Study project – Audrey Allard

DIPLOMAS :

Master’s degree in Social Work, alternating internship/study (2016), University of Sherbrooke.

Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (2012), University of Sherbrooke.

CURRENT STUDIES :

N.a.

SUBJECT OF STUDY PROJECT  :

Effects of the In Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide on practice.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND AMOUNTS RECEIVED :

Fellowship from the Research Chair (2015): $2500.

COMPLETION DATE :

Successfully completed the preparatory courses in 2013-2014.

Successfully completed the first year of her master’s degree in Social Work.

Completed her internship in the fall of 2015 with Respect Seniors.

Drafted her essay from December 2015 to April 2016.

First submission to the Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences in April 2016.

Final submission to the Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences in June 2016.

Successful completion of her studies in the spring of 2016.

RESERCH PROBLEM :

Marie Beaulieu, the chairholder of the Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults, has created the tool called In Hand (Decision tree “Ethical issues, Mistreatment, Older Adults, Intervention, Scenarios” in 2010 (Beaulieu, 2010).  This is a practice guide that can be used by health or in social services practitioners in situations of mistreatment of older adults. Although this practice guide was developed in Quebec, it is possible to adapt it to other cultures or contexts (Beaulieu & Neesham-Grenon, 2011). Following a study assessing the acceptability of the project, the Walloon Agency to Counter Elder Abuse, Respect Seniors, in collaboration with the Research Chair, have decided to adapt the In Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide to the context of Respect Seniors. Although this tool has been implemented in the organization, there is no data on how this tool is used by psychosocial practitioners and on how this new practice guide influences their practice.

GOAL OR RESEARCH QUESTION :

The purpose of this essay is to assess the effects on the In Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide on the psychosocial practitioners’ practice of Respect Seniors. The research questions are the following:

Do the psychosocial practitioners use the In Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide?

How do psychosocial practitioners use the In Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide?

To which extent the In Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide can have an impact on the practice of psychosocial workers?

OBJECTIVES :

Assess the use of the In Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide by psychosocial workers.

Assess the impact of the In Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide on the practice of psychosocial practitioners.

METHODOLOGY :

Recruitment: The participants identified by this data collection are the psychosocial practitioners working for Respect Seniors. They were over 18 and had to be familiar with the Practice Guide for at least six months so that they have the opportunity to use it several times or not. They were met during a meeting with the whole team in order to know more about Audrey Allard’s internship and thesis. She explained in details her data collection and she provided them with a document containing the data collection. Recruitment was done on a voluntary basis.

Tool: Data collection took place in November 2015 with practitioners in the six regional offices of Respect Seniors. The methods used were: 1) non-participatory observations of clinical team meetings (N=1) and clinical meetings per regional office (N=1) where some complex situations were discussed with the coordinator, 2) individual interviews conducted with Respect Seniors practitioners (N = 9).

Analyses: From January to March 2016, a qualitative data analysis was performed by Audrey.WORK PROGRESS :

In the Psychological and financial mistreatment of older adults with disabilities in Quebec, led by the Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults, many steps have already been taken. Regarding the literature review, nine scientific articles have been selected for reading. As for the data collection, ten interviews were completed, and seven interviews were transcribed. Concerning the analysis of the results, a coding tree was developed, and an initial analysis was carried out in an interrater manner in order to validate and improve it.

As for the present project, the research subject has been confirmed, but the structure of the research project is still under development.

COMMUNICATIONS :

PUBLICATIONS :

Allard, A. (2016). Effets du guide de pratique En Mains-Respect Seniors sur la pratique (Essai de maîtrise). Faculté des lettres et sciences humaines, École de travail social, Université de Sherbrooke, 198p.