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

Hand hygiene techniques:Still a requirement for evidence for practice?

Introduction Two hand hygiene techniques are promoted internationally: the World Health Organisation’s 6 step and the Centre for Disease Control’s 3 step techniques; both of which may be considered to have suboptimum levels of empirical evidence for use with alcohol based hand rub (ABHR). Objectives The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of the two techniques in clinical practice. Methods A prospective parallel group randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with 1:1 allocation of 6 step versus the 3 step ABHR hand hygiene technique in a clinical setting. The primary outcome was residual microbiological load. Secondary outcomes were hand surface coverage and duration. The participants were medical and nursing participants (n=120) in a large teaching hospital. Results The 6 step technique was statistically more effective at reducing the bacterial count 1900cfu/ml (95% CI 1300, 2400cfu/ml) to 380cfu/ml (95% CI 150, 860 cfu/ml) than the 3 step 1200cfu/ml (95% CI 940, 1850cfu/ml) to 750cfu/ml (95% CI 380, 1400cfu/ml) (p=0.016) but even with direct observation by two researchers and use of an instruction card demonstrating the technique, compliance with the 6 step technique was only 65%, compared to 100% compliance with 3 step technique. Further those participants with 100% compliance with 6 step technique had a significantly greater log reduction in bacterial load with no additional time or difference in coverage compared to those with 65% compliance with 6 step technique (p=0.01). Conclusion To our knowledge this is the first published RCT to demonstrate the 6 step technique is superior to the 3 step technique in reducing the residual bacterial load after hand hygiene using alcohol based hand rub in clinical practice. What remains unknown is whether the residual bacterial load after the 3 step technique is low enough to reduce risk of transmission from the hands and whether the 6 step technique can be adapted to enhance compliance in order to maximise reduction in residual bacterial load and reduce duration

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

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING IN-APP PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS IN CONTENT PLATFORMS BASED ON CONTENT CONSUMPTION

Third-party content can be provided to users as in-app popups, push notifications, or email. A data processing system can identify a first group of client devices and a second group of client devices. The first and second groups include client devices installing a given application or accessing a given content platform (e.g., YouTube). The data processing system can set (or adjust) one or more settings parameters of an ad campaign such that content items (or a specific content item) of the ad campaign are provided for display to the second group of client devices but not to the first group of client devices. The data processing system can monitor one or more user experience metrics for both the first and second groups of client devices. By comparing user experience metrics associated with both groups, the data processing system can detect any negative effect on user experience due to display of third-party content to users of the second group, and take proper actions to alleviate or eliminate the cause of any degradation on user experience

The positive psychology of relational depth and its association with unconditional positive self-regard and authenticity

© 2020 World Association for Person-Centered & Experiential Psychotherapy & Counseling. Relational depth (RD) refers to moments in a therapeutic relationship in which a person has feelings of aliveness, satisfaction and immersion. However, no research has yet tested for the association between RD and concepts closely aligned with Carl Rogers’ hypothesis of how people change in a growth-promoting relationship. In this study, 55 therapy clients completed the relational depth inventory (RDI), the unconditional positive self-regard scale (UPSR) and the authenticity scale (AS). It was found that higher scores on the RDI were associated with higher scores on the UPSR and the AS. These results provide initial evidence for the growth-promoting effects of RD. Further prospective research is now warranted

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