Department of Family Studies and Gerontology
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- ItemA 10-year portrait of theorizing in family gerontology: Making the mosaic visible(Journal of Family Theory & Review, 2020-06) Humble, Áine M.; Seidel, Amber J.; Yorgason, Jeremy B.; Redden, MarcoBased on a content analysis of family gerontology empirical studies in 13 journals (2009–2018), this article identifies theories currently being used and provides suggestions for future family gerontology theorizing. Family gerontologists are now using a greater range of theories than they were in the 1990s, including many middle‐range ones, and more scholars are citing multiple theories in their publications. Ways to advance family gerontology theorizing are to integrate more gerontology content into family theory textbooks, link middle‐range theories to broader general theories, and discuss how to use multiple theories effectively in research. Commonly used and emerging theories in family gerontology research can also be closely examined, and findings related to intersectionality and intergenerational ambivalence are briefly examined as examples of emerging theories used to study later‐life families.
- ItemAn Environmental Scan of Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Programs: Reshaping Masculinity(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2023-08) Davis, AlexanderIntimate partner violence (IPV) and toxic masculinities plague our world more now than ever before. IPV is described as a series of violent acts or threats that cause emotional, physical, or sexual trauma to romantic partners (typically women), in both casual and committed relationships (Pereira et al., 2020; Webermann et al., 2022). It often involves coercion, social isolation, and reduction of freedom in the victim’s public and private life, including emotional, financial, and medical control (Pereira et al., 2020). Given that men are the predominant perpetrators (Donovan & Hester, 2008), and most violent tendencies are learned in childhood (via social learning), it is imperative that young adolescent males be educated about violence prevention to support a decrease of IPV in future generations. Through an environmental scan of 55 programs that exist to prevent intimate partner violence from occurring in the first place, and to help reshape masculinity it is clear not only that there are organizations and programs in existence already doing this work effectively. As well these programs often train their participants to become facilitators, thereby securing their sustainability. Programs also seem to be shifting towards a more unified model of education inclusive of sex education, IPV prevention, and redefined masculinities. While this is positive, more programs need to be created that not only meet the needs of their participants but encourage them to seek out new ways of thinking and avenues for positive relational and behavioral change. The overall goal is to reduce and eradicate IPV. When it comes to reshaping masculinity, what is evident is that while there may not be one set definition for what healthy masculinities look like, there is in fact a definition for unhealthy masculinities. The key is in education and curriculum that moves toward the development of masculinities that support and nurture rather than destroy and violate.
- ItemAnalyzing Provincial Supports for Family/Friend Caregivers: A Comparison of the Manitoba Primary Caregiver Tax Credit and the Nova Scotia Caregiver Benefit(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2014-08) O'Hara, Megan; Keefe, JaniceAs Canada’s population continues to age, provincial/territorial governments will increasingly rely on the work and support of family/friend caregivers. Family/friend caregivers often experience financial, emotional physical and social stresses that can be directly related to their role as an unpaid caregiver. The accumulated work of family/friend caregivers can amount to billions of dollars each year, and yet they often receive no financial assistance in return. Manitoba and Nova Scotia are two provinces who have implemented policies meant to recognize the important roles of family/friend caregivers. Through conducting an in-depth policy analysis, key informant interviews with policy experts/creators and caregiver advocates, and a secondary data analysis of the Manitoba Primary Caregiver Tax Credit and the Nova Scotia Caregiver Benefit, it was found that these supports are positive social and economic components of each provincial budget. More people access the Primary Caregiver Tax Credit in the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (which contains the province’s largest city) than in the other RHAs combined. In comparison, more people access the Nova Scotia Caregiver Benefit in the combined District Health Authorities of Nova Scotia, than in the DHA that includes the province’s largest city of Halifax. These supports were implemented as a means of recognizing and supporting family/friend caregivers during the duration of their caregiving roles. There is evidence, that such supports can prolong a caregiving relationship by helping the older adult remain in the home. In Nova Scotia specifically, it was found that relationships that receive the caregiver benefit are far less likely to end with the care recipient entering long-term care.This in turn, has the potential to save the provincial government thousands of dollars each year. Future research should consider the individual experiences and perception of caregivers receiving the benefits in each province. This research provides beginning evidence from administrative data about the role policy may play in supporting caregivers. Other provinces might benefit from
- ItemAssessing the physical environment in adult day program for persons with dementia(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2012) Brown, Thea; Keefe, JaniceThis research assesses physical environments in adult day programs in Nova Scotia in terms of their appropriateness for persons with dementia. Researchers have found that when physical environments are well designed, they can significantly compensate for decreased cognitive ability and can impact the behaviour and well being of people with dementia. The Personal Environment Fit Model (Lawton & Nahemow, 1973) is used in this study as it recognizes that behaviour and affect are outcomes of a person’s level of competence interacting with an environment’s level of press. This study reports the reliability and validity tests of an adult day program physical environment assessment tool (ADPPEAT) designed by the author. Additionally, an assessment of the extent to which adult day program environments in Nova Scotia implement the key physical environment design principles follows. All adult day programs (N=27) were included in the cross-sectional design of this study. A sub-sample of four centres were re-assessed for reliability purposes. Descriptive information is presented on characteristics of the programs: type and number of clientele, hours and days of operation, services offered, funding sources and information on support networks. The results of this research indicated significant relationships between different categories of adult day programs and their implementation of the physical environment design principles. Adult day programs that were supported with District Health Authority (DHA) and/or Department of Health and Wellness (DHW) funding were found to have significantly more design features that provide safety and security, opportunity for meaningful activities, opportunity to function independently and space for the staff, than adult day programs that were not supported with DHA/ DHW funding. Adult day programs that were open for a full day and operating 2+ days a week were found to have significantly more design features that provide safety and security and opportunity for meaningful activities, good ‘visual access’ and functional independence within the program for persons with dementia than adult day programs operating 1 day a week; 40.7% of adult day programs operate 1 day a week. The relative importance of the design in creating a dementia friendly physical environment in community-based services is demonstrated in the findings of the research. Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that people with dementia do not experience themselves and their physical and social environments as separate. Each element, the personal, physical and social, comprise an integral piece to understanding the experience of the person with dementia. Future research would benefit from incorporating an assessment of the supportive environment (programming, staff-client-family- relationships) in adult day programs to capture a more holistic approach.
- ItemAssessing the Physical Environment in Adult Day Programs for Persons with Dementia(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2012-10) Brown, TheaThis research assesses physical environments in adult day programs in Nova Scotia in terms of their appropriateness for persons with dementia. Researchers have found that when physical environments are well designed, they can significantly compensate for decreased cognitive ability and can impact the behaviour and well being of people with dementia. The Personal Environment Fit Model (Lawton & Nahemow, 1973) is used in this study as it recognizes that behaviour and affect are outcomes of a person’s level of competence interacting with an environment’s level of press. This study reports the reliability and validity tests of an adult day program physical environment assessment tool (ADPPEAT) designed by the author. Additionally, an assessment of the extent to which adult day program environments in Nova Scotia implement the key physical environment design principles follows. All adult day programs (N=27) were included in the cross-sectional design of this study. A sub-sample of four centres were re-assessed for reliability purposes. Descriptive information is presented on characteristics of the programs: type and number of clientele, hours and days of operation, services offered, funding sources and information on support networks. The results of this research indicated significant relationships between different categories of adult day programs and their implementation of the physical environment design principles. Adult day programs that were supported with District Health Authority (DHA) and/or Department of Health and Wellness (DHW) funding were found to have significantly more design features that provide safety and security, opportunity for meaningful activities, opportunity to function independently and space for the staff, than adult day programs that were not supported with DHA/ DHW funding. Adult day programs that were open for a full day and operating 2+ days a week were found to have significantly more design features that provide safety and security and opportunity for meaningful activities, good ‘visual access’ and functional independence within the program for persons with dementia than adult day programs operating 1 day a week; 40.7% of adult day programs operate 1 day a week. The relative importance of the design in creating a dementia friendly physical environment in community-based services is demonstrated in the findings of the research. Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that people with dementia do not experience themselves and their physical and social environments as separate. Each element, the personal, physical and social, comprise an integral piece to understanding the experience of the person with dementia. Future research would benefit from incorporating an assessment of the supportive environment (programming, staff-client-family- relationships) in adult day programs to capture a more holistic approach.
- ItemAssessing Therapeutic Recreation Attendance and Potentially Inappropriate Antipsychotic Use in Long-Term Care(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2020-06) McKenzie, J. RowenResponsive behaviours are commonly expressed by persons living with dementia (PLWD) in long-term care (LTC) as a way of communicating an unmet need. One commonly reported unmet need amongst PLWD is the need for daytime activity. PLWD in LTC spend much of their time by themselves. Minimal opportunities for engagement or daytime activity in LTC may lead to the expression of responsive behaviours. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are often employed by health care professionals in LTC to mitigate or halt the expression of these behaviours. Despite their known risk of harm and evidence which supports the use of non-pharmacological interventions, antipsychotics continue to be administered to PLWD in LTC. The purpose of this research was to determine whether there was a correlation between therapeutic recreation (TR) attendance and potentially inappropriate antipsychotic (PIA) use in LTC homes in Alberta (AB) and Ontario (ON). It was hypothesized that there would be a negative correlation between TR attendance and PIA use in LTC. This study utilized secondary, aggregate (e.g., institutional level), unidentified data collected with the Resident Assessment Instrument -Minimum Data Set 2.0 (RAI-MDS 2.0) and obtained from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. This data set, titled Continuing Care Reporting System, 2018-2019, reflected RAI-MDS 2.0 assessments from the last fiscal year. Seven nested linear regression models were generated with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences to assess for a correlation between PIA use, TR attendance and other variables of interest. Analyses for significant interaction effects were also undertaken. A total of 303 LTC homes were included in this analysis (AB = 131, ON = 172). Within the total sample, the mean proportion of PIA use in a 7-day period was .19; rates of use were similar in AB and ON. The proportion of TR attendance within the total sample was low at .27. On average, TR was attended for 34.98 minutes or 0.73 days in a 7-day period. The mean proportion of TR attendance was significantly lower in ON (.13) than AB (.46). Responsive behaviours were commonly observe in LTC homes in both provinces. The proportion of dementia within the total sample was .50. Findings of the main linear regression model (N = 267) indicated that TR attendance (β = .145, p = .069), home size (medium vs. small [β = -.352, p = .002], large vs. small [β = -.460, p = .001]), and proportion of depression (β = -.208, p = .011) were significant predictors of PIA use in LTC. Several significant interaction effects were observed, including mean Aggressive Behaviour Scale scores and proportion of dementia. Results of this study support further inquiry into PIA use and the provision of social and leisure activities in LTC homes. Three suggestions are made for improving quality of life in LTC: (a) ensure the effective use of allied health professionals; (b) allocate funding for regular social and leisure activities; and (c) improve staffing ratios in smaller homes. These suggestions as well as recommendations for future research and policy implications are discussed.
- ItemCanada's patchwork policy: Family policy in the Canadian context(Springer, 2014) Rose, Hilary A.; Humble, Áine M.Book description: Family policy holds a particular status in the quest for a more equitable world as it intersects the rights of women, children, and workers. But despite local and global efforts and initiatives, the state of family policy in different areas of the world varies widely. Through a cross-section of countries on six continents, Family Policies Across the Globe offers the current state of the laws concerning family life, structure, and services, providing historical, cultural, and socioeconomic context. Lucidly written chapters analyze key aspects of family definition, marriage, child well-being, work/family balance, and family assistance, reviewing underlying social issues and controversies as they exist in each country. Details of challenges to implementation and methods of evaluating policy outcomes bring practical realities into sharp focus, and each chapter concludes with recommendations for improvement at the research, service, and governmental levels. The result is an important comparative look at how governments support families, and how societies perceive themselves as they evolve. Among the issues covered: Sierra Leone: toward sustainable family policies. Russia: folkways versus state-ways. Japan: policy responses to a declining population. Australia: reform, revolutions, and lingering effects. Canada: a patchwork policy. Colombia: a focus on policies for vulnerable families.
- ItemCaregivers’ retirement congruency: A case for caregiver support(The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 2012-04) Humble, Áine M.; Keefe, Janice M.; Auton, Greg M.Using the concept of retirement congruency (RC), which takes into account greater variation in retirement decisions (low, moderate, or high RC) than a dichotomous conceptualization (forced versus chosen), multinomial logistic regression was conducted on a sample of caregivers from the 2002 Canadian General Social Survey who were retired from employment (n = 700). Different variables increased the risk of having low and moderate RC, when both were compared to high RC. Factors predicting low RC (versus moderate RC), were similar but not identical to those predicting low RC (versus high RC). Retiring for health reasons and job problems were significant in all three comparisons. Retiring to give care only increased the probability of having moderate RC, compared to high RC, indicating that many employed caregivers who voluntarily retired because of caregiving responsibilities still expressed a desire to have remained in the labor force. Results raise questions about which policy domain—income security or labor—is most appropriate within this context.
- ItemChallenges in LGBT Inclusion in Nova Scotia’s Family Resource Centres(Mount Saint Vincent University, 2017-01) Bornemann, SandraLesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) families are increasingly benefiting from legal recognition and social visibility in Canada. However, historic discrimination of and lingering negative societal attitudes towards the LGBT community have led to LGBT families who are typically reluctant to access services. Family resource centres (FRCs) provide family life education (FLE) and services to families in Nova Scotia, and they need to ensure that their services are inclusive of this population. This research explores if and how these centres are attempting to include LGBT families in their FLE programming. This study was guided by the critical paradigm and used both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. First, employees from 15 of the 38 FRCs in Nova Scotia participated in an online questionnaire that explored the current state of inclusion of LGBT families in FRCs through an exploration of existing LGBT resources, organizational policies, and organizational culture. Then, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six FRC employees to explore the roles of FRCs in creating and maintaining LGBT inclusion. Feminist, queer, and conflict theories shaped the research design, data collection, and analysis. Online questionnaires illuminated that some inclusion efforts were actively underway in many centres with respect to resources, policy, and collaboration with LGBT organizations. Five themes were identified in the semi-structured interviews: (a) challenges faced by LGBT families, (b) challenges faced by FRCs in fostering inclusion for LGBT families, (c), whether or not special programming for LGBT families is needed in FRCs, (d) specific support needed for LGBT families to feel welcome in FRCs, and (e) the need for LGBT education within FRCs. These findings have implications for FLE practice within FRCs in fostering LGBT inclusive programming and services.
- ItemA critical discovery analysis of gendered language in online parenting education(2013-09) Cameron, Christina A.; Norris, DeborahParenting education resources offer concrete skills, information, and support to increase individuals’ competence as parents (Krafchick, Zimmerman, Haddock, & Banning, 2005). Increasingly parents are beginning to supplement and even replace print resources with online material. The internet offers convenience, anonymity to users, and an alternative method for family life educators to deliver information (Daneback & Plantin, 2009; Duncan & Steimle, 2004). Given this centrality in parenting education practice, it is important to consider what information is being presented to parents online. More specifically, how are ideologies concerning gender and the family reflected in the language of parenting education websites? This study examined at how gender is embodied in online parenting education through doing a critical discourse analysis of selected websites. Implications for the practice of critical FLE were developed through analysis. The analysis of four parenting education websites found that two of the websites analyzed (Pampers and Ask. Dr. Sears) presented gender-neutral information and two of the websites (Parents Connect and Families Online Magazine) presented gender-specific information to parents. Findings indicated that gender messages were directly mostly at mothers, whereas there was a lack of information directed at fathers. Overall the website evaluations indicated that all four parenting websites presented gender-specific messages in one or more of the following areas: website images, videos, titles, website authors, and marketing. Analyzing how gender is presented in parenting education is important because gender is a critical variable in the socialization of children and in the organization of family relationships. In turn, through informing parents on the process and outcomes of gender socialization parents are equipped with the knowledge that allows them to be aware when raising their children, critically analyze gender expectations, and help them in making informed choices concerning how to deal with these expectations.