Need For Companionship Research Articles

Alterity, Kinship, and Repair: When Psychoanalysis Attends to the Natural World

ABSTRACT This commentary engages with Lisa Koshkarian and Chris Larrald’s proposal for a “kinship object” to theorize the human- nonhuman connectedness in psychoanalysis. The authors suggest that early experiences with the maternal environment augments the need for companionship, reciprocity, and the capacity for concern paving way for an inclination toward responsibility, reparation, and recognition of the alterity of the other. It is suggested that tolerating subjective otherness not only connects us with members of one’s own species but a consolidating kinship with all others. It is argued that the authors ecological standpoint heralds an ecopoetics of extinction-survival toward possibilities of non-hierarchical entanglements of the human and the non-human elements in the natural world.

Advanced Vehicle Detection and Tracking on Roads Using Deep Learning

Abstract: The world has been overtaken by artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and deep learning, which are affecting every aspect of our lives, including our need for companionship and the growth of smart cities and communities. Though tremendous progress has been made in fields like healthcare and education, transportation. Transportation is a significant barrier that has a huge financial and human cost on a worldwide scale. Traditional methods of assessing traffic on roads, which rely on inductive loops, don't give much information and can't control traffic in real-time. This study describes how the transportation sector could undergo a deep learning revolution. Deep learning techniques, including image and video analysis, have the potential to revolutionize road traffic monitoring by enabling computers to recognize traffic congestion, enhance road safety, and address various other concerns. The integration of deep learning technologies promises a new era of data-driven solutions for transportation-related issues, which could ultimately result in safer, more effective, and economically sustainable societies in the face of over a million annual fatalities and trillions of dollars in damages. In order to address these problems, this paper shows how well YOLOv3 detects automobiles and how well Darknet53 tracks these vehicles while they are on the road.

The Relationship Between Interpersonal Stress and Internet Usage among Adolescents

In recent years, the problems focusing on interpersonal stress of teenagers and internet usage become a hit. During adolescence, gender differences, biological changes, and social-emotional development have a significant impact on pubertal development as well as interpersonal stress. For example, females have a obviously higher need for companionship and interpersonal interaction. They use social media more frequently, and they are at higher risk of being victimized by their peers, which exacerbates their high rates of depression and interpersonal stress, leading them to rely on the internet as well. The growth of the internet and social media also deepens comparisons between people. For example, body shame, where adolescents continue to enhance content when they receive compliments and overly pander to make themselves look perfect when they receive dissatisfaction, can, to some extent, increase their anxiety and cause disturbances in their psychological development. Similarly, positive online bloggers who post videos can be inspiring, but posting about negativity or venting about reality can make immature teens more prone to depression and anxiety and further derivation into internet addiction, leading to depression and interpersonal problems. In this article, the relationship between interpersonal interactions and internet use is explored.

Food in the community daycare center: is it all about nutrition?

Abstract Background As the world's population continue to age, it's crucial to prioritize interventions that enhance quality of life, well-being, and health of older people. Sustainable environments that fulfill basic needs such as food and nutrition can aid in meeting the social needs of seniors, including belonging, autonomy, independence, and safety. The study aims to understand the experiences and meanings of eating and dining among seniors in community daycare centers, and how they support their social needs, with to goal of identifying effective strategies for promoting their health and well-being. Methods This qualitative study involved conducting seven focus groups of seniors (n = 23); interviews with settings managers (n = 7); and observations carried out between May to November 2022. Through content analysis, we identified key categories and themes that emerged from the data. Results The analysis revealed three main themes related to the experiences and perceptions of food and nutrition among seniors at the daycare center: (1) personal needs: seniors expressed a need for autonomy in selecting food, building menus, and choosing sitting arrangements. They also emphasized the importance of having access to hot and balanced meals (food security) that reflected their cultural and personal preferences. (2) Social needs: the need for companionship during mealtimes (comparing to eating alone at home), being cared for, and participation in social events such as dining out or attending picnics and parties. (3) Health-related needs: customized and healthy diets, education on healthy eating habits, and the use of reusable dishes and food waste reduction strategies to support environmental sustainability. Conclusions Meeting the personal, social, and health-related needs of seniors through better food planning and service can improve their well-being and quality of life, and contribute to public health. Key messages • Eating and dining in seniors’ settings is not only about nutrition but also about preserving health and well-being. • Interventions should focus on the opportunities that dining provides.

A Suitable Match: Eve, Enkidu, and the Boundaries of Humanity in the Eden Narrative and the Epic of Gilgamesh

AbstractJuxtaposing the shared emphasis on the basic human need for companionship in the Eden Narrative and the Epic of Gilgamesh provides new insight, both into how the texts respectively present companionship and into the issues of anthropology and gender that have previously distracted readers from this theme. Focus on parallels between Eve and Shamhat, who initiates Enkidu into human civilization, has obscured Eve’s resonance with Enkidu, created to be a match for Gilgamesh, as Eve was for Adam. The match created for the semidivine Gilgamesh is the male, semibestial Enkidu; however, Adam’s “helper” is a female, explicitly contrasted with the animals, and “bone of [his] bones and flesh of [his] flesh.” Though the heroes of the epic constantly struggle at the boundaries of human existence, the Eden Narrative depicts humans, male and female, together created distinct from god and animal, though likewise compelled to acknowledge their limitations.

Health and social needs of older adults in slum communities in Ghana: a phenomenological approach used in 2021

Slum-dwellers lack several essential amenities (such as water, sanitation, and electricity) which make them more vulnerable than non-slum dwellers. As there is limited to no access to health and social care services in slums, the slum environment is expected to be an even more dangerous environment for older adults, negatively impacting their quality of life (QoL). To provide an overview of the perceived (unmet) health and social care needs and how it affects the QoL, this study aims to explore the self-perceived health and social needs of older adults in urban slums in Ghana. Using a phenomenological approach, 25 semi-structured interviews were conducted between May and June 2021, in the homes of older adults in two slums in Ghana. After coding and analysing the transcripts, five main themes emerged: (a) perception of health; (b) (de)motivators of health service use; (c) perception of social care, (d) social needs, and (e) influence of phenomena on QoL. It appeared that older adults believed that spiritual powers were causing illnesses and influenced their use of formal health services. Other factors such as expired insurance cards and the attitude of healthcare workers served as demotivators for using health services.Perceived health needs were mainly current disease conditions (arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, vision/hearing challenges), challenges with health insurance, the behaviour of some health professionals, the proximity of health facilities, and unnecessary queues at major health facilities. Unmet social needs identified by this study were a sense of neglect by family (need for companionship), requiring assistance with activities of daily living, and the need for financial support. Participants had more health needs than social needs. Health providers do not usually prioritize the care of slum-dwelling older adults. Most participants still have challenges with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Their social needs were mainly related to financial difficulties and help with some activities of daily living. Participants expressed that they desired companionship (especially the widowed or divorced ones) and the lack of it made them feel lonely and neglected. Home visits by health professionals to older adults should be encouraged to monitor their health condition and advocate for family members to keep older adults company. Healthcare providers should exhibit positive attitudes and educate older patients on the advantages of formal health services use, as well as the need to seek early treatment as this will influence their QoL to a large extent.

The 3-H social and emotional learning cycle and the three sisters garden

Social connections are crucial for today’s middle and high school students. We address this social need through a 3-H Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Cycle. Through the Three Sisters Garden activity presented here, we teach secondary school students about biodiversity and sustainability as we integrate the arts into STEM (STEAM). Students investigate the growth and development of organisms from a crosscutting lens of systems. Students initiate the sensemaking process by paralleling their own need for companionship to plants. Students end the lesson by initiating a scientific argumentation for a Three (or Four) Brothers/Others Garden. The 3-H learning cycle begins and returns to social and emotional connections, giving equal weight of importance to the heart (social and emotional), hands (problem-solving), and heads (sensemaking). The lesson presented here exemplifies school garden-based learning and students’ ability to initiate sensemaking of the indigenous Three Sisters Garden intercropping method. Analyzing gardens from a systems lens allows students to make emotional and cognitive connections between their own need for social connections and plants increased growth and productivity in a polyculture. When students emotionally, socially, and cognitively participate in the process of science, they begin to see themselves as a part of the scientific process.

Design and Implementation of a Smart Seawater Aquarium System Based on Artificial Intelligence of Things Technology

In recent years, single societies and aging societies around the worldwide increasingly seen the emerging problem of loneliness and the growing need for companionship. To satisfy the need, the population of pet keepers is growing, and the proportion of households with pets is increasing. It is normal to have pets at home. Pet fish are kept not only for companionship but also to relieve the stress accumulated throughout the day, and they can also improve the quality of life and health of older individuals. Having a pet can help reduce anxiety and increase food intake in people with medical conditions. This article proposes a smart seawater aquarium system based on the artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) technology to lower the knowledge threshold for keeping seahorses or other marine fish as pets. The proposed system provides seawater fish owners with safe and convenient feeding methods and more pet-friendly and user-friendly choices of interactive pet care and improves the comfort and survival rate of marine life in seawater aquariums. This smart seawater aquarium system can automatically or manually adjust water quality, water temperature, and oxygen content in water, change the water, feed fish, and monitor underwater fish in real time. It solves the problem of neglecting pet fish and the difficulty of maintaining seawater aquariums. Moreover, the proposed system incorporates a cloud-based information system and a web-based platform for data transmission and interface control, and it has achieved the purposes of remote and local monitoring of the aquarium.

Needs assessment survey of healthcare providers' perceptions and practices regarding delirium prevention at a university medical center.

Background: Despite the high prevalence and serious implications of delirium, identification, tracking, and documentation of the condition remain a challenge for the health care team, impeding management of patients. This survey is the first phase of a qualitative study to build a conversational agent-based tool for screening and managing delirium-prone patients. Objectives: To assess healthcare providers’ perceptions of delirium management, focusing on patient assessment, therapeutic interventions, and subsequent communication and documentation. Design: An electronic web-based survey was distributed to healthcare providers identified as caring for inpatient acutely ill older adults admitted for medical and orthopedic surgery needs. Respondent contact information was removed to preserve anonymity. Setting: A 1,000 bed university-affiliated teaching hospital in an urban setting. Participants: 23 residents in family practice, 36 residents in internal medicine, and a total of 492 advanced care nurses, nurses, and clinical staff. Approach: The analysis of survey responses provided insight into providers’ current experiences with delirium assessment tools including computerized documentation, as well as their perceptions and attitudes toward delirium prevention. Key results: Most respondents (89%) thought delirium could be prevented, and 85% thought targeting delirium risk factors was helpful. Fifty one percent reported patients’ loneliness and need for companionship, and 65% believed delirium was linked to higher mortality. Only 14% of respondents thought existing Electronic Health Record (EHR) alerts to identify high-risk delirium patients were useful, and 38% thought current delirium assessment protocols were helpful. In addition, 33% of nurses never received formal delirium prevention training, and 48% indicated that they needed improved systems to assess and manage patients at risk for delirium. Conclusion: A majority of providers affirmed that current delirium protocols are helpful; however, existing screening instruments and methods for documentation are cumbersome, resulting in incomplete or limited documentation of episodes. These barriers lead to an understatement of evidence available for continuous improvement of the patient management process.

Effects of Meal Similarity on Interpersonal Synchronization in Three-Party Remote Dining

In recent years, online commensality, such as remote dining, has become a way to connect people in different places. In remote dining, people have drinks, snacks, or meals while chatting with each other via video calls and seek connectedness and belonging. However, many people feel that there is a gap between real-life and digital co-eating and that interaction in current remote dining fails to satisfy the need for companionship. Unlike real-life co-eating, in remote dining, one's meal may not be similar to that of a partner's because people usually prepare their own food separately. In this study, we focused on the effects of meal similarity on interpersonal synchronization and subjective feelings. We conducted a laboratory-based remote dining experiment and video analysis to investigate whether eating similar meals in remote conditions has any effect on eating behavior and to explore the relationship between meal similarity, interpersonal synchronization, and subjective feelings. The results showed that participants ate at a faster pace and conducted eating actions more frequently. They were more synchronized with their partners, and the feeling of togetherness was stronger. Thus, we suggest that preparing similar meals or ordering the same dishes can enhance the remote dining experience.

Can a humanoid social robot stimulate the interactivity of cognitively impaired elderly? A thorough study based on computer vision methods

Social Assistive Robotics is increasingly being used in care settings to provide psychosocial support and interventions for the elderly with cognitive impairments. Most of these social robots have provided timely stimuli to the elderly at home and in care centres, including keeping them active and boosting their mood. However, previous investigations have registered shortcomings in these robots, particularly in their ability to satisfy an essential human need: the need for companionship. Reports show that the elderly tend to lose interests in these social robots after the initial excitement as the novelty wears out and the monotonous familiarity becomes all too familiar. This paper presents our research facilitating conversations between a social humanoid robot, Nadine, and cognitively impaired elderly at a nursing home. We analysed the effectiveness of human–humanoid interactions between our robot and 14 elderly over 29 sessions. We used both objective tools (based on computer vision methods) and subjective tools (based on observational scales) to evaluate the recorded videos. Our findings showed that our subjects engaged positively with Nadine, suggesting that their interaction with the robot could improve their well-being by compensating for some of their emotional, cognitive, and psychosocial deficiencies. We detected emotions associated with cognitively impaired elderly during these interactions. This study could help understand the expectations of the elderly and the current limitations of Social Assistive Robots. Our research is aligned with all the ethical recommendations by the NTU Institutional Review Board.

Predict the exercise behavior intention of the older adults in Taipei City to promote exercise behavior.

The purpose of this study employed the theory of planned behavior as a research framework to analyze the explanatory power of exercise attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on exercise intention among older adults and to obtain insight on exercise behavior among older adults. The study used Ajzen's theory of planning behavior as a basis to compile the "Exercise Behavior Intention Questionnaire of the Older Adults." Results showed that there were significant differences were detected in the exercise intentions of older adults with different subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. This indicated that older adults of greater age have a greater need for companionship from family members and stronger subjective norms. In addition, exercise attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control explained the variance in exercise intention among older adults, verifying the positive explanatory power of these variables on exercise intention in older adults. The study concluded that the theory of planned behavior, improving older adults' exercise attitude alone was insufficient for increasing their exercise behavior intention. In particular, older adults of greater age had greater needs for social support from the main groups, and they required encouragement to enhance their self-efficacy and confidence.

What do young children have to say? Recognising their voices, wisdom, agency and need for companionship during the COVID pandemic

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic poses multiple challenges for young children in the modern world. Listening to, and capturing, the experiences and perspectives of young children on the pandemic are congruent with our sense of an inclusive, democratic society which values solidarity and the right to be heard, yet too often the voices of young children are excluded from consideration. This paper reports on a trans-national, qualitative study in which practitioners in England, Scotland and New Zealand have been trained in Foebelian storytelling techniques and rigorous documentation and analysis of children's narratives. These have beeen used in their pedagogy to encourage young children to express and explore their COVID experiences through their sequenced play narratives, which have been documented, curated and then analysed by their key practitioners in dialogue with a team of early year's researchers. The praxeological project is informed by Freirean theoretical concepts of empowerment, conscientization, agency and voice. An initial thematic analysis of the play narratives reveals children are expressing a desire to regain their daily life and routines, be with their friends, have extended time to play, be outdoors, and have authentic information. Practitioners and policy makers should consider these expressed needs from young children as they develop their COVID responses.

Sander’s Life Work, on Mother-Infant Vitality and the Emerging Person

ABSTRACTIn the 1960s, partly a result of the availability of television for micro-analysis of life in spontaneous communication with infants, there was a revolution in the scientific understanding of how the human mind grows. The inquisitive and responsive way a healthy baby moves shows that humans are born for intimate sharing of interests and feelings that are essential for acquiring cultural habits and understanding, including language. A newborn infant was found able to provoke and imitate emotional expressions and responses of another person, and an affectionate mother is ready to make her special contribution to joyful episodes of dialogue with rhythms and emotions that confirm the baby’s interest and eagerness to participate. A leader in this work was the psychoanalyst and neonatologist Louis Sander. His sensitive support and observation of how mothers with different personalities and degrees of self-confidence respond to a young baby’s expressions of need for companionship proved their health is adapted to share and support the expression and growth of impulses for human living.

“Just More Comfortable in the Gym”: An Exploration of the Constraints That Contribute to Adult African American Females’ Lack of Participation in Outdoor Recreation Activities

Despite a growing focus on constraints to leisure participation among African Americans, a gap in the research remains when it comes to understanding the lived experiences of African American women and their outdoor recreation participation. This study explored African American women’s constraints to leisure participation in outdoor recreation activities to better understand what guided their recreation choices. Data were collected from semistructured interview questions administered to 10 African American women who regularly engage in physical activity. The constant comparison method was used for data analysis. From the data analysis, five major themes emerged: (a) The Fit Factor, (b) Need for Companionship, (c) Identity in Outdoor Recreation, (d) The Fear Factor, and (e) Convenience Factor. The results supported that personal fears, lack of support or companionship, lack of childhood exposure, and the convenience of an activity influenced adult African American women’s outdoor recreation choices and participation.Subscribe to JOREL

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Health Professionals Towards Labor Companion in Health Institutions in Addis Ababa

Background: The day of giving birth is a time of unique and intense absorption and learning for every parturient woman because of the interplay of a variety of stressors associated with childbirth such as pain, medical intervention, and hospitalization. Thus, women in labor have a profound need for companionship, empathy, help, and emotional support especially from family members and friends to meet to their needs that the health professional may not be able to address. There is strong evidence showing that continuous support during labor effectively improves delivery outcomes. It is factual that most of the facilities in Ethiopia do not have a policy that allows a companion in the delivery room to accompany the mother despite the dire need. The knowledge and attitude of health professionals towards this support system has an immense effect on the implementation of this policy by the institutions. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of health professionals towards labor companion in the health institutions of Addis Ababa. Methods: Facility-based cross-sectional study in 30 health institutions of Addis Ababa was conducted using self-administered structured questionnaire from March 1 to June 30, 2016. The results were summarized using descriptive statistics. Bivariate logistic regression analysis and odds ratio along with 95% confidence interval was used to assess the degree of association between dependent and independent variables. The variables with significant association were entered into multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Among the total of 378 respondents, 275(72.8%) were females and 252(66.7%) were midwives. Most of the respondents, 239(93.4%) stated to have knowledge on the importance of labor companion but only 167(44.2%) had adequate knowledge. From the study participants, 239(63.2%) had positive attitude towards labor companion but only 139(36.8%) stated it is practiced in their institution. Having adequate knowledge is significantly associated with positive attitude. Health professionals working in private institutions and health centers have the practice of allowing labor companion better than those in government hospitals. Conclusion and recommendation: This study concluded that less than half of the study participants have adequate knowledge regarding the benefits of labor companion though majority have positive attitude. Health professionals should be updated on evidence-based support of labor companionship; and all the stakeholders involved should make the effort in bringing change towards labor companion.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Health Professionals Towards Labor Companion in Health Institutions in Addis Ababa

Background: The day of giving birth is a time of unique and intense absorption and learning for every parturient woman because of the interplay of a variety of stressors associated with childbirth such as pain, medical intervention, and hospitalization. Thus, women in labor have a profound need for companionship, empathy, help, and emotional support especially from family members and friends to meet to their needs that the health professional may not be able to address. There is strong evidence showing that continuous support during labor effectively improves delivery outcomes. It is factual that most of the facilities in Ethiopia do not have a policy that allows a companion in the delivery room to accompany the mother despite the dire need. The knowledge and attitude of health professionals towards this support system has an immense effect on the implementation of this policy by the institutions. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of health professionals towards labor companion in the health institutions of Addis Ababa. Methods: Facility-based cross-sectional study in 30 health institutions of Addis Ababa was conducted using self-administered structured questionnaire from March 1 to June 30, 2016. The results were summarized using descriptive statistics. Bivariate logistic regression analysis and odds ratio along with 95% confidence interval was used to assess the degree of association between dependent and independent variables. The variables with significant association were entered into multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Among the total of 378 respondents, 275(72.8%) were females and 252(66.7%) were midwives. Most of the respondents, 239(93.4%) stated to have knowledge on the importance of labor companion but only 167(44.2%) had adequate knowledge. From the study participants, 239(63.2%) had positive attitude towards labor companion but only 139(36.8%) stated it is practiced in their institution. Having adequate knowledge is significantly associated with positive attitude. Health professionals working in private institutions and health centers have the practice of allowing labor companion better than those in government hospitals. Conclusion and recommendation: This study concluded that less than half of the study participants have adequate knowledge regarding the benefits of labor companion though majority have positive attitude. Health professionals should be updated on evidence-based support of labor companionship; and all the stakeholders involved should make the effort in bringing change towards labor companion.

The Personal Antipsychotic Choice Index.

We present an online decision aid to involve patients with a psychotic disorder in shared decision-making concerning the selection of antipsychotic medication. Patients selected effectiveness and adverse effects criteria from the Subject's Response to Antipsychotics-34 questionnaire. Numerical data from meta-analyses, clinical trial data, receptor affinities and expert opinions were used to rank antipsychotics on each criterion. When using the the tool, patients indicate on a 5-point Likert scale how they value each (adverse) effect. The Likert scale values are combined in an algorithm with the rank orders of antipsychotics to create a personalized ranking. Criteria used were: effectiveness concerning psychotic, depressive and cognitive symptoms, weight gain, sexual dysfunction, drowsiness, hypersomnia, extrapyramidal symptoms, anticholinergic adverse effects, hypersalivation, nausea, dizziness, energy loss, blunted affect/less need for companionship. High-level evidence was available for ranking weight gain, sexual dysfunction, menstrual disorders, extrapyramidal symptoms and effectiveness on psychotic symptoms. We used lower level evidence ranking the remaining criteria. A transparent procedure has resulted in an updateable tool to produce individual ranking of antipsychotics based on the patients' input.

The experiences of family caregivers of people with advanced dementia living in nursing homes, with a specific focus on spouses: A narrative literature review.

Dementia affects individuals, families and their relationships. While there is increasing evidence about the experiences of family caregivers of people with dementia, relatively little is known of their experiences when their relatives are living in nursing homes with dementia. This narrative literature review aimed to synthesise current knowledge about family caregivers' experience of having relatives living in nursing homes with advanced dementia, particularly focussing on community-dwelling spouses. Using a systematic approach, textual narrative synthesis was undertaken. Four themes were identified: changing relationships, the need for companionship, adjusting to new roles and relationships and anticipating death/looking towards the future. Two additional themes were present only for spouses: changing identity - feeling married, being married; and alone but… The review demonstrates that some aspects of spouses' experiences are different from those of other family caregivers. Longitudinal studies are required to better understand spouses' motivations to continue caring in this context and to find ways of supporting them.

Stranger danger: the importance and perils of companionship in rabbits

A rabbit's need for companionship is an important element of their welfare and husbandry. Increasingly, this fact is being recognised in both the laboratory and commercial settings and legislation and guidelines have been developed to enhance a rabbits social contact with members of their own species. Sadly, the social needs of pet rabbits are often not being met by owners. This may be through lack of education on the importance of companionship to their pets or through a lack of knowledge on how to introduce members of this territorial species together. The following article discusses the importance of social housing for rabbits and ways in which introductions can be made to reduce the likelihood of fighting.