Research on Aging current issue

Growing Old in the Era of a High Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: The Impact of AIDS on Older Men and Women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Munthree, C., Maharaj, P. — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:27:32 PST

Despite the important consequences that HIV/AIDS is likely to have for older people in South Africa, little empirical work has focused directly on this issue. However, emerging evidence suggests that older people are increasingly affected by the AIDS pandemic. In many households, older people often assume responsibility for the care of those who are sick and/ or dying and for children orphaned by AIDS. This study uses qualitative and quantitative methods to provide insights into the multiple impacts of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on the lives of older men and women. The results show that some older men and women feel at risk of HIV infection because of their caregiving activities. Almost 17% of respondents report that they have ever cared for someone with HIV/AIDS, with the percentage somewhat higher in rural areas. The study found that the impact of HIV/AIDS is substantial and is compounded greatly by gender dynamics in the household.

Impact of Role Discrepancies on Caregiver Burden Among Spouses

Savundranayagam, M. Y., Montgomery, R. J. V. — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:27:32 PST

Using caregiver identity theory, the authors investigated whether role discrepancies mediated the relationships between illness-related stressors (activities of daily living [ADLs] limitations and problem behaviors) and burden (stress, relationship, and objective burden) for spouse caregivers. Participants completed measures of identity standards for spouse and caregiver roles and behaviors, burden, assistance with ADLs, and problem behaviors. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that role discrepancies completely mediated the relationships between ADLs and stress and relationship burden. Although role discrepancies mediated the relationships between problem behaviors and all forms of burden, there were direct relationships between problem behaviors and burden. Finally, participants who exceeded their relationship identity standards experienced greater burden. Supporting caregiver identity theory, the results suggest that ADL assistance is burdensome for caregivers when it highlights inconsistencies between their behaviors and their relationship expectations. However, unpredictable stressors such as problem behaviors are both inherently burdensome and highlight role discrepancies.

Filial Piety, Caregiving Appraisal, and Caregiving Burden

Lai, D. W. L. — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:27:32 PST

This study examined the effects of filial piety on the appraisal of caregiving burden by Chinese-Canadian family caregivers. A quantitative telephone survey was used as the research design for this study. A total of 339 randomly selected Canadian-Chinese family caregivers of elderly were interviewed by telephone. A hypothesized model denoting both the direct and indirect effects of filial piety on caregiving burden was tested using structural equation modeling. While stressors and appraisal factors reported direct predicting effects on caregiving burden, filial piety indirectly affected caregiving burden by altering appraisals of the caregiver role. Filial piety served as a protective function to reduce the negative effects of stressors and to enhance the positive effect of appraisal factors on caregiving burden.

Religiosity, Spirituality, and Death Attitudes in Chronically Ill Older Adults

Daaleman, T. P., Dobbs, D. — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:27:32 PST

The aim of this study was to examine the association of religiosity and spirituality with fear of death and death acceptance attitudes in chronically ill older adults. In-home interviews were conducted with 257 community-dwelling elders with chronic illness identified through an administrative database of ambulatory care clinics from an academic health center in Kansas City and through primary care practices participating in a practice-based research network in North Carolina. Hierarchical regression models were constructed for predictor variables and the outcomes of fear of death and approach acceptance of death attitudes. Self-efficacy beliefs (b = —.097, p < .001), anxiety (b = .026, p < .01), and physical functioning (b = .015, p < .01) were significantly associated with fear of death attitudes. Self-reported religiosity (b = —.389, p < .001), closeness to God (b = —.595, p < .001), and age (b = —.019, p < .001) contributed significantly to the variance in the final model and were significantly associated with approach acceptance of death attitudes.

Lessons From a Community-Based Participatory Research Project: Older People's and Researchers' Reflections

Doyle, M., Timonen, V. — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:27:32 PST

The ethical and practical importance of actively involving older people in the research process is increasingly articulated in the gerontology literature. This article contributes to the literature by outlining a community-based participatory research project that centered on the design and administration of a questionnaire exploring older people’s use and perceptions of community services. The authors discuss both older adults’ and the researchers’ views of the participatory process. The key lessons and challenges that emerged from the research are analyzed using the nine principles of community-based participatory research outlined by Israel et al. The authors question whether older people in all instances seek extensive involvement in all aspects of participatory projects and raise a number of questions that require further analysis before a robust and viable understanding of participatory research that safeguards against the tokenistic involvement of older people can be developed.