ABSTRACT
To assess the perceived needs of African-American caregivers and their expectations of the health care system, perceived level of success and satisfaction in meeting their needs, and their level of distress, we convened two focus groups at a local church in Oklahoma City, OK to discuss three questions. Responses were qualitatively analyzed for common themes. The groups comprised 13 African-American caregivers of demented elders. All participants completed a demographic form, the Zarit Burden Interview, and the Depression Scale. We found that African-American caregivers are frustrated with health care and service providers. The main differences of this group compared with other caregivers were their perceptions of racism and the absence of an available local support group. This information can serve to guide future studies in developing ways to increase caregiver satisfaction, decrease caregiver stress, and increase patient quality of life for this subgroup of caregivers.
Subject(s)
Black or African American/psychology , Caregivers/psychology , Dementia/ethnology , Dementia/nursing , Home Nursing/standards , Needs Assessment , Quality of Life , Adult , Aged , Female , Focus Groups , Frail Elderly , Home Nursing/trends , Humans , Long-Term Care , Male , Middle Aged , Prejudice , Social Support , Stress, Psychological , United StatesABSTRACT
The effects of phase shifts in laser beams transmitted by output couplers with a stepwise reflectivity profile have been experimentally investigated with a XeCl laser. It is shown that the phase distortions of the cavity output coupler affect significantly the propagation properties of the output laser beam but do not affect the output beam energy and pulse width.
ABSTRACT
This study assessed the frequency with which the marital and family therapy journal literature focused on problems associated with aging in a family context. Content analysis was used to assess the prevalence of later life family concerns in two leading journals, Family Process and the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, during a 10-year period (1976-1985). Results indicate that neither journal covered later life family issues to any appreciable degree. It is concluded that elders in marital and family relationships constitute a new frontier for the extension and elaboration of family therapy.
