The turning point.

The COVID-19 pandemic effects on the hospitality industry using social systems theory: A multi-country comparison

Systems theory has been extensively used by social work practitioners to conceptualize an array of social and psychological problems at the level of clinical practice. Systems theory is complex and this complexity is believed to be advantageous for investigating the roots of social and familial problems. This paper presents results from a study of caregiver burden among a sample of 118 Indian/Pakistani caregivers in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan area. Systems theory is used to predict the correlates of caregiver burden. In this study the authors found that elder behavior problems, elder health problems, extended support network, and identification with filial piety norms explained caregiver burden among South Asian families. The practice implications of the findings are also presented.

Caregiver Burden in South Asian Families

RÉSUMÉ On constate une hausse de la longévité chez les personnes ayant des incapacités intellectuelles, due à la modification de leur encadrement — de la vie institutionnelle à la vie communautaire — et à l'amélioration de la nutrition et des soins de santé. Les individus nés avant 1945 au Canada, représentent le premier groupe d'importance à atteindre la vieillesse. Malgré la croissance de ce groupe d'individus, on sait très peu de choses sur leurs expériences de vie et leurs besoins. En grande partie, cette population demeure invisible, sous-évaluée et souvent oubliée, et n'est que rarement le point d'intérêt de nouvelles politiques ou de programmes d'initiatives. Cet examen des publications médicales canadiennes sur les sujets traitant de fréquence, de longévité et de vieillesse prématurée des personnes ayant des incapacités intellectuelles recouvre trois points. D'abord il expose l'impact des changements dans les politiques sociales sur leurs expériences de vie, ensuite il trace les grandes lignes des besoins et des attentes des personnes plus âgés ainsi que de leurs familles et finalement il suggère de nouvelles approches, dans l'avenir, des politiques de développement et de recherches au Canada. ABSTRACT The movement away from institutional care to community living, along with improved nutrition and health care, has led to an increased lifespan for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In Canada, those who were born before 1945 represent the first significant group to grow old. Despite the increasing numbers of these individuals, relatively little is known about them, their life experiences, or their needs. They remain a largely invisible, undervalued, and often overlooked population, and are seldom the focus of new policy or program initiatives. This review of Canadian literature reports on issues related to the prevalence, life expectancy and early aging of individuals with intellectual disabilities, describes the impact of changes in social policy on their life experiences, outlines the needs and expectations of older adults and their families and, finally, suggests future directions for policy development and research in Canada.

Aging with an Intellectual Disability: A Review of Canadian Literature

Old Age and the Welfare State

The literature refers to older people with developmental disabilities as the “new service population.” How and why this population emerged as a special category is discussed conceptually with refer...

Parin A. Dossa

Papers

Toward social system theory: implications for older people with developmental disabilities and service delivery.