It\u27s like we\u27re grasping at anything!

This poster was presented at the National Gerontological Association Annual Conference, in Louisville, Kentucky.https://scholarworks.uttyler.edu/fac_posters/1005/thumbnail.jp

Exploring the evidence base for how people with dementia and their informal carers manage their medication in the community:a mixed studies review

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the general medicines management issues for people with dementia living in the community. This review has three aims: firstly to explore and evaluate the international literature on how people with dementia manage medication; assess understanding of medicines management from an informal carers perspective; and lastly to understand the role that healthcare professionals play in assisting this population with medicines management. METHODS: A mixed studies review was conducted. Web of Knowledge, PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched post-1999 for studies that explored medicines management in people with dementia dwelling in the community, and the role healthcare professionals play in supporting medicines management in people with dementia. Following screening, nine articles were included. Data from included studies were synthesised using a convergent synthesis approach and analysed thematically to combine findings from studies using a range of methods (qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods). RESULTS: Four themes were generated from the synthesis: The nature of the disease and the effects this had on medicines management; the additional responsibilities informal carers have; informal caregivers' knowledge of the importance of managing medication and healthcare professionals' understanding of medicines management in people with dementia. Consequently, these were found to affect management of medication, in particular adherence to medication. CONCLUSIONS: This review has identified that managing medication for people with dementia dwelling in the community is a complex task with a frequently associated burden on their informal caregivers. Healthcare professionals can be unaware of this burden. The findings warrant the need for healthcare professionals to undergo further training in supporting medicines management for people with dementia in their own homes

Learners’ perceptions and experiences of studying psychology online

This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of six international and mature online learners studying on an undergraduate psychology course to identify barriers and facilitators to studying online. A secondary aim was to deductively explore the applicability of the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behaviour model to participants' narratives related to self-regulated online learning. Online interviews with six demographically diverse participants were conducted and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The overarching theme was 'the balancing act of online learners', which consisted of three major themes (and respective subthemes): (1) 'identity as an online learner' ('in today's world, we're all very busy'), (2) 'access to resources' ('importance of location' and 'comparing online to on-campus teaching and learning'), and (3) 'changing nature of social interactions' ('tutors as a crutch' and 'peer-to-peer interactions'). A number of facilitators and barriers related to these themes were identified, which are applicable to the COM-B model. The COM-B model offers a novel approach in designing and delivering learning materials and activities that may instil or help maintain self-regulated learning in online psychology students.N/

Effects of reminiscence interventions on psychosocial outcomes: A meta-analysis

Objectives: This study integrated results from controlled trials of reminiscence interventions. Methods: Meta-analysis was used to aggregate results from 128 studies on nine outcome variables. Results: Compared to non-specific changes in control-group members, moderate improvements were observed at posttest with regard to ego-integrity (g = 0.64) and depression (g = 0.57 standard deviation units). Small effects were found on purpose in life (g = 0.48), death preparation (g = 0.40), mastery (g = 0.40), mental health symptoms (g = 0.33), positive well-being (g = 0.33), social integration (g = 0.31), and cognitive performance (g = 0.24). Most effects were maintained at follow-up. We observed larger improvements of depressive symptoms in depressed individuals (g = 1.09) and persons with chronic physical disease (g = 0.94) than in other individuals, and in those receiving life-review therapy (g = 1.28) rather than life-review or simple reminiscence. Moderating effects of the control condition were also detected. Conclusions: Reminiscence interventions affect a broad range of outcomes, and therapeutic as well as preventive effects are similar to those observed in other frequently used interventions