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Objective: To investigate how small, local organisations were impacted by and responded to COVID‐19 in their delivery of social care services to older adults (70 years and older). Lessons learnt and future implications are discussed. Methods: Six representatives from four social care services (five females and one male) participated in individual semistructured interviews. Responses were analysed thematically. Results: The key themes identified were service providers' experience, perceived needs of older adults and adapting services. Service providers positioned themselves as front‐line essential workers for their older adult clients, resulting in some emotional toll and distress for the service providers. They provided information, wellness checks and at‐home assistance to keep their older adult clients connected. Conclusions: Service providers feel more prepared for future restrictions but flag the potential of training and supporting older adults to use technology to stay connected, as well as the need for more readily available funding to allow services to adapt quickly during times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to understand the impact of COVID-19 on access to mental health and social services among older adults in Western Australia. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 194 adults aged ≥70 years or ≥60 years with chronic conditions. A questionnaire co-developed by a consumer reference group was used to collect data on social networks and service access. Frequency analyses were used to assess quantitative data. Qualitative data were assessed using thematic analyses. 62.7% of participants reported being not at all/slightly affected by COVID-19; 40.7% reported having three/four people to chat with. 76.3% of participants did not access mental health or social services during the 2020 COVID-19 restrictions. The remaining 23.7% mostly accessed mental health-related services, with GPs the most common source of support. 18.0% of the total sample reported choosing not to access services even though they would have liked to. Most older adults in this sample did not access mental health or social care services. 18.0% of all participants felt they needed services but did not access them. This suggests there were some unmet needs within the community. Strengthening social networks may help protect older adults against psychosocial declines during and post-COVID-19. What is already known about this topic: Older adults are at an increased risk of social isolation, loneliness, and mental health declines during COVID-19. COVID-19 has brought a substantial need for, and disruption to, mental health and social care services locally and globally. Services have had to change the way they deliver care, which has presented challenges in providing mental health and social support to older adults. What this topic adds: Most older adults did not access mental health or social care services during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. The greatest barriers to access were the belief that I "should be able to cope on my own" and a preference for face-to-face care. Local governments and community organisations play a key role in strengthening social networks and protecting older adults' psychosocial wellbeing during and post-COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults are vulnerable to isolation and poor emotional wellbeing during COVID-19, however, their access to appropriate supports is unknown. The aim of this study was to explore older adults' experiences accessing social and emotional support during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Ten older adults from Western Australia (Australia) aged 68 to 78 years participated in individual semi-structured interviews between December 2020 and January 2021. Responses were investigated using thematic analysis. Three key themes emerged: adaptability and self-sufficiency; informal support-seeking; and digital and online technologies. Older adults were adaptable to COVID-19 restrictions; however, some were anxious about reconnecting with their social networks once restrictions had eased. Older adults relied on their informal support networks to maintain their social and emotional wellbeing during lockdown. Digital platforms (e.g., Zoom, social media) enabled older adults to stay connected with others, yet some older people were unable or reluctant to use technology, leaving them vulnerable to social isolation. Older adults are resilient to the challenges of COVID-19. Informal supports and digital technologies are important to maintaining social and emotional wellbeing during lockdown. Local governments and community groups may benefit from increased funding to deliver services that promote social connectedness during times of crisis. What is already known about this topic: (1) Older adults are vulnerable to social isolation and poor mental health during COVID-19. (2) Older adults are less likely to seek and receive help for their emotional and social health than younger age groups. (3) Barriers to accessing appropriate supports include physical health problems, stigma, negative attitudes towards help-seeking and system-level factors. What this topic adds: (1) Older adults were able to adapt well to COVID-19 restrictions and relied on informal supports to maintain their wellbeing. (2) Older adults with limited social networks and poor access to and/or knowledge of digital technologies are at the greatest risk of social and emotional declines. (3) Telephone "warm" lines, volunteering opportunities, and programs to improve digital literacy may help to protect older adults' social and emotional wellbeing during times of crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dog relinquishment is common practice across Australia and in many other countries. The psychological impact of dog relinquishment is an under-researched area. While a few studies have shown that the dog relinquishment experience can be emotionally distressing and cognitively challenging for adults, nothing is known about the impact of the experience on children. This paper reports on the recollections of 10 adults, who in qualitative interviews in Western Australia, described their childhood experience of dog relinquishment. The findings suggest that children experiencing dog relinquishment feel powerless and voiceless, having no influence or say in what happens to their dogs. The experience can be cognitively and emotionally distressing, especially for children who are close to their dogs. Getting rid of a child's loved dog can damage the parent-child relationship. In addition, the thoughts and feelings associated with losing their dogs in this way can remain long after the event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolonging the working life of older adults has been suggested by various researchers and policymakers as a strategy to alleviate challenges posed by the inevitable ageing of the population. It is thus important to have measures with which to assess and monitor factors relevant to older adults' employment. Research indicates that negative attitudes towards older workers are at the heart of employment discrimination; hence, the current research developed and assessed a new measure of attitudes towards older workers. A questionnaire asking about older workers was prepared in three versions (male, female, and gender neutral). Each version of the Attitudes towards Older Workers Scale (AOWS) was pilot tested, refined, and field tested with random samples totalling 246 hiring decision-makers and 219 undergraduate students. Internal consistency ranged between .89 and .95 across the samples and questionnaire versions. Test-retest reliability correlations for male, female, and gender-neutral versions were .83, .78, and .90, respectively. The AOWS will be a valuable tool for research, development of interventions, and for informing policy formulation in the areas of ageing, retirement, and employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageist attitudes have been identified across different industries. The nursing profession has a high proportion of older workers. As this facilitates regular contact with, as well as exposure to, older nurses, it may be expected to show less ageism. This study investigated 163 Western Australian nursing recruiters' attitudes toward older nurses. Results showed clear evidence of both negative and positive stereotyping of older nurses. Nursing recruiters indicated that they would be more than likely to hire older nurses and that age was less relevant in making hiring decisions. These findings suggest that enhancing the employability of older workers does not necessarily change ageist attitudes. This is relevant to policy formulation, attitude change interventions, and the well-being of older workers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

General practitioners (GPs) in Australia typically do not refer clients to mental health care providers. Few systematic and referenced studies of the reasons for this lack of collaboration have been identified. The current research addresses this gap by investigating GPs' views on psychologists and the factors that determine patient referral. The research used a qualitative design consisting of semistructured in-depth interviews that were tape recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed. Participants were 12 Western Australian GPs from the Perth metropolitan area. The main findings were that GPs were satisfied with psychologists' capabilities but not their professional communications and were overwhelmingly dissatisfied with a mental health system that does not readily provide funding for patients in need of mental health care services. The findings suggest that GPs would like health care policies to be more inclusive of psychological services and are interested in collaborating with psychologists for better patient outcomes. Directions for further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]