Living Arrangement Choices Among The Elderly: A Decision-making Approach

This research investigates the determinants of living arrangements among non-institutionalized elderly. More specifically, it explores the factors which differentiate elderly persons living alone, living with spouse, and living with other persons, e.g. son or daughter, sibling etc. These factors are organized in terms of a decision-making framework developed from micro-economic and demographic theory. The framework is modelled after Dixon\u27s (1978), where marriage patterns are viewed as the result of economic feasibility, demographic availability of mates and desirability of mates. Choice of a living arrangement is seen as the product of underlying norms and preferences, a set of socio-demographic factors, and constraints on choice.;Much previous research on this general topic has relied on census data, which did not provide direct measures of relevant factors such as physical health or attitudes towards residential arrangements. This dissertation uses data from 454 personal interviews drawn from a stratified random sample of persons 65 and over living in private households in London, Ontario.;Data analysis indicates that the decision of whom to live with is influenced by several of the variables defined in terms of the theoretical framework. For the present sample, the most important factors are the social norms and personal preferences of the respondents. Of these, a preference for independence and to a lesser degree, privacy, surface as the strongest predictors of living arrangements. Being able to do what one wants without outside interference tends to be viewed by older persons as a very important household good. The analysis also suggests that the constraining effects of past fertility, physical strength and mobility, domestic competence, and informal support and family characteristics are, to a lesser degree, also important. In addition, several socio-demographic variables (e.g., education, ethnicity, age and sex) arise as significant predictors of living arrangements. Part of their effect on living arrangements operates through preferences and constraints

Progressive accommodation for seniors : interfacing shelter and services

The purpose of this book is to explore the reasons why clients, agencies and governments are considering options that blend shelter and care, the barriers impeding their development and how these have or may be overcome at both the policy and the practice level. New ways of measuring person-environment fit and the potential of maximizing it via enabling technologies are also examined. The target readership includes researchers, architects, policy makers, developers, care providers and operators of existing seniors housing, all of whom can benefit from a better understanding of the multiple issues involved in interfacing shelter and services.TABLE OF CONTENTS: Introduction / Gloria M. Gutman and Andrew V. Wister; Part I: Changing Clients, Economics and Expectations in Housing for Seniors: Chapter 1- Current Demographics and Living Arrangements of Canada\u27s Elderly / Gordon E. Priest; Chapter 2- Choice, Control, and the Right to Age in Place / Veronica Doyle. Part II: Problems in Providing Service within Existing Seniors Housing: Chapter 3- Current Realities and Challenges in Providing Services to Seniors: The Home Care Perspective / Lois Borden and Joan McGregor; Chapter 4 - Difficulties in Providing Support Services in Buildings Constructed Under Shelter-Only Housing Policies / Reg Appleyard. Part III: Transcending Barriers to Combining Shelter and Services: Chapter 5- Public, Private and Non-Profit Partnerships: The CCPPPH Link / C.W. Lusk; Chapter 6- Group Homes: The Swedish Model of Care for Persons with Dementia of the Alzheimer\u27s Type / Elaine Gallagher; Chapter 7- Supportive Housing for Elderly Persons in Ontario / Garry Baker; Chapter 8- Social Policy Models for Shelter and Services: An International Perspective / Satya Brink. Part IV: Measuring and Maximizing Person-Environment Fit: Chapter 9- Measuring Person-Environment Fit Among Frail Older Adults Using Video / Andrew V. Wister and James R. Watzke; Chapter 10- Assessing the Client\u27s Perception of Person-Environment Fit Using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure / Anne Carswell. Part V: Enabling Technologies in Housing for Seniors: Chapter 11- Personal Response Systems: Canadian Data on Subscribers and Alarms / James R. Watzke; Chapter 12- Older Adults\u27 Response to Automated Environmental Control Devices / James R. Watzke and Gary Birch; Chapter 13- Use and Potential Use of Assistive Devices by Home-Based Seniors / William C. Mann; Chapter 14 - Necessary Elements of a Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Technical Aids for the Elderly / George Abrahamsohn, Gloria M. Gutman and Andrew V. Wister; Chapter 15- Bridging the Technology Gap - The Links Between Research, Development, Production and Policy for Products Supporting Independent Living / Satya Brin

Health promotion for older Canadians : knowledge gaps and research needs

INTRODUCTION; 1. Potentials and Pitfalls in Evaluating Nutrition and Nutrition Interventions in Older Adults / Helene Payette; 2. The Effectiveness of Exercise Programs for Osteoporotic Women / Gina Bravo; 3. Health Promotion Among Older Persons with Direct and Personal Experience of the Mental Health System / Joseph A Tindale & Susan Hardie; 4. Evaluating Self-Help and Mutual Aid Programs for Older Canadians / Joan Norris, Adam Davey & Stephanie Kuiack; 5. Health Promotion Research for Older Canadians: Priorities from a Community Health Unit Perspective / Nancy Hall; 6. Evaluation of the "Living Well" Health Promotion Program for Older Adults / Dorothy Craig & Carol Timmings; 7. Using Large Data Sets to Study Health Promotion for Older Adults / Andrew Wister & Gloria Gutman; 8. Priorities for Health Promotion and Aging Research in Canada: Discussion and Recommendations / Andrew Wister & Gloria Gutman; AUTHORS\u27 BIOGRAPHIES; FRENCH ABSTRACT

Health systems and aging in selected Pacific Rim countries : cultural diversity and change

Aging, ethnicity and health policy in Australia -- Health status of Japanese seniors and the new directions of health services -- Filial piety and co-residence in Japan -- Health care in China and Hong Kong -- Health care for the Korean elderly: emerging trends and issues -- First Nations elders in Canada: issues, problems and successes in health care policy -- Older refugees in Canada: profile, health needs and social service issues

Gerontology Graduate Training in North America: Shifting Landscapes, Innovation and Future Directions

As the Canadian population ages it is anticipated there will be an increased demand for students with advanced training in gerontology. In today\u27s highly fluid and competitive environment, the challenge for gerontology graduate programs will be how to attract the best and brightest students and provide them with the knowledge base and skillsets that they will need in order to be successful. Yet, very little research has been conducted on the state of gerontology graduate education in North America with a focus on Canadian programs. Given this gap, the purpose of this report is to: a) report on current trends in gerontology graduate education and b) highlight innovations and potential future directions for the discipline in general, and the Simon Fraser University (SFU) graduate programs in gerontology, more specifically. This report was funded by the SFU, Dean of Graduate Studies SCORE program: Strengthening the Core Fund for Innovation in Graduate Education.   For this project a total of 40 eligible English language gerontology graduate programs (doctoral or master\u27s level) offered by Canadian or American universities were identified. Interviews were conducted with 23/40 universities and data were collected on a number of topics such as target students, marketing and publicity methods, and program requirements. Some supplementary data were also collected from online information sources. Of the universities in the sample, 10 offer doctoral level programs (total of 12 programs) and 20 offer master\u27s level programs (total of 24 programs). Eight of the universities are Canadian and fifteen are American

Gaps in Facility Care for East Asian Cultural Groups in Selected GVRD Communities: A Geographic Information Systems and Focus Group Report

This Highlight Report provides findings on patterns of residential care (RC) and assisted living (AL) utilization in Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, and White Rock among persons of East Asian (EA) (defined as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Filipino) and non-EA ethnic backgrounds. South Asians were not included in this ethnic grouping due to different cultural service needs. The findings in this report are based on GIS (geographic information system) analyses of census data coupled with data on RC and AL facilities from several sources, including the Office of the Seniors Advocate of BC, the Assisted Living Registry, Health Authorities, and a survey covering 95% of all 111 publically funded facilities (66 RC and 45 AL) for seniors in the catchment area. These data are supplemented with thematic analyses drawn from four focus groups

Psychosocial aspects of successful ageing and resilience: critique, integration and implications

As the number of older adults increases worldwide, it is becoming increasingly important to find effective ways of fostering better aging trajectories. The models used to shape this process inform research, policy, practice and impact older adults themselves. Two important aging models are successful aging(SA) and resilience(RES). Aligning the conceptual framework in research contexts with those of older adults’ perspectives is an integral component of driving forward the research agenda in a manner that has the greatest potential benefit older adults. Studies conducted with laypersons indicate that psychosocial components are important components of successful aging models; therefore, it is imperative that these non-biomedical components are incorporated. There are many similarities between SA and RES models, but an important distinguishing feature is the incorporation of adversity into conceptualizations of resilience. SA models suggest high levels of functioning as a requirement for aging successfully, regardless of the circumstances the individual experiences; resilience models take into account the level of adversity being experienced by the individual. Individuals can demonstrate RES by having a more positive outcome than would be expected given their level of adversity. The incorporation of psychosocial constructs into SA models and the integration of SA and RES paradigms has important implications for research and for older adults themselves. Through the promotion of models of aging that include psychosocial components and elements of adversity, greater generalizability to a broader population is possible with enhanced potential for research derived from these efforts to more positively influence individuals’ trajectories of aging

Fact book on aging in British Columbia, 2nd Edition

Table of Contents1. Size of the Elderly Population;1.1 Past Trends and Future Growth; 1.2 Population Aging Within the Older Population Itself; 1.3 Median Age of the Population; 2. Sex Ratios; 3. Mortality; 3.1 Trends in Life Expectancy; 3.2 Mortality Rates; 3.3 Causes of Death; 4. Marital Status; 5. Geographic Distribution and Mobility; 5.1 The Older Population of B.C. in Relation to Other Provinces; 5.2 Rural-Urban Distribution; 5.3 Geographic Distribution Within British Columbia; 5.3.1 Geographic Distribution Within the Greater Vancouver Regional District; 5.3.2 Geographic Distribution Within the Capital Regional District; 5 .4 Mobility; 4.1 Total Population and Population Aged 65+; 5.4.2 Distance Moved; 6. Ethnic Composition; 6.1 Predominant Groups; 6.2 Proportion of Ethnic Origin Groups Aged 65+; 6.3 Aboriginal People; 7. Living Arrangements; 7.1 Persons by Type; 7.2 Private Households - Present and Future; 8. Housing; 8.1 Home Ownership; 8.2 Preferred Structural Type; 8.3 Housing Costs; 9. Education; 9.1 Educational Attainment; 10. Labour Force; 10.1 Labour Force Participation Trends; 10.2 Full and Part-time Employment; 11 Income; 11.1 Median Income of Individuals; 11.2 Poverty Rate; 12 Disabilities;12.1 Disability Rates; 12.2 Seniors with Disabilities in Private Households and Institutions; 12.3 Nature of Disabilities; 12.4 Severity of Disabilities; 13 Health Service; 13.1 Hospitals; 13.2 Continuing Care; Appendix

Technological Interventions for Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Older Adults: A Scoping Review Protocol

Background Loneliness and social isolation are prevalent public health concerns among community-dwelling older adults. One approach that is becoming an increasingly popular method of reducing levels of loneliness and social isolation among older adults is through technology-driven solutions. This protocol outlines a research trajectory whereby a scoping review will be initiated in order to illustrate and map the existing technological approaches that have been utilized to diminish levels of loneliness and social isolation among community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or older. We will address the question: what are the most common and less used technological approaches to reduce loneliness and social isolation among community-dwelling older adults? Methods A scoping review of Academic Search Premier, AGEline, Global Health, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases will take place using our search terms including the following: loneliness, social isolation, older adults, elderly, Aged, Aged 80 and over, program, evaluation, trial, intervention, technology, computer, information and communication technology, internet, and robot. The initial electronic search will be supplemented by reviewing the reference lists and review articles to identify any missing studies. To meet study inclusion criteria, intervention studies had to pertain to community-dwelling adults aged 60 years or older, include technological interventions, include loneliness and/or social isolation as outcome variables, and be written in the English language. Two parallel independent assessments of study eligibility will be conducted for the title, abstract, and full-text screens. Any disagreement will be resolved by consensus and a third reviewer consulted to make a decision if consensus is not achieved initially. Finally, the amalgamation of results will be an iterative process whereby reviewers will refine the plan for presenting results after data extraction is completed so that all of the contents of the extraction may be included in the results. Discussion The information gleaned in this scoping review will be essential to understand the degree to which technological interventions influence social isolation and loneliness among older adults and identify gaps for further research