Carmel Gallagher

Connectedness in the Lives of Older People in Ireland

This paper presents an analysis of the connectedness of older people in two sample areas, one urban and one rural, in Ireland. The paper is based on a study of the communal participation of older people in two geographic localities; Rathmore, a suburban area of Dublin, and Rathbeg, a rural area in County Donegal, conducted between 2000 and 2005. A multi-stage study that used both qualitative and quantitative methods examined significant communal in teractions of older people across a range of arenas, including leisure interests, involvement in clubs, religious practices, voluntary work, relationships with kin, friends and neighbours, helping activities, use of social services and informal interactions in neighbourhoods and other communal settings. The paper describes their experiences of connectedness, explains how older people co-create and sustain communal ties and explores the significance of social practices and social groupings involved. The study demonstrated that among a diverse group of older adults engagement with others outside ones immediate family was a significant source of satisfaction and meaning in life. It provided evidence that place-based friendships are important contexts for the development of collective solidarities and transformative relationships. The paper underlines the contribution of older people to the lives of others, and argues that community should be understood as involving both place and type of relationship instead of a symbolic attachment to identities. The policy implications of the findings are also briefly considered.

The Training Implications of a Social Care Approach to Working with Older People

Nursing homes and day care centres have developed and expanded in recent decades with little input from the emergent social care profession. This is despite the significant role played by professionally trained social care workers in the management, planning and direct provision of day and residential services for a wide range of other client groups of all ages. This paper will argue that alongside policy developments in provision of day and residential services for older people work needs to be done on identifYing the training needs of the personnel who are working and will work in these services. Social care education and training has many of the elements which would help staff from a variety of backgrounds to meet the needs of older people in a more holistic way thus enlarging the possibilities for a fuller life for dependent older people. A social care model would address social, emotional and spiritual needs, would seek to empower older people and provide a more normal atmosphere for residents of nursing homes, sheltered housing and day care centres.

“It’s a Win-Win Situation” – Intergenerational Learning in Preschool and Elder Care Settings: An Irish Perspective

ABSTRACT This paper explores the level and sustainability of intergenerational practice in early years and elder care settings in Ireland. The paper is based on a small-scale research study involving interviews with staff in five organizations and builds on findings from previous research conducted for the TOY project (http://www.toyproject.net). The paper examines the pedagogies involved as well as the community context of intergenerational practice in early years and elder care settings. The findings highlight that sustainable intergenerational practice is facilitated by strong pedagogies that support active and relational learning across the life course and by being embedded in robust community networks.

Booklet of Selected Theses from the MA in Criminology, MA in Law, MA in Child, Family and Community Studies, and the International Masters in Early Childhood Education, 2010-2012

This research project considers a frequently ignored dimension of adolescent sexual abuse, the parents and families of the adolescent perpetrator. This study focuses on eliciting professionals’ views of the impact on the family when an adolescent member has sexually abused. The context for the study is outlined with an account of the prevalence of and explanations for adolescent sexual abuse. The study proceeds to look at legislation and the impact on labelling. Areas relating to the family on the impact of disclosure, parental reactions and the process of engagement are explored. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five professionals working within the child welfare and criminal justice system who worked with young people who had sexually abused and their families. The purpose of the study was to explore with professionals their perceived perception of the impact having an adolescent sexual abusing member has on families, from their contact with family members. The findings and analysis suggest, from the professionals’ perspective, that families are faced with many issues when confronted with the discovery that their child has sexually abused. These include emotional upheaval, risk management and issues regarding engaging with services. If the aim of therapeutic intervention with sexually abusing youth is to reduce the risk of further abuse and to help the young person develop a healthy lifestyle, this study contends, from the professionals’ perspective, that family involvement is essential. The researcher concludes this study by making recommendations. Full text of this thesis is at: http://arrow.dit.ie/aaschssldis/34/ Tracey Carroll MA in Criminology