Gratitude Predicts Meaning in Life in Family Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease.

Gratitude is a well-known and researched internal positive psychological resource. Empirical data, however, on the association between gratitude, meaning in life, and burden in family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease is scant. The aims of this study were to (1) investigate the relationships among these variables in a sample of family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's; and (2) determine if gratitude mediates the effects of perceived burden on meaning in life in this population. One-hundred and twenty-six adult family caregivers, most of whom were an intimate partner or adult child of a person with Alzheimer's, completed the Gratitude Questionnaire-Six Item, the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Zarit Burden Inventory, and other relevant measures. A series of OLS regression models, guided by the caregiver stress process model, were conducted. These analyses demonstrated that gratitude was a predictor of the presence of meaning in life among the caregivers in this study even when other key variables were considered. Furthermore, analyses revealed that gratitude fully mediated the effects of caregiver burden on the presence of meaning in life in this sample. Thus, clinicians should consider gratitude as an important internal resource for cultivating meaning in life in this population, especially when caregiver burden is present. Gratitude-bolstering clinical interventions should be further developed and tested as both stand-alone and complimentary additions to empirically supported psychoeducational approaches for supporting health and well-being in this population.

Hope Mediates Stress to Reduce Burden in Family Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease.

The experience of burden among family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia may be deleterious for their health and well-being. Little is known, however, about the degree to which internal positive psychological resources, such as hope, influence burden perceptions in this population. The current study is novel in that it examined how multiple dimensions of hope, hope-agency and hope-pathway, influenced burden in a sample of one-hundred and fifty-five family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease. The stress process model was used as the theoretical framework for variable specification in this study. Hope was conceptualized using Snyder and colleagues' hope theory. Supporting our first hypothesis, we found that burden was negatively associated with hope-agency, r = -0.33, p < 0.001 and hope-pathway, r = -0.24, p < 0.01. Multiple regression was used to determine if hope-agency and hope-pathway independently contributed to burden. Analysis revealed that hope-agency but not hope-pathway influenced burden when other key variables were taken into consideration. Findings from mediation analysis affirmed that hope-agency had a small but significant mediation effect between stress and burden in this sample. This study provides evidence for the relevance of assessing multiple dimensions of hope when working with caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's. Although replication studies are warranted, the current study confirms a need for further development and refinement of hope-bolstering behavioral interventions which may mediate stress and burden in this population. These interventions should be systematically assessed for efficacy and effectiveness via implementation studies in real-world settings.

The Influence of Spirituality on Professional Identity, Role Performance, and Career Resilience among Nursing Home Social Workers.

This paper explores how social workers integrate personal spirituality within nursing homes, where a highly regulated, stressful environment marginalizes professional identity and challenges retention. Researchers offer new evidence of how spirituality informs professional identity, ethical practice, and continuation in the role. Twenty BSW/MSW licensed nursing home social workers (NHSWs) reported how they daily navigate the personal spirituality-at-work opportunity and challenge. Qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews resulted in three primary codes and related subcodes: Spirituality-Integrated Professional Identity (Vocational Affirmation and Value Alignment), Spirituality-Informed Practice (Intervention Asset, Relational Affinity, and Ambiguous Boundaries), and Spiritually-Sustained Career Resilience. Respondents reported how spirituality animated professional identity, informed daily role enactment, and sustained role involvement. Recommendations are provided for normalizing ethical spirituality-at-work through social work education and practical guidance in navigating the spirituality and practice space.

A qualitative analysis of virtues and strengths in persons living with early stage dementia informed by the values in action framework.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence that individuals' virtues and character strengths can contribute to a sense of fulfillment, the majority of dementia research focuses on losses and decline. To date, virtues and character strengths in persons living with dementia is an understudied phenomena. This study begins to addresses this gap in the literature. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to: (1) examine the expression of virtues and character strengths in persons living with dementia in the early stages; and (2) share implications and recommendations for strengths-based clinical practice and future research. METHODS: Qualitative data was utilized to examine virtues and character strengths among persons living with dementia. This data was derived from semi-structured interviews with 25 persons living with dementia age 65 or older (average age of 77.88). The interviews were audio recorded with consent, professionally transcribed, audit checked, and subjected to Interpretive Phenomenological analysis which was informed by the Values in Action (VIA) framework. FINDINGS: Each of the virtues and 24 corresponding character strengths from the VIA framework were observed in this sample. The most frequently observed character strengths were love, spirituality, perseverance, and gratitude. IMPLICATIONS: Persons with dementia continue to express virtues and character strengths in the context of cognitive and functional changes. Positive strengths-based research and clinical practice should highlight and build upon these individual virtues and character strengths.

The Impact of Spirituality and Religious Practice on Senior Living Leader Career Resilience.

Experienced senior living leaders (SLLs) report the impact of spirituality and religious practice on SLL role adaptation and continuation. The sample included 18 SLLs in 18 skilled care settings representing public, non-profit, and for-profit types of incorporation, with oversampling of for-profit facilities. The average years of SLL experience was 24 years. In-depth interviews were examined through a thematic analysis approach using Excel software. Seventy-eight percent described how a higher power, religious beliefs, and faith practices were associated with their role. Their narratives revealed three major themes: Frame (calling and pre-dispositional spiritual beliefs and religious practices), Role Performance (how spirituality informed SLL administrative practice), and Benefits (perceived rewards of adherence to spiritual beliefs and practices). Further analysis of the three themes produced codes that added greater specification for each theme. Implications provided for normalizing the spirituality and work-life intersect and infusing ethical integration of spirituality and work-life in SLL educational programs.

Integrated CARE: Adaptation of Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) Model for Use in Integrated Behavioral Pediatric Care.

The authors adapted the established Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) interaction model for use in integrated behavioral health clinics. CARE was modified for delivery in the examination room, during routine primary care visits. Adopting a real-world implementation approach, clinical social workers were trained in the new model-IntegratedCARE-and provided the brief, 3-session treatment to 30 different parent-child dyads. Measurements included the Parental Stress Index-4 Short Form (PSI 4-SF), the Eyberg Childhood Behavior Inventory (ECBI), and the Therapy Attitude Inventory (TAI). There was a statistically significant mean score decrease on the both subscales of the ECBI at pre- and posttreatment. Scores on the TAI indicated that participants were satisfied with the treatment. Attrition rates were somewhat lower than similar studies. Findings indicate the IntegratedCARE model is feasible for sustainable delivery by trained behavioral health professionals in primary care.

The Behavioral Health Role in Nursing Facility Social Work.

Types of compromised resident behaviors licensed nursing facility social workers encounter, the behavioral health role they enact, and effective practices they apply have not been the subject of systematic investigation. Analyses of 20 in-depth interviews with Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)/Master of Social Work (MSW) social workers averaging 8.8 years of experience identified frequently occurring resident behaviors: physical and verbal aggression/disruption, passive disruption, socially and sexually inappropriateness. Six functions of the behavioral health role were care management, educating, investigating, preventing, mediating, and advocating. Skills most frequently applied were attention/affirmation/active listening, assessment, behavior management, building relationship, teamwork, and redirection. Narratives revealed role rewards as well as knowledge deficits, organizational barriers, personal maltreatment, and frustrations. Respondents offered perspectives and prescriptions for behavioral health practice in this setting. The findings expand understanding of the behavioral health role and provide an empirical basis for more research in this area. Recommendations, including educational competencies, are offered.

Spiritual Diversity and Living with Early-Stage Dementia.

Attention to spiritual diversity is necessary for the provision of culturally informed clinical care for people with early-stage dementia and their family members. In this article, an evidence-based theoretical framework for conceptualizing spiritual diversity is described in detail (Pargament, 2011). The framework is then applied to two clinical case studies of people living with early-stage dementia to elucidate the multilayered components of spiritual diversity in this population. The case studies were selected from a larger mixed-methods study on spirituality, positive psychological factors, health, and well-being in people living with early-stage dementia and their family members. To our knowledge this is the first systematic attempt to apply a theoretical framework for understanding spiritual diversity in this population. Implications for clinical practice are provided.

Work Life Stress and Career Resilience of Licensed Nursing Facility Administrators.

Career resilience provided a frame for understanding how Licensed Nursing Facility Administrators (LNFAs) sustain role performance and even thrive in stressful skilled nursing facility work environments. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of in-depth interviews with18 LNFAs, averaging 24 years of experience were conducted by a five-member research team. Analysis was informed by evidence-based frameworks for career resilience in the health professions as well as the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards' (NAB) five domains of competent administrative practice. Findings included six sources of work stressors and six sources of professional satisfaction. Also, participants identified seven strategic principles and 10 administrative practices for addressing major sources of stress. Recommendations are provided for research and evidence-based application of the career resilience perspective to LNFA practice aimed at reducing role abandonment and energizing the delivery of the quality of care that each resident deserves.

Positive Psychological Assessment and Early-Stage Dementia.

OBJECTIVES: There are no known positive psychological (PP) measures adapted/validated for use with people in the early stages of dementia. Objectives were to: (1) develop/pilot an accessible protocol for administering PP measures in this population; (2) examine their psychometric properties; and (3) provide preliminary observations about how people with early-stage dementia perceive various aspects of PP as it pertains to living with dementia. METHODS: Five PP measures were adapted/administered to 36 people with early-stage dementia. Constructs of interests were gratitude, life satisfaction, meaning in life, optimism, and resilience. Psychometric data were calculated and response patterns analyzed. RESULTS: Participants easily completed the adapted measures using the accessible protocol. Preliminary evidence of reliability and validity were yielded. Response patterns suggested a range of PP perceptions and experiences among participants. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents a step towards validating the psychometric properties of several PP measures adapted for use with people in the early stages of dementia and provides insight into how PP works in this population. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: PP assessment may assist clinicians and researchers to better understand PP functioning in this population potentially contributing to effective strengths based psychosocial interventions. Recommendations for clinical practice and future research are provided.

Effective learner-centered strategies for teaching adults: using visual media to engage the adult learner.

This article offers practical guidance for educators as they prepare specialists to enhance the lives and communities of older persons through the strategic use of visual media in age-related courses. Advantages and disadvantages of this learning innovation are provided as well as seven approaches for enriching instruction. Resources are included for locating effective visual media, matching course content with video resources, determining fair use of copyrighted media, and inserting video clips into PowerPoint presentations. Strategies for accessing assistive services for implementing visual media in the classroom are also addressed. This article promotes the use of visual media for the purpose of enriching gerontological and geriatrics instruction for the adult learner.