Front-line workers as intermediaries : the changing landscape of disability and employment services in Australia

Recent welfare reform in Australia has been constructed around the now-familiar principle of paid work and willingness to work as the fundamental marker of social citizenship. Beginning with the long-term unemployed in Australia in the mid 1990s, the scope of welfare reform has now extended to include people with a disability – which is a category of income support that has been growing in Australia. From the national government’s point of view this growth is a financial concern as it seeks to move as many people as possible into paid work to support the costs of an ageing population (DEWR, 2005). In doing so, the government has changed the meaning of disability in terms of eligibility for financial support from the state, and at the same time redefined the role of people with a disability with regard to work, and the role of the state with regard to the disabled. This has been a matter of some political contention in Australia.

Exploring the effect of aquatic exercise on behaviour and psychological wellbeing in people with moderate to severe dementia : a pilot study of the Watermemories Swimming Club

Aim To explore the effects of a dementia-specific, aquatic exercise intervention on behavioural and psychological symptoms in people with dementia (BPSD). Method Residents from two aged care facilities in Queensland, Australia, received a 12-week intervention consisting of aquatic exercises for strength, agility, flexibility, balance and relaxation. The Psychological Well-Being in Cognitively Impaired Persons Scale (PW-BCIP) and the Revised Memory and Behaviour Problems Checklist (RMBPC) were completed by registered nurses at baseline, week 6, week 9 and post intervention. Results Ten women and one man (median age = 88.4 years, interquartile range = 12.3) participated. Statistically significant declines in the RMBPC and PW-BCIP were observed over the study period. Conclusion Preliminary evidence suggests that a dementia-specific, aquatic exercise intervention reduces BPSD and improves psychological well-being in people with moderate to severe dementia. With further testing, this innovative intervention may prove effective in addressing some of the most challenging aspects of dementia care.

Conceptualising Women's Working Lives : Moving the Boundaries of Discourse

"Theoretical work on the career development of women has travelled a journey from critique to creation. Early work responded to and criticised a literature that focused on theorising male roles in a workplace that was conceptualised as providing vertical career paths primarily for middle class males. More recently theorists are creating new constructions and frameworks to enable a more holistic understanding of career, applicable to both women and men. These constructions include broadening the discussion from women’s careers to women’s working lives. This is the fifth book in the Sense Publishers Career Development Series. It features the vibrant work of contributors from around the world writing in the field of women’s working lives. It emphasises the need to explore theoretical connections and understandings in order to facilitate a more holistic and inclusive understanding of women’s working lives. The writers in the current volume acknowledge the changing roles of women, in both public and private spheres. Women’s roles in paid work are changing both in their nature and type of engagement. In addition, with an ageing population, women’s roles in care work are increasingly being extended from child care to aged care. This book provides a history of theorising about women's careers, in addition to presenting a focus on current empirical and theoretical work which contributes to understandings of women's working lives. It’s contributions both map the current discourse and challenge future work to extend the boundaries of that discourse."--publisher website

Examining correlates of self-reported and objectively measured physical activity among retirement village residents

Aim Physical activity (PA) patterns of retirement village residents were investigated using self-report and objective measures. Methods Residents (n = 323) from retirement villages in Perth, Australia, were surveyed on PA behaviour and various demographic, residency, health-related and mobility factors. Most participants wore accelerometers for 7 days. Retirement village managers (n = 32) were surveyed on village descriptive characteristics, including the provision of amenities and facilities. Logistic regression models examined village and resident characteristics associated with PA. Results Based on objective measurement, only 27.1% of participants were sufficiently active (n = 288). Walking was one of the most popular PA modes. Few village characteristics were associated with PA; however, villages located in more walkable neighbourhoods increased participants’ odds of transport walking. Travelling outside the village daily also increased PA odds. Conclusions Most residents were insufficiently active to gain health benefits. Considering individual and environmental factors, within the retirement village and neighbourhood settings, and associations with PA, warrants attention.

Parenting from the outside-in : reflections on parent training during a potential paradigm shift

This article proposes that a paradigm shift that has implications for practitioners of parenting interventions is emerging. This shift represents a challenge to the dominant model of parent training. The Triple P Parenting Program is discussed as an example of parent training programme to highlight the relevant issues for practitioners, including common practitioner objections encountered in dissemination as identified, in part, by Mazzucchelli and Sanders. It is argued that apart fromthese objections, there are more essential concerns in relation to the adoption of parent training programmes by practitioners. Rather, the article argues that parent training is “mind-blind” and that approaches emerging from the field of interpersonal neurobiology represent developmentally sophisticated alternatives for intervention. The Circle of Security programme is discussed as one example of this emerging paradigm shift that integrates attachment, social neuroscience, and psychodynamic theory. Contrasts are highlighted between the models, and considerations for future issues in parent intervention conclude the article.

Music production in times of monopoly : the example of Sweden

For several decades now, Sweden has been successful in the worldwide popular music arena. This article explores how Sweden, as an integral part of the global music industry, has been able to cope with the changed market conditions brought about by regulatory changes and digital technologies. The article reflects on the virtualization of music distribution, the decline of the long‐play album and the ageing popular music audience.

Conceptions of ‘community’ among older adults living in high-density urban areas : an Australian case study

Aim The aim of this study was to explore the social networks of community and its connection to location for older people living in inner city high density (ICHD). Method Using a case study approach employing qualitative (diaries, in-depth interviews) and quantitative (global positioning systems and geographical information systems mapping) methods, this paper explores the everyday interaction and social networks and where they manifest spatially for a group of older ICHD Australians. Results Social networks in two community territories were found to be of particular importance to participants in terms of influencing feelings of well-being, support, social inclusion and cohesion. These two territories include the building where older people reside and the area immediately surrounding the building. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of recognising the spatial aspect to better understand the social networks of community and their effects on well-being and social cohesion for ICHD older people.

Mobility and out-of-home activities of older people living in suburban environments : ‘Because I'm a driver, I don't have a problem'

Governments are challenged by the need to ensure that ageing populations stay active and engaged as they age. Therefore, it is critical to investigate the role of mobility in older people's engagement in out-of-home activities, and to identify the experiences they have within their communities. This research investigates the use of transportation by older people and its implications for their out-of-home activities within suburban environments. The qualitative, mixed-method approach employs data collection methods which include a daily travel diary (including a questionnaire), Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking and semi-structured interviews with older people living in suburban environments in Brisbane, Australia. Results show that older people are mobile throughout the city, and their car provides them with that opportunity to access desired destinations. This ability to drive allows older people to live independently and to assist others who do not drive, particularly where transport alternatives are not as accessible. The ability to transport goods and other people is a significant advantage of the private car over other transport options. People with no access to private transportation who live in low-density environments are disadvantaged when it comes to participation within the community. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between transportation and participation within the community environment, to assist policy makers and city and transportation planners to develop strategies for age-friendly environments within the community.

Older driver safety and mobility : where to from here?

The older adult population (65 years and over) represents a rapid growing segment of the population in many developed countries. Unlike earlier cohorts of older drivers that included many who were familiar with public transportation, the present cohort of older drivers historically has a greater reliance on the private automobile as their main form of transportation. Recent studies of older adults’ travel patterns reported automobile to be responsible for over 80% of the total number of hours spent on all trips. While older drivers, as a group, does not demonstrate a particular road risk, the evident demographic change and the increased physical fragility and severity of crash-related injuries makes older driver safety a prevalent public health issue. This study systematically reviewed the safety and mobility outcomes of existing strategies used internationally to manage older driver safety, with a specific focus on age-based testing (ABT), license restriction and self-regulation (i.e. voluntary limiting driving in potentially hazardous situations). ABT remains the most commonly adopted strategy by licensing authorities both within Australia and internationally. Heterogeneity in the development of functional declines, and in driving behaviours within the older driver population, makes age an unreliable index of driving capacity. Given the counter-productive safety and mobility outcomes of ABT strategies, their continued popularity within both the legislative and public domains remains problematic. Self-regulation may provide greater potential for reducing older drivers’ crash risk while maintaining their mobility and independence. The current body of literature on older drivers’ self-regulation is systematically reviewed. Despite being promoted by researchers and licensing authorities as a strategy to maintain older driver safety and mobility, the proportion of older drivers who self-regulate, and exactly how they do so, remains unclear. Future research on older drivers’ adoption of self-regulation, particularly the underlying psychological factors that underlies this process, is needed in order to promote its use within the older driver community.

Sustainable retirement village for older people: A case study in Brisbane, Australia

Retirement villages are regarded as a viable accommodation option for the ever increasing ageing population in Australia. This paper aims to identify sustainability features and practices adopted in retirement villages and associated benefits to improve the life quality of older people. A case study of an existing retirement village 10kms from Brisbane CBD was conducted involving a series of interviews with the village managers and residents together with documents relating to the village's operations and activities. The environmentally friendly features that were incorporated into the development mainly include green design for the site and floor plan and waste management in daily operation. More importantly, a variety of facilities are provided to strengthen the social engagement and interactions among the residents. Additionally, different daily services are provided to assist independent living and improve the health conditions of residents. Also, the relatively low vacancy rate in this village indicates that these sustainability features offer good value of money for the residents. The paper provides a first look at sustainable retirement villages in terms of triple bottom line sustainability with emphasis on social aspects, reveals the importance in maintaining an appropriate balance, and provides examples of how this can be achieved in practice.

Review of community facilities in Australian retirement villages : a content analysis

Aim Facilities in retirement villages form a supportive environment for older residents. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the provision of these facilities in retirement villages, which are regarded as a viable accommodation option for the ever-increasing ageing population in Australia. Method A content analysis of 124 retirement villages operated by 22 developers in Queensland and South Australia was conducted for the research purpose. Results The most widely provided facilities are community centres, libraries, barbeque facilities, hairdressers/salons and billiards/snooker/pool tables. Commercial operators provide more facilities than not-for-profit organisations and larger retirement villages normally have more facilities due to the economics of scale involved. Conclusions The results of the study provide a useful reference for providing facilities within retirement villages that may support the quality lifestyles for the older residents.

Frequency dielectric influence of imaginary admittance on oil-paper insulation system-a case study

Frequency Domain Spectroscopy (FDS) is used to assess the insulation condition of oil-paper power transformers. Dissipation factor is one of the conventional indicators to analyze insulation ageing status. In this paper, the imaginary admittance of the transformers insulation, after removal of the geometric capacitance, is proposed as an alternative indicator to assist in the interpretation of ageing status. Ageing effects on the imaginary admittance are investigated both through simulation results and experimental results.

Commissions of Inquiry and Penal Reform

As prison populations increase in Australia and worldwide, Corrections Criminology is a timely stocktake of what we know about corrections. The book encompasses corrections in the community as well as private and public prisons, and is written by leading academics and senior practitioners. The book covers seven main themes: Trends in Correctional Populations (in Australia and worldwide) The Objectives, Standards and Efficacy of Imprisonment, including key issues such as accountability, treatment of prisoners, security and privatisation Special Prison Populations, such as Indigenous, female and ageing prisoners Prisoner Health, including mental health and strategies for minimising self-harm Rehabilitation and Reparation, including consideration of “what works?” and post-release support Correctional Officers, particularly considering the changing career of corrections staff and Future Directions in corrections.

Characterising in situ activation and degradation of hindered amine light stabilisers using liquid extraction surface analysis-mass spectrometry

Changes in the molecular structure of polymer antioxidants such as hindered amine light stabilisers (HALS) is central to their efficacy in retarding polymer degradation and therefore requires careful monitoring during their in-service lifetime. The HALS, bis-(1-octyloxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl) sebacate (TIN123) and bis-(1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidinyl) sebacate (TIN292), were formulated in different polymer systems and then exposed to various curing and ageing treatments to simulate in-service use. Samples of these coatings were then analysed directly using liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA) coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Analysis of TIN123 formulated in a cross-linked polyester revealed that the polymer matrix protected TIN123 from undergoing extensive thermal degradation that would normally occur at 292 degrees C, specifically, changes at the 1- and 4-positions of the piperidine groups. The effect of thermal versus photo-oxidative degradation was also compared for TIN292 formulated in polyacrylate films by monitoring the in situ conversion of N-CH3 substituted piperidines to N-H. The analysis confirmed that UV light was required for the conversion of N-CH3 moieties to N-H - a major pathway in the antioxidant protection of polymers - whereas this conversion was not observed with thermal degradation. The use of tandem mass spectrometric techniques, including precursor-ion scanning, is shown to be highly sensitive and specific for detecting molecular-level changes in HALS compounds and, when coupled with LESA, able to monitor these changes in situ with speed and reproducibility. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Delirium in the ICU : a review

AIM The aim of this paper was to review the current discourse in relation to intensive care unit (ICU) delirium. In particular, it will discuss the predisposing and contributory factors associated with delirium's development as well as effects of delirium on patients, staff and family members. BACKGROUND Critically ill patients are at greater risk of developing delirium and, with an ageing population and increased patient acuity permitted by medical advances, delirium is a growing problem in the ICU. However, there is a universal consensus that the definition of ICU delirium needs improvement to aid its recognition and to ensure both hypoalert-hypoactive and hyperalert-hyperactive variants are easily and readily identified. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The effects of ICU delirium have cost implications to the National Health Service in terms of prolonged ventilation and length of hospital stay. The causes of delirium can be readily classified as either predisposing or precipitating factors, which are organic in nature and commonly reversible. However, contributory factors also exist to exacerbate delirium and having an awareness of all these factors promises to aid prevention and expedite treatment. This will avoid or limit the host of adverse physiological and psychological consequences that delirium can provoke and directly enhance both patient and staff safety. CONCLUSIONS Routine screening of all patients in the ICU for the presence of delirium is crucial to its successful management. Nurses are on the front line to detect, manage and even prevent delirium.