Including entries from disciplines across the social sciences, this two-volume set provides coverage of a variety of issues related to the theory, research, practice and policy of health within a family context.

Family members provide the majority of care for individuals with disabilities in the United States. Recognition is growing that family caregiving deserves and may require societal support, and evidence-based practices have been established for reducing stress associated with caregiving. Despite the substantial research literature on family support that has developed, researchers, advocates and professionals have often worked in separate categorical domains such as family support for caregiving for the frail elderly, for individuals with mental illness, or for people with development disabilities. Family Support and Family Caregiving across Disabilities addresses this significant limitation through cross-categorical and lifespan analyses of family support and family caregiving from the perspectives of theory and conceptual frameworks, empirical research, and frameworks and recommendations for improvements in public policy. The book also examines children with disabilities, children with autism, adults with schizophrenia, and individuals with cancer across the life cycle. This book was published as a two-part special issue in the Journal of Family Social Work.

The two LNCS volume set 9754-9755 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second International Conference on Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population, ITAP 2016, held as part of the 18th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2016, held in Toronto, ON, Canada, in July 2016, jointly with 14 other thematically conferences. The total of 1287 papers and 186 poster papers presented at the HCII 2016 conferences were carefully reviewed and selected from 4354 submissions. LNCS 9754, Design for Aging (Part I), addresses the following major topics: designing for and with the elderly; technology use and acceptance by older users; psychological and cognitive aspects of interaction and aging; mobile and wearable technologies for the elderly. LNCS 9755, Healthy and Active Aging (Part II), addresses these major topics: smart and assistive environments; aging and social media; aging, learning, training and games; and aging, mobility and driving.

In recent years, various digital and non-digital gerontechnology applications in home support have been developed. From medication administration aids (e.g., reminders and alarms), to environmental monitoring (e.g., air quality sensors and cameras), to fall detection, and health and activity monitoring (e.g., smartwatch), these promising solutions are in the works or already in the marketplace. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the development and deployment of technological solutions supporting remote care and communication (e.g., video calls), and home service delivery (e.g., meals and groceries), both of which have been developed to facilitate aging in place. This is significant, especially as avoiding the institutionalization of older adults has become a major goal of governments and caring families around the world. These technologies are a potential solution to help older adults and family caregivers age at home, maintain autonomy and independence, and avoid social isolation. These technologies can reduce the workload of professional caregivers. It is crucial to update our knowledge on evidence-based technologies for home support tested simultaneously in older adults and their family caregivers. Healthcare professionals and families are often disadvantaged by a lack of information demonstrating their utility and cost-effectiveness. This article collection focuses on providing evidence-based information about emerging and existing gerontechnologies, which is essential to make an informed decision in recommending their use or deciding to purchase them. For older adults, it will provide proofs upon which to make an informed decision to invest in a specific technology when needed. For family caregivers, it will improve their judgment when trying to choose, purchase, and adopt a technology aiming to solve a problem at home and have peace of mind when these technologies are used to support their loved ones. For clinicians, it will provide a pool of evidence-based technological tools that could be recommended to families facing the loss of autonomy and independence of older adults. For researchers and scholars, it will provide a base of knowledge for future applied research in gerontechnology. Finally, improving the evidence in gerontechnology will help to provide cues for policymakers and governments to create legislation aiming to protect the public and the end users of these technologies.

Bridging the Family Care Gap explores expected future shortages of family caregivers of older persons and identifies potential solutions. The book examines the sustainability and availability of care management models and whether they can be effectively scaled up to meet community needs. It identifies newly emerging policy initiatives at local, state, and federal levels. The book addresses the state of family caregiving science, dissemination and implementation of promising programs and supports, technological innovations, and other strategies to offset the family care gap. This edited volume also explores lay healthcare workers as guides, interpreters, and advocates in healthcare systems that provide continuity of contact for family caregivers. - Details threats to family caregiving-sociodemographic, chronic disease, and socioeconomic challenges - Presents solutions to the caregiving gap in a systematic, synthesized manner - Addresses the intersection of family caregiving and technology - Discusses chronic disease management to offset and reduce the need for family caregiving - Describes models of caregiver support in work settings - Reimagines the delivery of long-term services and supports with novel initiatives

From the dynamics of interpersonal communication between health professionals and clients to global command-and-control during public health emergencies that cross international borders, the field of health communication bridges many disciplines and involves efforts from the micro to the macro. It involves navigating personal, cultural, and political complexities and an ability to distill complex technical science into quickly and easily understood terms for ready distribution by the mass media--or to an individual patient or to the parent of an ailing child. Despite an abundance of textbooks, specialized monographs, and academic handbooks, this is the first encyclopedic reference work in this area, covering the breadth of theory and research on health communication, as well as their practical application. Features: Nearly 600 original articles are organized A-to-Z within a three-volume set to provide comprehensive coverage of this exciting field, including such topics as theories and research traditions; evaluation and assessment; cultural complexities; high risk and special populations; message design and campaigns; provider/patient interaction issues; media issues; and more. All articles were specifically commissioned for this work, signed and authored by key figures in the field, and conclude with cross reference links and suggestions for further reading. Appendices include a Resource Guide with annotated lists of classic books and articles, journals, associations, and web sites; a Glossary of specialized terms; and a Chronology offering an overview and history of the field. A thematic Reader’s Guide groups related articles by broad topic areas as one handy search feature on the e-Reference platform, which also includes a comprehensive index of search terms. This A-to-Z three-volume reference is available in both print and online formats and is a must-have for libraries and researchers who seek comprehensive coverage of the theory, research, and applications of health communication. Key Themes: Community Health Issues End-of-Life Issues Evaluation of Health Intervention, Health Education, Health Communication Everyday and Family Health Communication Issues Health Campaigns Health Communication, International and Diversity Issues Health Information History of Health Communication Media Content Organizational Issues and Health Policy Provider–Patient Interaction Public Health Communication Specific Health Issues/Providers Technology Theories, Ethics, Philosophy, and Overriding Methodological Issues

Dementia is one of the greatest challenges facing seniors and their caregivers around the globe. Developed by experts in both research and practice, this guide for mental health clinicians explores the experience of caregiving in dementia, discussing the latest research developments and sharing clinical pearls of wisdom that can easily be translated to daily practice. The contributors explore the history of caregiving and then examine the current demographics of caregivers for persons with dementia. They discuss who provides care, the settings in which it is delivered, and the rewards and burdens of caregiving. They place special emphasis on understanding the psychological needs of both the person with dementia and the caregiver, as well as interpersonal bonds, spiritual dimensions, and reactions to grief and loss. Using a multidisciplinary approach to treatment for caregivers, this book addresses the role of pharmacotherapy, individual and family interventions, and social supports. Finally, the authors reflect on societal issues such as health care policies, ethnic elders, and ethics. This volume offers health professionals insights into the daily lives of caregivers, along with tools to provide their patients with the support they need.

This best-selling text integrates the latest research and cutting-edge practice to make an evidence-based case for family policy. It uses examples from around the globe to explain how families support society and how policies support families. The book also moves beyond analysis to action with pragmatic processes and procedures for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of policies by viewing them through the lens of family impact. Highlights of the new edition include: Extensive revisions with many new references and policies that reflect recent changes in the economy, politics, and family forms and familes. Many new learning tools including guiding questions, more tables and figures, chapter glossaries, discussion questions, and chapter summaries. Enhanced global perspective with a new chapter (5) that features what policies nations have put in place to strengthen and support families. A new chapter (8) that views how family considerations can improve the effectiveness of policy decisions on issues such as early childhood care and education, health care, juvenile crime, long-term care, parent education, and welfare reform. A new chapter (11) on what the policy process and policymakers are really like including how a bill becomes a law. A new chapter (12) that provides a theoretical and empirical rationale for viewing issues through the family impact lens and what innovative tools and procedures exist for analyzing the family impact of organizations, policies, programs, and practices. Several chapters that review what professionals can do in the policy arena and how they can foster compromise and common ground. Updated web-based teaching materials including sample syllabi, classroom activities and assignments, daily lesson plans, test questions, instructor insights, video links, web resources, and more. Part 1 highlights what family policy is and why it’s important and how family life in the U.S. differs from other countries. Part 2 examines the contributions family considerations can bring to issues such as early childhood education, health care, juvenile crime, long-term care, and welfare reform. Part 3 explains why polarization has stymied progress in family policymaking and guidelines for fostering compromise. Insights are drawn from the history of family policy over the last century. Part 4 provides strategies for getting involved in family policymaking. It reviews: the processes policymaking institutions use to enact legislation; new techniques for assessing the family impact of policies and programs; strategies for building better public policies; and various professional roles and careers for building family policy. The book concludes with a summary of how and where we go from here. Intended for advanced undergraduate and/or graduate courses in family or social policy taught in human development and family studies, psychology, counseling, social work, sociology, public policy, home economics, consumer science, and education, researchers and practitioners alike appreciate this book’s integration of theory, research, and practice.

For many, caring for a chronically ill family member is “the right thing to do”, but it is also often a source of emotional hardship, physical stress, and social isolation. In response, skill-building, coping, and psychoeducational programs have emerged to help caregivers meet the changes and challenges in their – as well as the patients’ – lives. Education and Support Programs for Caregivers reveals the diversity of the caregiver population as well as their experiences and needs, and it introduces an empirically solid framework for planning, implementing, and evaluating caregiver programs. The book synthesizes current trends, exploring the effectiveness of different types of programs (e.g., clinic, community, home based) and groups (e.g., peer, professional, self-help), and how supportive programs lead to improved care. Coverage includes: Improving service delivery of education and support programs to underserved caregivers. Cultural, ethnic, and gender issues in conducting caregiver education and support groups. Utilization patterns (e.g., a key to understanding service needs). E-health, telehealth, and other technological developments in caregiver services. Evaluating the effectiveness and sustainability of programs. Recommendations for future practice, training, policy, and advocacy. Education and Support Programs for Caregivers offers a wealth of insights and ideas for researchers, practitioners, and graduate students across the caregiving fields, including psychology, social work, public health, geriatrics and gerontology, and medicine as well as public and education policy makers.