“I’ve been doing this for years”: the COVID-19 pandemic and family caregiver isolation and loneliness

BackgroundFamily caregivers are family members or friends of care recipients who assist with activities of daily living, medication management, transportation, and help with finances among other activities. As a result of their caregiving, family caregivers are often considered a population at risk of experiencing increased stress, isolation, and loneliness. During the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, social isolation and decrease in social activities were a top concern among older adults and their family caregivers. Using secondary analysis of survey data as part of a multi-site implementation trial of a caregiver skills training program, we describe differences in caregiver experiences of loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsHealth and wellbeing surveys of family caregivers were collected on 422 family caregivers of veterans before and during COVID-19. Logistic regression modeling examined whether the loneliness differed between caregiver groups pre vs during COVID-19, using the UCLA 3-item loneliness measure. Rapid directed qualitative content analysis of open-ended survey questions was used to explore the context of how survey responses were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsThere were no significant differences in loneliness between caregivers pre vs during COVID-19. In open-ended responses regarding effects of COVID-19, caregivers described experiencing loneliness and social isolation; why they were unaffected by the pandemic; and how caregiving equipped them with coping strategies to manage negative pandemic-related effects.ConclusionLoneliness did not differ significantly between pre vs during COVID-19 caregivers. Future research could assess what specific characteristics are associated with caregivers who have resiliency, and identify caregivers who are more susceptible to experiencing loneliness. Understanding caregiver loneliness could assist other healthcare systems in developing and implementing caregiver support interventions

Women’s reasons for, and experiences of, choosing a homebirth following a caesarean section

BACKGROUND: Caesarean section is rising in the developed world and vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) is declining. There are increased reports of women seeking a homebirth following a caesarean section (HBAC) in Australia but little is known about the reasons for this study aimed to explore women's reasons for and experiences of choosing a HBAC. METHODS: Twelve women participated in a semi-structured one-to-one interview. The interviews were digitally recorded, then transcribed verbatim. These data were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The overarching theme that emerged was ‘It’s never happening again’. Women clearly articulated why it [caesarean section] was never happening again under the following sub themes: ‘treated like a piece of meat’, ‘I was traumatised by it for years’, ‘you can smell the fear in the room’, ‘re-traumatised by the system’. They also described how it [caesarean section] was never happening again under the sub themes: ‘getting informed and gaining confidence’, ‘avoiding judgment through selective telling’, ‘preparing for birth’, ‘gathering support’ and ‘all about safety but I came first’. The women then identified the impact of their HBAC under the subthemes ‘I felt like superwoman’ and ‘there is just no comparison’. CONCLUSIONS: Birth intervention may cause physical and emotional trauma that can have a significant impact on some women. Inflexible hospital systems and inflexible attitudes around policy and care led some women to seek other options. Women report that achieving a HBAC has benefits for the relationship with their baby. VBAC policies and practices in hospitals need to be flexible to enable women to negotiate the care that they wish to have

Ucwaningo ngesimomqondo sabafundi nabafundisi njengesifundo nanjengolimi lokuxhumana enyuvesi esesifundazweni sakwaZulu-Natali.

Masters. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Lolu cwaningo luhlola isimomqondo sabafundi nabafundisi mayelana nesiZulu eyisifundo nesiwulimi lokuxhumana eNyuvesi esesifundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali. Lugxile ekucwaningeni ngesimomqondo (attitudes) sabafundi kanye nabafundisi ukuze kuvele ukuthi basibuka kanjani kuphinde kucace nokuthi yiziphi izizathu zalokhu kwenza kwabo. Lolu cwaningo luphendula imibuzongqangi emithathu okuyilena elandelayo: 1. Abafundi nabafundisi banasimomqondo sini ngesiZulu njengesifundo eNyuvesi esesifundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali? 2. Abafundi nabafundisi banasimoqondo sini ngesiZulu njengolimi lokuxhumana? 3. Zizathu zini ezenza abafundi nabafundisi babe nesimomqondo abanaso ngesiZulu njengesifundo nanjengolimi lokuxhumana eNyuvesi esesifundazweni saKwaZulu- Natali? Kusetshenziswe izindlela zekhwalithethivu ukuqoqa nokuhlaziya ulwazi olutholakele. Ucwaningo lungaphansi kwepharadayimu yomhumusho njengoba lucwaninga ngemininingwane etholakale kubahlanganyeli bocwaningo. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzisa izindlela ze-case study. Izingxoxo ezisakuhleleka yizona ezisetshenziswe ukuthola ulwazi locwaningo kubafundi nabafundisi ababeyingxenye yocwaningo. Kusetshenziswe injulalwazi kaGramsci (1971) yeLinguistic Hegemony njengohlaka lokuhlaziya ulwazi olutholakele. Abafundisi ababeyingxenye yocwaningo bane, bese kuba nabafundi abayishumi abafunda isiZulu eziqwini ze-Public Management Sciences kuphela. Phakathi kwalokho okutholakele kuyavela ukuthi iningi labafundi nabafundisi bayabona ukuthi isiqalile ukukhucululeka insila yobukoloni, sebeqalile futhi ukusibuka ngeso lokusithanda isiZulu futhi sebebone nokubaluleka kwaso kangangokuba banesifiso sokuthi zonke iziqu zibe naso isifundo sesiZulu. Yize kusekhona imbijana esabuka isiNgisi njengolimi olubalulekile kodwa iningi labafundi nabafundisi sebeyakubona ukubaluleka kolimi lwabo lwesiZulu. Ucwaningo luncoma ukuthi kumele zande iziqu emanyuvesi ezizokwenziwa ngolimi lwesiZulu nezinye izilimi zomdabu zase-Afrika. Lokho kuyokwandisa nezincwadi ezibhalwe ngolimi lwesiZulu. Luphinde lwancoma lolu cwaningo ukuthi uNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo Ephakeme alekelele ngamasu okukhulisa izilimi zoMdabu zase-Afrika kuwo wonke amanyuvesi. Ucwaningo lusonge ngokuba luncome ukuthi eningini labahlanganyeli bocwaningo isikhucululekile le nsila yokubuka isiZulu njengolimi olungenamsebenzi futhi abahlanganyeli babala namathuba amahle angavezwa yilesi sifundo sesiZulu, nanxa kusenembijana esasele ekungabonini ngale ndlela

International Payment: Methods to Consider

As libraries gain access to more online databases, library patrons gain more access to obscure citations. Consequently, Interlibrary Loan Departments, once deciding to participate in International Loans must then decide on how they will pay and bill their international partners. This article describes six options available for international payment and billing. The methods described include how to use reciprocal agreements, standard invoicing, pre-paid requests, deposit accounts, OCLC ILL Fee Management, International Reply Coupons, and the IFLA Voucher Scheme to obtain and pay for ILL transactions.published or submitted for publicationis peer reviewe

The University of California Natural Reserve System and the Homestake Mining Company: Common Ground at the Donald and Sylvia McLaughlin Reserve

The University of California Natural Reserve System. The mission of the Natural Reserve System is to contribute to the understanding and wise management of the Earth and its natural systems by supporting university-level teaching, research, and public service at protected natural areas throughout California.Common Ground at the Donald and Sylvia McLaughlin Reserve The idea of creating a reserve on McLaughlin Mine property originated with Homestake’s visionary environmental manager, Ray Krauss. In 1985, when the mine had just begun operation, Ray approached UC about the possibility of creating a reserve to be incorporated into the UC Natural Reserve System. In 1992, the first steps were taken to create a 300-acre reserve in this complex and intriguing serpentine landscape. Through 2002, students, researchers and miners respectfully coexisted on the reserve.In 2003, with the last ounce of gold poured, Homestake and the University signed an agreement expanding the reserve to 6800 acres, with the Land Trust of Napa County holding a conservation easement on the property. Homestake (now a subsidiary of Barrick Gold) will have an obvious continued presence as they conduct post-mine monitoring and reclamation.The McLaughlin Mine has been widely recognized by both environmental and mining organizations for its rigorous environmental monitoring and its innovative restoration and land management. The Donald and Sylvia McLaughlin Natural Reserve will continue the tradition of exemplary stewardship on this unique landscape.Using the Mine to Understand Invasion Biology and Restoration, during mining operations, millions of cubic yards of rock and soil were moved to reach the gold ore. Graduate students in the NSF Biological Invasions Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) are using these mountains of transplanted soil as an experimental site to test the role of propagule supply (numbers of seeds and numbers of times they are introduced) in determining the success of invasions by common weeds such as European mustard. There are also plans to use the mine’s revegetation program as an opportunity to study various aspects of restoration ecology

UC Davis Natural Reserve System-Four-Year Report (1999-2003)

The Natural Reserves managed by UC Davis are a cornerstone of UC Davis’s excellence in the environmental fields. They serve as outdoor laboratories with access to high-quality natural habitats, well-maintained infrastructure, and long-term data bases. In the past four years we have built them into a flourishing academic facility that has hosted 149 research projects (about half by graduate students) and 144 courses with 2415 students. The activities and accomplishments at each reserve are detailed in Part II of this report. Our goals for the next five years are to keep the reserves on their present trajectory of success, and to maintain the investment by the campus in both their physical facilities and the academic programs they support