The perceptions of selected older adults about the impact of a university adult education program on their lives : a phenomenological study

This study was designed to gather thick, descriptive, and in-depth qualitative information concerning an education program designed for older adults known as the Longevity Leadership Program (pseudonym). The intent was to explore and create an awareness of the various issues that affect current education programming for older adults through examination of the participants\u27 expressed experiences in the program and their perceptions of how these experiences have impacted their lives. Two key research questions were developed for the study: (1) What was it like to participate in the Longevity Leadership Program? and (2) What impact do the participants perceive that the program has had on their lives? This study was a qualitative phenomenological study; therefore, an open-ended interview schedule was utilized to collect the data needed to answer the above two research questions. Twelve graduates from the Longevity Leadership Program were interviewed. Analysis of the interview data revealed four basic themes: (1) Recognition; (2) Belonging; (3) Satisfaction and (4) Maintaining the Status Quo. From these four themes, the following 12 categories were identified: (1) selectivity of participants; (2) affiliation with the university; (3) access to the movers and shakers in the community; (4) graduation ceremony; (5) volunteerism; (6) making new friends/social aspects of the Longevity Leadership Program; (7) learning; (8) rewards; (9) lack of minority participation; (10) economic and education status; (11) course content; and (12) Longevity Leadership Program Alumni Association. An overview of the four themes and 12 categories yielded the perspective that participating in education programs such as the LLP can be a valuable and rewarding experience. The data also revealed that current programming has the potential to exclude certain groups of older adults. Undoubtedly many current programs respond to the education needs of older adults. However, the adult education literature is lacking in providing data about existing programs and the learning needs of older adults. Further research is needed to link education institutions and programming with the needs and wants of all older adults. Additional research in this area may promote a more progressive type of programming leading to a unified end

Family, Ethnic Entrepreneurship, And The Lebanese Of Kansas

As they entered the elegant lobby of the Waldorf Astoria, Elias G. Stevens and his wife, Handuma, must have marveled at how their lives turned out. They had both been born and raised in what was once the Ottoman province of Syria. They had come to the United States at the turn of the century, found their way to Wichita, Kansas, and worked hard to build a successful candy and tobacco business. They were in New York to meet with representatives from Philip Morris. Surveying the accommodations, however, Handuma noticed a major problem that had to be addressed right away. She insisted they find a grocery store, and the family headed out. A while later, the Stevens entourage returned, marching through one of the most sophisticated hotels in the country carrying bags loaded with provisions. Back in the room, Handuma dutifully arranged the food on dishes to set before the company representatives. To her, it was unthinkable to host such important guests without offering them something to eat and drink. The Stevenses understood the needs and nuances of American consumerism, while never forgetting the ancient Arab tradition of hospitality

The Effect of Agenda for Change on the Career Progression of the Radiographic Workforce 2009

Report compiled by the University of Hertfordshire in collaboration with the Inst for Employment Studies and Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust for the Society and College of RadiographersFinal Published versio

Longitudinal predictors of early language in infants with Down syndrome: a preliminary study

Purpose: Children with Down syndrome (DS) typically have marked delays in language development relative to their general cognitive development, with particular difficulties in expressive compared to receptive language. Although early social communication skills, including gestures and joint attention, have been shown to be related to later language outcomes in DS, knowledge is limited as to whether these factors exclusively predict outcomes, or whether other factors (e.g. perceptual and non-verbal skills) are involved. This study addressed this question. Method: Longitudinal data for a group of infants with DS (n=14) and a group of typically-developing (TD) infants (n=35) were collected on measures that have been shown to predict language in TD infants and/or those with developmental delays. These included: non-verbal mental ability, speech segmentation skills, and early social communication skills (initiating and responding to joint attention, initiating behavioural requests). Results: Linear regression analyses showed that speech segmentation and initiating joint attention were the strongest predictors of later language in the TD group, whereas non-verbal mental ability and responding to joint attention were the strongest predictors of later language for infants with DS. Conclusions: Speech segmentation ability may not determine language outcomes in DS, and language acquisition may be more constrained by social communication and general cognitive skills

Simulation of a communications system with error correction

Communication theory is concerned with the modeling and analysis of any communications system, a vehicle through which information Is transmitted. There are different types of communication, such as speech, telephone conversations, radio, storage devices for computers, etc., but each has the following form: (a) A source produces some message (the speaker, etc.). (b) There is some device for transforming the information into an object which is acceptable to the channel. (c) The channel is the medium through which the information is transmitted. (d) There is something which acts on the output of the channel and makes a decision as to the identity of the original message. (e) The message decided upon by (d) is delivered to its destination. However, as the information passes through the channel, it may be altered by the effect of "noise", a term used for anything which causes errors in transmission. For example, there may be static in a radio transmission, or cross-talk or noise caused by lightning in telephone conversations

Pregnant Women’s Experiences and Views on an “Opt-Out” Referral Pathway to Specialist Smoking Cessation Support: A Qualitative Evaluation

Introduction: Smoking in pregnancy remains an important and costly public health concern with policy makers worldwide researching methods to aid cessation. UK government guidelines recommend implementation of an ‘opt-out’ (i.e. whether requested or not) referral pathway for pregnant smokers to specialist smoking cessation support using carbon monoxide (CO) screening. This study explores the views of pregnant smokers who experienced this new pathway in one UK hospital trust. Methods Eighteen semi-structured telephone interviews with women who experienced the ‘opt-out’ pathway were undertaken. Data were analysed thematically. Results Three themes were identified relating to expectations, acceptability and impact of the pathway. Women were generally very accepting of the CO testing especially when it met their prior expectations and was perceived as being a routine component of antenatal care. They considered the visual feedback from the CO monitoring improved their motivation to quit. Views on the automatic referral for cessation support were divided with questions raised as to the removal of choice, with many women also expressing dissatisfaction about perceived lack of contact by Stop Smoking Services (SSS) following referral. Conclusion The ‘opt-out’ pathway is potentially an acceptable addition to current practice. The women considered CO monitoring to be the most valuable element of the pathway. Women keen to engage with SSS desired a more efficient system of contact.This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under the Programme Grants for Applied Research programme (RP-PG-0109-10020). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Oxford University Press via http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntv27

Development of a proxy-reported pulmonary outcome scale for preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To develop an accurate, proxy-reported bedside measurement tool for assessment of the severity of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (also called chronic lung disease) in preterm infants to supplement providers' current biometric measurements of the disease.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We adapted Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) methodology to develop the Proxy-Reported Pulmonary Outcomes Scale (PRPOS). A multidisciplinary group of registered nurses, nurse practitioners, neonatologists, developmental specialists, and feeding specialists at five academic medical centers participated in the PRPOS development, which included five phases: (1) identification of domains, items, and responses; (2) item classification and selection using a modified Delphi process; (3) focus group exploration of items and response options; (4) cognitive interviews on a preliminary scale; and (5) final revision before field testing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Each phase of the process helped us to identify, classify, review, and revise possible domains, questions, and response options. The final items for field testing include 26 questions or observations that a nurse assesses before, during, and after routine care time and feeding.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We successfully created a prototype scale using modified PROMIS methodology. This process can serve as a model for the development of proxy-reported outcomes scales in other pediatric populations.</p