The roles of family care partners of older persons living in long-term care homes (LTCH) were severely disrupted during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Our aim was to describe their experiences and to solicit their recommendations for supportive actions. We conducted a critical ethnography with 24 care partners who cared or had cared for an older person living in an LTCH in Québec during the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected data during interviews and used Spradley’s method to analyse them. Care partners experienced a forced separation from the older persons they cared for, which resulted in significant distress. Care, including post-mortem care, was considered inadequate and sometimes even inhumane. Communication was inconsistent, and this variability was also noted in visitation rules. Care partners perceived LTCHs as a neglected community. Supportive actions were recommended. The results illustrated the essential contribution of care partners, and the supportive actions they recommended must be a catalyst for change toward more humane care in LTCH settings.

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, strict visitor restrictions were issued for long-term care facilities (LTCFs). A year later, restrictions are still in place and they continue to impact family members who have limited or no in-person contact with their relative in LTCFs. The goal of this qualitative longitudinal focused ethnography was to understand the experience of family members who have a relative in a LTCF where visiting has been restricted during the pandemic. Seventeen family members participated in two interviews that were 6 months apart. Data analysis highlighted five key drivers, defined as the workforce, communication deficits, characteristics of care, public health directives, and autonomy of relative which in turn resulted in three main themes: psychological distress, surveillance, and visiting challenges. This study provides a glimpse into the difficult experiences of families with a relative residing in a LTCF in the province of New Brunswick.

À partir de la pratique des consultations pédopsychiatriques familiales au sein des urgences hospitalières un phénomène semble se manifester dans les interactions familiales à l’adolescence. Ce phénomène concerne la vulnérabilité du lien filial après la traversée sans heurts apparents de la petite enfance lorsque émergent à l’adolescence de graves conflits conduisant à un détachement qualifié d’irrévocable par les parents. Cette vulnérabilité lorsque elle s’exacerbe conduit l’adulte parfois à vouloir démissionner de ses fonctions parentales. À l’adolescence, pour le jeune c’est le temps des doutes, des peurs, de la prise de conscience de l’imperfection des adultes et plus particulièrement de l’imperfection et de la fragilité de ses propres parents. Ces multiples changements entraînent des conduites insolites et sans gravité, mais, quelquefois aussi, des conduites à risques suscitant des interrogations, des inquiétudes et des appels au secours. Les demandes d’aide traduisent heureusement le plus souvent un épisode difficile mais bref, accompagné d’un détachement traditionnel et même souhaitable de l’adolescent pour son parent. Souvent, ces conflits ordinaires sont liés à la difficulté d’autonomisation de l’adolescent ou au refus du parent d’accepter cette autonomie. Parfois pourtant, les demandes de consultations concernent un jeune déjà en danger, un jeune dont les conduites risquent de le marginaliser. Ce qui est surprenant, c’est la demande de certains parents qui posent des questions précises sur la possibilité de se désengager du poids de leurs responsabilités devenues trop lourdes. Ils revendiquent alors l’accès à une liberté à laquelle ils estiment avoir trop longtemps renoncé. Ces situations ne sont pas le fait de familles appartenant à un milieu social particulier. Cependant elles concernent un nombre de plus en plus important de parents élevant seuls leur enfant et plus précisément de femmes isolées qui évoquent fréquemment l’absence du père.

Le training autogène du couple ou de la famille est une technique dérivée du training autogène et adapté au couple parental, ou d’autres couples (mère et fils ou père et fils) dans d’autres contextes psychothérapiques pour améliorer la communication entre les membres de la famille et de promouvoir le début d’un processus d’individuation dans les membres de la famille. Il peut être montré dans le contexte de l’addictiologie, de l’anorexie mentale et dans toutes les situations de communication faussée entre les membres de la famille en général. Dans cette communication, nous préciserons la technique et nous présenterons quelques exemples d’application.

L’addiction aux jeux vidéo touche principalement les adolescents et jeunes adultes. Claude Olievenstein [4] décrivait l’addiction comme la rencontre entre un produit, une personnalité et un moment socioculturel. Ceci s’applique particulièrement pour les jeux vidéo et la révolution numérique. Cette addiction prend souvent son origine au temps particulier de l’adolescence, notamment lors de la seconde phase du processus de séparation/individuation [1,2]. Ensuite, elle peut devenir envahissante et tyrannisante pour la vie familiale [3,4]. Les parents sont aussi, bien souvent, à l’origine de la demande de soin, précédant le joueur. Partant de ce constat, nous avons porté une attention toute particulière à l’entourage dans ses plaintes et ses demandes, afin de progresser dans notre connaissance de cette problématique. Le service d’addictologie du CHU de Nantes dispose d’une consultation spécialisée dans cette addiction et d’un groupe de parole destiné aux membres de l’entourage d’un joueur supposé souffrir d’un problème de jeux vidéo. Nous avons réalisé une étude descriptive au CHU de Nantes entre février et juin 2013. Un questionnaire était adressé aux parents rencontrés sur le groupe Entourage afin de décrire et de comprendre les enjeux familiaux autour de l’addiction aux jeux vidéo. L’objectif principal de cette étude était d’obtenir des témoignages de familles de joueurs excessifs afin de mieux connaître les interactions autour de la conduite de jeux vidéo, jugée excessive. Notre objectif secondaire était de dégager des profils sociodémographiques de familles, d’entendre leurs inquiétudes et leurs attentes notamment en termes de soins ainsi que d’évaluer leurs connaissances en matière de jeux vidéo. Au total, dix familles ont répondu et nous proposons de décrire ces résultats illustrant la place de la famille dans l’addiction aux jeux vidéo et dans le soin.

La question des troubles des conduites alimentaires mobilise les équipes en pédopsychiatrie au point que la SFPEADA a tenu ses dernières Journées nationales à Poitiers, en juin 2014, sur ce thème qui sera, à nouveau, repris lors d’une Journée scientifique qui aura lieu le 24 avril à Amiens. Les questions abordées par notre forum aborderont les soins à donner à ces troubles dans le champ de la pédopsychiatrie en se centrant sur trois points de vue : les aspects spécifiques en termes de psychopathologie, de clinique et d’épidémiologie des anorexies mentales masculines (J. Chambry), sur les manières de faire groupales traitant des groupes d’anorexiques comme des groupes de parents, cela pour penser le trouble ensemble et autrement (C. Mille), ainsi que sur les impacts sur les familles lorsque les bébés ne se nourrissent pas par la bouche (R. Scelles). Ce forum déploiera ainsi un panel de réflexions et de pratiques alliant la question de l’identité à celle de l’appartenance des jeunes patients anorectiques.

One method of compensating for economic inequality between spouses at the time of divorce is to award a sum of money, paid monthly over a varying period of time or paid in a lump sum. The criteria for awarding an allowance are comparable in all of the European countries analyzed. The end result of the generality of those criteria is that the principle and amount of the allowance rest largely on the discretion of the judge.

Given the uncertainty that this discretion entails, there have not necessarily been any scales or guidelines developed at the initiative of the authorities with the objective of assisting judges and parties in doing this assessment. However, calculation methods have arisen whose sources and rationales cover a very wide range. The article proposes to produce a review of these various methods and to consider, in the case of France, the rationales they advance.

New Brunswick is one of the provinces most affected by the aging of the population. Moreover, aging at home in Francophone minority communities is a major challenge in rural areas. The goal of this paper is to identify the main advantages and disadvantages of aging at home and to expose organizational strategies deployed by seniors and their families in order to promote aging in place. The case study is the method of analysis that we have recommended. Our methodology is based on content analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews with seniors and their children. The results show that family and community support, resourcefulness and resiliency, the practice of leisure activities as well as the living environment are among the principal means used by older adults to promote aging at home.

This study examined the socioeconomic pathways linking partnership status to physical functioning, assessed using objective measures of late life physical functioning, including peak flow and grip strength. Using Wave 4 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we ran multilevel models to examine the relationship between partnership status and physical function in late life, adjusting for social-network characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and health behaviours. We found a robust relationship between partnership status and physical function. Incorporating social-network characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and health behaviours showed independent robust relationships with physical function. Co-variates attenuated the impact of cohabitation, separation, and widowhood on physical function; robust effects were found for singlehood and divorce. Sex-segregated analyses suggest that associations between cohabitation, singlehood, divorce, and widowhood were larger for men than for women. Results suggest that social ties are important to improved physical function.

Little is known about how persons with dementia and their care partners respond to mealtime changes that occur throughout the dementia journey. By interviewing 27 persons living with dementia and their 28 care partners, we explored the meaning and experience of change surrounding mealtimes. Participants adjusted to mealtime change by adapting to an evolving life, as a result of a dynamic process of becoming aware of change, attaching meaning to change, and responding to change. Seminal events compounded by a sense of things being different triggered awareness of mealtime changes. Meaning was attached to mealtime changes, observed through emotions experienced and diverse strategies developed to support mealtime values. Responding to change ranged from resisting, to being in a holding pattern, to transforming and adapting. Understanding how individuals and families adjust to mealtime changes, and the strategies they develop, provides critical insights for supporting families throughout the dementia journey.

Cet article examine le lien entre la famille et l'État au niveau des traitements pour les personnes âgées. L'auteur cherche à déterminer pourquoi il incombe à la famille et plus particulièrement aux femmes de veiller sur les membres âgés de la parenté. Il examine également le rôle que l'état joue en soulignant l'importance du rôle de la famille et il cite à cet effet une étude empirique importante qui porte sur les traitements offerts aux personnes âgées à Sheffield en Grande-Bretagne. Les résultats de cette étude sont utilisés pour mettre en valeur la base normative de la relation de soins. En conclusion, l'auteur examine divers autres genres de traitements et il émet des doutes concernant l'hypothèse naïve d'un conflit entre les personnes âgées et ceux qui veillent sur elles.

This study examines the perceptions of childlessness reported by 287 childless respondents aged 55 and over who were part of a larger study (n - 678) on aging and social support. Sixty-seven per cent (n = 193) report advantages to childlessness and 64 per cent (n = 185) report disadvantages. Qualitative data show that key perceived advantages are fewer worries or problems, financial benefits, greater freedom, and career flexibility. The major disadvantages are lack of companionship/being alone/loneliness, lack of support and care when older, and missing the experience of parenthood. Bivariate and multivariate analyses of the effects that gender, marital status, age, and childless status (childless by choice or by circumstance) have on the perceived advantages and disadvantages of having no children show that there is variability in perceived advantages only. When we compare specific perceived advantages and disadvantages to related experience, only some perceived benefits (financial advantage) are associated with actual experience. Findings are discussed in the context of actually experiencing costs and benefits versus sharing widely-held beliefs about childlessness.

This paper presents a selective review of sociological gerontology in Canada, examining where it has been, where it is, and where it could go in the future in four general areas: inequality, population aging and the social construction of crisis; family relations and caregiving; work, retirement and income security; and health, health care systems, and health policy. This review suggests that the sociology of aging has not differentiated itself by the topic studied or by its applied and empirical focus, but rather in its unique perspective that reveals the importance of social structures for the personal and private experience of aging. In doing so, sociological gerontology rejects deterministic assumptions ofinevitability. The importance of relating the personal to the public and of continuing a critical examination of existing trends will continue into the future. An additional challenge will be the generation ofnew knowledge on how to transform institutions so that they better enhance the quality oflife ofseniors, including the identification of support of family structures and community environments, as well as more appropriate health and income security policies. This also includes research on effective and appropriate means of introducing new structures and implementing new policies and programs within the context of current social institutions.

This study examines the decision of institutionalizing an elderly parent suffering from cognitive impairments and the various people involved in this process: the elderly person, the informal caregiver, certain family members and health and social service professionals. Based on a qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with 16 elderly people and their family networks, this study reveals the importance of considering the point of view of everyone involved. The results show that one of the main reasons behind the decision to institutionalize an elderly person is the appearance of disturbing behaviours related to his or her cognitive impairments. Diverse strategies used by family members and health and social service professionals in order to bring about the institutionalization of an elderly person when he or she is opposed to it are presented as well as the ethical dilemmas this raises. We conclude with a presentation of research and intervention recommendations.

Canadians are experiencing increased life expectancy and chronic illness requiring end-of-life care. There is limited research on the multiple roles for family members providing home-based palliative care. Based on a larger ethnographic study of client-family-provider relationships in home-based palliative care, this qualitative secondary analysis explores the enactment of multiple roles for family members providing home-based palliative care to seniors with advanced cancer. Family members had multiple expectations to provide care but felt their expectations of services were unmet. The process of enacting multiple roles was depicted by three interrelated themes: balancing, re-prioritizing, and evolving. Positive and negative health responses resulted from attempts to minimize personal health while simultaneously maintaining health. “True” family-centred care was found to be lacking, but should be a goal of health professionals involved in end-of-life care.

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in family involvement following a relative's move to a long-term care facility as well as factors associated with these changes. Qualitative data, using in-depth, active interviews were gathered from 35 family members at two points in time following a relative's move to a facility. Findings showed some changes in contact that were related to personal, social, institutional, and health conditions. Occasionally, new types of care were provided; more often care was rebalanced or expressed in alternative ways. The majority of participants did not view themselves as caregivers, a perception that remained stable over time. Consistent with continuity theory, families, in most cases, tended to seek ways to maintain consistency in their roles as family members and carers, particularly in the first year or so after placement. Nonetheless, facility staff should be aware of the factors that might influence changes over time in family caregiving roles and offer support to families dealing with these issues.

Drawing on a qualitative study of families' experience with Alzheimer's disease, this paper examines family members' reaction to identity transformation or loss of self in the afflicted loved one, using a symbolic interactionist perspective. The findings show that family members find this aspect of the disease emotionally stressful. Refusing to let go of what remains of the loved one's former self, they employ a number of strategies in an effort to protect her/his social and self-identity. These strategies include concealing information, medicalizing inappropriate behaviour, fostering independence, managing appearance, and perceiving selectively.

The objective of this study was to explore the way in which relationships develop between family members and staff working in long-term care facilities. In-depth, qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 registered nurses. Data were analysed inductively using the constant comparative method. Findings showed that RNs perceive their relationships with families to develop in four stages: the “initial greeting,” sizing up,” “making a tentative decision,” and “reaching a final decision”. Several contextual factors were associated with the way in which relationships developed, including structural factors, family recognition of staff efforts, open communication, and professional identity. Findings suggest that relationships can best be understood from an interpretive perspective and that an analysis of family-staff relationships should consider the influence of social power.

Drawing on the intergenerational stake hypothesis (Bengtson and Kuypers, 1971), this article explores intergenerational congruence and incongruence on filial obligation, and implications for social support, between older nisei (second generation) parents and adult sansei (third generation) children in Japanese Canadian families. Using data from semi-structured interviews with 100 parent–child dyads in British Columbia, congruence on close-ended responses to value statements (degree congruence) and the content congruence of open-ended responses are examined. The findings show the majority of parent-child dyads indicate overall (both degree and content) congruence in filial obligation, especially when a parent is female, widowed, and/or has poor/fair health status. We conclude that despite markedly different historical life course experiences and acculturation processes, both generations continue to regard filial obligation as important. These findings are discussed with respect to implications for social support exchanges given a continued valuation of filial obligation in Asian post-immigrant (North American-born) and immigrant families.