Neighbourhood social inclusion from the perspective of people with intellectual disabilities:Relevant themes identified with the use of photovoice

Background: Earlier studies show that to gain more understanding of the concept of social inclusion, the views and experiences of people with intellectual disabilities are needed. The aim of this study was to investigate their perspective on neighbourhood social inclusion from an ecological point of view. Method: We carried out a photovoice study with 18 people with intellectual disabilities in three neighbourhoods in the Netherlands. Participants took photographs in their neighbourhood they considered relevant, and these photographs were discussed during an interview. Results: Six themes emerged from qualitative analysis: attractiveness of the neighbourhood, social contacts in the neighbourhood, activities in the neighbourhood, social roles in the neighbourhood, independence and public familiarity. Conclusions: As regards neighbourhood social inclusion, participants were often focused on small and informal activities and situations. Public familiarity proved very important. Framing the concept of neighbourhood social inclusion within an ecological approach may help to better understand processes of social inclusion

Discrepancies between personal income and neighbourhood status: Effects on physical and mental health

During their life course, older persons' income level may become discrepant with the socio-economic status of their neighbourhood. This study examines whether and how such discrepancies affect older persons' physical and mental health. Using baseline data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, 2,540 non-institutionalised persons aged 55-85 years were classified based on self-reported income and neighbourhood status. Two categories defined discrepancies: discrepant-low (DL, low income in high-status neighbourhood), and discrepant-high (DH, high income in low-status neighbourhood). Both categories were compared with the same reference category: matched-high (MH, high personal and high neighbourhood income status). A range of health indicators were examined, as well as mediating effects of neighbourhood and individual characteristics. Among the 504 persons who reported a high income, 16% lived in a low-status neighbourhood (DH). Conversely, among the 757 persons living in a high-status neighbourhood, 24% had a low income (DL). The DL category mainly lived in rural areas, and the DH category predominantly in large cities. The data show discrepant income effects (DL vs. MH) on physical and cognitive ability, self-rated health, and loneliness, and discrepant neighbourhood effects (DH vs. MH) on physical and cognitive ability, depressive symptoms, and loneliness. Personal income effects were partly mediated by other personal characteristics, and neighbourhood effects were fully mediated by socio-economic neighbourhood characteristics as well as by older persons' perceptions of their neighbourhood and their income. It is concluded that discrepancies between personal income and neighbourhood status, accrued throughout the life course, are associated with poor health. © Springer-Verlag 2005

Adaptive strategies after health decline in later life: Increasing the person-environment fit by adjusting the social and physical environment

Following the press-competence model (PCM) of Lawton and associates, we tested two expectations as to the adaptations older adults make to their socio-physical environment following health decline: (1) depending on the change in their functional limitations, older adults use adaptive strategies ranging from mobilizing informal care to moving into a residential setting; (2) the more people succeed in realizing suitable adaptations, the higher their wellbeing, measured as depressive symptoms, after a health decline. Data come from two waves of a longitudinal study among Dutch people aged 60-85 and living independently at baseline (Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, LASA). The 819 respondents with a decline in self-reported functional disability within 3 years time were selected for analysis. Results of multivariate logistic and regression analyses show that (1) all adaptive strategies under study occur in response to health decline; (2) mobilization of informal care and moving to a care setting alleviates the negative effect of health decline on depressive symptoms. Furthermore, mobilization of professional home care was associated with more depressive symptoms independent of health decline, whereas adjustment of the home had no effect on depressive symptoms. We argue that some support was found for Lawton's PCM, but that evidence can be improved by studying more closely which adaptive strategies alleviate the environmental stress induced by specific physical disabilities. © Springer-Verlag 2006

Franchising:essence and accounting prosedure

У статті досліджено теоретичні аспекти франчайзингових операцій, визначено переваги і недоліки для учасників договору франчайзингу. Проаналізовано підходи науковців до методики відображення франчайзингу в обліку.This paper investigates the theoretical aspects of franchise operations, advantages and disadvantages for participants of the franchising agreement. Analysis of scientific approaches to accounting procedure of franchising is give