Workshop: Re-imagining Commonly Used Mobile Interfaces for Older Adults

We are delighted to announce that Professor Jutta Trevarinus of the Inclusive Design Research Centre at OCAD University, Toronto will deliver a keynote talk at this workshop. We hope you can join us.

Re-imagining Commonly Used Mobile Interfaces for Older Adults

http://www.olderadults.mobi
workshop AT olderadults.mobi

September 23, 2014, Toronto, Canada

Call for Papers

Many countries have an increasingly ageing population. In recent years, mobile technologies have had a massive impact on social and working life. As the older adult population rises, many people will want to continue professional, social and lifestyle usage of mobiles into their 70s and beyond. Mobiles support community involvement and personal independence, but the ageing process can interfere considerably with their usage, e.g. through changes in vision, attention, and motor control. This workshop will bring together researchers who are re-imagining mobile interfaces so that they are more suited for use by older adults.

Position papers are sought related to topics including, but not limited to:

• Multimodal interaction with older adults
• Mobile input and visual interaction with older adults
• Older adults and ubiquitous computing
• Participatory design process for older adults
• Mobile interface evaluation with older adults
• Novel physical interaction for older adults
• The effect and implications for mobile design of the ageing process
• Interdisciplinary perspectives on mobile design for older adults

Position papers should be 4 pages in CHI extended abstract format. Accepted papers will be presented as posters or short talks, with plenty of time for discussion and demos. Authors will be invited to extend for a special issue of the International Journal of Mobile Human Computer Interaction.

Abstract Submission Deadline: July 11th 2014
Notification of Acceptance: 24th July 2014
Workshop: 23rd September 2014

Submissions should be made to: submissions AT olderadults.mobi

Questions or queries may be sent to: workshop AT olderadults.mobi

Organisers:
Emma Nicol (University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK)
Mark Dunlop (University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK)
Marilyn McGee-Lennon (University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK)
Lynne Baillie (Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK)
Lilit Hakobyan (Aston University, Birmingham, UK)
Katie Siek (Indiana University, USA)

Emma Nicol
Research Associate
Room 14.05 Livingstone Tower
Dept of Computer and Information Sciences
University of Strathclyde
Glasgow, G1 1XH
Scotland, UK

emma.nicol@strath.ac.uk
http://www.cis.strath.ac.uk/cis/staff/index.php?uid=emma

My source: Caring Technology Research Announcement List
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/caring-tec-research

Psychiatric Bulletin - Letter: Psychiatry for medical students: need for a more holistic approach to teaching?

From: Psychiatric Bulletin -

http://pb.rcpsych.org/content/38/3/138.2.full

Kristina Rodney and Laura Wilkinson

Kristina Rodney and Laura Wilkinson are both ST4 medical students, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK, email:k.rodney AT newcastle.ac.uk.

We are two medical students who wish to offer a perspective on undergraduate education and psychiatry.

During our student placement, we attended the old age psychiatry module at the Northern Deanery MRCPsych programme focusing on dementia and ethics. This was aimed at trainees and not specifically medical students but we were surprised to find that this was not above our level of knowledge. This prompted discussion of undergraduate psychiatry training more broadly, which we felt focused too heavily on the diagnosis of mental illness and less so on the holistic approach to the patient and their presentation as covered by the MRCPsych course. From our experience of undergraduate psychiatry we feel that the assessment by means of a logbook of conditions encourages students to find patients with a certain diagnosis, and in doing so overlooks the true essence of psychiatry. To our mind this incorporates the ability to consider all aspects of a patient’s life and formulating these, while demonstrating compassion for another person at a time of most need.

Through choosing a 6-week placement in old age psychiatry we have been able to explore the specialty more thoroughly and broadly than facilitated within the standard undergraduate programme, and we have realised how little of psychiatry we have been exposed to as undergraduates. We have become more aware of the importance of considering the patient’s personal and social circumstances alongside their diagnosis, and how these can influence each other. Specifically, the importance of a sound ethical approach to practice has been highlighted through the higher-level teaching we experienced, where the Mental Capacity Act was discussed in detail.

We believe that it would benefit undergraduates to experience a more realistic and rounded placement in psychiatry and truly consider the social implications of mental illness. As it currently stands, undergraduate education in psychiatry is oversimplified to focus on diagnosis and does not acknowledge the capabilities of medical students to adopt a holistic approach. An opportunity to consider all aspects of a psychiatrist’s role may encourage more students to consider a career in this field.

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I have contacted the authors of this letter to inform them of Hodges' model and its scope in assuring holistic and integrated care. The model could also facilitate curriculum development. The authors of the letter are not endorsing Hodges' model, I am seeking to highlight the need for such a resource.

Thanks to:

Lucy Alexander
Rights and Permissions Manager
Royal College of Psychiatrists

At a glance 65: Better Life for older people with high support needs: the role of social care

I am referencing the following as I struggle to complete a piece of work for the TEL course. These key messages resonate with Hodges' model (back to work....):

Published: May 2014

Key messages

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has identified seven key challenges to be addressed for older people with high support needs to achieve a better quality of life. Social care has a key role to play in meeting these challenges.

1. Old age is not about 'them': it is about all of us
2. Older people are individuals and they are, as a group, becoming more diverse
3. Relationships matter to us whatever our age; we have a fundamental human need to connect with others meaningfully
4. Older people with high support needs have many assets, strengths and resources that they can also bring to the development and provision of services
5. Whatever our age or support needs, we should all be treated as citizens: equal stakeholders with both rights and responsibilities
6. The individual and collective voices of older people with high support needs should be heard and given power
7. We need both to innovate and improve existing models

SCIE's role is to share knowledge about what works and use this to produce practical resources. Many of these resources will support people working in all aspects of social care to address these challenges.

http://www.scie.org.uk/index.aspx

Sensing Spaces: Care architecture - memories of choice

Good architecture is often invisible,
but it allows whatever is happening in that space to
be the best experience possible.

Pezo von Ellrichshausen

Good architecture may have something in common with good health; it is something that can be taken for granted. When things go awry and are wrong then architecture and health suddenly impose upon us, a major intrusion.

As I may have mentioned before, in the past I've been asked how I've managed entering such and such care facility for so long. Within health there is recognition of heartsink patients. There are still heartsink buildings too. Not purpose built, seemingly either all narrow dark corridors, interrupted when doors let in shafts of light and assault dignity and privacy; or large 'lounges' that still invite armchairs to be flung against walls.

Architecture like this is not invisible. Walls are walls, blanc, flat and solid. Pictures removed due to safety concerns. Two holes and exposed plaster testify to what? Now, after six months....?

Even for the confused there are few potential found spaces, spaces to sit, stand, be; spaces towards which some personal impetus might have a person gravitate. A space of relative quite, looking out on some-thing relaxing even if not a small garden feature.

"Where's Joan, her friend's here to see her?"

"It's OK, I know where she'll be."

Royal Academy: Sensing Spaces
Education guide



 

Living with Practical Realities, 1978: Courtesy the Artist © Stephen Willats

Within Intermediate Support, Older Adults we are short-staffed at present. I was asked to work this Saturday - tomorrow - but was able to take Wednesday off. This helpfully coincided with a half-day event in Liverpool - Developing (research) proposals for Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB).

In the afternoon I took two hours (with reading to do also) at the Tate, this included:

Keywords: Art, Culture and Society in 1980s Britain

The exhibition included the three photographs displayed below by Stephen Willats. They are usually presented side-by-side. Since the 1970s and 80s the photographs made me wonder about social policy, social care, change and progress.

I was also prompted to recall a visit to a pensioner's club with my nan (maternal grandmother as we called her) in Liverpool in 1969-70.
[Clicking on the photos provides a more legible copy, or see collection link below ].

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES
humanistic ------------------------------------------- mechanistic
SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

individual

	?

group - population

Image source:
Stephen Willats
Living with Practical Realities, 1978
Photographs
Letraset, gouache and ink on card
3 panels, each 109 x 76 cm

Collection: Tate London

Courtesy the Artist

© Stephen Willats

Zero, One, Fifteen, (Thirty, Sixty...?)

SOCIETY

care-S S-cares

context: UK news media 15 minute carer visits to elderly clients

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

individual

Reflecting on Social Care with Hodges' model

The one, self, me, a person. Carers: ethics (and common sense? when is 15 minutes of 'fame' enough?), demonstration of rapport, empathy, dignity, loneliness, independence. Carer stress. Job satisfaction. Staff knowledge and skills. Observation. Mental state. Mood. Choices - personal preferences. Personal - carer's values. Cognition - Re-cognition. Case review. Individualized care? Expressed concerns (wither...?)

theory: task vs. person-centered care mechanistic aspects of care, travel, geography, arrival, tasks, plan, recording, constraints - esp. time, practical problems encountered. Number of carers involved. Safety. Protective clothing. Seasonal factors. Evidence base? Best practice? Relapse rates? Telecare role? Physical mobility - movement. Systems, processes, logistics and scheduling. Degrees of freedom - flexibility. Data, information, datasets. Admissions - depth of data?

practice: task vs. person-centered care Caring relationship building, trust - very personal - intimate care, subjective: time with someone I like / don't like? Relatives experience. Social care infrastructure - community centers. Ability to go out shopping with a carer. Media: BBC 2 Newsnight 7/10/13; The Times; C4 News. Social contact. Social mores (time?)

Policy, professionalism, recording, outcome measures. Agreement - care plan. Care reviews. Ban on 15 minute visits? Management. Standards. Supervision. Zero hour contracts. Pay and conditions. Staff turnover. Vulnerable adults. Personal development, training. Risk of organization's reputations being damaged. Corporate responsibility, values. 'Value for money'. New commissioning systems. Advocacy (position significant). Whistleblowing. 'Francis effect' increase in nursing posts. HSJ, 25 Oct 2013, p.6. 'Funded establishment'.

group - population

Discount the contract, you can then 'discount' the individual worker and the client.

Care Relationship = Care Transaction

Wikipedia: "15 minutes of fame"

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

 It all starts on the one-hundredth birthday of Allan Karlsson. Sitting quietly in his room in an old people's home, he is waiting for the party he-never-wanted-anyway to begin. The mayor is going to be there. The press is going to be there. But, as it turns out, Allan is not...Slowly but surely Allan climbs out of his bedroom window, into the flowerbed (in his slippers) and makes his getaway. And so begins his picaresque and unlikely journey involving criminals, several murders, a suitcase full of cash, and incompetent police.
 

As his escapades unfold, we learn something of Allan's earlier life in which - remarkably - he helped to make the atom bomb, became friends with American presidents, Russian tyrants, and Chinese leaders, and was a participant behind the scenes in many key events of the twentieth century. Already a huge bestseller across Europe, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared is a fun, feel-good book for all ages.

Image: Sincerely, Anna
Text: Waterstones

ForAge International Conference, Budapest 30 Sept - 1 Oct 2013

The Future of Learning for Older People in Europe

Learning from Experience    

30 September – 1 October 2013

Budapest, Hungary

http://www.foragenetwork.eu/en/database/item/140-forage-2nd-international-conference/

To coincide with the United Nations International Day of Older People on 1 October, the ForAge Grundtvig Multilateral Network is holding a Pan-European Conference to examine trends and developments in learning in later-life and what can be learned from the experience of European initiatives in this field. The programme includes the following topics:

• The context for later-life learning in 21st Century Europe and the role of ForAge
• Improving the quality of training of those trying to reach potential older learners
• The benefits of later-life learning and the supporting evidence
• Experiences of other European networks as information sources and influencers as well as providing expert opinion about future actions
• Perspectives from international adult education organisations
• Emerging issues and the further development of later-life learning
• Older learners’ perspectives
• Oral and poster presentations of European Projects on later-life learning

Keynote speakers include:

• Hungarian Ministry of Human Resources, Department of Social Affairs 
• Professor Dr László Iván, President of the Hungarian Academy of Elder People
• Dr Alan Tuckett OBE, President of the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE)
• Dr Michael Sommer, Infonet coordinator, Akademie Klausenhof, Germany
• Professor Franz Kolland, University of Vienna, Austria

More details.

Opaque

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES
SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

individual

anxiety, mood, anger, frustration, coping abilities, vulnerability, personal communication - masks, poor sleep, helplessness, apathy, personal memory, personal ethics	'Blaze season' - June to September, Smog - duration?, geography, fires, public health, asthma, respiration, bronchitis, conjunctivitis, vision, eye care, cardiovascular system, weather, create rain, environment, daily physical activities of living, ecosystem impact, elderly, young, measures, monitoring, pollution standard index: 400 1100hrs, stay indoors, building workers, Loss of Habitat
public opinion, quality of life, media, social media, public perception, communication - advice to population,  (public anger in China over that country's appalling environmental record)	Illegal forest fires, Indonesia, Singapore, Politics, Commerce, Globalization, Governments, Governance, Diplomacy, Corporations, Regulation, Law, Enforcement, Tourism, Employment, Economic impact, Health Care System Burden, Political Tension, Accountability, Trust, Companies involved? Ecocide (not in Europe)

group - population

Additional source: The Independent Friday 21 June 2013

Dementia Awareness Week - journal papers (still available 26th)

Definition: 

Awareness - something that must last beyond a week. For some people - carers and families - awareness is a living constant.

Dear list members 

(these papers appear to be still accessible - PJ).

In support of Dementia Awareness Week we are giving away free access to a selection of content from Emerald’s Health & Social Care Collection of journals on dementia and related conditions.

These papers help to raise awareness of the available research and practice issues involved in working with people with dementia. 

Well-being and dementia – how can it be achieved

Bob Woods

Promoting self-directed support for people living with dementia: overcoming the challenges

David Moore, Kirsty Jones

Support workers' knowledge about dementia: a vignette study

Daniel L. Herron, Helena M. Priest

Like these? View the full selection of free articles on our website

Best wishes

Laura

Laura Wilson

Editorial Assistant | Emerald Group Publishing Limited

My source: MHHE list

Dementia care related (and other) courses, northern England

C/o of a former colleague now at Huddersfield University and the MHHE mailing list respectively, I've been aware of two learning opportunities ("up North") for quite some time and thought I would share these here:

Today there was a masterclass on Mindfulness, Compassion, Life Story Work and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and the Older Person
http://www.hud.ac.uk/hsc/cpd/studysessionsandevents/mindfulnesscompassionlifestoryworkandcbtandtheolderpersonmasterclass/

Whilst this is too late, it should be repeated and the combination of CBT, older adults, long term conditions and pain are key knowledge themes to pass on - as needed - to the residential and nursing home care sectors. There are many other CPD courses including:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Older People - January 2014, 30 Master's level credits 
http://www.hud.ac.uk/hsc/cpd/cpdcourses/hmh2007/

Bradford Dementia Group is now recruiting for a part-time PG Cert in Dementia Studies available by open and distance learning.

Special Features

• Our courses are part-time, flexible and delivered by distance learning, addressing the needs of adult learners who are combining study with busy work and home life.
• Our Experts by Experience panel (Individuals and families affected by dementia) are involved in teaching, assessment and programme management.
• Learning materials are developed in house by members of the course team; all of whom are research active and in regular contact with individuals and organisations committed to improving the quality of life for people affected by dementia.
• We recognise that our learners are adults with a wealth of practical experience and skills to bring to the field of dementia studies
• Building on the work of the founder of Bradford Dementia Group, Professor Tom Kitwood, our courses continue to promote a holistic, person-centred and bio-psycho-social model of dementia.

www.bradford.ac.uk/health/dementia

North West Health Hack 15/16 June 2013

Dear Health 2.0 Manchester member,

Please see an update on opportunities that might be of your interest:

Follow us on Twitter!
@H20MCR for latest updates and digital health insights & opportunities

North West Health Hack 15/16 June 2013
This is a free event where clinicians can work with some very talented developers/coders and designers to develop their ideas into working prototypes. There will also be an opportunity to get some early concept validation and feedback from investment/ technology and NHS mentors.  The event is not only open to new concepts but also to ones that are already in development so that teams that are already formed are also invited! Who is organising it: Barclays, ECH Alliance, University of Manchester, Health 2.0 Manchester Chapter, TechHubManchester. Dr Ranjit Gill (Chief Clinical Officer, NHS Stockport) & Dr Mike Burrows (Area Director, NHS Greater Manchester) will attend the event.

Check it out  & REGISTER at http://nwhealthhack.com & follow on Twitter @NWHealthHack

Blueprint Health accelerator is currently accepting applications for their summer program
We have been approached by Blueprint Health to share this opportunity with our community: Blueprint Health, the premier healthcare accelerator program, located in the heart of New York City. Blueprint is currently accepting applications and our team is seeking talented entrepreneurs to join us for the Summer 2013 Program. A number of incredible entrepreneurs have traveled from as far as Shanghai, Dubai, and London to partake in our program. You may have seen some recent press coverage of four surgeons who founded Touch Surgery, a company that graduated with our Winter 2013 Class. http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2013/feb/27/touch-surgery-ipad-app-surgeons-learn

We look forward to meeting the talent from Manchester.

Michael Maggio
Associate

Blueprint Health
483 Broadway, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10013
cell: 781.864.6283
office: 646.627.7627 ext 703
mmaggio@blueprinthealth.org | blueprinthealth.org | @bphealth

Next  H 2.0 Manchester Meetup Thursday the 23rd of May: Care Homes and Assisted Living: in what ways technology can help?
Another great opportunity to discover new opportunities, be inspired and meet like minded people in a relaxed atmosphere.  Please see more details and update your RSVP HERE

Thank you and best regards
Idalia, Daniel, Mariano and Preeti

Health 2.0 Manchester - Leadership Team

New Dynamics of Ageing: Newsletter & Research

There are some really informative resources on the NDA site, several themes link with the DTMD conference (of which more to follow) notably - information, technology, media, art and identity.

Research and Findings

Newsletters 

ERCIM News No. 92 Special theme: "Smart Energy Systems"

Dear ERCIM News Reader,

ERCIM News No. 92 has just been published at
http://ercim-news.ercim.eu/en92

Special Theme: "Smart Energy Systems"
Guest editors: Carl Binding, IBM Research Lab, Switzerland and Han La Poutré, CWI and Utrecht University, the Netherlands

Modern, industrialized, society is heavily dependent on ubiquitous, cheap energy, which we expect to be readily available, not to be polluting, and to be convenient to use.
Since the invention of the steam engine by James Watt, this paradigm has lead towards tremendous improvement of life quality in the developed world, and developing countries eagerly aspire to similar energy standards.
However, the price of this hunger for energy is increasing. Fossil fuel resources such as oil or gas are becoming harder to explore, even leading to environmental disasters as with the Gulf of Mexico oil-platform, recently. Exploration of shale gas (“fracking”) causes negative environmental impact, beyond the well-known CO2 problematics. Besides the sheer availability of fossil energy, associated CO2 emissions have caused wide-spread concerns about impacts on climate and on human health (fine particle emissions).
http://ercim-news.ercim.eu/en92/special

Keynote:  "Smart Energy Systems – A European Perspective" by Ariane Sutor
http://ercim-news.ercim.eu/en92/keynote

This issue for download in pdf:
http://ercim-news.ercim.eu/images/stories/EN92/EN92-web.pdf

Includes: Research and Innovation
A Projector as Mobile Visualization device on an Assistive Robot (p.48)
by Paul Panek, Christian Beck, Georg Edelmayer, Peter Mayer and Wolfgang L. Zagler 

Next issue: No. 93, January 2012 - Special Theme: "Mobile Computing"
(see call at http://ercim-news.ercim.eu/call)

Thank you for your interest in ERCIM News.
Feel free to forward this message to others who might be interested.

Peter Kunz
ERCIM News central editor
--------------------------------------------------------------------
ERCIM "Alain Bensoussan" Fellowship Programme
ERCIM offers fellowships for PhD holders from all over the world. The next round is now open!
Next deadline for applications is exceptionally 28 February 2013
http://fellowship.ercim.eu/


Additional links [by PJ]:
UNDP: Sustainable Energy
The Communication Initiative Network - Natural Resource Management
UNESCO: Renewable and Alternative Energies

KT-EQUAL events: inc. Food and Nutrition in Later Life; Meeting the Needs of People Living with Dementia and their Carers ...

Dear KT-EQUAL supporters,

Hello. Here's an update about some of our activities and other news that may be of interest to you.

-----------------------------------------

Upcoming events programme
You are warmly invited to join our upcoming events:

------------------------------------------
Food and Nutrition in Later Life
------------------------------------------
When:    8 January 2013
Time:     9.30am - 16.15pm
Where:   University of Reading

The day features talks from experts, as well as an interactive "hands-on" showcase.  The event should be informative and fun, and provide an opportunity to meet and network with others who have personal or professional interests in food and nutrition for older people. The programme has been designed to appeal to a wide audience, including older adults, practitioners from health and social care, academic researchers, industry and charities.

Free to attend with lunch and refreshments included.

For further details and to book: http://kt-equal.org.uk/calendar/96/60-Nutrition-in-Older-Age

------------------------------------------
Thinking outside the box - meeting the needs of people living with dementia and their carers
------------------------------------------
When:    24 January 2013
Time:     9.00am - 16.45pm
Where:   The Forum, St James Parade, Bath, BA1 1UG

Dementia is a major challenge facing our health and social services over the next 20 years.  This has now been recognised by the government and significant resources are being directed towards early diagnosis, new treatments and management of people with dementia.

This funding will only be effective if we can develop news ways of supporting and managing people with dementia and there carers.  This will require a multidisciplinary team approach to problem solving and service delivery.  Health and Social Care Practitioners are familiar with the concept of multidisciplinary team working but often lack insights into dynamics of group working. We need to ensure that the interventions are effective and consider outcome measures that are appropriate for a long term neurodegenerative condition that are appropriate for patients and carers.

This event aims:

- to help researchers, health and social care professionals to think differently about meeting the needs of people who are living with dementia
- to consider the range of outcome measures that might be used to assess the benefit of an intervention
- to make researchers aware of the challenges and opportunities of multidisciplinary working
- to inform new researchers of the needs of people with dementia
- to trigger ideas for new research and provide a forum where participants can develop potential proposals

Please note that this event has limited places to ensure that representatives from several disciplines have the opportunity to participate.

Free to attend with lunch and refreshments included.

For further details and to register interest: http://kt-equal.org.uk/calendar/96/61-Thinking-outside-the-box-meeting-the-needs-of-people-living-with-dementia-and-their-carers

------------------------------------------
Design for Living in Later Life
------------------------------------------
When:    31 January 2013
Time:     10.00am - 16.30pm
Where:   The Open University, Milton Keynes

This event brings together the latest research ideas and developments about creating lifetime environments for people of all ages.

Free to attend with lunch and refreshments included.

For further details and to book: http://kt-equal.org.uk/calendar/96/54-Design-for-Living-in-Later-Life

------------------------------------------
Keeping safe and maintaining independence: older people and sight loss
------------------------------------------
When:    7 February 2013
Time:     9.30am - 15.45pm
Where:   Weetwood Hall Conference Centre and Hotel, Otley Road, Leeds, LS16 5PS

This workshop event is concerned with sight loss in later life and how we can enable people to live a quality life despite the difficulties that arise from diminished vision.

This event aims to raise awareness of sight loss and its impact and to increase knowledge and understanding of how to support people with sight loss. The programme will showcase new developments in research and practice that have the potential to inform practitioners.

Free to attend with lunch and refreshments included.

For further details and to book: http://kt-equal.org.uk/calendar/96/62-Keeping-safe-and-maintaining-independence-older-people-and-sight-loss

------------------------------------------

New posts on the KT-EQUAL blog which may be of interest to you:

Housing LIN newsletter – Housing with Care Matters, December 2012

This reflects back on some of the successes the Housing Learning and Improvement Network (LIN) had in 2012, including the recent 2nd annual conference attended by over 300 people.

The conference also saw Norman Lamb, Minister for Care and Support Services, announce an additional £40m in this financial year for Disabled Facilities Grants. Details of this and a number of other recent policy and funding announcements to do with housing, care and support are featured in this end of year newsletter along with information on new learning resources from the Housing LIN, important new publications such as HAPPI2, calls for information, and details of Housing LIN forthcoming regional meetings and events.

New dementia website launched: dementiakt.ca

The Canadian Dementia Knowledge Translation Network (CDKTN) and the National Core for Neuroethics are pleased to announce the launch of the online Dementia Knowledge Translation (KT) Learning Centre. This website is targeted towards new and established dementia researchers engaged in KT.

------------------------------------------

Invitation to take part in a study

I am sending some details passed onto us by one of our members, based at TRL:

We are currently undertaking a European study regarding older road users and what different countries do about supporting mobility. The aim of our project is to investigate travel patterns and road safety amongst older road users across Europe, see how they are changing and look at what work is being undertaken to support improving mobility. As part of this we are looking to undertake interviews with possible major players as to what they are doing. Would anyone be interested in taking part in a telephone interview with one of our researchers on this topic?

If you are interested please contact Jenny Stannard, Principal Project Manager and Road Risk Consultant.
email: jstannard@trl.co.uk

It would be helpful if you would contact Jenny by 18 January 2013 if you would like to take part.

------------------------------------------

Recent Highlights

A new BBC film highlights the work of our i-design team in Cambridge: how do older people use technology? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20664470

Falling off the Bandwagon: Sustaining digital engagement by older people - a series of consultation events have recently been undertaken exploring potential solutions to the challenges faced by older IT users. A major consultation event took place at St Georges House, Windsor focusing on solutions and how to implement them.  http://www.stgeorgeshouse.org/consultations/social-and-ethical-consultations/recent-consultations/

We were delighted that The Princess Royal presented a keynote address at our recent 'Showcase world class occupational therapy research to meet the needs of an ageing population' event. This event took place at the College of Occupational Therapists where The Princess Royal is Patron. It was a unique opportunity to bring together leading experts to discuss ways of meeting the challenges of an ageing population. http://blog.kt-equal.org.uk/

------------------------------------------

I hope that this is helpful. It's been a pleasure to meet with some of you over the course of this year - look forward to further developments in 2013. If you have any queries and or comments/suggestions please do not hesitate to contact me.

As this eventful year draws to a close, we would like to thank you for all your continued support and extend seasons greetings.  All the very best for 2013.

Bangar
--------
S Bangar
KT-EQUAL Research Co-ordinator
School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR)
University of Sheffield
Regent Court, 30 Regent Street
Sheffield  S1 4DA

http://www.equal.ac.uk/

*Please note: I work 4 days each week.

_______________________________________________
Sparc-network mailing list <Sparc-network@lists.reading.ac.uk> (... and my source)
http://www.lists.rdg.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/sparc-network

Hodges' model 'Always Waiting' with Michael Kiwanuka

Seeing and listening with Hodges' model:

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

	Safety, 'Illness', ...?
LIFE HISTORY, several selves, ...?	LIBERTY ...?

IPONS 2012 Leeds: Dementia and Robots - SF and Isaac Asimov ruined me, what about you?

Just before I disappear for 11 days holiday...

In the 1970s I could go into (the old) Smiths in Wigan with £1 and buy three paperbacks. I built quite an SF library that includes Heinlin, Clarke, Smith, Aldiss, Van Vogt, and Asimov, all a bit musty now and boxed.

Robots featured in many of those old books and Issac Asimov in particular with his Three Laws of Robotics. As a result I've tended to take robots for granted, not just in fiction and film but health care too. Big mistake!

It's almost as if every decade we should watch Blade Runner again and reflect. Take our bearings, triangulating them with these other things-beings. ...

The demographic time bomb is proving quite an incentive for developments in leading edge robotics. 

One of the IPONS keynotes with Dr Susan Barnes and Dr Theodore Metzler presented Three Dialogues Concerning Robots in Elder Care.

We were introduced to general developments including Asimo, which I remember seeing on QI:



- and a specific nursing example:


Through their three dialogues ranging through the developments of artificial intelligence and consciousness, Drs Barnes and Metzler also introduced Paro a Therapeutic Robot, which is modeled after a baby harp seal. For many years dolls of various sorts have been used in residential and nursing homes to provide comfort for selected residents. This is an example of personalised care. I know because there are times when it has seemed not quite right. The paradox is that this arises not necessarily from the client's response to the doll, but sometimes that of the other residents. The response of relatives and visitors can also vary, especially when efforts are ongoing to find ways to help someone settle. Seeing - and hearing someone who is agitated is distressing for all.

Needless to say the keynote prompted many robot related questions. Are we deceiving people who are cognitively impaired? Is this a variation of covert administration of medicine? It was later afternoon 1500 hours or thereabouts, which had me thinking about the phenomena of sundowning. A time of day when some residents can feel they need to be elsewhere. Former responsibilities and roles come back to the fore with what can be chaotic results.

This excellent keynote also made me think about how care needs are matched to technologies. What is the ethical spectrum of telecare, of remote care, of robotics (surgical, locomotion, dementia care)?

A person living with dementia at home may benefit from have a robotic carer / assistant who can respond to the repetitive questions that often follow. A robot is not going to get frustrated, angry (Asimov's Laws?) by such behaviour, unless it were conscious?

On the other hand don't we need the frustration of a family member, a carer, a human to alert society at large to this local crisis - situation? What are the reporting capabilities of the robot system?

I realised many years ago the notion of windows of opportunity in terms of supporting independence - delivering care. There may be an optimum period in a person's health career to introduce day care, respite care, care at home, a robot ...?

Nursing (like me) needs to wake up.

The next twenty - thirty years are going to be a real challenge in all sorts of ways and for many reasons. Throughout that time and beyond a good dose of philosophical thought will be the order of the day. IPONS got me thinking anew: perhaps you too? The society are planning changes to the website, membership and journal options.

Back at month end.
P.S. ICN abstract submitted. Prospect of a public health presentation next month.

Hodges' model in Murphy & Welford (2012) Agenda for the future: enhancing autonomy for older people in residential care. Int. J. of Older People Nursing

ABSTRACT: This is the concluding paper of a three paper publications. Paper 1 focused on specifically understanding what autonomy for older people in residential care means. Paper 2 discussed the various factors that either facilitate or hinder residents autonomy and directed readers to reflect upon their practice. This final paper outlines the findings from the action research phase of a study aimed at enhancing resident autonomy. It describes just one way in which residential care units can work on enhancing residents autonomy and enables the reader to reflect upon nursing practices, which with the right approach can be resident-centred.

Murphy and Welford write:

Hodges (1997) model is essentially concerned with the person (resident) in a social context. The notion of it derives from the intervention of the nurse being future orientated, increasing the health choices, health chances or health prospects of individuals or groups (including families) taking cognisance of the biography of the person or persons being helped. The person already has a biography that has been influenced by their physical and psychological make-up, the kinds of families and social networks they have experienced and the culture or geographical location in which they live. The nurse then is also influenced by personal factors of their individual physical or psychological origin and factors relating to their social world and the policies that govern their daily life. The nurse (assessor) must take cognisance of the attributes the person (resident) brings with them in their current presentation (problem) and how this affects their future choices both in terms of ability to make them and the range of choices available. Thus, this approach to care planning recognises the importance of negotiating care.  (online source - see doi link below)

I am not just very grateful to Murphy and Welford for their adopting Hodges' model in their study, but this supports my own use of the model in teaching staff about person-centred care and communication skills in residential and nursing care homes. The inclusion of a political domain and individual and group (populations) dimensions is a great asset in this context. Their conclusion also identifies the limitations of individually directed change, something that seems apparent from my own experience in nursing home liaison.
 
Murphy, K., Welford C. (2012) Agenda for the future: enhancing autonomy for older people in residential care. International Journal of Older People Nursing. 7, 75–80. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-3743.2012.00309.x

Dementia - The size of the challenge

The image and link below is the first of a set on Flickr produced from the Prime Minister's presentation and meeting with the Alzheimer's Society on March 26 2012. A transcript and video are also available:

Transcript - Prime Minister's speech to the Dementia 2012 conference

As the image below suggests there are many stats including the startling variation in services nationwide, for example:

In Belfast diagnosis is at almost 70 per cent.
Here in England we’ve got neighbouring areas with massively different rates…
… in Sheffield 57 per cent; in East Riding – less than 80 miles away – it’s 29 per cent.

[CIOP] Welcome to new list - Community Informatics for Older Persons

There recently has been an expansion of technology applications for older persons. These efforts include communications for elderly with others, connections with families, medical monitoring, group activities, assistance with hospital transitions, and tele-health. An important aspect is the framework of communities, either as a way to view applications or the use of the inforrmation and communications technology application  in a group setting, such as a wii activity by a group.

Especially promising are the research activities being done internationally.
This is demonstrated by the latest issue of the Journal of Community Informatics on Technology and Older Persons, with a significant collection of varied current studies. The work on this journal included the cooperation of an international group of professionals for nearly a year.

It will be exciting and worthwhile to have the discussions and online meeting of professional minds.

To subscribe to new elist Community Informatics for Older Persons send an email
To: sympa@vcn.bc.ca
Message: subscribe ci-for-older-persons

Or go to http://vancouvercommunity.net/lists/info/ci-for-older-persons

Gene
Gene Loeb, Ph.D.

My source: ciresearchers