, telephone contacts, and a web review, we identified 15 states that are using local funding to support aging services. Communities are using a variety of local revenue streams, such as property tax levies, payroll, and sales taxes to provide services for older adults and/or their family or friend caregivers. There are considerable differences in community approaches including the following: amount of revenue generated, service eligibility criterion, type of services covered, and management infrastructure. Critical policy questions surrounding equity issues within and across states are raised as communities create these alternative funding mechanisms. </jats:p