scholarly journals Community Leaders’ Perspective of Strategies to Enhance Social Connectedness in Rural Communities

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 317-317
Author(s):  
Len Kaye ◽  
Lori Parham ◽  
Patricia Oh
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Adaptive Strategies ◽  
Community Leaders ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Thematic Content Analysis ◽  
Social Opportunities ◽  
Intergenerational Ties

Abstract Age-Friendly communities are charged with fostering a social environment where social connections are available, accessible, and meaningful. Thematic content analysis of 67 interviews (representing 73 communities) conducted between 12/09/2019 and 01/24/2020) and 59 interviews (representing 71 communities) conducted between 12/14/2020 and 1/19/2021 with age-friendly leaders in rural Maine suggested the importance of expanding multi-sectoral collaborations and developing flexible strategies that allow older people to create and maintain social connections, even during COVID. Prior to the pandemic, common strategies were: (1) local partners and volunteers; (2) in-person activities; (3) accessibility; (4) reciprocity; and, (5) neighborhood-specific solutions. During the pandemic, there was an increased reliance on regional partners and funders to develop low or no-tech and tech-enabled social opportunities. Additional adaptive strategies included: (1) intergenerational ties; (2) emphasizing fun; and, (3) flexibility. The study has implications for understanding how rural age-friendly communities develop and grow multi-sectoral collaborations to enhance social connections.

scholarly journals Building Sustainable Rural Age-Friendly Communities: Grassroots Perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 698-698
Author(s):  
Patricia Oh
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Local Knowledge ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Effect Change ◽  
Thematic Content Analysis ◽  
Thematic Content ◽  
Technical Advice ◽  
Rural Work

Abstract Joining the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities does not make a community age-friendly; the age-friendly team must cultivate community engagement, develop collaborations with diverse stakeholders, mobilize resources, and document achievements. Little research describes the tools age-friendly rural communities use to effect change and develop sustainability. Thematic content analysis of 67 interviews conducted between December 09, 2018 and January 24, 2020 with age-friendly leaders in rural Maine communities suggested that peer-to-peer networking, privileging local knowledge, engaging local and regional partners, technical advice from a trusted source, and fun were among the tools used to move age-friendly rural work forward.

scholarly journals AGE-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES: ENHANCING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S254-S254
Author(s):  
Patricia A Oh
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Mission Statements ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Outdoor Spaces ◽  
Community Volunteers ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Age-friendly communities promote active, healthy, socially connected aging. Opportunities for social connections are key for older residents to enjoy the best possible health and well-being. Communities that join the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (AARP NAFSC) include an aging lens in eight areas of community life—social participation, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, housing, transportation, community support and health services, and outdoor spaces and buildings. By addressing factors in these eight areas, communities encourage residents to enjoy formal participation in activities and groups and informal contacts with friends, neighbors and other residents. The purpose of this exploratory study was to find out if communities that join the AARP NAFSC plan and implement changes to enhance social connectedness. A review of 62 AARP-approved action plans nationwide, showed that social connectedness was included in 74% of the mission statements and was a goal in 92% of the plans. The lack of resources in rural communities creates special challenges; many age-friendly initiatives depend on community volunteers to implement changes on a shoe-string budget. To learn how rural age-friendly communities promote social connections, an email survey was distributed to 46 AARP NAFSC communities in rural Maine. All the communities responded. Fostering social connectedness was an explicit goal for 88% of the communities. Areas of implementation included services and activities (83%), communication (61%), transportation (30%), programming to include isolated residents (26%), accessible public spaces (22%), and intergenerational volunteering (17%). Implications will be discussed.

scholarly journals Older People and Social Connectedness: How Place and Activities Keep People Engaged

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene H. Yen ◽  
Janet K. Shim ◽  
Airin D. Martinez ◽  
Judith C. Barker
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Ethnic Differences ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Future

To understand how older adults perceive and navigate their neighborhoods, we examined the implications of activity in their neighborhoods for their health. We interviewed 38 adults (ages 62–85) who lived in San Francisco or Oakland, California. Seven key themes emerged: (1) people express a wide range of expectations for neighborliness, from “we do not bother each other” to “we have keys to each other’s houses”, (2) social distance between “other” people impede a sense of connection, (3) ethnic differences in living arrangements affect activities and activity locations, (4) people try to stay busy, (5) people able to leave their homes do many activities outside their immediate residential neighborhoods, (6) access to a car is a necessity for most, and (7) it is unusual to plan for the future when mobility might become limited. Multiple locations influence older adults’ health, including residential neighborhoods. Older adults value mobility, active lives, and social connections.

Dealing with troubled conscience in municipal care of older people

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Ericson-Lidman ◽  
Gunilla Strandberg
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Older People ◽  
Healthcare Personnel ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Thematic Content Analysis ◽  
Thematic Content ◽  
Daily Work

Troubled conscience may jeopardize the health of healthcare personnel and, hence, the quality of care provided. Learning more about how personnel deal with their troubled conscience therefore seems important. The aim of this study was to describe personnel’s experiences of how they deal with troubled conscience generated in their daily work in municipal care of older people. Interviews were conducted with 20 care providers and analysed with a thematic content analysis. The findings show that in order to deal with troubled conscience, personnel dialogued with themselves and with others. They took measures in a direction they perceived to be correct, and they expressed a need for distancing and re-energizing. It is of importance to share situations that generate troubled conscience in order to find ways to deal with them. Reconsidering one’s ways of dealing with troubled conscience may give care providers an opportunity to reach consensus within themselves.

scholarly journals Staying Connected during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Older People in Mexico and Scotland

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 990-991
Author(s):  
Louise McCabe ◽  
Verónica Montes de Oca ◽  
Nereide Curreri ◽  
Marissa Vivaldo ◽  
Alison Dawson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Older People ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages

Abstract During the pandemic older people saw transformations in their social connections due to lockdowns and other restrictions. Technology provided one mechanism for them to stay connected with others, but technology may not be accessible or desirable for everyone. Gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, age and other factors enhance or limit engagement with technology. This project explored experiences of older people in Mexico and Scotland during the pandemic and examined the potential of everyday technology to help maintain social connectedness. A mixed methods approach included secondary analysis of large-scale datasets alongside primary data. Online semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out with 36 older people in Mexico and 23 older people in Scotland. Sampling was purposeful creating a diverse sample across age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The findings demonstrate that advantages and disadvantages accumulated in the life course determine how older people select, optimize and compensate for new ways of staying socially connected during the pandemic in both countries. The use of technologies among older people is further mediated by structural inequalities with differences found between Mexico and Scotland in specific patterns identified. Further, stereotypes about older age and technology use are obstacles to the use of technology, as they affect the perception of self-efficacy by older people. Despite the obstacles, this study has shown that older people have a broad range of resources that have enabled them to cope with the pandemic and utilise technology to maintain social connections. The project offers recommendations to support older people’s human rights.

scholarly journals “My coupons are like gold”: experiences and perceived outcomes of low-income adults participating in the British Columbia Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
Stéphanie Caron-Roy ◽  
Sayeeda Amber Sayed ◽  
Katrina Milaney ◽  
Bonnie Lashewicz ◽  
Sharlette Dunn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Qualitative Description ◽  
Farmers Markets ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Program Outcomes ◽  
Farmers Market

ABSTRACT Objective: The British Columbia Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program (FMNCP) provides low-income households with coupons valued at $21/week for 16 weeks to purchase healthy foods in farmers’ markets. Our objective was to explore FMNCP participants’ experiences of accessing nutritious foods, and perceived program outcomes. Design: This study used qualitative description methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with FMNCP participants during the 2019 farmers’ market season. Directed content analysis was used to analyse the data whereby the five domains of Freedman et al’s framework of nutritious food access provided the basis for an initial coding scheme. Data that did not fit within the framework’s domains were coded inductively. Setting: One urban and two rural communities in British Columbia, Canada. Participants: 28 adults who were participating in the FMNCP. Results: Three themes emerged: Autonomy and Dignity; Social Connections and Community Building; and Environmental and Programmatic Constraints. Firstly, the program promoted a sense of autonomy and dignity through financial support, increased access to high-quality produce, food-related education and skill development, and mitigating stigma and shame. Secondly, shopping in farmers’ markets increased social connections and fostered a sense of community. Finally, participants experienced limited food variety in rural farmers’ markets, lack of transportation, and challenges with redeeming coupons. Conclusions: Participation in the FMNCP facilitated access to nutritious foods and enhanced participants’ diet quality, well-being and health. Strategies such as increasing the amount and duration of subsidies, and expanding programs may help improve participants’ experiences and outcomes of farmers’ market food subsidy programs.

Older people’s news dependency and social connectedness

2021 ◽  
pp. 1329878X2110064
Author(s):  
Caroline Fisher ◽  
Sora Park ◽  
Jee Young Lee ◽  
Kate Holland ◽  
Emma John
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
News Media ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Older Citizens

Social isolation has become a growing issue, particularly among older citizens. The ‘digital divide’ has been identified as one of the contributing factors leaving many older citizens behind. While increasing digital literacy among seniors has been identified as one of the remedies, less attention has been paid to the role of news media on the wellbeing and connectedness of older people. Through the lens of the uses and gratifications theory, this article reports on the findings of a survey of 562 news consumers aged 50 years and above who live in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The analysis highlights the important role of news in reducing feelings of social isolation, particularly for those who spend more time alone and older people with cognitive impairment. Older participants who had difficulty concentrating and learning new tasks were also more dependent on news. We suggest this is due to the habitual, predictable and concise nature of news. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of news in the wellbeing of older people and point to the need for policymakers and those in the aged care sector to ensure access to news for older citizens to improve the quality of life.

scholarly journals Positive Subjective Health of Older Homeless and Older Irish Travelers: a Participant-Led Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 107-107
Author(s):  
Bridin Carroll ◽  
Kieran Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Community Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Structural Determinants ◽  
Care Models ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Positive Ageing

Abstract Older people experiencing homelessness and older Irish Travellers (OTOH) are both over-represented in the cohort who use acute health services. Impending health care reform in Ireland will be based on primary care models, meaning home and community care will be, for the first time, underpinned by a regulatory framework. For these reasons, this study aims to gain a nuanced understanding of how OTOH, as marginalised older people, might be best served by new home care and community care models. Using a qualitative, voice-led approach, a life course and structural determinants lens is employed to probe the health conditions, experiences and expectations of OTOH, as well as their perceptions and values around the concept of ‘home’. The research processes and outcomes of one of five phases of research are presented in this paper: participant-led research. In this phase, five OTOH were trained and assisted to complete a short research project which fed into the goals of the wider study. Emergent findings suggest that social connections underpin health and well-being for OTOH, throughout the life course, and presently. This was also seen as a fundamental element for healthy and positive ageing. In addition, ‘home’ was defined with reference to the presence (or absence) of familial or other social connections. This study represents an important contribution to scholarship on old age social exclusion. It is entirely novel in its approach to focusing on OTOH health and wellbeing. The outputs of this study also have important implications for upcoming health reform policies in Ireland.

scholarly journals A Qualitative Study on Making Rural Communities More Dementia-Friendly

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 281-281
Author(s):  
Melissa OConnor ◽  
Megan Pedersen ◽  
Rachel Grace
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Community Leaders ◽  
Survey Question ◽  
Telephone Surveys ◽  
Know How ◽  
Intergenerational Programs ◽  
The World ◽  
Personal Connections

Abstract Recent studies on attitudes toward dementia in the United States, such as the World Alzheimer Report 2019, have found that fear and stigma are still widespread among the general public. This may be particularly true in rural communities. In the current study, community-dwelling adults in small Midwestern communities responded to the open-ended survey question, “What do you think could be done to make your community more welcoming for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia?” Participants (N=242) ranged in age from 18-88 (M=40, SD=21). The sample was 68% female, and 61% lived in communities of 50,000-150,000 people, while 39% lived in smaller towns. Most participants (61.2%) did not personally know someone with dementia. Data were collected via paper and telephone surveys. Responses to the open-ended question were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. The following themes emerged: greater exposure to individuals with dementia; educational workshops about dementia; more intergenerational programs; greater accessibility of respite care and other services; more fundraising efforts; and community leaders talking about dementia. Responses included, “Have more intergenerational programs that bring together Alzheimer’s patients and children in a positive environment.” “When I was in school, we visited an Alzheimer’s unit. That was a great experience.” “I know what it is, but I don’t know anything else. I wish I was more informed. I don’t know how to help.” These findings indicate that residents of rural communities are motivated to help individuals with dementia, but need more guidance, education, and personal connections/exposure.

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