Robbyn R. Wacker

It Is Hard to Guard the Aged

Although there is widespread concern about the wel- fare of aged wards, there has been little attention to the intrusiveness of the responsibilities of guardianship in the lives of guardians. Rather, guardians of the aged are sometimes profiled as unscrupulous and a threat to the well-being of the ward. Data were analyzed from 387 men and women to assess correlates of role strain experienced in their capacities as guardians. Many similar factors predicted role strain of men and women. Both graphically described the need for more information and training in guardianship procedures. Among the correlates of strain, provision of more systematic instruction to guardians seems most amenable to intervention.

Assessing the Impact of a Multiyear Marriage Education Program

This study measured marital satisfaction of low-income couples in a Western state following participation in the Building Healthy Marriages program, which aimed to educate couples and increase relationship satisfaction. The researchers’ goals were the following: To determine the areas in which participants experienced the greatest number of problems before entering the program, to assess the program’s impact on marital satisfaction, and to examine the differences in program impact between various demographic groups. To assess the program’s impact, participants were administered the Marital Satisfaction Inventory–Revised before beginning the program and 1 year after completing the pretest. Before starting the program, couples experienced the greatest number of challenges in relationships within their families of origin and problem-solving communication and the fewest problems in areas related to their children. Couples reported significant improvements in marital satisfaction. These changes did not differ significantly between different gender and ethnicity groups.

What Do Discharge Planners Plan? Implications for Older Medicare Patients

This research examines the discharge-planning process, specifically assessing the extent to which components critical to effective discharge planning are implemented in acute-care settings. We surveyed 16 discharge planners in rural and metropolitan hospitals. The analysis examined the degree to which discharge-planning programs incorporate client-centered planning activities, collect information about the clients care deficits, use community services to support the client on discharge, and the extent of interdepartment involvement in discharge planning. Results indicated that the majority of planners were client centered in their planning ; however, a complete assessment of the clients resources and care deficits did not occur on admission. We discuss implications for discharge planning.

Grandparent Visitation Rights: An Inappropriate Intrusion or Appropriate Protection?.

Increased divorce rates, longevity in multi-generational families, and activism by older persons are a part of the context in which the role of grandparents in the family, an overview of grandparent visitation statutes, and controversy about visitation rights are discussed. The history and characteristics of grandparent visitation statutes, the process of filing, and criteria used to grant visitation provide insight into the complexities of the request for, and determination of, these rights. Family dynamics interact with a myriad of state statutes to suggest implications for research and policy.

The strain of guardianship for men in the United States.

This study examined the extent to which control, commitment, and support influenced the strain experienced among men in the U.S. who were acting as guardians for aged adults, an atypical role for such men. A total of 146 male guardians responded to a questionnaire. Results of the study showed that control and commitment were associated with less strain, whereas the use of formal support systems was related to greater levels of strain. Additionally, strain was found to be less prevalent among older guardians.