Life Of People Research Articles

“Too few, too far away, for what is paid”: Consumer voices about the personal assistance worker crisis

BackgroundThe growing gap between demand and supply of personal assistance service (PAS) workers presents a significant burden to those who use services. The intensity and duration of hardship is growing, and consumer voices need to be heard and incorporated into the national dialogue. ObjectiveThis paper explores how PAS worker shortages manifest themselves in the daily lives of people with disabilities using or needing PAS services in the United States. MethodsWe used thematic coding of qualitative data from the 2022 National Survey on Health and Disability. Respondents (n = 330) provided open-ended responses to the prompt “Briefly explain the types of problems or issues you have had finding PAS or support workers.” ResultsThree themes emerged regarding consumer perspectives and experiences with worker shortages (1) low pay, few benefits, and undervalued work, (2) demanding working conditions and logistics, and (3) low quality workers. In combination, these themes informed a fourth theme (4) impacts for PAS consumers characterized by substandard care and additional stress and workload for those who direct their own care. ConclusionsAs a society, we have taken steps to increase opportunities for community living and created policies to uphold choice and independence for people with disabilities. In the absence of an adequate workforce to support these policies, however, we convey an empty promise. Without tangible steps to resolve these problems at the policy level, such as improved worker pay and protections, hope for resolution to these issues remains elusive.

Impact of natural views on mental health during COVID-19 quarantine: A natural experiment

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the daily lives of people, and countries worldwide have implemented public health measures that restricted social contact and interactions. Individuals in isolation displayed increased mental health issues, for whom windows are a crucial means of connecting with the outside world. However, few studies have discussed the effect of having a window view on the mental health of individuals in quarantine. This study uses a natural experiment to address this knowledge gap. Between January 27, 2022 and June 19, 2022, individuals in Taiwan who were assigned to quarantine hotel room with various window views were recruited through Facebook groups. Participants completed a baseline assessment at the beginning of their quarantine period that included room and window conditions and mental health conditions, followed by a posttest assessment of the same mental health measures. Questions related to window conditions included the proportions of natural and urban landscapes viewable from their hotel windows, human activities they could observe (flow of people), and their viewshed broadness. Subsequently, this study investigated how visual access to greenness influenced the positive mental health, depression, and stress of the participants before and during quarantine. In total, 81 participants participated. The results of this study indicated that viewing vegetation and the ratio of windows to walls were associated with improved mental health, reduced symptoms of depression, and reduced stress. Specifically, an open view in the room was associated with lower levels of depression (p < 0.001) and stress (p < 0.000). Additionally, viewing people through windows was associated with reduced depressive symptoms (p < 0.006). The results of this study can inform policies for pandemic containment, but also broadly for health care, hospitals, and other related fields.

Dr Alfiee: Transforming lives for people of colour

Dr Alfiee: Transforming lives for people of colour

Application of Low-Temperature Air Plasma for the Enhancement of Defense Fabric's Self-Cleaning Property.

Self-cleaning textiles have the potential to revolutionize the lives of people like military personnel and hikers who spend extended periods of time in the sun and have restricted access to washing facilities. This research aims to develop the self-cleaning capability of defense uniforms by utilizing air plasma treatment and applying TiO2 nanocoating. Following plasma treatment of differing durations (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 min, respectively), a pad-dry cure method was employed to apply a TiO2 coating to each sample, while keeping other processing parameters constant. SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet protection factor (UVPF), energy-dispersive X-rays, and a water contact angle test were performed in order to validate the air plasma-induced surface modification. There was a gradual escalation in the rate of TiO2 absorption with an extension of the plasma treatment duration. Afterward, the samples were stained with various organic and inorganic compounds, including oil, ink, soil, and coffee, and subsequently exposed to sunlight for a period of 6 h. The samples demonstrated an enhanced cleaning effectiveness with increasing quantities of TiO2. The reflectance value and visual assessment of washed sample showed a reduced yet still present self-cleaning characteristic. The UVPF of the samples increased gradually as the duration of plasma treatment increased due to the UV absorption properties of TiO2, as validated by measuring the band gap energy.

Therapeutic Doll Interventions for People Living with Dementia in Care Homes: A Scoping Review.

Doll therapy is a psychosocial intervention that has been commonly used within dementia care for many decades. The practice of doll therapy involves supporting people with dementia to engage with a therapeutic doll and this has been associated with positive changes in a person's wellbeing and behavior. While there have been several systematic reviews that have focused on behavioral outcomes, limited reviews have explored the broader psychosocial outcomes associated with doll therapy in care home settings. A scoping review of the literature was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Four electronic databases were searched systematically (CINAHL Plus, Medline, PsycINFO, and PubMed). Twelve primary research studies from the past ten years (2013-2023) were included in this review. Primary data were synthesized using a narrative synthesis methodology. The three main themes from this review relate to a reduction in levels of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), increased communication skills, and a reduction in caregiver distress. Doll therapy has the potential to be an effective person-centered intervention that can enhance quality of life for people living with dementia in care home settings.

Study on the Internal Flow Characteristics of High Flowrate Emergency Drainage Series-parallel Pump

Abstract Floods have become the main natural disaster threatening the safety of peoples lives and property. It is of great significance to develop high flow emergency drainage equipment. An innovative structure of pumps with high flow rate and multiple operating conditions is proposed in this paper to achieve series and parallel operation. It established an automatic optimization platform that integrates functions such as 3D modeling, mesh generation, computational fluid dynamics, and scheme optimization, and developed an efficient hydraulic model for a volute mixed flow pump combining flow field diagnostic techniques. The research results indicate that the inlet distortion of the secondary stage pump is the main cause of pump performance loss for both series and parallel operation condition. The third-generation vortex identification method was used to diagnose the internal flow of the pump under two operating conditions and control strategies were proposed. The final optimization scheme show that the pump can reach 1800 m3/h with a head of 9.6m and efficiency of 80% in parallel operation condition. In series operation condition, the pump can reach 900 m3/h with a head of 18.3m and an efficiency of 75.3%.

Understanding People with Disabilities in a Local Government Arena: A Limpopo Dilemma

ABSTRACT People with disabilities face discrimination or exclusion from social services such as health care, education and employment opportunities, despite the existence of anti-discrimination statutory frameworks asserting their rights. The difficulties that persons with disabilities confront as a result of a lack of understanding of disability have not received enough attention. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to assess the influence of understanding of disability on the livelihoods of people with disabilities. The paper used a mixed research methodology (qualitative and quantitative). The quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), while the qualitative research data was analysed using NVivo. The findings of the study revealed that a disproportionately high percentage of participants (70%) perceive disability as difficulty in walking, 60% as difficulty in hearing, and 59% as virtual impairments. This study came to the conclusion that misconceptions can result in exclusion and discrimination, which can have a long-term effect on the lives of people with disabilities. This research makes contribution to theory, policy and practice by demonstrating the significant role that disability knowledge and understanding plays in the lives of persons with disabilities, and how this can lead to improved quality of life and wellbeing.

Exercise, Neuroprotective Exerkines, and Parkinson's Disease: A Narrative Review.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease in which treatment often includes an exercise regimen. Exercise is neuroprotective in animal models of PD, and, more recently, human clinical studies have verified exercise's disease-modifying effect. Aerobic exercise and resistance training improve many of PD's motor and non-motor symptoms, while neuromotor therapy and stretching/flexibility exercises positively contribute to the quality of life in people with PD. Therefore, understanding the role of exercise in managing this complex disorder is crucial. Exerkines are bioactive substances that are synthesized and released during exercise and have been implicated in several positive health outcomes, including neuroprotection. Exerkines protect neuronal cells in vitro and rodent PD models in vivo. Aerobic exercise and resistance training both increase exerkine levels in the blood, suggesting a role for exerkines in the neuroprotective theory. Many exerkines demonstrate the potential for protecting the brain against pathological missteps caused by PD. Every person (people) with Parkinson's (PwP) needs a comprehensive exercise plan tailored to their unique needs and abilities. Here, we provide an exercise template to help PwP understand the importance of exercise for treating PD, describe barriers confronting many PwP in their attempt to exercise, provide suggestions for overcoming these barriers, and explore the role of exerkines in managing PD. In conclusion, exercise and exerkines together create a powerful neuroprotective system that should contribute to slowing the chronic progression of PD.

Compact Solar Generator with Increased Efficiency

Today the world is moving towards renewable energy. Most important and common form of renewable energy is solar energy. But solar panels have less efficiency and covers more space. This paper discusses about new way of generating electricity with the help of solar panel. A small scale experiment was conducted results have proven good performance. In future this concept will prove a golden change in the life of people.

Digital learning: Differentiated teaching models using ICT in a Greek context – Good Practices "We give money, we buy things"

The importance of money in people's lives today is an important and useful skill for individuals in a transactional society. Money management is a communication, transaction, and socialization skill. People with special educational needs and especially people with mental retardation with the right training can develop the skill of recognizing and using money. Differentiated teaching with the help of ICTs is an educational approach to knowledge suitable for teaching people without or with special educational needs.

Effects of physical activity on cognitive function according to the latest selected scientific studies

Background: With the development of medicine, people's life expectancy is increasing, and consequently, there is interest in improving the quality of life, which is affected by, among other things, cognitive functions. Cognitive functions are represented by memory, the ability to absorb new information, speech, attention, reading comprehension, and communication. Many researchers have shown that physical activity (PA) can affect these processes. Aim of the study:The study aims to review the latest scientific studies on the effects of PA on cognitive functions in the broadest sense, specifically on the memory and attention of people of different ages. The paper also explains some of the processes that occur during PA and their impact on cognitive function.Material and methods:A literature review of recent scientific studies in Google Scholar, PubMed, and National Library of Medicine databases published from 2016 to 2024. The inclusion criteria were that the article had a thorough research methodology, publication language English or Polish, and open access.State of knowledge: PA, thanks in part to its effect on the release of beta-endorphins during exercise, promotes neurogenesis in adults and improves broader brain health. PA also improves brain function by affecting astrocytes - the star cells that maintain brain homeostasis. Researchers have shown that acute PA improves attention, while regular PA, lasting at least several weeks, improves academic performance. Studying adults, it has been observed that regular PA can slow progressive cognitive impairment during aging. In studies involving children, PA has been shown to have a positive effect on attention and learning.Conclusions: PA has a positive effect on improving cognitive function in people of all ages, both healthy and those with already established cognitive impairment. More research is needed.

The Business of Canang: An Overview of the Role of Balinese Women in Local Economic Development In The Breath Of Hinduism

The shift in the lifestyle of Balinese people from agrarian to industrial has changed the order of people's lives, one element of this is the emergence and development of the canang sales business. Yadnya offerings in the form of canang are the religious breath of the Hindu community in Bali. When these offerings cannot be made by households for various reasons, this creates business opportunities for Balinese women. This study aims to determine the role of Balinese women in the selling business of canang seen from the aspect of the local economy that is carried out in relation to Hinduism in Bali. This type of research is non-experimental research (ex post facto) with a qualitative descriptive method. The research sample is canang traders in Badung Regency and Denpasar City. Data collection techniques were observation, interviews, literature study, and documentation. Data analysis techniques were data reduction, data presentation and conclusion drawing. The results showed that the factors that influenced Balinese women choose to work as canang traders were for reasons of profit, flexible business, being able to divide their time with the time saving of being housewives, and having market share. The increase in activity and economic value comes not only from their canang sales business, but can also create new business opportunities from canang raw materials such as coconut leaves, banana leaves, various kinds of offering flowers, porosan, and other materials provided by local communities. These various business activities involved in selling canang and the raw materials of canang certainly move the wheels of the local economy of Bali.

Vasyl Yakovych Danylevskyi's lecture on health and illness (1921): annotated translation

Academician Vasyl Yakovych Danylevskyi is a world-renowned scientist, doctor, biologist, writer, teacher, author of introductory lectures for students of the medical faculty, published in 1921 in the book "The Doctor, His Vocation and Education". The article presents the second, abbreviated and annotated, lecture of Danylevsky V.Ya., dedicated to understanding the human body's ability to resist diseases, recover losses, and replenish resources. The author describes the mechanisms of morphological and physiological balance, defines the formula of human happiness (as a combination of purity of soul, enlightenment of the mind and health of the body). The lecture provides answers to the questions of what health is and whether a healthy person needs a doctor; what is a disease, and can health be restored without resorting to medicine; what role does society and the environment play in the full life of a person. In the lecture, special attention was paid to the actions and inactions of the doctor in combating the disease. It is important to advise the doctor about the purposeful use of his energies, caution against wasting these energies on secondary things unrelated to treatment, prevention and self-improvement. The author emphasizes the important role of the doctor in establishing all aspects of people's lives: lifestyle, nutrition, work and rest, hygiene (housing, clothing, personal), choice of profession, education and upbringing. The disease is considered by the author from the unexpected perspective of the natural mechanism "to remove the disease-causing substance from a person in order to preserve his life". The capacity for recovery and self-repair is described for both physical and mental health. The meaning of recovery is not only getting rid of the disease and replenishing resources, but also the return of a person to social life. The work of doctor Danylevskyi V.Ya. compares with the art of the best one’s representatives of all eras. And he considers the use of drugs permissible only if there is evidence of their reliability. Lecture by Danylevskyi V.Ya. about health and disease demonstrates the author's deep understanding of issues that have become the basis of modern evidence-based medicine, bioethics and pedagogy. Keywords: compensatory mechanisms, sanogenesis, history of medicine.

Impact of the “Mengabu (Facing Ash Storms) Disaster Preparedness” Program on Adolescents’ Knowledge About Disaster Preparedness in Kresik Tuo Village, Kayu Aro District, Kerinci Regency, Jambi

Natural disasters have become an integral part of people's lives in Indonesia, disrupting daily activities and causing significant impacts. Indonesia, located in the Ring of Fire, faces a high risk of volcanic eruptions, including the active Mount Kerinci which has the potential to cause disasters such as volcanic ashfall. Kresik Tuo Village, located near Mount Kerinci, faces a direct threat from this eruption. The community, especially the youth, need to improve their preparedness and knowledge to deal with potential disasters. The "MENGABU Siaga dalam Bencana" program is designed to improve the preparedness of the Kresik Tuo Village community in dealing with potential volcanic ashfall, with the hope of contributing to the development of community preparedness strategies in disaster-prone areas. To improve the knowledge of youth in Kresik Tuo Village related to disasters and disaster preparedness. The study used the Pre-Experimental research method with a Prepost Test Design. Sampling used a non-probability sampling technique with convenience sampling according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of 40 respondents. Wilcoxon test shows that there is a significant increase in the knowledge of youth preparedness for the eruption of Mount Merapi after being given the "Mengabu Siaga dalam Bencana" program. All respondents experienced an increase in knowledge, as indicated by a positive ranks value of 40 and a p value = 0.000. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that there is a significant effect of the "Mengabu (Mengabu Storm Ash) Siaga Dalam Bencana" Program on Youth Preparedness Knowledge for Disasters in Kresik Tuo Village, Kayu Aro District, Kerinci Regency, Jambi in increasing youth knowledge.

PREVENTION OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT POLLUTION IN THE COASTAL AREA OF ALBANIA

Water space on the globe occupies a total area of about 360 million km2, which constitutes 70% of the Earth's surface, becoming the most important mode of transportation in the field of import and export trade. Our daily lives are closely linked to the sea, where water surfaces have become an important part of people's lives around the world. However, the current situation of the marine environment is not optimistic, marine pollution has become a significant topic in today's society. All marine pollution incidents such as oil spills or leaks, chemical incidents, plastic pollution, air pollution from ships, etc., have caused significant and difficult recovery of the marine environment. Today, a special attention is being given to the prevention and control of the appearance of these marine pollutions, as well as the management of polluted waters. The MARPOL Convention is the main international convention covering the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. The aim of this study is to give an overview of the existing marine pollution in the coastal part of Albania and develop solutions to existing problems. The Republic of Albania has acceded to this convention, has drafted national legislation as well as management plans for the prevention of marine pollution.

Medium-term forecast of the dynamics of life attitudes of Russians

The article presents a method for forecasting trends in changes in mass consciousness in terms of life attitudes, i.e. those values according to which people try to build their lives. Modern applied sociology successfully uses the forecast of electoral and consumer behaviour of citizens. The time lag of forecast reliability: for electoral behaviour - 4-5 weeks, for consumer behaviour - up to a year. Forecasting for 10-20 years is practiced mainly in demography. It is more difficult to forecast changes in mass consciousness based on value attitudes of citizens. If we assume that the development of the state is evolutionary, then the combination of heuristic and mathematical methods allows us to forecast trends in the attitudes of the population aged 40 and older, as basic for the economic and political functioning of the state. In methodological terms, the article proposes a procedure for forecasting trends only, without claiming high accuracy of numerical indicators, with mandatory consideration of weak variability of basic numerical indicators measured as of 2024. To forecast trends, there were used data from an all-Russian representative sociological study, accumulated in integral indices, as well as in verbal constructs using factor analysis. The combination of these methods allowed to make a generally stable 20-year forecast of trends in changes in the life attitudes of Russians. As a tool for a detailed forecast indices as integrated indicators of the intensity and direction of a trend were used, and for a generalised forecast - verbal constructs formed on the basis of factor analysis. The choice of the subject of the forecast is based on the hypothesis that the &amp;amp;quot;catalyst&amp;amp;quot; of life attitudes are three components of life activity: the life trajectory chosen by the individual, including the preferred types of life activity; the identification of the individual with reference groups as a contact environment, a mechanism of value communication and self-realisation; the choice of forms of social behaviour by the individual based on the basic moral principles of people's life activity. These three aspects of the population's life activity are not only socially (phylogenetically), but also to a large extent biologically (ontogenetically) determined, therefore they are highly stable, that allows us to talk about the stability of the medium-term forecast of trends in the interval of up to 20 years. Thus, the article proposes the tested in an applied sociological study combined method of medium-term forecast of social groups' attitudes in a situation where repeated studies are not conducted to build a dynamic series of empirical indicators. The forecast presented in the article operates with indicators that are important for consideration in the practice of medium-term planning of the state’s social policy.

Utilization Of Artificial Intelligence And Big Data In Disaster Management: Future Risk Reduction Strategies

Disasters are events that significantly impact people's lives and living spaces globally. Natural disasters can arise from various causes, such as climate change, geological movements, weather events, and human factors. The damage caused by these disasters can affect millions of people and negatively impact societies economically, socially, and environmentally. Disaster management has emerged as a multidisciplinary field aimed at minimizing the damage caused by disasters and making communities more resilient to them. Traditional disaster management strategies include emergency planning, crisis management, pre-disaster preparation, and rapid response during disasters. However, these strategies generally reflect a reactive approach and rely on human resources and existing infrastructure. This article aims to examine the role and impact of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data in the field of disaster management. While artificial intelligence is known for its ability to analyze complex datasets, discover patterns and relationships, optimize decision-making processes, and predict future events, big data provides the ability to process large amounts of data quickly and efficiently, transforming them into meaningful information. These technologies play a significant role in pre-disaster preparation, crisis management during disasters, and post-disaster recovery processes. The article discusses how artificial intelligence and big data technologies can be used in disaster management, how these technologies can be integrated into disaster risk reduction strategies, and how their effectiveness can be assessed. In conclusion, the integration of artificial intelligence and big data technologies into disaster management offers a more effective and efficient approach to dealing with disasters and can make significant contributions to making communities more resilient to disasters. This article aims to provide a guide to understanding the current state of disaster management and developing more effective strategies.

Tiktok, Instagram and Presidential Election: A Study to Understand How Politainment in Indonesian Political Campaigns 2024

The development of technology has brought about various transformations in the lines of people's lives, one of which is in political contestation. A political contestation in Indonesia has just passed namely the 2024 General Election. The Indonesian people elected 4 Legislative Members and 1 Pair of Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates in that election. There were three candidate pairs in the 2024 presidential election. Candidate Pair Prabowo-Gibran, Candidate Pair Anies-Muhaimin and Candidate Pair Ganjar-Mahfud. In the campaign process, something was interesting, namely that the discourse battle had shifted to a non-discourse battle. One is politainment, which the candidate pairs presents to the public on social media. Politainment itself refers to the equivalent of the words politics and entertainment. This is interesting because political contestation is very close to the battle of ideas and discourse in the campaign process. However, in the 2024 presidential election, this has shifted. Therefore, this is interesting to examine further. This study uses a qualitative approach to dig deeper into politainment in the 2024 Presidential Election political campaign. The data will be selected using purposive sampling techniques, and then the data that has been obtained will be analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis techniques. This study found that politainment is used by presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs to wrap messages in political campaigns

Pengaruh Olahraga Permainan Tradisional Congklak Terhadap Perkembangan Psikomotorik dan Kognitif Siswa Sekolah Dasar

Traditional sports and games, such as congklak, have been an inseparable part of culture and people's lives since ancient times. This research aims to reveal the influence of the congklak game on psychomotor and cognitive development in elementary school students. By comparing groups of students who regularly play congklak and those who don't, this research wants to find out whether this traditional game can improve students' fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, counting ability, and problem-solving ability. It is hoped that the results of this research can contribute to cultural preservation and improving the quality of education by integrating traditional games as an effective learning medium.

Study on the Inheritance System for Virtual Property on The Internet

With the progress of Internet technology, the network has become an indispensable part of people's lives. Due to the economic development to promote productivity and production mode to produce changes, so that the network virtual property gradually received people's attention. The protection of network virtual property in China is only stipulated in Article 127 of the Civil Code. However, this article is only a guiding provision for network virtual property and network virtual property inheritance has not yet made clear provisions, therefore, this paper will focus on the attributes of network virtual property, the necessity of inheritance, and the problems arising in the process of inheritance research, and strive to find appropriate solutions.