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Together in later life: How extra care housing can support couples affected by dementia
No full textPurpose
This paper presents insights into how extra care housing (ECH) can support couples, where at least one partner is living with dementia. ECH is a model of housing with flexible care and support that supports older people to live independently. Couples are enabled to continue to live together in a self-contained flat or apartment with additional support for either or both parties as required.
Design
The paper reports on findings from a large study of living with dementia in ECH (Anonymous) that involved qualitative interviews with ECH residents affected by dementia, ECH staff, and adult social care professionals were conducted across 8 ECH schemes in England.
Findings
Data offer insight into how ECH can support couples might navigate their relationship, maintain a sense of togetherness, and adapt to the challenges posed by changing care and support needs and cognitive decline.
Originality/value
This paper provides novel insights into the living experiences of couples residing in ECH where at least one partner is living with dementia. Couples’ experiences in ECH have been little considered in research thus far.
Research limitations/implications
Findings here are based on a small sample with limited diversity, which is not claimed to be representative. Participants were identified by gatekeepers at each research site, which may have presented some selection bias
Trans-ancestry genome-wide study of depression identifies 697 associations implicating cell types and pharmacotherapies
No full textHighlights:
• Trans-ancestry GWAS identified 697 variants and 308 genes associated with depression
• Implicates postsynaptic density, neuronal dysregulation, and amygdala involvement
• Findings enriched for antidepressant targets and highlight drug repurposing options
• Polygenic scores predicted depression case-control status across all ancestries
Summary:
In a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis of 688,808 individuals with major depression (MD) and 4,364,225 controls from 29 countries across diverse and admixed ancestries, we identify 697 associations at 635 loci, 293 of which are novel. Using fine-mapping and functional tools, we find 308 high-confidence gene associations and enrichment of postsynaptic density and receptor clustering. A neural cell-type enrichment analysis utilizing single-cell data implicates excitatory, inhibitory, and medium spiny neurons and the involvement of amygdala neurons in both mouse and human single-cell analyses. The associations are enriched for antidepressant targets and provide potential repurposing opportunities. Polygenic scores trained using European or multi-ancestry data predicted MD status across all ancestries, explaining up to 5.8% of MD liability variance in Europeans. These findings advance our global understanding of MD and reveal biological targets that may be used to target and develop pharmacotherapies addressing the unmet need for effective treatment
Object recognition in infancy: towards an embodied skeletal shape model of word identification
No full textThis paper presents results of observations of a small sample of four two-year old children as they were introduced to written word cards as named objects. This research sought to explore the notion that very young children can identify printed words as objects in a similar way to identifying other objects in their environment. Our findings suggest that reading, or word identification, at its most fundamental level is object recognition, and support theories of infant object recognition that utilise non-variant shape skeletons whereby individual features can be recognised. Additionally, our findings support the synchronised naming of objects as they are perceived by the infant as a natural learning mechanism. We propose that, aligned with theories of embodied cognition, children can learn to identify written words, where these words are within a child’s existing vocabulary, using their complete repertoire of experience from being in the world associated with the printed word
Effective Communication with Children, Young People and their Families
No full textEffective communication is central to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people, and their families. This chapter explores the theory and practice of communication in professional contexts, highlighting the importance of interpersonal, environmental, and intra-personal communication in shaping therapeutic relationships. Drawing on Carl Rogers’ person-centred approach, it emphasises the role of active listening, empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard in fostering trust and emotional growth. Practical examples illustrate how verbal, non-verbal, and paralinguistic cues can either strengthen or undermine interactions, particularly across cultural and developmental differences. The chapter also examines how environmental settings influence dialogue, and how practitioners’ internal reflections shape their responses. Through activities and case scenarios, readers are encouraged to reflect on their own communication styles and the barriers that may hinder effective engagement. Ultimately, the chapter underscores that communication is not merely the exchange of information but a relational process that empowers young people, validates their experiences, and enhances collaborative care across health, education, and social contexts
Wetlands, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Modelling
No full textGeographical Information Systems (GIS) and spatial modelling play a vital role in the research and management of wetlands. This chapter examines the integration of GIS and spatial modelling in wetland studies, emphasising its applications in wetland mapping and classification, hydrological modelling, habitat assessment, biodiversity conservation and restoration, and socio-economic analysis. By utilising software such as ArcGIS and QGIS, researchers can analyse complex datasets, detect environmental changes, and assess the impacts of climate change on these valuable ecosystems. Challenges such as data availability and the requirement of high-resolution data are discussed, along with emerging technologies like drones for enhanced monitoring capabilities
AI as a dialogic partner: rethinking feedback in higher education
No full textThere is a well-established body of research on effective feedback practices in higher education. Yet, student engagement with feedback remains varied. One possible explanation lies in limited feedback literacy, particularly the difficulty students face in managing the affective dimensions of receiving critique. Emotional responses can inhibit students from acting on lecturer feedback. This raises the question: can removing the relational aspect of feedback improve engagement? Generative AI (GenAI) tools are increasingly embedded in various educational contexts, supporting both students and teachers by offering real-time feedback and facilitating assessment processes. However, integrating GenAI into feedback practices in higher education requires a paradigm shift, one that positions GenAI not as a threat or all-knowing authority, but as a collaborative learning partner with the potential to foster dialogic engagement with students. With this in mind, we adopted a Bakhtinian approach to dialogue to qualitatively explore whether AI-generated feedback can reshape students’ engagement by reducing affective barriers and legitimising AI as a dialogic partner in learning. Drawing on Bakhtin’s concepts of authoritative and internally persuasive discourse, we investigate whether interaction with GenAI feedback encourages greater student agency and engagement with the feedback process among students from widening participation backgrounds at a London post-1992 university
Exploring Lived Experiences of Kenyan Para-Athletes: Turning Barriers into Possibilities
No full textBackground: In developing countries, participation and
success in elite para-sports are relatively low primarily
because of the numerous barriers para-athletes face. The
objective of this study, which focused on elite para-athletes
from Kenya, was to investigate their lived experiences and
how they overcome these barriers to participate and excel at
the international level.
Methodology: A qualitative research approach was
employed to collect data from the participants through
virtual interviews. Five participants (three females and two
males) were selected using a purposive sampling strategy
and interviewed using semi-structured questions. The data
obtained were analyzed using Interpretive
Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).
Findings: Based on the gathered data, four primary themes
emerged: local para-sports events, a supportive environment,
media, and international aid. These factors play a crucial
role in enabling para-athletes to excel in their respective
sports and achieve international recognition.
Conclusion: The lived experiences of para-athletes shed
light on strategies for approaching and overcoming barriers
to para-sports participation, ultimately leading them to
compete at the highest levels of para-sport events. This
study provides valuable insights for para-sport practice,
policy, and research and can guide the development of
intervention programs for para-athletes in developing
countrie
Feel Everything!
No full textThe subject of Ruth Stacey's poetry collection is Pamela Colman Smith (16 February 1878 - 18 September 1951). Pamela Colman Smith was a British artist, illustrator, writer, publisher, and occultist. She is best-known for illustrating the Rider-Waite tarot deck (also called the Rider-Waite-Smith or Waite-Smith deck) for Arthur Edward Waite. This tarot deck became the standard among tarot card readers, and remains the most widely used today. Smith also illustrated over 20 books, wrote two collections of Jamaican folklore, edited two magazines, and ran the Green Sheaf Press, a small press focused on women writers.
"These are poems of natural grace and confidence, whose readability and joy comes from a Herculean research endeavour. By turns funny, sad and visionary, with an extraordinary imagistic felicity that meets its subject on equal terms. As a collection it raises the bar of what can be achieved with biographical and docupoetics. Sensational." - Luke Kennard
"A remarkable book that captures the unique spirit of Pamela Colman Smith. Ruth Stacey's beautiful poetry collection, Feel Everything!, achieves the difficult feat of shedding light into the mind of Pamela Colman Smith, a woman whose life was filled with major gaps and silences. Meticulously researched, Stacey's poems utilise archival and primary source material to create an intertextual narrative that while fictional, feels true. It is an important contribution to the growing body of work on Colman Smith, a multi-talented artist, writer, and publisher whose achievements were largely neglected during her lifetime."
- Liz Foley O'Conno
Effect of physical exercise on the quality of life of women surviving breast cancer: systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
No full textIntroduction: Women surviving breast cancer (WSBC) may experience reduced quality of life (QoL) due to disease-associated manifestations and undergone treatment. Engagement in physical exercise (PE), and subsequent effects on physical capacity and social and emotional wellbeing, are known to enhance QoL.
Method: this systematic review meta-analysed the impact of PE, compared to respective control groups, on QoL in WSBC. Randomized clinical trials published up to December 2023 were searched in PubMed Medline, PsycInfo, EMBASE, Web of Science, LILACS, Cochrane Central, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Selected papers were catalogued in Endnote® and remaining documents exported to Rayyan®. Data analyses utilized the RoB2 tool, Revman®, and GRADE for classification of certainty of evidence. Values of change in measurements between baseline and post-intervention were meta-analysed, with standardized mean differences calculated as effect size.
Results: 3,313 documents were identified, with 36 meeting our eligibility criteria, and 35 quantitatively analysed. The meta-analysis revealed that PE, irrespective of modality, significantly improved QoL, as assessed by the Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) global health perception scale (SMD= 0.43; CI95%: 0.12 to 0.73; p=0.006), FACT-G (SMD= 0.56; CI95%: 0.13 to 0.99; p≤0.01), FACT-B (SMD= 0.73; CI95%: 0.38 to 1.08; p=0.0003), and EORTC QLQ-C30 (Global health, SMD = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.49 – 1.47; p<0.00001). Subgroup analyses showed that combination of aerobic and resistance exercises yielded the most significant increase in QoL. SF-36 subdomains showed moderate to high certainty of evidence.
Conclusion: PE is effective in improving QoL in WSBC, particularly when combining aerobic and strength exercises. Robust public policies must encourage PE not only to reduce cancer risk but also to promote QoL improvement in WSBC
Culturally Informed Parenting Assessment: The Adaptation of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire With Input From Ugandan Experts and Parents
Get PDFWhile parenting practices significantly influence children's developmental outcomes on a global scale, there has been limited comprehensive assessment of the cultural appropriateness of global parenting questionnaires in diverse cultural contexts by researchers. This study examined the cultural relevance of the widely used measure of parenting, the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) among the Runyankole‐speaking community in Uganda. Using a semi‐structured interview approach, we interviewed 14 local experts to evaluate the measure. Additionally, 16 parents were interviewed to assess their comprehension of APQ scale items. Feedback from both experts and parents was used to revise and adapt the 42‐item APQ scale. Additionally, we used feedback from experts and parents to add five items addressing key parenting practices relevant to the Ugandan context. The process resulted in a 32‐item adapted APQ tailored for the target Ugandan context. This research is notable for its contribution to the decolonization of parenting assessment instruments, centered on the perspectives of participants in Uganda, a culturally diverse context. The availability of an adapted parenting measure holds significance for clinicians and researchers as it enables a more efficient and culturally sensitive evaluation of parenting practices. Furthermore, utilizing such a measure facilitates a deeper understanding of the components of parenting, warranting attention in the development of interventions for parents in the target setting