Health & Human Sciences

Afternoons with Puppy is a heartwarming account of dynamic relationships and outcomes involving a therapist, his therapy animals, and his patients over the course of almost two decades. It is a narrative of Dr. Fine's experiences and the growing respect for the power of the animals effect on his patients and himself.
This book is the first of its kind to discuss in detail the actual management of local animal control programs as opposed to the care of the animals. The book covers those financial, personnel, legal, health, and safety issues that animal control directors and management staff need to know in providing direction and oversight of animal control programs.   Chapters examine selected topics in which the author assesses the strengths and weaknesses, offers new insights and strategies for managing more effectively. For example, the two chapters on contracting discuss the steps in the process, strategies, and suggested provisions in the written agreement to make the program more effective. The animal law chapters explain the basis for the laws, but also highlight those provisions that if enacted into law, can strengthen enforcement options. The chapter on budget and revenues explains funding variations among programs and how local officials have been creative in financing these programs.   Subjects addressed in this book include many recently recognized as vital to the management of animal control programs. They include: need for Web sites, use of program evaluations, and the value of forms, records and reports. In addition, the author discusses and assesses from a new perspective: interacting with the public and the media, liability issues, wildlife problems, and the politics of animal control.  
The integration of animals into the therapy setting by psychotherapists has been a growing trend. Psychological problems treated include emotional and behavioral problems, attachment issues, trauma, and developmental disorders. An influential 1970s survey suggests that over 20 percent of therapists in the psychotherapy division of the American Psychological Association incorporated animals into their treatment in some fashion. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the number is much higher today.   Since Yeshiva University psychologist Boris Levinson popularized the involvement of animals in psychotherapy in the 1960s, Israel has come to be perhaps the most advanced country in the world in the area of animal-assisted psychotherapy (AAP). This is true especially in the areas of academic training programs, theory-building, and clinical practice. Great effort has been put into understanding the mechanisms behind AAP, as well as into developing ethical guidelines that take into account the therapist's responsibility toward both client and animal.   This book exposes the world to the theory and practice of AAP as conceived and used in Israel. It emphasizes evidence-based and clinically sound applications with psychotherapeutic goals, as differentiated from other animal-assisted interventions, such as AAE (animal-assisted education) and AAA (animal-assisted activities), which may have education or skills-oriented goals. Not just anyone with a dog can call him- or herself an animal-assisted therapist. This volume demonstrates not only the promise of animal-assisted psychotherapeutic approaches, but also some of the challenges the field still needs to overcome to gain widespread legitimacy.  
This volume is a collection of chapters all contributed by individuals who have presented their ideas at conferences and who take moderate stands with the use of animals in research. Specifically the chapters bear of the issues of: notions of the moral standings of animals, history of the methods of argumentation, knowledge of the animal mind, nature and value of regulatory structures, how respect for animals can be converted from theory to action in the laboratory. The chapters have been tempered by open discussion with individuals with different opinions and not audiences of true believers. It is the hope of all, that careful consideration of the positions in these chapters will leave reader with a deepened understanding--not necessarily a hardened position.
At Wit’s End: Plain Talk on Alzheimer’s for Families and Clinicians, now in its Second Edition, is a straightforward summary of leading advice for understanding and caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, written without technical jargon and impractical nuance. About one-third of our population will eventually provide care for someone with Alzheimer’s. The strain of caring for a loved one with this disease can be enormous, yet the reward of enhancing a loved one’s quality of life is beyond measure. So, where to begin? Many books delve into other specific areas of Alzheimer’s care, emphasizing the financial and legal challenges, as well as myriad medical treatment needs of those experiencing the disease. Unique among these offerings, At Wit’s End explains the psychiatric and psychological aspects of Alzheimer’s, and does so in a holistic and practical manner. Dr. Kraus focuses on the whole person across his or her full social, psychological, physical, and spiritual life to provide as complete a picture as possible of the changes that are in play. With this broad, thoughtful, and grounded approach, family members, clinicians, and caregivers are better able to discover and make wise choices from a wealth of effective interventions in all areas of care. It also allows them to care for themselves and their families in the dynamic and supportive care process.
Effective communication enhances quality of life. In Changing Seasons: A Language Arts Curriculum for Healthy Aging, Denise Calhoun provides a language-based, interdisciplinary program to help older adults improve their communication skills. Each activity reveals new, creative, and fun ways to get individuals to speak, think, write, engage with others, and use their imagination. As the activities promote meaningful interactions and the creation of a stimulating environment, Changing Seasons underscores the importance of sustaining quality of life as we and those we love age.
The professional communities of psychologists and child welfare specialists to a deeper, higher and more encompassing awareness and understanding of the crucial linking of caring for animals and children in human experience. The combination of careful research, documentation, and compelling narrative accounts are blended into a rich resource to help professionals and concerned citizens and parents understand how the ethics of caring are not bounded by species. Educators, clergy, coaches, law enforcement, and mental health workers, parents, students of developmental science.
The beloved best seller has been revised and expanded for the fifth edition. Jolene Brackey has a vision: that we will soon look beyond the challenges of Alzheimer's disease to focus more of our energies on creating moments of joy. When people have short-term memory loss, their lives are made up of moments. We are not able to create perfectly wonderful days for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, but we can create perfectly wonderful moments, moments that put a smile on their faces and a twinkle in their eyes. Five minutes later, they will not remember what we did or said, but the feeling that we left them with will linger. The new edition of Creating Moments of Joy is filled with more practical advice sprinkled with hope, encouragement, new stories, and generous helpings of humor. In this volume, Brackey reveals that our greatest teacher is having cared for and loved someone with Alzheimer’s and that often what we have most to learn about is ourselves.   
The problem of hunger is increasing. in general, we agree on that -- but our agreement ceases when we consider appropriate definitions, approaches, and solutions to global scarcity of food. This book emphasizes that the world's food problems are technically, biologically, socially, politically, economically, and morally complex. Early chapters set out alternative conceptions of the world food problem and explore the major variables and assumptions of each. Subsequent chapters compare and contrast modern agriculture with traditional and subsistence forms of agriculture as biological systems. A fourfold classification of nations into food-sufficient and food-deficient and rich and poor precedes a discussion of political, economic, and cultural aspects of food policies in the United States, Europe, and selected less-developed nations. The book also considers the prospects for scientific and technological developments as partial solutions to global scarcity of food and makes guarded recommendations, reaffirming the complexity of the issues involved in world hunger.
Caregiving for those who suffer from Parkinson’s disease comes with many challenges, from how to deal with guilt and loneliness to avoiding burnout and figuring out what to expect from an unpredictable disease. When giving care, too often caregivers neglect their own well-being. Everything You Need to Know About Caregiving for Parkinson’s Disease is not just about caring for your loved one, but also about taking care of yourself. Lianna Marie served as her mother's caregiver for more than twenty years after she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Drawing on firsthand experience, her training as a nurse, and the many stories of others she has helped and counseled over the years, Marie shares her wisdom and advice—practical and emotional. Written accessibly and without jargon, Everything You Need to Know provides an essential resource full of useful information for all caregivers of those with Parkinson’s disease.
What choices were right, what choices were wrong, and how can she now help those whose journey is just beginning? A Return Journey by Sue Petrovski draws on the journals she kept during her mother’s eight-year illness, and on her correspondence with other caregivers who were kind enough to share their innermost feelings and emotions. The 2017 paperback edition also includes a new preface by the author reflecting on the work more than a dozen years later, after Petrovski began caring for her husband who also was diagnosed with a form of dementia, and after she moved them both into a senior independent living residence. Together, their stories and the added reflection of a dozen years provide the reader with an insider’s view of the lessons to be learned from the heart of the experience itself. Petrovski clearly and wisely explains that in Alzheimer’s care there are no “right” ways, no “best” decisions, no “perfect” answers. There is simply the journey through the disease with loved ones and A Return Journey back again.
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Have you ever looked deep into the eyes of an animal and felt entirely known? Often, the connections we share with non-human animals represent our safest and most reliable relationships, offering unique and profound opportunities for healing in periods of hardship. This book focuses on research developments, models, and practical applications of human-animal connection and animal-assisted intervention for diverse populations who have experienced trauma. Physiological and psychological trauma are explored across three broad and interconnected domains: 1) child maltreatment and family violence; 2) acute and post-traumatic stress, including military service, war, and developmental trauma; and 3) times of crisis, such as the ever-increasing occurrence of natural disasters, community violence, terrorism, and anticipated or actual grief and loss. Contributing authors, who include international experts in the fields of trauma and human-animal connection, examine how our relationships with animals can help build resiliency and foster healing to transform trauma. A myriad of animal species and roles, including companion, therapy, and service animals are discussed. Authors also consider how animals are included in a variety of formal and informal models of trauma recovery across the human lifespan, with special attention paid to canine- and equine-assisted interventions and psychotherapy. In addition, authors emphasize the potential impacts to animals who provide trauma-informed services, and discuss how we can respect their participation and implement best practices and ethical standards to ensure their well-being. The reader is offered a comprehensive understanding of the history of research in this field, as well as the latest advancements and areas in need of further or refined investigation. Likewise, authors explore, in depth, emerging practices and methodologies for helping people and communities thrive in the face of traumatic events and their long-term impacts. As animals are important in cultures all over the world, cross-cultural and often overlooked animal-assisted and animal welfare applications are also highlighted throughout the text.
This book re-presents voices of resistance from across the globe to document the communicative processes, practices, and frameworks through which neoliberal global policies are currently being defied. Based on examples, case studies, and ethnographic reports, Voices of Resistance serves as a space for engaging various perspectives from the global margins in dialogue. The emphasis of the book is on the core idea that creating spaces for listening to voices of resistance fosters openings for the politics of social change—interweaving the stories of the local, the national, and the global. The book is divided into chapters addressing the politics of resistance in the contexts of global economic policies, agriculture, education, health, poverty, and development.   Key Points:   Presents a theoretical framework for understanding topical, popular resistance movements such as Occupy Wall Street. Case study approach makes the book useful supplementary reading for advanced undergraduate or graduate classes in disciplines such as political science, communication, and media studies. The ethnographic approach adopted gives a human face to political and social movements that are otherwise difficult to conceptualize.   Listen to an interview with the author (broadcast on WBAA Public Radio from Purdue on September 11, 2012).
The storyteller has a fascinating place in our world. Storyteller Sidney Homan tells tales of growing up in Philadelphia in the 1940s and 50s accounts of Bruzzy the Bully; of John Crapp, the television salesman; of Leslie Doober and his rotten banana; of drunken Uncle Eddie, and of the Queen of the mushrooms. Sometimes comic, sometimes bittersweet, A Fish in the Moonlight illuminates the growth of both storyteller and listener.
One night in 1990, a stranger cut the screen out of Nancy McCabe's bedroom window while she slept and shone a flashlight into her eyes as she woke. A few weeks later, her father came down with temporary amnesia. Although unrelated, these events became linked in her mind, sweeping out from under her the fundamentals many of us take for granted: safety, freedom, the stability of memory, and a general oblivion to mortality. After the Flashlight Man is the story of how one author came to terms with these experiences that threw her life into a whole new light: the self-defense classes, rape crisis volunteer work, writing, and meditation that served as checkpoints along her healing journey while she re- examined events from her childhood and relationships with family and friends. Ultimately, a flashlight turned against her as a bizarre weapon became instead a metaphorical tool that blazed her path, the impetus to reclaim, recast, and tell her own stories, discovering her own power to reinvent her vision of her life.
Holding a dead baby. Standing up to a supervisor. Washing a bedridden patient's hair. Talking past and through one another in a case conference. Smoothing a sheet over a patient's disintegrating body. Firing a longtime friend and co-worker. Literature can be a rich source of guidance to help with contemporary ethical dilemmas facing health care professionals and patients. Poems and stories can help to identify moral problems, promote empathy, and tolerate ambiguity in health and illness. The depth and detail within stories and poems allow readers to experience the contradictory feelings, complex relationships, and situational messiness that characterize ethical quandaries in actual practice. These works by women in health care contribute to our understanding by introducing characters who struggle with illness and aging or who try to make sense of their own feelings in the face of pain and mortality. Who better to capture the essence of this complexity than people working directly within it?
This book gathers, in one place, those measures presently used to study the human-companion animal bond. The measures chosen for inclusion are the most heavily used by researchers, as well as measures that appear to be innovative or relate to the different aspects of the human-companion animal relationship. The measures cover the human-animal bond principally by attachment, but also by fear, abuse, or neglect.
At Wit's End is a simple, straightforward, and easy-to-read summary about Alzheimer's as a disease and condition, written without technical jargon and impractical detail. About 33% of the population will eventually provide care for someone with Alzheimer's. The strain to maintain the medical well-being and mental health stability of a loved one with Alzheimer's can be enormous. Still, providing care, enhancing the value of living, can be amply rewarding. Many books delve into other areas of Alzheimer's emphasizing the financial, legal, and treatment needs of the afflicted. At Wit's End is unique since it not only explains the psychiatric and psychological aspects of Alzheimer's but helps family members or caregivers discover a wealth of effective interventions. Kraus focuses on the whole person and his/her social, psychological, physical, and spiritual life.Find out"How Alzheimer's can be distinguished from normal aging and other diseases that mimic its symptoms;"How the disorder affects changes in functional abilities how an Alzheimer's daily competence is viewed by psychiatric and legal communities;"How rational think is distorted leading to a wide array of behaviors like agitation, impatience, wandering, and inappropriate expressions of sexuality;"What medical treatments are available, both traditional and alternative. At Wit's End gives families and caregivers a new outlook on Alzheimer's.
This is an authoritative study into a traditionally taboo subject. It is not a work of erotica but presents the works of authorities on the subject. The authors have researched, as far as is possible, those who do, or have indulged in the practices since the beginnings of human history. The book also contains a useful bibliography.
Pets play a greater role in our emotional and physical health than ever before, says the Purdue University professor who is co-author of his revised edition of Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship. The book by Alan M. Beck of Purdue's School of Veterinary Medicine and Aaron H. Katcher, psychiatrist and professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, explores the emotional and physical benefits of owning a pet and analyzes the complex relationship between people and pets. "The study of the importance of the relationship between people and animals is a growing field and has the potential to be part of the whole human-health field," says Beck, director of Purdue's Center for Applied Ethology and Human-Animal Interaction. "The social milieu on where animals fit into society has really changed in the last 13 years. We've gone from recognizing the potential of animals being a significant positive contribution to certain populations, such as the elderly, to actual documentation." Beck and Katcher note a 1992 study by an Australian cardiologist of 5,000 people who visited a clinic to find ways to reduce heart disease. The study found that people with pets had lower blood pressure and lower blood fat levels than those without pets, even though the two groups were alike in diet and exercise. The authors also point to the trend by nursing homes to incorporate animals into the routine and environment for patients. For example, in the early 1980s nursing homes typically did not allow pets to visit patients, while today nearly half of the homes have an organized program for animal therapy, Beck says. In addition to exploring physical benefits, the book covers such topics as pets as family members, pets as therapists, talking to pets, and how pets can teach us to become better companions to friends and family. The book also has a list of Web sites by such organizations as Canine Companions for Independence and the American Kennel Club. While pets provide health benefits, they can create problems, Beck and Katcher say. "There is no medicine that doesn't have some side effects," Beck says. For example, more pet ownership has public-health implications such as more dog bites, he notes. And some people whose pets die grieve to the point of illness, he says. But grief over the loss of an animal is not new, Beck says. Ancient Egyptians shaved their eyebrows after their cats died, and the Roman emperor Caligula had his horse entombed.