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Loneliness and depression are serious mental health concerns across the spectrum of residential care, from nursing homes to assisted and retirement living. Psychosocial care provided to residents to address these concerns is typically based on a long-standing tradition of 'light' social events, such as games, trips, and social gatherings, planned and implemented by staff. Although these activities provide enjoyment for some, loneliness and depression persist and the lack of resident input perpetuates the stereotype of residents as passive recipients of care. Residents continue to report lack of meaning in their lives, limited opportunities for contribution and frustration with paternalistic communication with staff. Those living with dementia face additional discrimination resulting in a range of unmet needs including lack of autonomy and belonging-both of which are linked with interpersonal violence. Research suggests, however, that programs fostering engagement and peer support provide opportunities for residents to be socially productive and to develop a valued social identity. The purpose of this paper is to offer a re-conceptualization of current practices. We argue that residents represent a largely untapped resource in our attempts to advance the quality of psychosocial care. We propose overturning practices that focus on entertainment and distraction by introducing a new approach that centers on resident contributions and peer support. We offer a model-Resident Engagement and Peer Support (REAP)-for designing interventions that advance residents' social identity, enhance reciprocal relationships and increase social productivity. This model has the potential to revolutionize current psychosocial practice by moving from resident care to resident engagement., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This article describes the development of a new mutual support group intervention for long-term care homes (LTCH); evaluates the processes, structure, and content of the intervention; and addresses replication and sustainability. Tom Kitwood's model of personhood is used as the basis for developing a weekly discussion group using themes chosen by participants and theme-associated music, readings, and photographs. A mixed-methods qualitative process evaluation design encompasses focus groups, systematic observation of six resident groups, individual resident interviews (N = 65), and staff interviews (N = 7) in three LTCH in British Columbia, Canada. Resident reports and observations indicate positive benefits including a decrease in loneliness, the development of friendships, and increased coping skills, understanding, and support. Participating staff reported numerous benefits and described how the unique group structure fosters active participation of residents with moderate-severe cognitive impairment. This preliminary study suggests that mutual support groups have potential to offset loneliness, helplessness, and depression within LTCH.

The majority of research within long-term care (LTC) has emphasized the physical health of residents, has been cross-sectional in design and has focused almost exclusively on residents with dementia. Few longitudinal studies have followed participants over intervals longer than 1 year. In contrast, the current study set out to examine the experience of LTC residents with and without significant cognitive loss over a 2-year period comparing the psychological well-being of groups over time. Significant Group x Time interaction effects were observed between residents with and without significant cognitive loss in life satisfaction and depressive symptomatology. Results of this study underscore the need for longitudinal measurement in LTC research, the use of multivariate statistical procedures and the need to identify and meet the distinct needs of residents with and without significant cognitive loss.

A new instruction theory for antibody formation is presented. The reverse flow of information from the amino-acid sequences of small antigenic determinants to an antideterminant RNA (aRNA) seems feasible. Prerequisites are specific activating enzymes, tRNAs, ATP as well as some kind of membrane assembling the anticodons of tRNAs linearly, analogous to the linear primary structure of stretched polypeptides. Once synthesized, aRNA might be replicated, utilized as transfer factor and transcribed by means of Reverse Transcriptase into aDNA. Further steps would be the fusion of this aDNA with genetical performed DNA-molecules already coding for the basic strucures of different classes of immunoglobulins by means of a terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase. This could be a chromosomal or extrachromosomal integration. The second hypothesis concerns antigen-induced immunosuppression and the phenomenon of nonresponsiveness (tolerance). An overwhelming proteolysis might give rise to a degradation of antigens or receptor templates for antigenic determinants located on the surface of macrophages. On later exposure to a similar antigen proteolytic enzymes are already preformed abolishing rapidly antigenic information. The third hypothesis concerns antibody-induced immunosuppression and tolerance. Antideterminant information is integrated into the genome or established extra-chromosomally. The continuous presence of antibodies sets in motion a sequence of reactions causing an accumulation of all information intermediates including a complementary DNA strand to the aRNA. On exposure to the corresponding antigen aRNA is transcribed. However, translation might be inhibited by hybridisation with the complementary aDNA strand as well as specific RNA hydrolysis by RNase H. Concerning the immunogenity of antibodies, a proteolytical mechanism might also be possible. Taking this into account a tolerance could be suspended in the following way: 1. by influencing the overwhelming proteolytical degradation of antigenic determinants with simultaneous antigenic stimulation; 2. by substitution of aRNA to induce blocked antibody synthesis.

The proliferation of various tumour cells was inhibited in vivo and in vitro after application of/or incubation with xenogeneic liver tissue. The development of s.c.-implanted meth-A-sarcoma was blocked by the prophylactic injection of these preparations. In addition firmly established tumours regressed under therapy. Preparations obtained from xenogeneic organs like thymus, placenta or brain had a similar antitumor activity. A mixture of various xenogeneic tissues from different species had a much higher therapeutic efficiency. In the Meth-A-system the xenogeneic material surpassed the antineoplastic effect of rather high doses of cyclophosphamide. The preparations showed no side-effects in mice and rats. These results were supported by experiments in tissue culture. This new antitumour activity of xenogeneic tissues in vivo is interpreted as mediated by an increased host defense. The results in tissue culture however, indicate also a direct regulatory effect on cells.