BackgroundThere is an increased interest in the role artists can play in care for older people. This momentum comes with the need to closer investigate the nature of boundary work of creative... Show moreBackgroundThere is an increased interest in the role artists can play in care for older people. This momentum comes with the need to closer investigate the nature of boundary work of creative professionals in arts and health projects.MethodsWe conducted a responsive evaluation to provide a thick description of the boundary work involved in ENCOUNTER#9, an intergenerational arts project taking place within an older person care setting.ResultsBoundary work proved to be rewarding, yet messy and unruly. Although the lead artist had carefully planned and prepared the project and gained a broad commitment, not everything went according to plan. This led to friction and all involved put effort into adjusting goals and expectations.ConclusionWe add to the conceptualisation of boundary work in arts and health by showing that it takes place on different levels: personal, relational, organisational and public. Show less
Crone, M.R.; Slagboom, M.N.; Overmars, A.; Starken, L.; Sande, M.C.E. van de; Wesdorp, N.; Reis, R. 2021
Prevention programs often are directed at either parents or children separately, thereby ignoring the intergenerational aspect of health and well-being. Engaging the family is likely to improve... Show morePrevention programs often are directed at either parents or children separately, thereby ignoring the intergenerational aspect of health and well-being. Engaging the family is likely to improve both the uptake and long-term impact of health behavior change. We integrated an intergenerational approach into a frequently used shared assessment tool for children's care needs. The current study's aim was 2-fold: to monitor this family-engagement tool's effects on both children and their parents' health behaviors and well-being, and to examine the different dynamics of health behavioral change within a family.Method: We followed 12 children ages 10-14 years and their parents for 12 weeks using an explanatory mixed-methods design comprising interviews, questionnaires, and an n-of-1 study. During home visits at the beginning and end of the study, we interviewed children and their parents about their expectations and experiences, and measured their height and weight. Furthermore, we collected secondary data, such as notes from phone and email conversations with parents, as well as evaluation forms from professionals. In the n-of-1 study, families were prompted three times a week to describe their day and report on their vegetable intake, minutes of exercise, health behavior goals, and psychosomatic well-being. The interviews, notes, and evaluation forms were analyzed using qualitative content analyses. For the n-of-1 study, we performed multi-level time-series analyses across all families to assess changes in outcomes after consulting the family-engagement tool. Using regression analyses with autocorrelation correction, we examined changes within individual families.Results: Five child-mother dyads and three child-mother-father triads provided sufficient pre- and post-data. The mean minutes of children's physical activity significantly increased, and mothers felt more energetic, but other outcomes did not change. In consultations related to overweight, the family-engagement tool often was used without setting specific or family goals.Conclusions: The family-engagement approach elicited positive effects on some families' health and well-being. For multifaceted health problems, such as obesity, family-engagement approaches should focus on setting specific goals and strategies in different life domains, and for different family members. Show less
