olderpeoplessocialnetworks(1)

8/12/2019 Olderpeoplessocialnetworks(1)

1/8

RESEARCHTO PRACTICE

BRIEFING 2

Research to Pracce Briengs bring together lessons learnedfrom the literature on a topical issue in community aged care as aresource for those working in this sector. As in most areas of social

policy and pracce, the research evidence in the literature oncommunity aged care is connually evolving. The Briengs aim todisl key themes and messages from the research and to point topromising and innovave pracces.

An advisory group of academics and expert praconers working inthe area of aged care provide advice and peer review.An advisorygroup of academics and expert praconers working in the area ofaged care provide advice and peer review.

This Briefing has been prepared by the Social Policy Research

Centre in partnership with The Benevolent Society.

Research to Practice Briefings

www.benevolent.org.au

Older peoples participation in social networks is asignificant component of wellbeing. This Briefing focuseson the nature and impact of older peoples socialnetworks, and on how community aged care workers canpromote participation in social networks by older clientsliving in their own homes.

The aim of this Briefing is to draw from the researchevidence of promising and innovative practices that canbe readily adapted and incorporated by care workers andmanagers into their day-to-day work.

Promoting social networksfor older people incommunity aged care


2/8


3/8

SOCIAL NETWORKS FOR OLDER PEOPLE 3

Research to Practice Briefing 2

that it means feeling valued and appreciated, isregarded as a signicant component of wellbeing. It

can help maintain morale even in the face of serious

illness and disability, and contribute to movang

physical acvity and making it enjoyable (PMSEIC,

2003). Engagement in social acvies is associated

with opmal cognive and physical funconing and

a rewarding emoonal life. One important benet

is that people can be socially engaged even though

they might have physical limitaons that restrict

their parcipaon in other kinds of acvies, and

this engagement can contribute to a sense of

competence in ways that other acvies cannot.

Social networks can, under some circumstances,

have negave eects on wellbeing because they

may involve conict, unreasonable demands and

disappointments, and they may also be the source

of reinforcement for risky or unhealthy behaviour

(Giummarra et al., 2004). Families in parcular can

be a source of frustraon and resentment, as well

as love and support (Maier & Klumb, 2005; Giles,

Metcalfe et al., 2004).It should also not be forgoen that there are some

people who prefer their own company (Mavandadi,

Rook & Newsom, 2007).

These research observaons indicate that the

queson of maintaining or improving social contacts

and parcipaon to enhance older peoples

wellbeing requires careful understanding and

consideraon of the individual older persons needs

and wishes.

Impact on health and disabilityResearchers have found that posive social

interacons protect against developing dicules

with physical funcons in later life (Mavandadi, Rook

& Newsom, 2007). Numerous studies have shown

that being part of an extensive social network has

a protecve eect on health (Giummarra et al,

2004; Bath & Deeg, 2005; Bath & Gardiner, 2005;

Mavandadi, Rook & Newsom, 2007; Miller-Marnez

& Wallace, 2007). A UK study of older peoples social

engagement and health, and their use of communitycare and medicaon, found that those who were

more socially engaged were less likely to have seentheir family doctor or district nurse in the month

prior to the study (Bath & Gardiner, 2005). Another

study (Zunzunegui et al., 2005) of the associaon

between the ability to undertake acvies of daily

living (ADLs), disability and social es among people

over 65 in three European countries, found that

social es can help to maintain ADL abilies in old

age and even to restore them aer injury or trauma.

Social networks with relatives

A study using the Australian Longitudinal Studyof Ageing data invesgated the impact of social

networks with children, relaves (other than spouse

and children), friends and condants, on less severe

forms of disability among older people (Giles,

Metcalfe et al., 2004). It found that while social

networks overall had a protecve eect, networks

with relaves had a parcularly signicant protecve

eect, both in delaying the onset of disability and in

recovery.

Social networks with friendsTime spent with friends has been found to have

a posive impact on the survival of older people,

whether or not they actually engage in leisure

acvies together. It would seem that it is the mere

presence of other people that is advantageous,

rather than the acvies undertaken (Maier &

Klumb, 2005).

However, it is not clear whether sociability leads to

the survival advantage, or whether people who are

less frail are more likely to be sociable. It could bethat community engagement gives people resources

a sense of meaning, increased condence and

feelings of competence that enable them to

overcome or to fend o physical frailty. On the other

hand, it could be that increasing frailty results in

people having fewer contacts outside the home, and

hence a reducon in their involvement with friends

(Zunzunegui et al., 2005).


4/8

4 SOCIAL NETWORKS FOR OLDER PEOPLE


Supporting older peoples socialnetworksSupport can be of two kinds, instrumental and

socio-emoonal, and range from providing material

assistance, transport, informaon and physical help,

to expressions of respect and love. However, notall forms of support are benecial. The literature

indicates that it is important that support is enabling,

encouraging and autonomy-enhancing (Rowe &

Kahn, 1987 1997).

People need support that, as far as possible, allows

them to develop their own coping mechanisms to

deal with lifes stresses (Seedsman, 2007a, 2007b)

and does not undermine their autonomy. People

should be encouraged to idenfy and achieve their

own goals and assisted to build on past life strengths

and achievements such as past employment, hobbies

and interests (Hillier, 2007; Lewin & Paerson, 2008).

Service planning and deliveryIt can be dicult for older people to maintain social

contacts and strategies aimed at reducing social

isolaon may be necessary. These strategies should

be planned in consultaon with older people and be

appropriately evaluated (Howat, Iredell et al., 2004;Howat, Boldy, & Horner, 2004).

Intervenons are more likely to be eecve if they

use exisng community resources and contribute

to community capacity (Findlay, 2003). One UK

study found that eecve intervenons to combat

loneliness among older people had a number of

characteriscs. They tended to be group acvies

(rather than one-to-one interacons such as home

vising), long-term, directed towards a parcular

secon of the older populaon, had some element

of parcipant control and oered a wide range ofacvies (Caan & White, 1998).


5/8

SOCIAL NETWORKS FOR OLDER PEOPLE 5


Role of service providersSocial mobilisaon (i.e. ways of enabling older

people to make connecons with their communies)

involves building social networks, supporng

peoples parcipaon in social acvies, and

fostering social support and mutual aid among older

people.

Some research suggests that the role of community

care professionals is best fullled by creang an

environment that enhances communicaon, builds

trust and mutual respect, and empowers clientsthrough sensive communicaon and support, help

to develop selfawareness, and through access to

resources and informaon (Giummarra et al., 2004).

Socialisaon and social enablement programs that

provide individualised support to socially isolated

older recipients of community care services can

increase peoples feelings of self worth, their

condence in social situaons and thus their ability

to re-engage with the community (Hillier 2007;

Lewin & Paerson 2008). Such programs have usedvolunteers as peer mentors.

A review of services to address social isolaon

among older people reported that befriending

programs have had some success, when they have

a good referral system and trained sta, as well

as telephone support that targets specic high-

risk groups. Reaching specic types of isolated

individuals may be possible through radio programs

and the internet, but their eecveness is as yet

unclear (Bartle, 2007).

Approaches to supporting older peopleIt has been suggested that there are four types of

intervenons in an older persons social networks

therapy, reinforcement, construcon and mediaon.

A therapyintervenon may be required when the

person has some form of personal diculty and

involves the training of the family and friendship

network members by a professional worker. A

reinforcementintervenon may be appropriate

where the persons informal care and supportnetwork has become stressed. It requires the

provision of praccal support services by formalservice providers in order to ease the burden on the

informal carers. A construcon intervenon may

be required by people who have been cut o from

social networks (e.g. recent migrants) and need help

making new contacts. Finally, mediaonmay be

required where there is conict (Litwin, 2007).

Older peoples social networks are not innitely

resourceful and this is especially the case when the

needs of older people are greatest (Litwin, 2007).

Not all intervenons will suit everyone. The type andamount of support needed will vary for each person

and should be tailored to the parcular individual

(Mavandadi, Rook & Newsom, 2007).

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander olderpeopleWorking with the individual needs and strengths of

each older client in the context of their family and

community is parcularly pernent for praconers

working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

older people. Culturally empowering services for

Indigenous older people have a number of features

including using appropriate language, establishing

trust by using acceptable mentors or intermediaries,

developing culturally specic protocols for

community networking, and giving families control

over service provision and ensuring parcipaon of

the whole community, not just the family (Morse &

Lau, 2007).


6/8

We help people change their lives

through support and educaon, and

we speak out for a just society where

everyone thrives.

Were Australias rst charity. Were a

not-for-prot and non-religious

organisaon and weve helped people,

families and communies achieve posive

change for 200 years.

New South WalesLevel 1, 188 Oxford StreetPaddington NSW 2021PO Box 171Paddington NSW 2021

T 02 8262 3400F 02 9360 2319ABN 95 084 695 045

Queensland9 Wilson StreetWest End QLD 4101PO Box 5347West End QLD 4101

T 07 3170 4600F 07 3255 2953

www.benevolent.org.auor nd us on

We are The Benevolent Society

www.benevolent.org.au

We welcome feedback on this Briefing.A full list of references can be accessed on The Benevolent Societys website.

The Social Policy Research Centre is a research centre of the Faculty of Arts

and Social Sciences at the University of New South Wales. The SPRC conducts

research and fosters discussion on all aspects of social policy in Australia.

t02 9385 7800 [email protected]

2013Originally printed February 2009. Republished April 2013.

Community aged care providers and workers

can enhance the health and wellbeing of

their clients by paying aenon to their

social networks and parcipaon and bycomplemenng praccal care services with

social support strategies.

Effective strategies with individualcommunity care clients include:

careful understanding and consideraon of

individual older peoples needs and wishes

provision of support in ways that enhance

autonomy

taking into account the needs and wishes of

carers/ family members

building on strengths and life achievements,

such as past employment, hobbies and

interests

assisng people to idenfy their own goals

building of self worth and condence

engaging clients in health promoon

acvies such as those that increase

physical acvity, improve nutrion and

improve mental health

using volunteer peers as mentors

to facilitate social engagement and

parcipaon in acvies

addressing praccal barriers such ascommunicaon dicules, cost and

transport

facilitang clients engagement with friends

and with relaves (other than spouse and

children) and

oering a wide range of acvies, which

are long term, group based and tailored to

specic secons of the older populaon.

In the design of social support

strategies, best practice includes: introducing intervenons as part of a wider

strategic approach

targeng specic groups of older people

involving older people themselves in

program planning, delivery and evaluaon

building community capacity by using

exisng community resources as far as

possible and

establishing partnerships with stakeholders

and organisaons.

Practice implications


7/8

1 REFERENCE LIST


Promoting social networks for older people in

community aged care

Reference List

Australian Bureau of Stascs.(2004). The Health of Older People,

Australia, 2001. (Cat. No. 4827.0.55.001).

Australian Instute of Health and Welfare. (2006).Australias Health,

2006. AIHW. (Cat. No. AUS 73).

Australian Instute of Health and Welfare. (2007).Australias Welfare,

2007. AIHW. (Cat No AUS 93).

Australian Instute of Health and Welfare. (2007b). Older Australians

at a Glance. AIHW. (Cat. no. AGE 52).

Australian Instute of Health and Welfare. (2008). Australias Health,

2008. AIHW. (Cat. No. AUS 99).

Bartle, H. (2007).Ageing and Aged Care: Policy issues and Debates.

Australian Instute of Health and Welfare/ Australasian Centre on Ageing,

University of Queensland. hp://www.aihw.gov.au/eventsdiary/aw07/

presentaons/ helen_bartle_ageing_aged_ care_policy_issues.pdf

Bath, P. A. and Deeg, D. (2005). Social engagement and health

outcomes among older people: Introducon to a special secon.European Journal of Ageing, 2(1), 24-30.

Bath, P. A. and Gardiner, A. (2005). Social engagement and health and

social care use and medicaon use among older people. European

Journal of Ageing, 2(1), 56-63.

Broe, G. A. and L. J. Pulver. (2007). Aboriginal ageing, Aboriginal

health and epidemiological transions, a paper presented at the ASSA

Workshop, Theorecal, Empirical and Policy Inputs to Modelling

Healthy Ageing, Australian Naonal University, December.

Carmel, S., Morse, C. A. and Torres-Gil, F. M. eds. (2007a). Lessons on

Aging from Three Naons, Volume I: The Art of Aging Well Amityville,

New York: Baywood Publishing Company, Inc.

Caan, M. and White, M. (1998). Developing evidence based healthpromoon for older people: A systemac review and survey of health

promoon intervenons targeng social isolaon and loneliness among

older people. A paper presented at the 2nd Nordic Health Promoon.

Research Conference, Stockholm, 9-11 September, published in the

electronic journal of the Internaonal Union for Health Promoon and

Educaon. hp://www.rhpeo.org.

Findlay. R. A. (2003). Intervenons to reduce social isolaon amongst

older people: where is the evidence?Ageing & Society, 23(5), 647-58.

Findlay, R. and Cartwright, C. (2002). Social Isolaon and Older People:

A Literature Review. Report for Seniors Interest Branch & Ministerial

Advisory Council on Older People, Queensland Government. The

University of Queensland, Australasian Centre on Ageing.

hp://www.communies.qld.gov.au.

Giles, L., Metcalf, P. A., Glonek, G. F. V., Luszcz, M. A. and Andrews,

G. R. (2004). The eects of social networks on disability in older

Australians.Journal of Ageing and Health, 16(4), 517-38.

Giummarra, M., Black, K., Haralambous, B. and Nankervis, J. (2004).

Achieving Health Promoon Behaviour Change among Older Victorians:Literature Review. Naonal Ageing Research Instute for the Victorian

Department of Human Services. hp://www.mednwh.unimelb.edu.au.

Hillier, M. (2007). Rebuilding connecons: creang opportunies for

socially isolated older Australians. Evaluaon of the Brotherhood of St

Laurence Community Care Socialisaon Program, Brotherhood of St

Laurence.

Howat, P., Boldy, D. and Horner, B. (2004). Promong the health of

older Australians: program opons, priories and research.Australian

Health Review, 27(1), 49-55.

Howat, P., Iredell, H. Grenade, L. Nedwetzky, A. and Collins, J. (2004).

Reducing social isolaon amongst older people implicaons for health

professionals. Geriacon, 22(1), Mar, 13-20.

IAG (Internaonal Associaon of Gerontology). (2003). Research

Agenda on Ageing for the 21st Century. A joint project of the United

Naons Programme on Ageing and The Internaonal Associaon of

Gerontology.

Lewin, G and Paerson, C. (2008). Social Enablement - A New Model

for Reducing Loneliness and Depression in Older People Receiving

Home Care. Silver Chain, Presentaon Aged and Community Services

Associaon Conference. hp://www.silverchain.org.au.

Litwin, H. (2007). The interpersonal milieu of older people. In Carmel et

al, eds, vol. I, 169-84.

Maier, H. and Klumb, P. L. (2005). Social parcipaon and survival at

older ages: Is the eect driven by acvity content or context? European

Journal of Ageing, 2(1), 31-9.

Mavandadi, S., Rook, K. S. and Newsom, J. T. (2007). Posive and

negave social exchanges and disability in later life: an invesgaon of

trajectories of change.Journal of Gerontology, (Social Sciences) 62B(6),

S361-S370.

Miller-Marnez, D. and Wallace, S. P. (2007). Structural contexts and

life-course processes in the social networks of older Mexican-American

immigrants in the United States.In Carmel et al, eds, vol. I, 141-154.

Morse, C. A. and Lau, R. (2007). In care and on call: the endangered

system of Australian family-based caregiving. In Carmel et al, eds, vol.

II, 69-83.
http://www.aihw.gov.au/eventsdiary/aw07/presentations/%20helen_bartlett_ageing_aged_%20care_policy_issues.pdfhttp://www.aihw.gov.au/eventsdiary/aw07/presentations/%20helen_bartlett_ageing_aged_%20care_policy_issues.pdfhttp://www.communities.qld.gov.au/http://www.mednwh.unimelb.edu.au./http://www.silverchain.org.au/http://www.silverchain.org.au/http://www.mednwh.unimelb.edu.au./http://www.communities.qld.gov.au/http://www.aihw.gov.au/eventsdiary/aw07/presentations/%20helen_bartlett_ageing_aged_%20care_policy_issues.pdfhttp://www.aihw.gov.au/eventsdiary/aw07/presentations/%20helen_bartlett_ageing_aged_%20care_policy_issues.pdf


8/8

2 REFERENCE LIST


PMSEIC (see: Prime Ministers Science, Engineering and Innovaon

Council) Prime Ministers Science, Engineering and Innovaon Council.

(2003). Promong Healthy Ageing in Australia. A paper prepared by an

independent working group of PMSEIC.

Rowe, J. W. and Kahn, R. L. (1987). Human aging: usual and successful.

Science, 237(4811), 143-9.

Rowe, J. W. and Kahn, R. L. (1997). Successful aging. The Gerontologist,

37(4), 433-40.

Seedsman, T. (2007a). Secon 1 Introducon. In Carmel et al, eds, vol.

I, 1-4.

Seedsman, T. (2007b). Developing intergeneraonal solidarity: a global

imperave. In Carmel et al, eds, vol. I, 129-140.

United Naons. (2007). Major developments in the area of ageing since

the Second World Assembly on Ageing.Report of the Secretary-General.

hp://www.un.org.

World Health Organisaon. (2002).Acve Ageing: A Policy Framework.

WHO/ NMH/NPH/02.8.

Zunzunegui, M. V., Rodriguez-Laso, A., Otero, A., Pluijm, S. M. F.,

Nikula, S., Blumstein, T., Jylha, M., Minicuci, N., Deeg, D. J. H. and the

CLESA (Comparison of Longitudinal European Studies on Aging) Working

Group. (2005). Disability and social es: comparave ndings of the

CLESA study. European Journal of Ageing 2.
http://www.un.org./http://www.un.org./

olderpeoplessocialnetworks(1)

Documents