A stronger collective voice for people with dementia

ReportThe Dementia Engagement & Empowerment Project (DEEP) var et ettårig prosjekt knyttet til å øke brukermedvirkningen blant mennesker som var rammet av demens i England. Prosjektet besto av flere deler: • Kartleggingsundersøkelse, litteratursøk, spørreskjema og intervju for å samle inn mest mulig informasjon om grupper og prosjektene over hele England som enten ble ledet av, eller involverte, brukere med demens i utforming av tjenester/ politiske retningslinjer. • En nasjonal sammenkomst for å samle grupper med mennesker med demens for å diskutere funnene i undersøkelsene, og se på mulighetene til å danne et nasjonalt nettverk. • En publisert rapport og en film som ville beskrive aktivitetene, kunnskapen og informasjonen som skjedde gjennom undersøkelsene og den overnevnte sammenkomsten. • En utvidet referansegruppe, bestående av mennesker med demens, for å sikre at de grunnleggende verdiene i DEEP var relevante, meningsfulle og skapt av brukerne selv. Prosjektet var et samarbeid mellom flere sentrale parter på fagfeltet i England ( se nærmere s.4 i rapporten). Rapporten beskriver funn fra dette prosjektet.Joseph Rowtree Foundatio

Mapping Dementia-Friendly Communities Across Europe

'Mapping dementia-friendly communities across Europe' is a study commissioned by EFID and undertaken by the Mental Health Foundation in 2014 and 2015. The research originated from a shared interest, by the foundations engaged in EFID, to conduct an analysis of concepts and practices of what it is commonly referred to as 'dementia-friendly communities' (DFCs) and similar initiatives across Europe. The aim of the report is to provide practical information, guidance and examples to support good practice around sustainable, inclusive and supportive environments for people living with dementia and their carers. The report is accompanied by an online collection of case studies that illustrate the diversity of 'dementia-friendly community' activity in Europe, and the executive summary of the study 'Mapping dementia-friendly communities across Europe' is available in 9 languages: http://www.efid.inf

Hazardous alcohol use interventions with emergency patients: Self-reported practices of nurses, and predictors of behaviour

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: [Freeman, T., Roche, A.M., Williamson, P., & Pidd, K. (2011) Hazardous alcohol use interventions with emergency patients: Self-reported practices of nurses, and predictors of behaviour. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 23, 479-489.], which has been published in final form at [DOI:10.1111/j.1742-6723.2011.01416.x]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.Objectives. This study examined Australian Emergency Department (ED) nurses’ practices in asking patients about alcohol and assisting them to manage their alcohol consumption. It also investigated strategies to support ED nurses in these interventions. Methods. A two stage survey was administered to ED nurses. The first questionnaire measured theoretical and organisational predictors of behaviour, and underlying beliefs, and the subsequent questionnaire explored rates of asking and assisting patients. Results. A total of 125 nurses returned the first questionnaire. Participants held generally positive attitudes, perceived norms, feelings of legitimacy, and perceived ability to ask about and intervene for alcohol, but lower role adequacy. The 71 ED nurses who completed the second questionnaire had intervened with almost 500 patients concerning alcohol in the previous week. Participants asked approximately one in four patients about alcohol (median = 26.3% of patients, 1095/4279 total patients asked). The Theory of Planned Behaviour did not predict rates of asking or assisting patients. Several strategies were identified that may increase rates: identify environmental factors that prevent nurses acting on their intentions to ask and intervene, raise confidence and skills, make asking about alcohol part of routine assessment, make supports such as drug and alcohol units or nurses available, and implement organisational policies on alcohol. Conclusions. Nurses appear positively disposed to engage with patients in regard to alcohol. However, greater support is needed to achieve the considerable significant public health benefits from this engagement. The findings point to several practical strategies that could be pursued to provide this support

What Factors Need to be Addressed to Support Dental Hygienists to Assist Their Patients to Quit Smoking?

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in NICOTINE AND TOBACCO following peer review. The version of record [Freeman, T., Roche, A.M., Williamson, P., & Pidd K (2012). What factors need to be addressed to support dental hygienists to assist their patients to quit smoking? Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 14, 1040-1047.] is available online at: http://ntr.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/02/16/ntr.ntr329Dental hygienists are well placed to assist their patients to quit smoking. Smoking affects oral health and dental treatments, and hygienists report greater time with patients than dentists with more focus on prevention. However, there has been little research into the extent to which hygienists assist patients to quit smoking, and strategies to support them in this role. Methods. A two stage survey of Australian dental hygienists was conducted. The first survey measured potential predictors of asking patients about smoking and assisting patients to quit smoking using the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a framework. The second survey measured these behaviours in the past week. Structural equation modelling was used to examine predictors of the two behaviours. Results. A total of 362 hygienists returned the first questionnaire. Intentions to ask and assist patients were high. The 273 hygienists who returned the second questionnaire assisted an estimated total of 1,394 patients to quit smoking in one week. Predictors within the Theory of Planned Behaviour framework explained significant variance in asking (11%) and assisting (29%) behaviours, with self-efficacy the most critical predictor in both cases (β =.27, .32 respectively). Conclusions. Dental hygienists may be a viable and willing avenue for addressing smoking. Hygienists may be best supported in this role through increasing skills and confidence around asking sensitively about smoking, building rapport, and assisting patients to quit smoking. . Incorporation of smoking status into general history taking and adoption of organisational policies on assisting patients to quit smoking could also be encouraged

Association between musculoskeletal pain with social isolation and loneliness: analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Introduction: Musculoskeletal pain is a prevalent health challenge for all age groups worldwide, but most notably in older adults. Social isolation is the consequence of a decrease in social network size with a reduction in the number of social contacts. Loneliness is the psychological embodiment of social isolation and represents an individual’s perception of dissatisfaction in the quality or quantity of their social contacts. This study aims to determine whether a relationship exists between musculoskeletal pain and social isolation and loneliness. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) cohort was undertaken. ELSA is a nationally representative sample of the non-institutionalised population of individuals aged 50 years and over based in England. Data were gathered on social isolation through the ELSA Social Isolation Index, loneliness through the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale and musculoskeletal pain. Data for covariates included physical activity, depression score, socioeconomic status, access to transport and demographic characteristics. Logistic regression analyses were undertaken to determine the relationship between social isolation and loneliness with pain and the additional covariates. Results: A total of 9299 participants were included in the analysis. This included 4125 (44.4%) males, with a mean age of 65.8 years. There was a significant association where social isolation was lower for those in pain (odd ratio (OR): 0.87; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.75 to 0.99), whereas the converse occurred for loneliness where this was higher for those in pain (OR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.31). Age, occupation, physical activity and depression were all associated with increased social isolation and loneliness. Conclusion: People who experience chronic musculoskeletal pain are at greater risk of being lonely, but at less risk of being socially isolated. Health professionals should consider the wider implications of musculoskeletal pain on individuals, to reduce the risk of negative health implications associated with loneliness from impacting on individual’s health and well-being

Relational care and co-operative endeavour:Reshaping dementia care through participatory secondary data analysis

Dementia is emerging from the shadows of societal exclusion and stigma. The engagement within society for people who are marginalised is coconstructed through the everyday practices that take place between them and those around them. However, this is inherently political, positioning people as active and activist in the relationship of their lives with their communities. The research aimed to interrogate an existing qualitative dataset in partnership with people living with dementia to inform the development of a way of working with people with dementia that is empowering. In this qualitative secondary data analysis project, we (1) analysed data through two theoretical lenses: Douglas’ cultural theory of risk and Tronto’s Ethic of Care, and (2) co-analysed the data together with people living with dementia during 14 workshops. The design involved cycles of presenting, interpreting, representing and reinterpreting the data and findings between multiple stakeholders. We identified a granular understanding of the way relationships change for people with dementia and how subtle factors and nuanced behaviour contribute to social exclusion, or support social inclusion. The results support relational care through the co-operative endeavour (of co-operative communication, cooperative action and co-operative care) in promoting the inclusion of people living with dementia

Can the Theory of Planned Behaviour Improve Our Understanding of the Influence of Organisational Factors on Workers' Behaviour?

Copyright 2007 the Australian Psychological Society. Author version reproduced here with permission from the publisher. This is an electronic version of an article published in 'Freeman, T., Roche, A.M., Williamson, P., & Pidd, K. (2007). Can the Theory of Planned Behaviour improve our understanding of the influence of organisational factors on workers’ behaviour? Proceedings of the 7th Industrial & Organisational Psychology Conference, 81-85.'Understanding and changing workers’ behaviour are key goals of Organisational Psychology. The Theory of Planned Behaviour has the potential to make an important contribution to our understanding of how organisational factors influence workers’ behaviour and of ways to achieve behaviour change with workers. According to the Theory of Planned Behaviour, intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control are the most proximal predictors of behaviour. Any distal variables, such as organisational factors, only influence behaviour through the theoretical predictors. Though a substantial body of research has applied the Theory of Planned Behaviour to the organisational setting, no research to-date has examined whether the Theory of Planned Behaviour accounts for the influence of organisational variables on workers’ behaviour. This paper presents the results of a survey of 273 dental hygienists which applied the Theory of Planned Behaviour to the behaviour of assisting their patients to quit smoking. The findings indicated that organisational factors like the presence of a policy and education or training influenced behaviour only through subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. These results inform understanding of the pathways through which organisational factors influence workers’ behaviour. Practical implications of applying the theory to a wide range of work behaviours are highlighted.Melbourn

Whose Research Is This? - Participatory Secondary Data Analysis with People Living with Dementia

Drawing on our approach and findings from a secondary interrogation of an existing qualitative dataset, this work set out to challenge assumptions of practice through using participatory methods. Our approach brought two key aspects together: applying the theories of Douglas’s Cultural Theory of Risk and Tronto’s Ethic of Care, and a collaboration with people living with dementia as co-analysts in the co-production (interpretation) of knowledge and representing the experiences within the qualitative dataset. The research generated an understanding of relational care and the subtle ways in which relationships change for someone with dementia. In this case, we describe the processes we followed and reflect on the demands and challenges, experienced as researchers, in focusing on reflexivity, multiple voicing, literary styling, and performance. In our description of how we had to relinquish any sense of a concluding authoritative voice, we highlight the innovation in this participatory secondary data analysis and encourage others to engage with this dialogue