1,363,810 research outputs found
Sense of Community and Place Attachment: The Natural Environment Plays a Vital Role in Developing a Sense of Community
No full textPsychological sense of community (PSOC) is an intriguing construct that allows social scientists and psychologists to examine fundamental questions about how individuals are connected and committed to and influenced by the local residents who reside in a particular locality. In this study, initially exploration of sense of community within the chosen locality and population revealed that a ‘sense of community’ (SOC) not only included social bonding aspects but was also related to the bonds people developed with the natural environment. The data reveals that feelings of attachment to the natural landscape proved equally, if not more important than social bonds between residents in the development of a SOC. An extensive body of literature exists that has explored the nature and complexities of people’s emotional experience and relationships to place. The most common concepts are sense of place, place attachment, place identity and place dependence. While these concepts are broadly defined and discussed in theory, much research has concentrated on the notion of the home, limiting our understanding of this multi-faceted phenomenon. This paper intends to demonstrate the need to incorporate the full scale of human place related experiences that enable people to develop feelings of place attachment (PA) and incorporate these feelings into a cognitive structure representing their PSOC.\ud
"Just Hanging On": The Experiences of Older Carers of a Family Member with Chronic Mental Illness
No full textPurpose: A qualitative study was conducted in Brisbane, Queensland to explore the lived experiences of sixteen older carers who each provide care for a family member with chronic mental illness. The purpose of the study was to provide insight into the lived experiences of these carers and their perceptions of how caring for a mentally ill family member has affected their sense of well-being.\ud
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Methodology: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with each participant.\ud
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Findings: Many carers perceived that their experiences of caring for a mentally-ill family member have had a significant impact upon their physical and emotional well-being, and most felt that they had lost control of their lives and often, their home environment as well. The findings suggest that many of the participants experience physical abuse, verbal abuse, depression, failing health and social isolation.\ud
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Recommendations: A case management strategy, inclusive of risk management processes, is suggested as one means of supporting this vulnerable group of carers
Very Old, Widowed and Single Men Living Alone: The effect of residence, retirement village vs. the community, on social interactions, friendships and loneliness
No full textThis exploratory study investigates the impact of residence on the social networks reported by very old (75 years+) single and widowed men who live alone, either in the community (n=26) or an independent living unit in a retirement village (n=24). With research suggesting that older men living alone are most at risk for experiencing social isolation, this study investigates whether living in a retirement village, surrounded by same-age peers, might ameliorate loneliness by facilitating social interactions. Participants living in the community and retirement villages reported their overall loneliness, contact with friends and their satisfaction with that contact. The results indicated that, regardless of residence, older men living alone report minimal levels of telephone and face-to-face contact with friends. However, when contact with other residents is included, compared to their peers in the community, older men living alone in retirement villages reported twice the number of social interactions. Additionally, although not a statistically significant difference, older men living alone in the community reported greater loneliness and were less satisfied with the amount of contact they had with friends than retirement village residents. With researchers repeatedly linking social interactions with better mental and physical health, the finding that living in a retirement village fosters social interactions suggests that where older people chose to live may positively affect their overall wellbeing. Given the scarcity of published research comparing life in a retirement village with life at home in the community, the findings of this exploratory study highlight the need to further research issues of ageing among older men
Is Generation X the new Civic Generation? An exploratory analysis of social capital, environmental attitudes and behaviours in an Australian community
No full textThis study investigated generational differences and similarities in social capital, environmental attitudes and behaviours in an affluent Australian community, comparing the Civic Generation (60 years+) with the independent youth of today, the "Generation X-ers" (18-30 years). Interest in social capital, an indicator of community wellbeing succinctly defined as social connectedness, has grown exponentially as researchers link social capital with the success of environmental and sustainable initiatives. Environmental researchers, struggling to encourage individuals and communities to adopt environmentally sustainable behaviours, believe that by fostering social capital, people will be encouraged to act at a community level to preserve the natural environment. Unfortunately, social capital has steadily declined as the Civic Generation has been replaced by generations less involved in the community, creating communities of isolated residents. This study is the first to explicitly test these assumptions, comparing social capital, environmental attitudes and everyday water-usage reported by the youngest and oldest Australian citizens. Unexpectedly, Generation X-ers reported the highest level of social capital, with both generations displaying reasonably high levels of environmentally friendly attitudes and behaviours. The implications and limitations of these unexpected findings are discussed in detail, with the results suggesting that the resurgence of social capital in our research, led by the Generation X-ers, bodes well for both the natural environment and the community
In pursuit of a foundational accountancy philosophy
No full textRecent accounting history is characterised by many developments, including several high-profile corporate failures, such as Enron, Parmalat and even Saambou, as well as major developments in financial reporting standards, such as the broadbased acceptance of international financial reporting standards and the convergence efforts between the UK-based International Accounting Standards Board and the US-based Financial Accounting Standards Board. As a result, long-accepted accounting assumptions are being challenged in favour of new principles and practices. Furthermore, in academic circles the scientific foundation of accounting is being questioned. At many universities, limited education is taking place in the underlying theory and philosophy of accounting in favour of teaching prospective accountants how to pass difficult professional exams.
Seen against this backdrop, a reconsideration of the objectives and purpose of accountancy may be overdue. This article attempts to illuminate the intrinsic assumptions and objectives of accountancy, seen in the light of modern-day accounting issues and developments
Barriers to Autonomy for Older Adults with Lifelong Intellectual Disability
No full textIn the past, people with an intellectual disability were not expected to outlive their parents and few survived to old age. Today, things are different for this cohort of older adults. Today the size of this cohort is increasing and its members are generally experiencing longevity, leaving disability and aged care sectors grappling with the implications of these changes (Ansello and Janicki, 2000; Bigby, 2004; Haveman, 2004). Many older adults with lifelong intellectual disability have either spent much of their lives within the confines of institutional living or they have spent a lifetime being sheltered by very protective parents. Irrespective of which background they have experienced, many are now at crossroads in their lives where decisions about their future are being considered. This paper explores issues around independence with a particular focus on barriers to achievement, as identified in a recent focus group involving older people with intellectual disability, carers and service providers in Brisbane, Australia. Service provision and elderly parents are identified as two significant barriers to older people with lifelong intellectual disability experiencing more choice and freedom in their live
Author ID’s: enhance visibility and accessibility: Workshop 2
No full textPapers presented at the second workshop on Author ID’s: enhance visibility and accessibility , Auditorium, Merensky Library, University of Pretoria, 28 October 2015Follow up on the first workshop (Researcher ID Workshop), the aim of this workshop was to continue discussion on the information specialists' role in enhancing research visibility and accessibility. A large part of the workshop was devoted to a discussion and practical demonstration of ORCID ID by Mr Matthew Buys, the Regional Director of ORCID. Author IDs were also discussed from different perspectives, including a junior information specialist (Ms Lesego Makhafola); a cataloguer (Ms Martha De Waal); a researcher (Prof. Estelle Venter) and a case study at GIBS (Ms Beulah Muller).mn201
How easy is it being "green" in sustainable housing? Residents experiences with smart housing design
No full textMinimising the impact of domestic housing on the environment is an important focus for planners and designers of sustainable homes, however little is known about how consumers interact with and view sustainable housing design. With research indicating consumer reluctance towards the uptake of sustainable or "smart housing", this project was designed to monitor the day-to-day experiences of living in a Smart House. Research House in Rockhampton, Queensland has been a living laboratory over two years (2002-2004), called "home" by two adults. They shared their experiences of living in a smart house, interacting daily with sustainable housing design. This paper investigates the functional aspects of adaptation to living in smart housing. The focus is on resident's satisfaction with the design and physical layout of the house, specifically the surface design, airflow, natural lighting, access, security and spaciousness. Findings from this study contribute to evaluations of the impact of eco-friendly housing, providing consumer feedback and perceptions of smart house design after prolonged firsthand experience
Inside aged care: A photographic and poetic exhibition of laughter,loss and leisure
No full textA photographic exhibition of life in aged care was held at the State Library of Queensland earlier this year, with all photographs now freely available online. In this report, Evonne Miller, Laurie Buys, Geraldine Donoghue and Sarah Holland-Batt describe the project, key outcomes and relevance for people with dementia and their carers as they consider a move to aged car
Who Buys Local Food?
No full textUsing data from a national survey of food shoppers, a Lancaster-Weinstein model is estimated using probit analysis to investigate the characteristics of local food buyers. Because there is no standard for what “local food†is, consumer research is used to define the term fairly narrowly as buying from farmers’ markets, buying directly from farmers, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership. The results reveal that income and demographic characteristics are not dominant factors, nor do attitudes or behaviors related to the environment and health significantly affect whether shoppers buy local. Rather, it is the attitudes and behaviors related to food and shopping that significantly increase the probability that shoppers buy local food. The implications are strategies that will be effective in promoting local foods.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,
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