The Co-Residence of Elderly People with Their Children and Grandchildren

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latorre Postigo, Jose Miguel; Lopez Honrubia, Rigoberto

2010-01-01

As a result of the increase in life expectancy in Western societies, the need for elderly people to live with their families (coresidence) is on the rise. The main objectives of this study were to determine the social perception of the advantages and drawbacks of coresidence with elderly people and establish the differences in this perception…

[Elderly people with visual impairment in The Netherlands].

PubMed

Limburg, J J; Keunen, J E E; van Rens, G H M B

2009-09-01

To estimate the number of elderly people with visual impairment in The Netherlands, now and in the future. Possibilities for intervention are discussed. Estimates are based on a recent report on behalf of Foundation InZicht, ZonMw, in which prevalence data from population-based studies on blindness and low vision and its causes in The Netherlands, western Europe, The United States and Australia are related to the latest demographic data for The Netherlands. Of the 16.4 million Dutch in 2008 2.4 million (14.7%) are 65 years of age and older. Of this last group 155,000 persons are living in nursing homes or residential homes, the others are living in their own homes. In 2008 an estimated 77,000 persons are blind and 234,000 have low vision. Of them 79% is 65 years of age or older. Of the older people in care institutions 20% is blind (32,000) and 22% has low vision (34,000). In 62% of them the visual impairment is treatable or could have been prevented ('avoidable'). Of the older people living independently 1.2% is blind (27,000) and 6.8% has low vision (154,000). In 57% of them the affliction is avoidable. In 2008 247,000 elderly suffer from a visual impairment that could have been treated or prevented in 143,000 (58%) of them. Screening and treatment of elderly in care institutions seems indicated, as is health education to and goal-oriented screening of elderly who live independently.

Quality of life in Chinese family caregivers for elderly people with chronic diseases.

PubMed

Xie, Hui; Cheng, Cheng; Tao, Yisheng; Zhang, Jie; Robert, Delprino; Jia, Jihui; Su, Yonggang

2016-07-06

Inadequate studies have been conducted in China to examine quality of life in family caregivers. Quality of life in family caregivers for elderly people with chronic diseases was evaluated, and the demographic and characteristic factors of both elderly people and their caregivers were explored. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to assess health-related quality of life in 407 family caregivers caring for elderly people with chronic diseases in six communities on the Mainland China. The explanatory variables included family caregivers' demographic and other caregiving variables related to eldercare. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis were used in the data analysis, performed via SPSS 17.0. Mean SF-36 and physical and mental component scores were 66.14 ± 17.50, 70.06 ± 16.49, and 62.22 ± 18.51, respectively. The scores of caregivers' physical function and bodily pain were significantly higher, while the scores of caregivers' role limitations due to physical problems, general health, vitality, social function, mental health and role limitations due to emotional problems were significantly lower. Caregivers' ages, comorbidity, the perceived effects of caregiving on caregivers' social lives and elderly individuals' ages, marital status and Activities of Daily Living scores were significantly associated with the physical component score. In addition, caregivers' age, the affordability of the elderly person's healthcare expenses, the perceived effects of caregiving on caregivers' social lives, and elderly people's marital status and ADL scores were significantly associated with the mental component score. Family caregivers for elderly people with chronic diseases showed poorer mental and better physical well-being. Factors of both elderly people and their caregivers impact the caregivers' quality of life. These findings highlight the importance of addressing mental health of family caregivers, and of providing

The willingness to eat. An investigation of appetite among elderly people.

PubMed

Wikby, Kerstin; Fägerskiöld, Astrid

2004-06-01

The aim of this study was to identify and describe factors of importance with regard to appetite among elderly people. A qualitative approach was used and the method was grounded theory. Fifteen elderly people were interviewed using a method with two overall questions. The results show that the willingness to eat plays a central role in appetite among elderly people. The appetite is a state on a sliding scale, from good to poor appetite. Factors affecting the appetite include six categories: mood, personal values, wholesomeness, food, eating environment and meal fellowship. When planning and realizing nursing actions concerning eating, the willingness to eat has to be observed. The desire within every individual has to be given consideration, including all factors as well as how they affect each other. The willingness to eat contains internal factors dependent on mood and personal values, as well as external factors dependent on wholesomeness, food, eating environment and meal fellowship. These factors contain qualitative dimensions, which affect elderly people's appetites as well as their quality of life to a varying extent. Through this, it can be seen that there is a connection between their desire or willingness to eat and their will to live.

Socioeconomic conditions of elderly people in Kosovo: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Jerliu, Naim; Toçi, Ervin; Burazeri, Genc; Ramadani, Naser; Brand, Helmut

2012-07-09

Kosovo is the newest state in Europe facing a particularly difficult socioeconomic and political transition. The available evidence on socioeconomic conditions and quality of life of elderly people in Kosovo is scarce notwithstanding the ageing trend due to lowering of fertility rates and a higher life-expectancy. In this context, the aim of our study was to assess the socioeconomic conditions of elderly people in post-war Kosovo. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kosovo in January-March 2011 including an age- sex-and residence (urban vs. rural)-stratified sample of 1,890 individuals (83.5% response) aged 65 years and over. A structured questionnaire included assessment of socio-demographic and socioeconomic characteristics including educational level and self-perceived poverty. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association of self-perceived poverty with socio-demographic and socioeconomic factors. The educational level in this representative sample of elderly people in Kosovo was quite low, particularly among women. About 47% of respondents perceived themselves as poor, or extremely poor (41% of men and 52% of women). In multivariable-adjusted models, self-perceived poverty was higher among older women, low educated individuals, urban residents, and elderly individuals living alone. Findings from this study indicate that the socioeconomic situation of the elderly population in Kosovo is rather challenging. Demographic trends coupled with the economic and political transition raise serious concerns about increasing needs for socioeconomic support of elderly people in Kosovo. Specific policies and actions should be considered by a number of stakeholders, including government and civil society in transitional Kosovo.

Home-Living Elderly People's Views on Food and Meals

PubMed Central

Edfors, Ellinor; Westergren, Albert

2012-01-01

Background. The aim of the study was to describe home-living elderly people's views on the importance of food and meals. Methods. Semistructured interviews with twelve elderly people. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results. Respondents described how their past influenced their present experiences and views on food and meals. Increased reliance on and need of support with food and meals frequently arose in connection with major changes in their life situations. Sudden events meant a breaking point with a transition from independence to dependence and a need for assistance from relatives and/or the community. With the perspective from the past and in the context of dependency, respondents described meals during the day, quality of food, buying, transporting, cooking, and eating food. Conclusions. Meeting the need for optimal nutritional status for older people living at home requires knowledge of individual preferences and habits, from both their earlier and current lives. It is important to pay attention to risk factors that could compromise an individual's ability to independently manage their diet, such as major life events and hospitalisation. Individual needs for self-determination and involvement should be considered in planning and development efforts for elderly people related to food and meals. PMID:22991667

Drug-nutrient interactions in elderly people.

PubMed

Akamine, Dirce; Filho, Michel K; Peres, Carmem M

2007-05-01

The presence of multiple diseases, polypharmacy, malnutrition, and impaired metabolism in elderly individuals increases the risks of adverse events related to drug-food interactions. Some considerations for elderly people influenced by drug-food interactions are reviewed. When investigating pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modifications in the elderly, other factors have to be considered, such as anorexia, dementia, depression, intolerance, gastrointestinal-tract disorders, social and economic factors, reduced abilities (visual and manual) and difficulties in chewing or swallowing. Specific reference is made herein to the health status of the elderly Brazilian population based on the observations of our research group. In addition, the most common diseases (such as cancer, coronary heart disease, dementia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and osteoporosis), the drugs usually prescribed to treat them, and the adverse nutritional reactions that occur in older patients are summarized. In order to develop a correct drug prescription plan and nutritional intervention to avoid any kind of undesirable drug-food interaction effect, it is necessary to adequately diagnose the disease and often re-evaluate the chosen treatment, identify disease stages and the necessary therapies to minimize the number of drugs administered, and select a reasonable nutritional assessment.

Self-care of elderly people after the diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

PubMed

Araujo, Graciela Machado de; Leite, Marinês Tambara; Hildebrandt, Leila Mariza; Oliveski, Cinthia Cristina; Beuter, Margrid

2018-01-01

to characterize the seropositive elderly for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in their socio-demographic aspects; to understand how the elderly take care of themselves from the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. Qualitative, descriptive, exploratory research conducted at a Voluntary Counseling and Testing Center with 10 elderly people receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS. The data were analyzed according to the content analysis. Data show the elderly people's lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission, the experience of being elderly and having HIV/AIDS, caring for oneself and life after diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in their daily lives. Final considerations: The diagnosis of HIV/AIDS seropositivity in the elderly generates a blend of feelings and fears that lead to food changes, adherence to treatment and the renunciation of daily and social habits, manifested as ways of self-care.

[Home automation for elderly people in the process of losing their autonomy].

PubMed

Muller, Philippe

2012-01-01

The safety of elderly people, particularly dependent at night, is a major factor in preventingthem from remaining in their own home. An experiment in Corrèze using domotics and advanced remote assistance services and involving around one hundred elderly people living at home, took place from summer 2009 to autumn 2010.

Leisure activities and attitude of institutionalized elderly people: a basis for nursing practice.

PubMed

de Castro, Vivian Carla; Carreira, Lígia

2015-01-01

to identify the leisure activities performed in Long-Stay Institutions for the Elderly (LSIEs), registered in the city of Maringá-PR, Brazil, and to analyze the attitude of the elderly people toward leisure promoted by the institutions. this was a descriptive and transversal study with a quantitative approach, carried out with 97 elderly people, through the establishment of the socio-demographic profile and the application of the Leisure Attitude Scale. The data was subjected to descriptive statistical analysis, association tests (chi-square or Fisher's) and Spearman's correlation. males, aged 80 or over, widowed, with one to eight years of study, who had a monthly income were predominant. Age group and income were significantly associated with the performance of leisure activities. The results reflected the positive attitude of the elderly people in relation to leisure activities, except in the behavioral component. the findings of this study indicate the need for further investigation into the difficulties linked to the attitude toward leisure in the behavioral component, considering aspects such as individual concepts of leisure and the health status of the elderly people.

Suicide in elderly people: a literature review.

PubMed

Minayo, Maria Cecília de Souza; Cavalcante, Fátima Gonçalves

2010-08-01

A literature review was carried out focusing on the main factors associated with suicidal ideation, attempts and completed suicide in elders. The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, PsychINFO, SciELO and Biblioteca Virtual em Violência e Saúde da BIREME (BIREME's Violence and Health Virtual Library), referring to the period from 1980 to 2008. Fifty-two references were selected and analyzed. They showed a strong relationship among suicide ideation, attempt and completion in elderly individuals, which results from the interaction of complex physical, mental, neurobiological and social factors. Suicide associated with depression in the elderly can be prevented, provided the person is properly treated. In Brazil, it is necessary to invest in research, given the persistent increase in suicide rates among aged people, especially among males.

Socioeconomic conditions of elderly people in Kosovo: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Kosovo is the newest state in Europe facing a particularly difficult socioeconomic and political transition. The available evidence on socioeconomic conditions and quality of life of elderly people in Kosovo is scarce notwithstanding the ageing trend due to lowering of fertility rates and a higher life-expectancy. In this context, the aim of our study was to assess the socioeconomic conditions of elderly people in post-war Kosovo. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kosovo in January-March 2011 including an age- sex-and residence (urban vs. rural)-stratified sample of 1,890 individuals (83.5% response) aged 65 years and over. A structured questionnaire included assessment of socio-demographic and socioeconomic characteristics including educational level and self-perceived poverty. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association of self-perceived poverty with socio-demographic and socioeconomic factors. Results The educational level in this representative sample of elderly people in Kosovo was quite low, particularly among women. About 47% of respondents perceived themselves as poor, or extremely poor (41% of men and 52% of women). In multivariable-adjusted models, self-perceived poverty was higher among older women, low educated individuals, urban residents, and elderly individuals living alone. Conclusions Findings from this study indicate that the socioeconomic situation of the elderly population in Kosovo is rather challenging. Demographic trends coupled with the economic and political transition raise serious concerns about increasing needs for socioeconomic support of elderly people in Kosovo. Specific policies and actions should be considered by a number of stakeholders, including government and civil society in transitional Kosovo. PMID:22776197

Cost-effectiveness of vaccination against pneumococcal bacteremia among elderly people.

PubMed

Sisk, J E; Moskowitz, A J; Whang, W; Lin, J D; Fedson, D S; McBean, A M; Plouffe, J F; Cetron, M S; Butler, J C

Clinical, epidemiologic, and policy considerations support updating the cost-effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccination for elderly people and targeting the evaluation only to prevention of pneumococcal bacteremia. To assess the implications for medical costs and health effects of vaccination against pneumococcal bacteremia in elderly people. Cost-effectiveness analysis of pneumococcal vaccination compared with no vaccination, from a societal perspective. The elderly population aged 65 years and older in the United States in 3 geographic areas: metropolitan Atlanta, Ga; Franklin County, Ohio; and Monroe County, New York. Incremental medical costs and health effects, expressed in quality-adjusted life-years per person vaccinated. Vaccination was cost saving, ie, it both reduced medical expenses and improved health, for all age groups and geographic areas analyzed in the base case. For people aged 65 years and older, vaccination saved $8.27 and gained 1.21 quality-adjusted days of life per person vaccinated. Vaccination of the 23 million elderly people unvaccinated in 1993 would have gained about 78000 years of healthy life and saved $194 million. In univariate sensitivity analysis, the results remained cost saving except for doubling vaccination costs, including future medical costs of survivors, and lowering vaccination effectiveness. With assumptions most unfavorable to vaccination, cost per quality-adjusted life-year ranged from $35 822 for ages 65 to 74 years to $598 487 for ages 85 years and older. In probabilistic sensitivity analysis, probability intervals were more narrow, with less than 5% probability that the ratio for ages 85 years and older would exceed $100000. Pneumococcal vaccination saves costs in the prevention of bacteremia alone and is greatly underused among the elderly population, on both health and economic grounds. These results support recent recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and public and private efforts

[Nutritional care of elderly people with chronic alcoholism].

PubMed

Brugerolles, Héléna; Mathy, Fabrice; Emery, Sophie; Hervé, Christian

2014-01-01

The management of elderly people with chronic alcoholism involves several players, including dieticians.Without stigmatisingthe person or apportioning blame, the challenge is to enable them to become a player in their treatment. Long-term support is required.

Improving Attitudes toward Elderly People: Evaluation of an Intervention Program for Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dooley, Stephen; Frankel, B. Gail

1990-01-01

In an experimental evaluation of a "friendly visitor" type of program in which adolescents visited senior citizens, it was found that general attitudes toward elderly people improved following weekly contact with specific elderly persons. Two outcomes of these programs were found: the provision of service to the elderly and the change of negative…

[Examination results and autopsy findings in assaults on elderly people].

PubMed

Bode-Jänisch, Stefanie; Havermann, Robert; Germerott, Tanja; Fieguth, Armin

2010-01-01

As the percentage of elderly people in the population grows, violence against persons of advanced age constitutes an increasing social problem. The findings of the clinical forensic examinations (CE group) and autopsies performed on elderly violence victims (> or = 60 years) between 1999 and 2008 at the Institute of Legal Medicine of the Hanover Medical School were retrospectively analysed. In all, the study material comprised 55 victims of the CE group (35 females and 20 males, median age 73.5 years) and 55 autopsies (33 females and 22 males, median age 72.7 years). In most of the autopsy cases, the suspect was a family member or partner. In contrast, the alleged perpetrator was a stranger in most cases of the CE group. Blunt force injuries were most often found in the CE group victims (63.6%). Altogether, 38.2% (CE group) and 20.0% (autopsy cases) of the violent assaults were associated with robbery. In the majority of the CE cases, the victims suffered potentially or acute life-threatening injuries. In summary, the analysis shows that elderly people frequently become victims of robbery and blunt force injury. In most homicides of old people, the perpetrator is familiar to the victim. In surviving elderly violence victims, the assault is more likely to be reported to the police if the suspect is a stranger.

Fall prevalence, time trend and its related risk factors among elderly people in China.

PubMed

Wu, Hong; Ouyang, Peng

2017-11-01

To study the fall prevalence, time trends and related risk factors among elderly people in the Chinese mainland from 2011 to 2013. Our data were from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011 and 2013. The population sample included people aged 60 years and over. Whether the person had experienced fall accident in the last two years was used to measure fall incidence. The time trend and age groups were investigated through the chi-square test. The related risk factors were examined based on the binary logistic regression model. In 2011, 19.64% (95% CI, 18.66%, 20.67%) of elderly people experienced fall incidents and in 2013, 19.28% (95% CI, 18.46%, 20.13%) of elderly people experienced fall incidents. However, no significant difference was seen in the fall prevalence between 2011 and 2013. The fall prevalence among elderly people aged 66-70 declined significantly while that among people aged over 80 showed an increasing time trend. The fall prevalence was affected significantly by factors including age (66-70), gender, marital status, self-rated health, quantity of chronic diseases, quantity of disability items, activities of daily living and physical functioning. It is revealed the fall prevalence showed no increment from 2011 to 2013 but at a high level. More efforts should be made to reduce the fall prevalence, and special attention should be paid to the elderly people aged over 80 and older. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Satisfaction with Daily Occupations for Elderly People (SDO-E)—Adaptation and Psychometric Testing

PubMed Central

Wästberg, Birgitta; Eklund, Mona

2017-01-01

Satisfaction with everyday occupations has been shown to be important for health and well-being in various populations. Research into satisfaction with everyday occupations among elderly persons is, however, lacking. The aim was to investigate the psychometric properties of an adapted test version of the Satisfaction with Daily Occupations instrument (SDO) for elderly people, called SDO-E. Five hospital-based occupational therapists working with elderly people evaluated the content validity and usability of the SDO-E. The elderly participants consisted of 50 people from outside of the health services and 42 inpatients at an internal medicine clinic. They completed the SDO-E and rated their perceived health, activity level, and general satisfaction with daily occupations. The SDO-E showed fair content validity and utility, acceptable internal consistency, good preliminary construct validity and relevant known-groups validity. The SDO-E thus appears to be a useful screening tool for assessing activity level and satisfaction with daily occupations among elderly people, and a complement to other self-report instruments concerning factors connected with health and well-being. Future research should further explore the content validity of the SDO-E, particularly the views of the elderly themselves, and investigate the SDO-E in terms of sensitivity to change. PMID:28946667

Platform for frail elderly people supporting information and communication.

PubMed

Man, Yan Ping; Cremers, Ger; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke; de Witte, Luc

2015-01-01

There is a growing need for technology to support the frail elderly living independently in home situations. Several telecommunication systems already exist. These systems are developed mainly from the perspective of healthcare professionals and focus on efficient delivery of healthcare services. They hardly meet the specific needs of the frail elderly. In this project a platform with specific needs of the frail elderly people has been designed, running on standard PCs. This system supports living independently, social participation, wellbeing, and asking for care services. The platform was evaluated and subjects assess the system as user friendly, and supportive for their independence and self-reliance. They recommend it to other users.

The spiritual well-being of elderly people: a study of a French sample.

PubMed

Velasco-Gonzalez, Lucy; Rioux, Liliane

2014-08-01

The aim of our research was to identify predictors of the spiritual well-being of elderly people. More specifically, we postulated that subjective well-being and its components would be predictors of spiritual well-being, and more so than age and health status. We invited 133 people aged 60-95 to complete a questionnaire that included the French adaptation (Velasco and Rioux in Revue Canadienne des Sciences du Comportement 41(2):102-128, 2009) of Paloutzian and Ellison's (Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research and therapy, Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1982) Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Ryff and Essex's (Psychol Aging 7:507-517, 1992) Psychological Well-Being Scale (translated by Lapierre and Desrochers 1997), Salamon and Conte's (Meas Eval Guid 15(3):194-200, 1982) Life Satisfaction in the Elderly Scale (validated by Rousseau and Dubé in 1993), and the French version (Blais et al. in Can J Behav Sci 21:210-223, 1989) of Diener et al. (J Pers Assess 49:71-75, 1985) Satisfaction with Life Scale. The results only partially confirm our hypothesis, because only satisfaction with life as a whole and two items in "Life Satisfaction in the Elderly Scale" make it possible to predict the spiritual well-being of elderly people. Moreover, neither health status nor age was found to be a significant predictor of spiritual well-being. This research helps understand better the links between the concept of spiritual well-being and that of subjective well-being of elderly people and could contribute to the development of a tool that could take into account the spiritual well-being of elderly people, whether they be believers, agnostic, or atheist.

Sources of Information about Health Foods among Elderly People-Comparison of Internet and Paper Survey Results.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Etsuko; Sato, Yoko; Umegaki, Keizo; Chiba, Tsuyoshi

2017-01-01

The prevalence of health foods is increasing in Japan, especially among elderly people. The internet is widely used as an information source, but it is not clear whether elderly people get information about health foods via the internet or not. To clarify this issue, we conducted two questionnaire surveys; one on a website (internet survey) and one in the local community (paper survey). The internet survey showed that a lot of elderly people use the internet to get information and also to purchase health foods. On the other hand, paper survey showed that a smaller proportion of elderly people used the internet, compared to the internet survey. Instead, they got information from their friends, health-care professionals, or various media sources, such as television, newspapers and magazines. Our results indicate that many elderly people don't use the internet to get information about health foods. Adequate ways to inform them about health foods are needed to reduce adverse events associated with health food use.

Leisure activities and attitude of institutionalized elderly people: a basis for nursing practice1

PubMed Central

de Castro, Vivian Carla; Carreira, Lígia

2015-01-01

Aim: to identify the leisure activities performed in Long-Stay Institutions for the Elderly (LSIEs), registered in the city of Maringá-PR, Brazil, and to analyze the attitude of the elderly people toward leisure promoted by the institutions. METHOD: this was a descriptive and transversal study with a quantitative approach, carried out with 97 elderly people, through the establishment of the socio-demographic profile and the application of the Leisure Attitude Scale. The data was subjected to descriptive statistical analysis, association tests (chi-square or Fisher's) and Spearman's correlation. RESULTS: males, aged 80 or over, widowed, with one to eight years of study, who had a monthly income were predominant. Age group and income were significantly associated with the performance of leisure activities. The results reflected the positive attitude of the elderly people in relation to leisure activities, except in the behavioral component. CONCLUSION: the findings of this study indicate the need for further investigation into the difficulties linked to the attitude toward leisure in the behavioral component, considering aspects such as individual concepts of leisure and the health status of the elderly people. PMID:26039302

Dietary Protein Intake in Dutch Elderly People: A Focus on Protein Sources.

PubMed

Tieland, Michael; Borgonjen-Van den Berg, Karin J; Van Loon, Luc J C; de Groot, Lisette C P G M

2015-11-25

Sufficient high quality dietary protein intake is required to prevent or treat sarcopenia in elderly people. Therefore, the intake of specific protein sources as well as their timing of intake are important to improve dietary protein intake in elderly people. to assess the consumption of protein sources as well as the distribution of protein sources over the day in community-dwelling, frail and institutionalized elderly people. Habitual dietary intake was evaluated using 2- and 3-day food records collected from various studies involving 739 community-dwelling, 321 frail and 219 institutionalized elderly people. Daily protein intake averaged 71 ± 18 g/day in community-dwelling, 71 ± 20 g/day in frail and 58 ± 16 g/day in institutionalized elderly people and accounted for 16% ± 3%, 16% ± 3% and 17% ± 3% of their energy intake, respectively. Dietary protein intake ranged from 10 to 12 g at breakfast, 15 to 23 g at lunch and 24 to 31 g at dinner contributing together over 80% of daily protein intake. The majority of dietary protein consumed originated from animal sources (≥60%) with meat and dairy as dominant sources. Thus, 40% of the protein intake in community-dwelling, 37% in frail and 29% in institutionalized elderly originated from plant based protein sources with bread as the principle source. Plant based proteins contributed for >50% of protein intake at breakfast and between 34% and 37% at lunch, with bread as the main source. During dinner, >70% of the protein intake originated from animal protein, with meat as the dominant source. Daily protein intake in these older populations is mainly (>80%) provided by the three main meals, with most protein consumed during dinner. More than 60% of daily protein intake consumed is of animal origin, with plant based protein sources representing nearly 40% of total protein consumed. During dinner, >70% of the protein intake originated from animal protein, while during breakfast and lunch a large proportion of

[Frailty, disability and multi-morbidity: the relationship with quality of life and healthcare costs in elderly people].

PubMed

Lutomski, Jennifer E; Baars, Maria A E; Boter, Han; Buurman, Bianca M; den Elzen, Wendy P J; Jansen, Aaltje P D; Kempen, Gertrudis I J M; Steunenberg, Bas; Steyerberg, Ewout W; Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M; Melis, René J F

2014-01-01

To assess the independent and combined impact of frailty, multi-morbidity, and activities of daily living (ADL) limitations on self-reported quality of life and healthcare costs in elderly people. Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Data came from The Older Persons and Informal Caregivers Minimum DataSet (TOPICS-MDS), a pooled dataset with information from 41 projects across the Netherlands from the Dutch national care for the Elderly programme. Frailty, multi-morbidity and ADL limitations, and the interactions between these domains, were used as predictors in regression analyses with quality of life and healthcare costs as outcome measures. Analyses were stratified by living situation (independent or care home). Directionality and magnitude of associations were assessed using linear mixed models. A total of 11,093 elderly people were interviewed. A substantial proportion of elderly people living independently reported frailty, multi-morbidity, and/or ADL limitations (56.4%, 88.3% and 41.4%, respectively), as did elderly people living in a care home (88.7%, 89.2% and 77,3%, respectively). One-third of elderly people living at home (31.9%) reported all three conditions compared with two-thirds of elderly people living in a care home (68.3%). In the multivariable analysis, frailty had a strong impact on outcomes independently of multi-morbidity and ADL limitations. Elderly people experiencing problems across all three domains reported the poorest quality-of-life scores and the highest healthcare costs, irrespective of their living situation. Frailty, multi-morbidity and ADL limitations are complementary measurements, which together provide a more holistic understanding of health status in elderly people. A multi-dimensional approach is important in mapping the complex relationships between these measurements on the one hand and the quality of life and healthcare costs on the other.

Alternating Motion Rate to Distinguish Elderly People With History of Pneumonia.

PubMed

Kera, Takeshi; Edahiro, Ayako; Hirano, Hirohiko; Kawai, Hisashi; Yoshida, Hideyo; Kojima, Motonaga; Fujiwara, Yoshinori; Ihara, Kazushige; Obuchi, Shuichi

2016-12-01

Under the hypothesis that elderly people in the community may have deficient oropharyngeal dysfunction, the purpose of this case-control study was to compare oral and physical characteristics in elderly people with and without a history of pneumonia and to identify factors distinguishing them. In 2014, we examined 1,311 elderly people who agreed to participate in a longitudinal and intervention study for the community-dwelling elderly. We looked at such physical characteristics as body composition, grip power, gait, and balance and at oropharyngeal characteristics, such as alternating motion rate (AMR) in speech and the repetitive saliva-swallowing test (RSST). The subjects were also asked about past history of pneumonia and other morbid conditions. From that information, we extracted 24 subjects reporting to have had pneumonia within the previous 5 y as well as 172 other subjects who matched the pneumonia subjects with respect to age, sex, and number of other morbidities to form 2 groups for comparisons. We also subjected the data to a logistic regression analysis, with having or not having pneumonia as the dependent variable, oral and physical characteristics as independent variables, and age and sex as covariates. No significant differences were seen in physical characteristics between the 2 groups. Among the oropharyngeal characteristics, AMR was significantly lower in the pneumonia subjects (P = .005, effect size = 0.20), whereas RSST exhibited no significant difference between the 2 groups. Logistic regression revealed AMR to be the only factor related to pneumonia (P = .002, odds ratio 0.169, 95% CI 0.056-0.508). In community-dwelling elderly people, association of pneumonia with skilled tongue control (AMR) rather than with swallowing (RSST) prompts a reexamination of what constitutes being at risk for pneumonia. Copyright © 2016 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Assessment of medical care by elderly people: general satisfaction and physician quality.

PubMed Central

Lee, Y; Kasper, J D

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To identify personal characteristics and factors related to health and patterns of healthcare utilization associated with the elderly people's satisfaction with medical care. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING: Data from the 1991 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) on 8,859 persons age 65 and over living in the community. STUDY DESIGN: Items reflecting general satisfaction with care and views of physician quality are examined and, based on factor analysis, grouped in dimensions of two (global quality, access) and three (technical skills, interpersonal manner, information-giving), respectively. The relationship of high levels of satisfaction in each dimension to personal characteristics of elderly people, and to measures of access and utilization, is assessed using logistic regression. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: While satisfaction is high, with over 90 percent surveyed expressing some satisfaction, there is substantial variation with less likelihood of high satisfaction among those 80 or older, with less education and income and in poorer health. Longer waiting time at visits and less frequent visits are factors in lower satisfaction as well. A favorable perception of physician quality, especially regarding technical skills, appears to play a significant role in satisfaction with global quality of care. CONCLUSIONS: Studies of patient satisfaction in elderly people are rare. Some factors expected to be related to positive assessment based on earlier studies, were, e.g., better health and shorter waiting time, while others were not, e.g., increasing age. Elderly people appear to place greater importance on physician technical skills, as opposed to interpersonal dimensions, in assessing global quality. These findings suggest the need for a better understanding of how elderly people evaluate care and what they value in interactions with the healthcare system. Images Figure 1 PMID:9460484

Aging and quality of life of elderly people in rural areas.

PubMed

Garbaccio, Juliana Ladeira; Tonaco, Luís Antônio Batista; Estêvão, Wilson Goulart; Barcelos, Bárbara Jacome

2018-01-01

To evaluate the quality of life and health of elderly in rural areas of Minas Gerais State's center-west. Cross-sectional study, in four municipalities of Minas Gerais State, by interviewing elderly people. Associations between socio-demographic and quality of life variables were tested, separated into "satisfactory"/"unsatisfactory" with values from the median of positive answers. It was used the chi-square test, Fisher's test and regression. 182 elderly answered the questions and showed a relation with the "satisfactory" quality of life - bivariate (p < 0.05): age by 69 years (61.6%), married (61.7%), living by 54 years in rural areas (68%), with no financial support (59.5%), living with someone else (61%), non-smoker (60%), presenting good health (76.7%), satisfied with life (69.6%); regression: not having financial support, living with someone else and not smoking. Elderly people in rural areas present good quality of life/health in the cognitive aspect, access to services, goods, habits, but awareness must be constant due to their weakness.

How well do elderly people cope with uncertainty in a learning task?

PubMed

Chasseigne, G; Grau, S; Mullet, E; Cama, V

1999-11-01

The relation between age, task complexity and learning performance in a Multiple Cue Probability Learning task was studied by systematically varying the level of uncertainty present in the task, keeping constant the direction of relationships. Four age groups were constituted: young adults (mean age = 21), middle-aged adults (45), elderly people (69) and very elderly people (81). Five uncertainty levels were considered: predictability = 0.96, 0.80, 0.64, 0.48, and 0.32. All relationships involved were direct ones. A strong effect of uncertainty on 'control', a measure of the subject's consistency with respect to a linear model, was found. This effect was essentially a linear one. To each decrement in predictability of the task corresponded an equal decrement in participants' level of control. This level of decrement was the same, regardless of the age of the participant. It can be concluded that elderly people cope with uncertainty in probability learning tasks as well as young adults.

Emotions generated by food in elderly French people.

PubMed

Narchi, I; Walrand, S; Boirie, Y; Rousset, S

2008-11-01

Eating behaviour depends partly on food preference, which may be determined by different types of emotions. Among the emotions generated by food, disgust and pleasure are common and can lead to increased and reduced food consumption. We tested the hypothesis that (1) elderly men and women felt different emotions towards food, and (2) low energy intake is related to negative emotions towards food. In February 2004, a convenience sample of elderly participants was recruited locally by telephone. Food intake of 52 elderly people, aged 63-80 years, was monitored throughout each day for one week and made it possible to assign the elderly people to two groups (low and high energy intake from food consumption data). One month later, each of them assessed their likes or dislikes towards 30 food pictures (vegetables, cheeses, fruits, starchy foods, sweets, meat, fish, offal and eggs) using 19 emotional words (eight words with a positive valence: 'to like', 'thrilled', 'satisfaction', 'surprise', 'serene', 'amused', 'pride', 'interest', and 11 other words with a negative valence: 'disgust', 'indifference', 'guilt', 'uneasiness', 'nostalgia', 'impatience', 'doubt', 'frustration', 'embarrassment', 'disappointment' and 'lassitude'. The emotional intensities experienced with the different pictures were analysed by ANOVA for each group (men and women, small and big eaters). There were differences in likes and dislikes between men and women. Both guilty and liking scores towards food were generally higher in women than in men. Small eaters felt more doubt, unease, disappointment and indifference towards food than big eaters. In conclusion, the report of low food intake was related to more negative emotions towards foods that might be associated with the willingness to restrict food intake or to undernutrition.

Uncertainty, the Overbearing Lived Experience of the Elderly People Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Sahaf, Robab; Sadat Ilali, Ehteram; Peyrovi, Hamid; Akbari Kamrani, Ahmad Ali; Spahbodi, Fatemeh

2017-01-01

The chronic kidney disease is a major health concern. The number of the elderly people with chronic renal failure has increased across the world. Dialysis is an appropriate therapy for the elderly, but it involves certain challenges. The present paper reports uncertainty as part of the elderly experiences of living with hemodialysis. This qualitative study applied Max van Manen interpretative phenomenological analysis to explain and explore experiences of the elderly with hemodialysis. Given the study inclusion criteria, data were collected using in-depth unstructured interviews with nine elderly undergoing hemodialysis, and then analyzed according to Van Manen 6-stage methodological approach. One of the most important findings emerging in the main study was "uncertainty", which can be important and noteworthy, given other aspects of the elderly life (loneliness, despair, comorbidity of diseases, disability, and mental and psychosocial problems). Uncertainty about the future is the most psychological concerns of people undergoing hemodialysis. The results obtained are indicative of the importance of paying attention to a major aspect in the life of the elderly undergoing hemodialysis, uncertainty. A positive outlook can be created in the elderly through education and increased knowledge about the disease, treatment and complications.

Acceptability of the Components of a Loneliness Intervention among Elderly Dutch People: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honigh-de Vlaming, R.; Haveman-Nies, A.; Ziylan, C.; Renes, R. J.

2013-01-01

Background: Healthy Ageing is a complex intervention aimed at reducing the prevalence of loneliness among elderly Dutch people. Purpose: This study aimed to assess how mass media communication materials, information meetings, and psychosocial courses were received by elderly people at high risk of loneliness. Methods: Face-to-face interviews with…

Prevalence of malnutrition in free living elderly people in Iran: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Aliabadi, Maliheh; Kimiagar, Masood; Ghayour-Mobarhan, Majid; Shakeri, Mohammad Taghi; Nematy, Mohsen; Ilaty, Ali Akbar; Moosavi, Ahmad-Reza; Lanham-New, Sue

2008-01-01

The elderly are a particularly vulnerable group. Malnutrition is common and increases an old person's vulnerability to disease. We determine the prevalence of malnutrition in free living elderly people and its relationship with nutritional status and some socioeconomic conditions. Nutritional status and its relationship with socioeconomic conditions were evaluated using Mini Nutritional Assessment in free-living elderly people (n=1962 using cluster sampling, 917 male/1045 female, aged>60). Among the population, 42.7% were well nourished, 12.0% malnourished and 45.3% at risk of malnutrition. There was more malnutrition in females compared to males (13% vs. 10.8%; p<0.001), rural than urban (14.8% vs. 9.9%; p<0.001), non educated than educated (13.3% vs 6.9%; p<0.001), lonely than living with family (17.5% vs. 10.3%; p<0.001), unemployed than employed (13.3% vs. 6.3%; p<0.05), elderly on income support (Behsisty charity) compared with elderly on retirement salary, (41.7% vs. 3.3%; p<0.05). Total Mini Nutritional Assessment scores correlated significantly with length of education, age, waist circumference, and body mass index (r =0.426, -0.142, 0.355 and 0.269 respectively). This study revealed a 12% malnutrition prevalence in this elderly group, with higher percentages in special socioeconomic conditions. Health care providers need to be aware of this problem and its scope. These results reinforce the need to screen, monitor and support elderly people.

Exploring spirituality in Iranian healthy elderly people: A qualitative content analysis

PubMed Central

Rahimi, Abolfazl; Anoosheh, Monireh; Ahmadi, Fazlollah; Foroughan, Mahshid

2013-01-01

Background: Spirituality is recognized as a personally important matter to the elderly, and there are evidences of its impact on their health. The aim of this study was to explore the concept of spirituality from the perspectives of Iranian healthy elderly individuals. Materials and Methods: A conventional qualitative content analysis of carried out with 21 healthy elderly people from both male and female genders were chosen using a purposive sampling method in Tehran in 2010-2011. Data collection was done through semi structured interviews. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the participants’ experiences and perceptions on spirituality, using a central question ‘what characterizes the spirituality in the Iranian healthy elderly people?’ Results: The following categories emerged from the data analysis: (1) Spiritual health, with four sub categories including saying prayer as a calming factor; beneficence as a way to God; loss of psychological and spiritual support; faith as a way to happiness; (2) spiritual beliefs, with three sub categories including seeking help from God in difficulties; God's power over life and death; doing good deeds is the God's will; and (3) religious practice with three sub categories including saying prayer; reading Quran; and going to mosque, religious ceremonies and pilgrimage. Conclusions: In this study was found that spirituality was a fundamental element in elderly individuals’ lives that help them to adapt with daily living conditions. PMID:23983748

Exploring spirituality in Iranian healthy elderly people: A qualitative content analysis.

PubMed

Rahimi, Abolfazl; Anoosheh, Monireh; Ahmadi, Fazlollah; Foroughan, Mahshid

2013-03-01

Spirituality is recognized as a personally important matter to the elderly, and there are evidences of its impact on their health. The aim of this study was to explore the concept of spirituality from the perspectives of Iranian healthy elderly individuals. A conventional qualitative content analysis of carried out with 21 healthy elderly people from both male and female genders were chosen using a purposive sampling method in Tehran in 2010-2011. Data collection was done through semi structured interviews. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the participants' experiences and perceptions on spirituality, using a central question 'what characterizes the spirituality in the Iranian healthy elderly people?' THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES EMERGED FROM THE DATA ANALYSIS: (1) Spiritual health, with four sub categories including saying prayer as a calming factor; beneficence as a way to God; loss of psychological and spiritual support; faith as a way to happiness; (2) spiritual beliefs, with three sub categories including seeking help from God in difficulties; God's power over life and death; doing good deeds is the God's will; and (3) religious practice with three sub categories including saying prayer; reading Quran; and going to mosque, religious ceremonies and pilgrimage. In this study was found that spirituality was a fundamental element in elderly individuals' lives that help them to adapt with daily living conditions.

An exploratory discrete-time multilevel analysis of the effect of social support on the survival of elderly people in China

PubMed Central

Feng, Zhixin; Jones, Kelvyn; Wang, Wenfei Winnie

2015-01-01

This study undertakes a survival analysis of elderly persons in China using Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey 2002–2008. Employing discrete-time multilevel models, we explored the effect of social support on the survival of elderly people in China. This study focuses on objective (living arrangements and received support) and subjective activities (perceived support) of social support, finding that the effect of different activities of social support on the survival of elderly people varies according to the availability of different support resources. Specifically, living with a spouse, financial independence, perceiving care support from any resource is associated with higher survival rates for elderly people. Separate analysis focusing on urban elderly and rural elderly revealed broadly similar results. There is a larger difference between those perceiving care support from family or social service and not perceiving care support in urban areas comparing to those in rural areas. Those who cannot pay medical expenses are the least likely to survive. The higher level of economic development in province has no significant effect on the survival of elderly people for the whole sample model and the elderly people in urban areas; however, there is a negative influence on the survival of the rural elderly people. PMID:25703671

Reminiscence, Psychological Well-Being, and Ego Integrity in Portuguese Elderly People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afonso, Rosa Maria; Bueno, Belen; Loureiro, Manuel Joachim; Pereira, Henrique

2011-01-01

This paper analyzes the impact of a reminiscence program on the psychological well-being and ego integrity of elderly people with depressive symptomatology. Ninety people aged 65 and over participated in a quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest evaluations. They were assigned to one of three groups: (a) experimental group…

Self-Regulation and Experience of Loneliness of Elderly People Who Live in Social Care Residences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abitov, Ildar R.; Gorodetskaya, Inna M.

2016-01-01

The research addresses the peculiarities of self-regulation of loneliness experience of elderly people living in care homes. The population of the study consisted of 60 elderly people (65-80 years old). 30 of them live in families with spouses and children and 30 persons live in the State residential social service institution. It was found that…

Uncertainty, the Overbearing Lived Experience of the Elderly People Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Sahaf, Robab; Sadat Ilali, Ehteram; Peyrovi, Hamid; Akbari Kamrani, Ahmad Ali; Spahbodi, Fatemeh

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: The chronic kidney disease is a major health concern. The number of the elderly people with chronic renal failure has increased across the world. Dialysis is an appropriate therapy for the elderly, but it involves certain challenges. The present paper reports uncertainty as part of the elderly experiences of living with hemodialysis. Methods: This qualitative study applied Max van Manen interpretative phenomenological analysis to explain and explore experiences of the elderly with hemodialysis. Given the study inclusion criteria, data were collected using in-depth unstructured interviews with nine elderly undergoing hemodialysis, and then analyzed according to Van Manen 6-stage methodological approach. Results: One of the most important findings emerging in the main study was “uncertainty”, which can be important and noteworthy, given other aspects of the elderly life (loneliness, despair, comorbidity of diseases, disability, and mental and psychosocial problems). Uncertainty about the future is the most psychological concerns of people undergoing hemodialysis. Conclusion: The results obtained are indicative of the importance of paying attention to a major aspect in the life of the elderly undergoing hemodialysis, uncertainty. A positive outlook can be created in the elderly through education and increased knowledge about the disease, treatment and complications. PMID:28097174

[Salivary flow and psychoactive drug consumption in elderly people].

PubMed

Cabrera, Marcos Aparecido Sarria; Mesas, Arthur Eumann; Rossato, Luiz Angelo; Andrade, Selma Maffei de

2007-01-01

To analyze the association between low saliva flow rates and the use of psychoactive drugs among the elderly. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 267 elderly people from 60 to 74 years of age who lived in a borough of the city of Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil. Individuals with high functional dependence or restricted to bed were excluded. Saliva flow rate was the dependent variable with values under the first tercile being considered as low flow rates (less than 0.44 ml/min). The continuous use of psychoactive drugs (antidepressant, antiepileptic, sedative, antipsychotic, hypnotic or sedative-hypnotic drugs) was the independent variable. Multivariate analysis was performed taking into account gender, age and smoking status. The majority of the elderly were women (80.5%), with a mean age of 66.5 years. Use of psychoactive drugs was observed among 31 elderly (11.6%). Mean saliva flow rate was 0.76 ml/min, lower among users of psychoactive drugs (0.67 ml/min). In the multivariate analysis, use of psychoactive drugs was associated with low saliva flow rates (<0.44 ml/min), independent of gender, age or smoking. Results show that there is an association between use of psychoactive drugs and low saliva flow rates in this group of independent and non-institutionalized elderly. These conclusions stress the need of a rational use of these drugs, particularly among the elderly.

The heterogeneous health latent classes of elderly people and their socio-demographic characteristics in Taiwan.

PubMed

Liu, Li-Fan; Tian, Wei-Hua; Yao, Hui-Ping

2014-01-01

The health care needs of elderly people were influenced by their heterogeneity. This study aimed to identify the health latent classes of elderly people by using latent class analysis to deal with heterogeneity and examine their socio-demographic characteristics. Data came from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) in Taiwan. In total, 2449 elderly individuals with available health indicators were examined in latent class analysis (LCA), and 2217 elderly community-dwellings with complete socio-demographic data were analyzed by multinomial logistic regression. Four health latent classes were identified which included 1066 (43.5%) people in the High Comorbidity (HC), 152 (6.2%) in the Functional Impairment (FI), 252 (10.3%) in the Frail (FR), and 979 (40.0%) in the Relatively Healthy (RH) group. Multinomial logistic regressions revealed socio-demographic characteristics among health classes. The variables associated with an increased likelihood of being in the FR group were age, female, and living with families. They were also correlated to ethnicity and educations. Apart from age and gender, the Functional Impairment group was less likely to be ethnicity of Hakka, more likely to live with others than were the RH group. The HC group tended to be younger, with higher educations, and more likely to live in urban area than the Functional Impairment group. The correlations between health classes and socio-demographic factors were discussed. The health status of elderly people includes a variety of health indicators. A person-centered approach is critical to identify the health heterogeneity of elderly people and manage their care needs by targeting differential aging. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validity and reliability of the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) in Japanese elderly people.

PubMed

Hagiwara, Akiko; Ito, Naomi; Sawai, Kazuhiko; Kazuma, Keiko

2008-09-01

In Japan, there are no valid and reliable physical activity questionnaires for elderly people. In this study, we translated the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) into Japanese and assessed its validity and reliability. Three hundred and twenty-five healthy and elderly subjects over 65 years were enrolled. Concurrent validity was evaluated by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between PASE scores and an accelerometer (waking steps and energy expenditure), a physical activity questionnaire for adults in general (the Japan Arteriosclerosis Longitudinal Study Physical Activity Questionnaire, JALSPAQ), grip strength, mid-thigh muscle area per bodyweight, static valance and bodyfat percentage. Reliability was evaluated by the test-retest method over a period of 3-4 weeks. The mean PASE score in this study was 114.9. The PASE score was significantly correlated with walking steps (rho = 0.17, P = 0.014), energy expenditure (rho = 0.16, P = 0.024), activity measured with the JALSPAQ (rho = 0.48, P < 0.001), mid-thigh muscle area per bodyweight (rho = 0.15, P = 0.006) and static balance (rho = 0.19, P = 0.001). The proportion of consistency in the response between the first and second surveys was adequately high. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the PASE score was 0.65. The Japanese version of PASE was shown to have acceptable validity and reliability. The PASE is useful to measure the physical activity of elderly people in Japan.

Prevalence and socioeconomic correlates of chronic morbidity among elderly people in Kosovo: a population-based survey

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Our aim was to assess the prevalence and demographic and socioeconomic correlates of chronic morbidity in the elderly population of transitional Kosovo. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kosovo in 2011 including a representative sample of 1890 individuals aged ≥65 years (949 men, mean age 73 ± 6 years; 941 women, mean age 74 ± 7 years; response rate: 83%). A structured questionnaire inquired about the presence and the number of self-reported chronic diseases among elderly people, and their access to medical care. Demographic and socioeconomic data were also collected. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics with chronic conditions. Results In this nationwide population-based sample in Kosovo, 42% of elderly people were unable to access medical care, of whom 88% due to unaffordable costs. About 83% of the elderly people reported at least one chronic condition (63% cardiovascular diseases), and 45% had at least two chronic diseases. In multivariable-adjusted models, factors associated with the presence of chronic conditions and/or multimorbidity were female sex, older age, self-perceived poverty and the inability to access medical care. Conclusion This study provides important evidence on the magnitude and distribution of chronic conditions among the elderly population of Kosovo. Our findings suggest that, in this sample of elderly people from Kosovo, the oldest-old (especially women) and the poor endure the vast majority of chronic conditions. These findings point to the urgent need to establish a social health insurance scheme including the marginalized segments of elderly people in this transitional country. PMID:23452830

Elderly people's perceptions of using Wii sports bowling - A qualitative study.

PubMed

Glännfjord, Fredrik; Hemmingsson, Helena; Larsson Ranada, Åsa

2017-09-01

The Nintendo Wii is a gaming console with motion-sensitive controls that is making inroads into health care and rehabilitation. However, there is still limited knowledge on how elderly people perceive the use of such a product. The aim of this study was to examine how the use of the Wii Sports Bowling in an activity group was perceived by elderly people. The data consisted of observations and interviews with participants who used Wii Sports Bowling and was analysed with content analysis. The findings are described in three themes; 'The use of the Wii Sports game', 'Engagement in the game' and 'Social interaction around the activity'. Wii Sports Bowling was described as easier to play compared to real-life bowling and was enjoyable and a social activity. The opportunity to meet the group each week was important for the participants. Playing the game resulted in signs of immersion and a flow-like state. The Wii was perceived to be easy to use, to provide a way to socialize with peers and to give opportunities to participate in activities in a new way. More studies regarding elderly people's experiences and apprehensions regarding new technology such as gaming consoles and virtual reality are needed.

Malaysian government dentists' experience, willingness and barriers in providing domiciliary care for elderly people.

PubMed

Othman, Akmal Aida; Yusof, Zamros; Saub, Roslan

2014-06-01

To assess Malaysian government dentists' experience, willingness and barriers in providing domiciliary care for elderly people. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered postal questionnaire targeting government dentists working in the Ministry of Health in Peninsular Malaysia. Seven hundred and eleven out of 962 dentists responded with a response rate of 74.0%. Only 36.1% of the dentists had experience in providing domiciliary care for elderly people in the past 2 years with mean number of visit per year of 1. Younger dentists below the age of 30 and those with confidence in providing the service were the most willing to undertake domiciliary care for elderly patients (OR=13.5, p<0.05). The 3 most reported barriers were patient's complex medical history (74.1%), patient's poor attitude towards oral health service (67.5%), and dentist's unfavourable working condition (64.4%). The majority of Malaysian government dentists had not been involved in providing domiciliary care for elderly patients. Apart from overcoming the barriers, other recommendations include improving undergraduate dental education, education for elderly people and carers, improving dentist's working condition, and introducing domiciliary financial incentive for dentist. © 2012 The Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Dietary assessment in elderly people: experiences gained from studies in the Netherlands.

PubMed

de Vries, J H M; de Groot, L C P G M; van Staveren, W A

2009-02-01

In selecting a dietary assessment method, several aspects such as the aim of the study and the characteristics of the target population should be taken into account. In elderly people, diminished functionality and cognitive decline may hamper dietary assessment and require tailored approaches to assess dietary intake. The objective of this paper is to summarize our experience in dietary assessment in a number of different studies in population groups over 65 years of age in the Netherlands, and to discuss this experience in the perspective of other nutrition surveys in the elderly. In longitudinal studies, we applied a modified dietary history; in clinical nursing home studies, trained staff observed and recorded food consumption; and in a controlled trial in healthy elderly men, we used a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). For all methods applied in the community-dwelling elderly people, validation studies showed a similar underestimation of intake of 10-15% compared with the reference value. In the care-depending elderly, the underestimation was less: 5% according to an observational method. The methods varied widely in the resources required, including burden to the participants, field staff and finances. For effective dietary assessment in older adults, the major challenge will be to distinguish between those elderly who are able to respond correctly to the less intensive methods, such as 24-h recalls or FFQ, and those who are not able to respond to these methods and require adapted techniques, for example, observational records.

Perspectives on providing good access to dental services for elderly people: patient selection, dentists' responsibility and budget management.

PubMed

Grytten, Jostein; Holst, Dorthe

2013-06-01

To suggest a model for organizing and financing dental services for elderly people so that they have good access to services. There are few studies on how dental services for elderly people should be organized and financed. This is surprising if we take into consideration the fact that the proportion of elderly people is growing faster than any other group in the population, and that elderly people have more dental diseases and poorer access to dental services than the rest of the adult population. In several countries, dental services are characterized by private providers who often operate in a market with competition and free price-setting. Private dentists have no community responsibility, and they are free to choose which patients they treat. Literature review and critical reasoning. In order to avoid patient selection, a patient list system for elderly people is recommended, with per capita remuneration for the patients that the dentist is given responsibility for. The patient list system means that the dentist assumes responsibility for a well-defined list of elderly people. Our model will lead to greater security in the dentist/patient relationship, and patients with great treatment needs will be ensured access to dental services. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S and The Gerodontology Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nutrition knowledge, beliefs and dietary habits among elderly people in Nizwa, Oman: implications for policy.

PubMed

Al Riyami, A; Al Hadabi, S; Abd El Aty, M A; Al Kharusi, H; Morsi, M; Jaju, S

2010-08-01

The nutritional needs of the ageing population require special attention. We undertook a cross-sectional, community-based, household survey in Nizwa wilayat, Oman to study nutrition-related knowledge and beliefs and self-reported dietary habits among a sample of elderly people. The response rate for the household interview was 99.3% from a total sample of 2041. About 45% of the elderly were overweight or obese. Overall we found poor knowledge of nutrition plus some nutritional imbalances and low levels of physical activity. Significant sex differences existed in elderly peoples' nutritional knowledge, consumption of fluids, milk and sweets, use of dietary regimens and experience of appetite change. The findings warrant reorientation of the existing health promotion strategy for the elderly.

Design of an interactive digital nutritional education package for elderly people.

PubMed

Ali, Nazlena Mohamad; Shahar, Suzana; Kee, You Lee; Norizan, Azir Rezha; Noah, Shahrul Azman Mohd

2012-12-01

Designing a system for the elderly is crucial, as aging is associated with physiological changes that may impair perception, cognition and other social aspects; therefore, many aspects need consideration, especially in interface design. This study was conducted to develop a digital nutritional education package (WE Sihat) by following appropriate guidelines for elderly people to achieve better design interface and interaction. Touch-screen technology was used as a platform for user interaction. The nutritional content was based on previous nutrition studies and a lifestyle education package on healthy aging, which contains four modules. The questionnaires were distributed to 31 Malay subjects aged 60-76 years old, containing an evaluation about the overall content, graphics, design layout, colour, font size, audio/video, user-perceived satisfaction and acceptance levels. The findings showed positive feedback and acceptance. Most subjects agreed that the digital nutritional education package can increase their nutritional knowledge for a healthy lifestyle and is easy to use. The touch-screen technology was also well accepted by elderly people and can be used as a kiosk for disseminating nutrition education for healthy aging.

Sentimentality and Nostalgia in Elderly People in Bulgaria and Greece – Cross-Validity of the Questionnaire SNEP and Cross-Cultural Comparison

PubMed Central

Stoyanova, Stanislava Yordanova; Giannouli, Vaitsa; Gergov, Teodor Krasimirov

2017-01-01

Sentimentality and nostalgia are two similar psychological constructs, which play an important role in the emotional lives of elderly people who are usually focused on the past. There are two objectives of this study - making cross-cultural comparison of sentimentality and nostalgia among Bulgarian and Greek elderly people using a questionnaire, and establishing the psychometric properties of this questionnaire among Greek elderly people. Sentimentality and nostalgia in elderly people in Bulgaria and Greece were studied by means of Sentimentality and Nostalgia in Elderly People questionnaire (SNEP), created by Gergov and Stoyanova (2013). For the Greek version, one factor structure without sub-scales is proposed, while for the Bulgarian version of SNEP the factor structure had four sub-scales, besides the total score. Together with some similarities (medium level of nostalgia and sentimentality being widespread), the elderly people in Bulgaria and Greece differed cross-culturally in their sentimentality and nostalgia related to the past in direction of more increased sentimentality and nostalgia in the Bulgarian sample. Some gender and age differences revealed that the oldest male Bulgarians were the most sentimental. The psychometric properties of this questionnaire were examined for the first time in a Greek sample of elders and a trend was found for stability of sentimentality and nostalgia in elderly people that could be studied further in longitudinal studies. PMID:28344678

Characteristics of depression in community-dwelling elderly people as indicated by the tree-drawing test.

PubMed

Murayama, Norio; Endo, Tadashi; Inaki, Koichiro; Sasaki, Shinsai; Fukase, Yuko; Ota, Kazumi; Iseki, Eizo; Tagaya, Hirokuni

2016-07-01

The tree-drawing test (TDT) is a typical projective method, but previous studies have paid little attention to it for elderly people. We investigated the characteristics of depression in community-dwelling elderly people as indicated by the TDT. This study was a complete enumeration survey of elderly people conducted through home visits. The contents of the survey included gender, age, presence or absence of housemates, frequency of going out, the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, and TDT. The subjects were divided into three groups (normal, depressed tendency, and depressed) according to the total 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale score. In TDT, no significant difference was observed in drooping crown, shadow of the whole tree, or shadow near the base, which have been regarded as indices of depression in younger people. However, the values concerning the size of the tree, such as the height and width of the whole tree, height and width of the crown, and number of occupied areas (of the paper), were significantly lower in the depressed group than in the other groups. In addition, the width of the trunk was significantly smaller in the depressed group than in the normal group. Subjects were classified as being in a 'depressed state' if they used 40 or fewer areas for drawing (i.e. occupied areas) and a 'non-depressed state' if they used 41 or more areas. This enabled depression to be detected (sensitivity: 71.4%; specificity: 79.9%). The size of the tree in TDT is suggested to reflect characteristics of depression in elderly people, such as introversion, reserve, antisocial attitude, a feeling of inferiority, weakness of ego, and lack of vigour. Furthermore, the numbers of occupied areas were found to be relatively useful in detecting depression in elderly people. © 2015 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2015 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Measurement of special access to home visit nursing services among Japanese disabled elderly people: using GIS and claim data.

PubMed

Naruse, Takashi; Matsumoto, Hiroshige; Fujisaki-Sakai, Mahiro; Nagata, Satoko

2017-05-30

Home care service demands are increasing in Japan; this necessitates improved service allocation. This study examined the relationship between home visit nursing (HVN) service use and the proportion of elderly people living within 10 min' travel of HVN agencies. The population of elderly people living within reach of HVN agencies for each of 17 municipalities in one low-density prefecture was calculated using public data and geographic information systems. Multilevel logistic analysis for 2641 elderly people was conducted using medical and long-term care insurance claims data from October 2010 to examine the association between the proportion of elderly people reachable by HVNs and service usage in 13 municipalities. Municipality variables included HVN agency allocation appropriateness. Individual variables included HVN usage and demographic variables. The reachable proportion of the elderly population ranged from 0.0 to 90.2% in the examined municipalities. The reachable proportion of the elderly population was significantly positively correlated with HVN use (odds ratio: 1.938; confidence interval: 1.265-2.967). Residents living in municipalities with a lower reachable proportion of the elderly population are less likely to use HVN services. Public health interventions should increase the reachable proportion of the elderly population in order to improve HVN service use.

Drug prescribing and use among elderly people in Spain.

PubMed

Mas, X; Laporte, J R; Frati, M E; Busquet, L; Arnau, J M; Ibañez, L; Séculi, E; Capellà, D; Arbonés, G

1983-05-01

As a result of the lack of an adequate regulation, the supply and the use of medicines is irrational in Spain. In order to know the characteristics of the prescription and use of drugs among the elderly, two drug utilization studies were carried out. The first study was an analysis of 981 prescriptions from an outpatient clinic of the Spanish Social Security. The results show that a high proportion of fixed-dose combinations were prescribed and that drugs without any demonstrated therapeutic value are often prescribed for the elderly. The second study was a survey of 389 individuals randomly chosen among people affiliated with a pensioners' club. The results show that drug use is highly prevalent among the elderly, that many medicines without any demonstrated benefit are being taken, and that potentially harmful drugs were being used by a high proportion of patients without medical follow-up. The prevalence of the use of some particular groups of drugs is also presented.

Prevention for elderly people: demand-oriented or problem-oriented?

PubMed

Kupper, Nicolette M; Schreurs, Hanneke; Ten Klooster, Peter M; Bode, Christina; van Ameijden, Erik J C

2011-09-01

To examine the association between self-expressed information needs and corresponding observed health and lifestyle issues in elderly people. Data were used from the 2006 community health survey in Utrecht, a medium-sized city in the Netherlands. Data of 1634 people aged 55 years and older were available for analyses (response 64%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine possible associations between expressed information needs and variables on demographics, lifestyle risk behaviours, physical and psychosocial health. Several significant associations were found between information needs and corresponding health and lifestyle problems. However, the explanatory power of the observed problems was generally low, explaining only 7% of the informational needs on lifestyle, and 17% and 28% of the informational needs on physical and psychosocial health, respectively. The findings suggest that prevention amongst the elderly should not be solely based on information needs, but also on observed lifestyle and health. Implications for the use of different approaches of prevention and behavioural models underlying interventions are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

LEGO Mindstorms NXT for elderly and visually impaired people in need: A platform.

PubMed

Al-Halhouli, Ala'aldeen; Qitouqa, Hala; Malkosh, Nancy; Shubbak, Alaa; Al-Gharabli, Samer; Hamad, Eyad

2016-07-27

This paper presents the employment of LEGO Mindstorms NXT robotics as core component of low cost multidisciplinary platform for assisting elderly and visually impaired people. LEGO Mindstorms system offers a plug-and-play programmable robotics toolkit, incorporating construction guides, microcontrollers and sensors, all connected via a comprehensive programming language. It facilitates, without special training and at low cost, the use of such device for interpersonal communication and for handling multiple tasks required for elderly and visually impaired people in-need. The research project provides a model for larger-scale implementation, tackling the issues of creating additional functions in order to assist people in-need. The new functions were built and programmed using MATLAB through a user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI). Power consumption problem, besides the integration of WiFi connection has been resolved, incorporating GPS application on smart phones enhanced the guiding and tracking functions. We believe that developing and expanding the system to encompass a range of applications beyond the initial design schematics to ease conducting a limited number of pre-described protocols. However, the beneficiaries for the proposed research would be limited to elderly people who require assistance within their household as assistive-robot to facilitate a low-cost solution for a highly demanding health circumstance.

Health Promotion Behaviors and Chronic Diseases of Aging in the Elderly People of Iranshahr*- IR Iran.

PubMed

Pishkar Mofrad, Zahra; Jahantigh, Mozhgan; Arbabisarjou, Azizollah

2015-07-13

Aging is considered as the phenomenon of the day in the health arena of the world and Iran. It is anticipated that there will be an explosion of aging population in Iran in about 2031 and 20-25% of the population will be aged over 60 years. With aging, chronic diseases also increase and diminish the functional ability of older people. On the other hand, increased healthcare costs should be also added to this issue. Health promotion is a concept of process that continues throughout life. As much as health promotion is important in children and adults, it is equally important in older people. In fact, the elderlies, as a group, also acquire many benefits from health promotion behaviors. Due to the increasing elderly population, geriatric health promotion and enhancing the health level of older people is proposed as a health priority that should be properly planned. Hence, the present study has been conducted in this regard and aims to identify behaviors of health promotion and chronic diseases of aging in the elderly people of Iranshahr-Iran. The present research is a cross-sectional descriptive study whose population consists of 425 elderly people aged 60 years and over, who lived in the city of Iranshahr*, IR Iran. The random cluster sampling method has been used to select the research samples. The required information was collected using a questionnaire which was distributed among the older people through visiting their homes; then, the collected data was statistically analyzed using the statistical software of SPSS version 13. the research findings show that the mean age of older people is and the highest frequency belongs to the age group of 60 years and the maximum age is 92 years. 69.5% of the older people were in the age group of the young elderly (60-69 years) and 44% of them lived with their married children; also 55.8%, 81.9%, 70.5%, and 74.4% of them were respectively female, illiterate, married, and unemployed. The mean score of geriatric health

An assisted-living home architecture with integrated healthcare services for elderly people.

PubMed

Marsh, Andy; Biniaris, Christos; Vergados, Dimitrios; Eppler, Arnold; Kavvadias, Christoforos; Bigalke, Olaf; Robert, Eric; Jerabek, Boro; Alevizos, Alevizos; Caragiozidis, Michael

2008-01-01

Since the population of elderly people grows absolutely and in relation to the overall population in the world, the improvement of the quality of life of elderly people at home is of a great importance. This can be achieved through the development of generic technologies for managing their domestic ambient environment consisting of medical sensors, entertainment equipment, home automation systems and white goods, increasing their autonomy and safety. In this context, the provision intelligent interactive healthcare services will improve their daily life and allowing at the same time the continuous monitoring of their health and their effective treatment. This work is supported by the INHOME Project EU IST-045061-STP, http://www.ist-inhome.eu.

Effects of Individual, Spousal, and Offspring Socioeconomic Status on Mortality Among Elderly People in China.

PubMed

Yang, Lei; Martikainen, Pekka; Silventoinen, Karri

2016-11-05

The relationship between socio-economic status and health among elderly people has been well studied, but less is known about how spousal or offspring's education affects mortality, especially in non-Western countries. We investigated these associations using a large sample of Chinese elderly. The data came from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) from the years 2005 to 2011 (n = 15 355, aged 65-105 years at baseline; 5046 died in 2008, and 2224 died in 2011). Educational attainment, occupational status, and household income per capita were used as indicators of socio-economic status. Spousal and offspring's education were added into the final models. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to study mortality risk by gender. Adjusted for age, highly educated males and females had, on average, 29% and 37% lower mortality risk, respectively, than those with a lower education. Particularly among men, this effect was observed among those whose children had intermediate education only. A higher household income was also associated with lower mortality risk among the elderly. Male elderly living with a well-educated spouse (HR 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64-0.99) had a lower mortality risk than those living with a low-educated spouse. Both the socio-economic status of the individual and the educational level of a co-resident spouse or child are associated with mortality risk in elderly people. The socio-economic position of family members plays an important role in producing health inequality among elderly people.

[Quality of life in institutionalized elderly people of Medellín].

PubMed

Estrada, Alejandro; Cardona, Doris; Segura, Angela María; Chavarriaga, Lina Marcela; Ordóñez, Jaime; Osorio, Jorge Julián

2011-01-01

Many factors contribute to the deteriorating quality of life of elderly people living in care institutions. Some of these problems are a consequence of few contacts with relatives and friends, and being alone with a feeling of isolation. The conditions of quality of life are explored for elderly people living in care institutions. In a cross sectional study, 276 subjects were selected from 39 long term institutions located in the city of Medellín, Colombia. The sex ratio was female: male 60:40% with a mean age of 79.2 ± 8.0. Elderly subjects with cognitive problems or not living in the institution were excluded. The World Health Organization Quality of Life of Older Adults (WHOQOL-OLD) questionnaire was applied; in additional, capacity and cognitive functional scales of Pfeffer, the anxiety scale of Goldberg, and the Geriatric Depression Scale of Yesavage were administered. Mininutritional assessment scales and complementary questionnaires about demographics, health perception, social support system were also included. The information was analyzed using the Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis test, Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression method. Most (71%) considered themselves autonomous for undertaking daily, habitual activities. Other statistics included the following: 45.7% with depression, 33.0% with anxiety, 28.3% with functional problems, and 54.3% at risk of malnutrition. A negative quality-of-life assessment was associated with the following factors: female, diabetes, depression, anxiety and high functional capacity. A positive quality-of-life assessment was associated with individuals who voluntarily came to the institution. Quality of life for elderly people living in care institutions can become deteriorated when they are not capable to do the usual activities necessary for daily living. Exacerbating factors included sex, symptoms of depression, anxiety, or perceived mistreatment by their families.

Effect of Oral Health Care Program on Oral Health Status of Elderly People Living in Nursing Homes: a Quasi-experimental Study.

PubMed

Ildarabadi, Es-Hagh; Armat, Mohammad Reza; Motamedosanaye, Vahideh; Ghanei, Farzaneh

2017-12-01

Oral health of elderly people plays a major role in their overall health and quality of life, and is an integral part of personal care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of implementing the oral health care program (OHCP) on oral health status of elderly people resident in nursing homes. This quasi-experimental study was carried out using a pretest-posttest design on 101 elderly people (46 in the intervention group and 55 in the control group) resident in two randomly selected nursing homes in Mashhad, Iran. In the intervention group, the OHCP was carried out by caregivers for 8 weeks. The control group received routine care. Using the oral health assessment tool, the oral health status of elderly people was assessed in both groups at three times; onset of the study, 4th, and 8th week after the start of the study. The oral health status of the elderly people in both groups was not statistically significantly different at baseline, but it changed significantly at the 4 th , and 8 th weeks (p<.001). The implementation of the OHCP for elderly people resident in nursing homes may improve their oral health status after 4 weeks. It is recommended that OHCP be included in care plans of all nursing homes to improve the elderly people's oral health status.

Neurophysiological basis of creativity in healthy elderly people: a multiscale entropy approach.

PubMed

Ueno, Kanji; Takahashi, Tetsuya; Takahashi, Koichi; Mizukami, Kimiko; Tanaka, Yuji; Wada, Yuji

2015-03-01

Creativity, which presumably involves various connections within and across different neural networks, reportedly underpins the mental well-being of older adults. Multiscale entropy (MSE) can characterize the complexity inherent in EEG dynamics with multiple temporal scales. It can therefore provide useful insight into neural networks. Given that background, we sought to clarify the neurophysiological bases of creativity in healthy elderly subjects by assessing EEG complexity with MSE, with emphasis on assessment of neural networks. We recorded resting state EEG of 20 healthy elderly subjects. MSE was calculated for each subject for continuous 20-s epochs. Their relevance to individual creativity was examined concurrently with intellectual function. Higher individual creativity was linked closely to increased EEG complexity across higher temporal scales, but no significant relation was found with intellectual function (IQ score). Considering the general "loss of complexity" theory of aging, our finding of increased EEG complexity in elderly people with heightened creativity supports the idea that creativity is associated with activated neural networks. Results reported here underscore the potential usefulness of MSE analysis for characterizing the neurophysiological bases of elderly people with heightened creativity. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Depression and subjective economy among elderly people in Asian communities: Japan, Taiwan, and Korea.

PubMed

Imai, Hissei; Chen, Wen-ling; Fukutomi, Eriko; Okumiya, Kiyohito; Wada, Taizo; Sakamoto, Ryota; Fujisawa, Michiko; Ishimoto, Yasuko; Kimura, Yumi; Chang, Chia-Ming; Matsubayashi, Kozo

2015-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the cross-cultural relationship between depressive state and subjective economic status, as well as subjective quality of life (QOL) and activities of daily living (ADL) among elderly people in communities in Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. We studied 595 subjects aged 65 years or older in three Asian communities (261 subjects in T town in Japan, 164 in D town in Taiwan, and 170 in H town in Korea). The Geriatric Depression Scale-15, a self-rating questionnaire assessing ADL, subjective QOL, social situations, and past and current medical status, was used. Depression of the elderly was associated with dependence in basic ADL, subjective QOL, and subjective sense of low economic status. After adjusting for the effects of age, sex, and basic ADL, subjective sense of low economic status was closely associated with depression in community-living elderly people in all three communities in Asia. In conclusion, absolute and objective economic status is an important contributing factor to depressive state or psychosocial deterioration, however, we should pay more attention to the roles of perception of low economic status in determining depressive state in community-dwelling elderly people. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Home Safety, Safe Behaviors of Elderly People, and Fall Accidents At Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erkal, Sibel

2010-01-01

The present study analyzed home safety and safe behaviors against fall accidents of elderly people living at home. The study group comprised 121 people aged 65+ living in the catchment area of Ankara Mamak Halil Ulgen Health Center. Data were collected via a personal information form and Home-Screen Scale. Statistical analysis used an independent…

Analysis of public policies in favor of the elderly people in Senegal: state of legal protection.

PubMed

Ka, Ousseynou; Seck, Ibrahima; Coumé, Mamadou; Thiongane, Bassirou; Mbaye, El Hadji; Dia, Anta Tal

2018-03-01

Senegal will be spared by phenomenon of population ageing, which will surely have socioeconomic and cultural consequences that will not be easy to tackle, as all sectors will be affected. In regard to legal protection, there are not any special legal acts for the elderly as is the case for children and women. They are treated just as responsible adults whose legal status is the same as everyone else. As far as the framework of legal protection of elderly people is concerned, Senegal has ratified all international and regional means and mecanisms for the protection of the rights of the elderly. In addition, the authorities have adopted policies and programs that favor taking charge of old people's interests. At the present, Senegal possesses a legal framework for the protection of its elderly people. So the matter is about creating new rights, because even the existing rights are not known to their beneficiaries. What is important is to ensure that the elderly fully enjoy their rights in the same way as the other members of society. It is wise, therefore, to put in place plan for information, public awareness and communication concerning the legal regulating framework. Thus, Senegal could be regarded as a pioneer in terms of the protection the elderly, and these leading programs can represent models for the countries of the region, whose social, sanitary and economic contexts are similar.

Validation Analysis of a Geriatric Dehydration Screening Tool in Community-Dwelling and Institutionalized Elderly People

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Susana; Silva, Joana; Severo, Milton; Inácio, Cátia; Padrão, Patrícia; Lopes, Carla; Carvalho, Joana; do Carmo, Isabel; Moreira, Pedro

2015-01-01

Dehydration is common among elderly people. The aim of this study was to perform validation analysis of a geriatric dehydration-screening tool (DST) in the assessment of hydration status in elderly people. This tool was based on the DST proposed by Vivanti et al., which is composed by 11 items (four physical signs of dehydration and seven questions about thirst sensation, pain and mobility), with four questions extra about drinking habits. The resulting questionnaire was evaluated in a convenience sample comprising institutionalized (n = 29) and community-dwelling (n = 74) elderly people. Urinary parameters were assessed (24-h urine osmolality and volume) and free water reserve (FWR) was calculated. Exploratory factor analysis was used to evaluate the scale’s dimensionality and Cronbach’s alpha was used to measure the reliability of each subscale. Construct’s validity was tested using linear regression to estimate the association between scores in each dimension and urinary parameters. Two factors emerged from factor analysis, which were named “Hydration Score” and “Pain Score”, and both subscales showed acceptable reliabilities. The “Hydration Score” was negatively associated with 24-h urine osmolality in community-dwelling; and the “Pain Score” was negatively associated with 24-h urine osmolality, and positively associated with 24-h urine volume and FWR in institutionalized elderly people. PMID:25739005

Dietary intake and nutritional risk among free-living elderly people in Palma de Mallorca.

PubMed

Tur, J A; Colomer, M; Moñino, M; Bonnin, T; Llompart, I; Pons, A

2005-01-01

To describe the dietary intake of free-living, non-institutionalised, elderly people of Palma de Mallorca, and to evaluate their nutritional status and risk of undernutrition. Anthropometric and dietary survey (3-day food record), and risk of undernutrition (MNA-SF) were assessed in 230 (89 men and 141 women) free-living elderly people (average age 72.7 +/- 5.9 years) in Palma de Mallorca. Prevalence of undernutrition (1% in men and 5% in women), overweight (56% in men and 39% in women) and obesity (17% in men and 21% in women) were found. Mean daily energy intake (+/- SD) was 5.7 +/- 1.5 MJ in men and 5.3 +/- 1.3 MJ among women. The contribution of macronutrients to the total energy intake was different from the Recommended Intake for the elderly, since it was too derived from proteins, fats, SFA and sugars, but in only small amounts was derived from complex carbohydrates. Animal protein intake was two-thirds the total protein intake. Dietary fibre was low. Cholesterol/SFA ratio showed dietary risk of atherogenic potential. High percentages of elderly persons showed inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium, zinc, folic acid, vitamin D, and vitamin E. An increase in dietary complex carbohydrate and fibre, a decrease in fats, especially SFA, and a balanced intake of animal/vegetable proteins and fats are recommended. Dietary supplementation, especially with calcium, vitamin C and E, and occasionally vitamin D, may be useful to improve nutritional and health status of free-living elderly people in Palma de Mallorca.

Factors influencing seasonal influenza vaccination behaviour among elderly people: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kan, T; Zhang, J

2018-03-01

To explore the behaviour-related factors influencing influenza vaccination among elderly people using a framework derived from the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). Systematic review. Five databases were searched using predetermined strategies in March 2016, and 1927 citations were identified. Articles were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Key information was extracted from selected studies using a predesigned sheet. Both authors assessed study quality using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) or Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. Thirty-six articles were selected. A new framework was proposed that contributes to shared understanding of factors influencing health behaviour. Possible determinants of influenza vaccination among elderly people were knowledge, health promotion factors, all constructs of the HBM, and some concepts of the TRA. Key factors were threat perception, behavioural beliefs, subjective norms, recommendations, past behaviour and perceived barriers. This is the first systematic review to analyse the factors influencing influenza vaccination behaviour of elderly people using a framework integrating the HBM and the TRA. The framework identified key factors of influenza vaccination and presented the inter-relation of behaviour-related variables. However, further well-designed studies are required to explore the inter-relationships accurately and comprehensively. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food habits and nutritional status of elderly people living in a Spanish Mediterranean city.

PubMed

Martínez Tomé, M J; Rodríguez, A; Jiménez, A Ma; Mariscal, M; Murcia, Ma A; García-Diz, L

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the food habits and nutritional status of free-living, non-institutionalised, elderly people of Torrevieja, a Spanish city located in the Mediterranean coast. Anthropometric and dietary survey (two 24 hour recalls) were assessed in 200 (83 men and 117 women) free-living elderly people (average age 72.3±6.6 years). Just married women accomplished the recommended energy intake. The contribution of macronutrients to the total energy intake was different from the Recommended Intake for the elderly, since it was too derived from proteins, fats, SFA and sugars, but in only small amounts was derived from complex carbohydrates. High percentages of elderly persons showed inadequate intake of calcium, zinc, magnesium, potassium, copper, iodine, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and riboflavin. Men showed lower micronutrient intake than women. An increase in dietary complex carbohydrate, and a decrease in protein and fats, especially SFA, is recommended. It would be desirable to increase the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole cereals, fish and skimmed dairy products.

[Intermediate moisture food for elder people based on a legume: soybeans, mixture with calcium].

PubMed

Del Castillo, V C; Armada de Roman, M; s Gotiffredi, J C

2000-09-01

An intermediate moisture food (IMF), has been developed in our laboratory for elder people, over 60 years. The IMF is based on a cereal: legume mixture with calcium and flavour, it supplies proteins, carbohydrates and vegetable oils; as well as, high energetic density (3.22 cal/g) and covers up to 51% of calcium needed. It can be easily consumed as a tasty and soft food. It has a water activity of 0.80, for it can be stored at room conditions. It is very likely that IMF becomes a good alternative to improve and vary elder peoples diet.

Abuse of elderly people by their carers.

PubMed Central

Homer, A C; Gilleard, C

1990-01-01

OBJECTIVE--To assess the prevalence of abuse of elderly people by their carers and the characteristics of abusers and the abused. DESIGN--Information on abuse and risk factors was collected over six months from carers and patients. Risk factors were identified in the abused group and compared with those in a non-abused control group. SETTING--Carers were interviewed at home; patients were examined in the wards of Putney and Barnes geriatric hospitals, London. SUBJECTS--All patients referred from any source for respite care to the geriatric services over a six month period and their carers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Amount of physical and verbal abuse or neglect. Quantification of risk factors and correlation with the presence or absence of abuse. RESULTS--45% Of carers openly admitted to some form of abuse. Few patients admitted abuse. The most significant risk factor for physical abuse was alcohol consumption by the carer (p less than 0.001). Other significant risk factors were a poor pre-morbid relationship and previous abuse over many years. Abuse was often reciprocated and was associated with social dysfunction in many patients. Service delivery, respite care, and level of mental and physical disability were not significantly associated with abuse. CONCLUSION--The high level of abuse found in elderly patients in respite care was particularly associated with alcohol abuse and long term relationships of poor quality, which are difficult to change. Even with increased provision of services, care in the community may not be the best solution for these people. PMID:2271883

[The development of care farming for elderly people with cognitive impairment to enhance social inclusion: A feasibility study of rice-farming care for elderly people with cognitive impairment].

PubMed

Ura, Chiaki; Okamura, Tsuyoshi; Yamazaki, Sachiko; Ishiguro, Taichi; Ibe, Masumi; Miyazaki, Mayako; Torishima, Keisuke; Kawamuro, Yu

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of rice-farming care among elderly people with cognitive impairment as a tool for social inclusion. Eight elderly individuals with cognitive impairment (7 men, 1 woman, mean age 68.3 years old) participated in the program over 25 weeks. The cognitive function, well-being, and depression were assessed before and after the program period. The degree of participants' independence during the program was also assessed. Semi-structured interviews with the participants and caregivers were held after the program period. The average participation rate was 93.0%. There were no unexpected events, and the subjects carried out farmwork almost independently. Regarding their well-being, two participants who scored below the cut-off criterion of mental health before the study scored above the cut-off after the study. Regarding depression, two participants who scored positive with a two-question case-finding instrument no longer scored positive after the study. Interviews with the participants showed that they enjoyed the program, especially because they had peers, a role, and gained positive emotions. Interviews with the caregivers showed that they had recognized for the first time what people can do with their skills. The results of the present study indicate that rice-farming was a feasible method of care with a positive impact on the well-being and depression of elderly people with cognitive impairment and enhanced their social participation, drawing out their individual strengths.

Effects of hearing aids on cognitive functions and depressive signs in elderly people.

PubMed

Acar, Baran; Yurekli, Muge Fethiye; Babademez, Mehmet Ali; Karabulut, Hayriye; Karasen, Rıza Murat

2011-01-01

With the physical, emotional and cognitive effects of senility, elderly people, especially those with impaired hearing, need rehabilitation for improving their life conditions. Hearing aids are frequently used to improve their daily life communications and activities. The aim of this study was to report the cognitive and psychological benefits of using hearing aids by the elderly people, over the age of 65. This was a prospective, single-arm interventional study in 34 elderly subjects with hearing impairment who answered the geriatric depression scale-short form (GDS) questionnaire and the mini mental state examination (MMSE) test, prior to, and 3 months following the use of hearing aid, after obtaining the patients' consent to participate in study. Patients with evidence of focal neurological loss with clinical examination, a confusional state, sudden hear loss and severe tinnitus were not included in the study. Scores of the effects of hearing aids on mood and cognitive functions were compared for each subject, before and after, and between males and females. After 3 months of using a hearing aid, all patients showed a significant improvement of the psychosocial and cognitive conditions, and all of them showed betterment of their problems, i.e., the social communication and exchanging information. In conclusion, for the elderly people with the effects of hearing aids in presbycusis and due to the significant improvement in psychological state and mental functions, using and being adaptable to hearing aids is a good solution. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination and Its Associated Factors among Elderly People with Disabilities in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Chia; Tung, Ho-Jui; Hsu, Shang-Wei; Chen, Lei-Shin; Kung, Pei-Tseng; Huang, Kuang-Hua; Chiou, Shang-Jyh; Tsai, Wen-Chen

2016-01-01

Influenza immunization among elderly people with disabilities is a critical public health concern; however, few studies have examined the factors associated with vaccination rates in non-Western societies. By linking the National Disability Registration System and health service claims dataset from the National Health Insurance program, this population-based study investigated the seasonal influenza vaccination rate among elderly people with disabilities in Taiwan (N = 283,172) in 2008. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to adjust for covariates. Nationally, only 32.7% of Taiwanese elderly people with disabilities received influenza vaccination. The strongest predictor for getting vaccinated among older Taiwanese people with disabilities was their experience of receiving an influenza vaccination in the previous year (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 6.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.67-6.93). Frequent OPD use (AOR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.81-1.89) and undergoing health examinations in the previous year (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.62-1.69) also showed a moderate and significant association with receiving an influenza vaccination. Although free influenza vaccination has been provided in Taiwan since 2001, influenza immunization rates among elderly people with disabilities remain low. Policy initiatives are required to address the identified factors for improving influenza immunization rates among elderly people with disabilities.

Effects of grab bar on utilized friction and dynamic stability when elderly people enter the bathtub.

PubMed

Sekiguchi, Yusuke; Kato, Tomohisa; Honda, Keita; Kanetaka, Hiroyasu; Izumi, Shin-Ichi

2017-08-01

The effect of the grab bar on dynamic stability when elderly people enter the bathtub remains unclear. The purpose of the present study is to examine the age-related effect of the grab bar on dynamic stability during lateral stepping over an obstacle when entering bathtub. Sixteen young, healthy adults and sixteen elderly adults participated. The subjects performed lateral stepping over an obstacle with and without vertical and horizontal bars. Displacement and velocity of the center of mass and utilized friction, which is the required coefficient of friction to avoid slipping, were simultaneously measured by a three-dimensional motion analysis system and two force plates. A post hoc test for two-way ANOVA revealed that velocity of the center of mass in the vertical direction (p<0.05) and peak-to-peak values of the center of mass in the lateral (p<0.05) and vertical directions (p<0.05) with each grab bar were significantly slower and smaller than those without the grab bar in young and elderly people. Moreover, the utilized friction at push off of the trailing leg with the vertical bar in elderly people was lower (p<0.05) than that in participants without the grab bar. The use of each grab bar while performing a lateral step over an obstacle may help maintaining balance in lateral and vertical directions. However, use of the vertical bar while lateral stepping over an object in elderly people may need low utilized friction to prevent slipping. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk of Malnutrition Evaluated by Mini Nutritional Assessment and Sarcopenia in Noninstitutionalized Elderly People.

PubMed

Liguori, Ilaria; Curcio, Francesco; Russo, Gennaro; Cellurale, Michele; Aran, Luisa; Bulli, Giulia; Della-Morte, David; Gargiulo, Gaetano; Testa, Gianluca; Cacciatore, Francesco; Bonaduce, Domenico; Abete, Pasquale

2018-02-13

Malnutrition indices and muscle mass and strength in the elderly are poorly investigated. Moreover, malnutrition seems to be 1 of the more important factors in the cause of sarcopenia. The presence of sarcopenia and its relationship with malnutrition indices were studied in noninstitutionalized elderly people who underwent Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA). A total of 473 elderly subjects (mean age, 80.9 ± 6.6 years) admitted to CGA were studied. Malnutrition risk was evaluated with Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score, whereas muscle mass and muscle strength were evaluated by bioimpedentiometry and hand grip, respectively. Sarcopenia was assessed as indicated in the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) consensus. Overall prevalence of sarcopenia was 13.1%, and it increased from 6.1% to 31.4% as MNA decreased (P < .001). MNA score was lower in elderly subjects with sarcopenia (15.4 ± 4.2) than without sarcopenia (22.0 ± 4.0) (P = .024). Linear regression analysis showed that MNA score is linearly related both with muscle mass (r = 0.72; P < .001) and strength (r = 0.42; P < .001). Multivariate analysis, adjusted for several confounding variables including comorbidity and disability, confirmed these results. MNA score is low in noninstitutionalized elderly subjects with sarcopenia, and it is linearly related to muscle mass and muscle strength. These data indicate that MNA score, when evaluated with muscle mass and strength, may recognize elderly subjects with sarcopenia. © 2018 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Multicomponent Program to Reduce Functional Decline in Frail Elderly People: A Cluster Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Ruikes, Franca G H; Zuidema, Sytse U; Akkermans, Reinier P; Assendelft, Willem J J; Schers, Henk J; Koopmans, Raymond T C M

2016-01-01

The increasing number of community-dwelling frail elderly people poses a challenge to general practice. We evaluated the effectiveness of a general practitioner-led extensive, multicomponent program integrating cure, care, and welfare for the prevention of functional decline. We performed a cluster controlled trial in 12 general practices in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Community-dwelling frail elderly people aged ≥70 years were identified with the EASY-Care two-step older persons screening instrument. In 6 general practices, 287 frail elderly received care according to the CareWell primary care program. This consisted of proactive care planning, case management, medication reviews, and multidisciplinary team meetings with a general practitioner, practice and/or community nurse, elderly care physician, and social worker. In another 6 general practices, 249 participants received care as usual. The primary outcome was independence in functioning during (instrumental) activities of daily living (Katz-15 index). Secondary outcomes were quality of life [EuroQol (EQ5D+C) instrument], mental health and health-related social functioning (36-item RAND Short Form survey instrument), institutionalization, hospitalization, and mortality. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 12 months, and were analyzed with linear mixed-model analyses. A total of 204 participants (71.1%) in the intervention group and 165 participants (66.3%) in the control group completed the study. No differences between groups regarding independence in functioning and secondary outcomes were found. We found no evidence for the effectiveness of a multifaceted integrated care program in the prevention of adverse outcomes in community-dwelling frail elderly people. Large-scale implementation of this program is not advocated. © Copyright 2016 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

The added value of user involvement during the development of a feedback system regarding physical functioning for community-dwelling elderly people

PubMed Central

Vermeulen, Joan; Neyens, Jacques C. L; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D; Van Rossum, Erik; Hewson, David; De Witte, Luc P

2012-01-01

Background The number of frail elderly people is increasing. Unfortunately, the number of caregivers is not increasing at the same pace, which affects older people, caregivers and healthcare systems. Because of these developments, self-management is becoming more important in healthcare. To support community-dwelling elderly people in their self-management, a system was developed that monitors their physical functioning. This system provides feedback to elderly people and their caregivers regarding physical indicators of frailty. The feedback is provided to elderly people via the screen of a mobile phone. It is important that elderly people understand the content of the feedback and are able to use the mobile phone properly. If not, it is unlikely that the system can support self-management. Many interactive health technologies that have been developed do not fulfil their promises. An important reason for this is that human and other non-technology issues are not sufficiently taken into consideration during the development process. Objective To collaborate with elderly people during the development and evaluation of a feedback system for community-dwelling elderly people regarding physical functioning. Methods An iterative user-centered design that consists of five phases was used to develop and evaluate the feedback system. These five phases were: 1) Selection of users, 2) Analysis of users and their context, 3) Identification of user needs, 4) Development of a prototype, and 5) Evaluation of the prototype. Three representatives of a target group panel for elderly people were selected in phase 1. They shared their needs and preferences during three expert group meetings that took place during the development process. This resulted in the development of a prototype which was first evaluated in a heuristic evaluation. Once adjustments were made, 11 elderly people evaluated the adjusted prototype using a think aloud procedure. They rated the usability and

[Effectiveness of interferon-gamma release assays in the tuberculosis contact investigation of elderly people].

PubMed

Seto, Junji; Ahiko, Tadayuki

2014-04-01

To confirm the effectiveness of interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) in the tuberculosis (TB) contact investigation of elderly people, we analyzed the results of the QuantiFERON TB Gold in tube (QFT-3G) test, which is a commercially available IGRA. We analyzed the results of the QFT-3G test in 2,420 subjects who were in close contact with TB patients. We investigated subjects with latent TB infection and those showing the onset of TB among the QFT-3G-positive subjects. The QFT-3G-positive rate was 7.3% (95% confidence interval, 6.2%-8.3%). In addition, we demonstrated that the QFT-3G-positive rate increased with age (P < 0.001). The QFT-3G-positive rate was high, particularly in elderly people (> or = 60 years), but the rate was significantly lower than the predicted prevalence of TB infection. Therefore, it was assumed that the QFT-3G test does not always provide a positive result, even in cases of subjects with a previous TB infection. Furthermore, data from the QFT-3G-positive subjects indicated that approximately one half of subjects aged 60-69 years, approximately one-third of those aged 70-79 years, and approximately one-quarter of those aged over 80 years have had recent TB infections. In conclusion, the results of the QFT-3G test in elderly people need to be carefully evaluated according to the contact situation with TB patients; nevertheless, the QFT-3G test is useful for the screening of latent TB infection in elderly people who were in close contact with TB patients.

Development and Evaluation of Cognitive Games to Promote Health and Wellbeing in Elderly People with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Scase, Mark; Kreiner, Karl; Ascolese, Antonio

2018-01-01

In Europe the number of elderly people is increasing. This population growth has resulted in higher healthcare costs. The purpose of this project was to try to promote active ageing in people aged 65-80 with mild cognitive impairment through cognitive games delivered via a tablet computer. Age-appropriate cognitive games were developed targeting different aspects of cognition and then experiences of elderly people using these games were evaluated. The design of games was developed through iterative user-centered design focus groups with elderly people as participants. The experiences of participants playing the games over a 47 day period were explored through semi-structured interviews. Four games were developed that addressed a range of cognitive functions such as perception, attention, memory, language, comprehension and executive function. The participants were able to play these games without external intervention over an extended period and reported positively on their experiences. Cognitive games can be used successfully by people with mild cognitive impairment to promote active ageing.

Assertive community treatment for elderly people with severe mental illness.

PubMed

Stobbe, Jolanda; Mulder, Niels C L; Roosenschoon, Bert-Jan; Depla, Marja; Kroon, Hans

2010-10-19

Adults aged 65 and older with severe mental illnesses are a growing segment of the Dutch population. Some of them have a range of serious problems and are also difficult to engage. While assertive community treatment is a common model for treating difficult to engage severe mental illnesses patients, no special form of it is available for the elderly. A special assertive community treatment team for the elderly is developed in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and tested for its effectiveness. We will use a randomized controlled trial design to compare the effects of assertive community treatment for the elderly with those of care as usual. Primary outcome measures will be the number of dropouts, the number of patients engaged in care and patient's psychiatric symptoms, somatic symptoms, and social functioning. Secondary outcome measures are the number of unmet needs, the subjective quality of life and patients' satisfaction. Other secondary outcomes include the number of crisis contacts, rates of voluntary and involuntary admission, and length of stay. Inclusion criteria are aged 65 plus, the presence of a mental disorder, a lack of motivation for treatment and at least four suspected problems with functioning (addiction, somatic problems, daily living activities, housing etc.). If patients meet the inclusion criteria, they will be randomly allocated to either assertive community treatment for the elderly or care as usual. Trained assessors will use mainly observational instruments at the following time points: at baseline, after 9 and 18 months. This study will help establish whether assertive community treatment for the elderly produces better results than care as usual in elderly people with severe mental illnesses who are difficult to engage. When assertive community treatment for the elderly proves valuable in these respects, it can be tested and implemented more widely, and mechanisms for its effects investigated. The Netherlands National Trial Register NTR1620.

Sheltered housing or community dwelling: quality of life and ageism among elderly people.

PubMed

Bodner, Ehud; Cohen-Fridel, Sara; Yaretzky, Abraham

2011-10-01

Previous studies have found correlations between negative perceptions of old age and perceived quality of life (QoL) among elderly people. It has also been suggested that a denial of aging mechanism is employed and might support ageist attitudes among private-sheltered housing tenants compared with elderly people who live in the community and experience intra-generational interactions. Therefore, we hypothesized that tenants of sheltered housing will report more ageist attitudes towards people of their own age, and report a lower QoL than elderly people who live in the community. The sample included 126 volunteers, aged between 64 and 94 years, who live in private-sheltered housing (n = 32) or in the community (n = 94). The participants completed the Fraboni scale of ageism, and a QoL Inventory (SF-36). People, and men in particular, who live in sheltered housing, reported more intergenerational ageist attitudes than men and women who live in the community. Tenants in sheltered housing expressed lower evaluations of their mental health, but higher evaluations on "social functioning" (QoL scales). Women from sheltered housing reported better mental health than men. Gender and some QoL scales were associated with higher ageism. Differences in ageist attitudes between both dwelling places can be interpreted according to Social Identity Theory, which refers to the impact of the ingroup on social attitudes. Differences in QoL can be understood by the accessibility of social activities in private-sheltered housing. Gender differences in ageism and QoL can be explained by women's better social adjustment. Findings should be regarded with caution because of the small sample.

One Last Pleasure? Alcohol Use among Elderly People in Nursing Homes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Waldo C.; Jess, Carol

2002-01-01

Describes the alcohol-related policies, practices, and problems experienced by a sample of intermediate care facilities and homes for elderly people. Despite the problems reported, screening for alcohol problems among residents, treatment of identified problems, and training of staff were not found to be widespread. Challenges to social workers…

[Aged subjects' personal image of elderly people].

PubMed

Oswald, F

1991-01-01

Many findings demonstrate a negative image toward old people in our society. "Being-old" is characterised by many negative stereotypes. The elderly are often seen as victims or targets of discrimination against the aged ("ageism"). We also find self-discrimination in the elderly's image of "being-old"; this could be a result of assimilating the general image of "being-old" in our society to the self-concept of the elderly. We asked 30 persons, 63-96 years old, to give a description of "being-old". Our participants differed in sex, health status, and social housing conditions (number of persons living together). The given aspects of "being-old" had to be semantically described and evaluated. We got 279 aspects of "being-old" which we put into 13 categories. We did not find a generally negative image of "being-old". All participants did not assess themselves as being "old", regardless of their age. The most frequently cited aspects of "being-old" were "physical and mental activity", "achievement-relation" and "autonomy", but not "disease" or "decrease of power". As far as they are concerned, aspects of "having time and calmness" were more often mentioned than aspects of "being-religious" or thinking about "dying and death". Participants living with their partners or family members more often talked about themselves than singles did when they explained a given aspect of "being-old" to the interviewer. Those who live without health problems more often talked about diseases than ill participants did. Women more frequently explained self evaluation of health problems to the interviewer than men.

Effects of Pilates method in elderly people: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

de Oliveira Francisco, Cristina; de Almeida Fagundes, Alessandra; Gorges, Bruna

2015-07-01

The Pilates method has been widely used in physical training and rehabilitation. Evidence regarding the effectiveness of this method in elderly people is limited. Six randomized controlled trials studies involving the use of the Pilates method for elderly people, published prior to December 2013, were selected from the databases PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, Scielo and PEDro. Three articles suggested that Pilates produced improvements in balance. Two studies evaluated the adherence to Pilates programs. One study assessed Pilates' influence on cardio-metabolic parameters and another study evaluated changes in body composition. Strong evidence was found regarding beneficial effects of Pilates over static and dynamic balance in women. Nevertheless, evidence of balance improvement in both genders, changes in body composition in woman and adherence to Pilates programs were limited. Effects on cardio-metabolic parameters due to Pilates training presented inconclusive results. Pilates may be a useful tool in rehabilitation and prevention programs but more high quality studies are necessary to establish all the effects on elderly populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences in Waiting List Prioritization Preferences of Occupational Therapists, Elderly People, and Persons With Disabilities: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

PubMed

Raymond, Marie-Hélène; Demers, Louise; Feldman, Debbie Ehrmann

2018-01-01

To compare the preferences of occupational therapists, elderly people, and adults with disabilities regarding prioritization criteria for occupational therapy waiting lists in home care. Discrete choice experiment survey. Survey mailed to occupational therapists working in home care and community-dwelling elderly or disabled persons. A sample (N=714) of home-based occupational therapists (n=241), elderly persons from a bank of research participants (n=226), and adults with physical disabilities recruited through community organizations (n=247). Not applicable. The dependent variable was whether the referral scenario was prioritized or not in each question. The results were analyzed through logistic regression using conditional logit models. Prioritization preferences differed between groups (P<.001). Occupational therapists most strongly prioritized people who had a few falls (odds ratio vs no falls, 48.7), whereas elderly people and adults with disabilities most strongly prioritized people who were unable to enter and exit the home (odds ratio vs no difficulty entering and exiting the home, 30.8 for elderly people and 16.8 for persons with disabilities.) CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the gap between the priorities of home-based occupational therapists and their target clientele. Although further inquiry is needed to inform priority setting, the findings emphasize the importance of public or patient involvement in decisions on waiting list prioritization. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elderly people coping with the aftermath of war: resilience versus vulnerability.

PubMed

Kimhi, Shaul; Hantman, Shira; Goroshit, Marina; Eshel, Yohanan; Zysberg, Leehu

2012-05-01

The present study compares coping of elderly people and two younger groups 1 year after a war. Coping was determined by stress symptoms and posttraumatic recovery and two levels of resiliency. Thirty-six streets (covering most of the city streets) were sampled randomly from the map of Kiryat Shemona (a town next to the Lebanese border) about a year after the end of the Second Lebanon War. The sample constituted 870 adult residents of the town. Participants were divided into three age groups: elderly (age 65 years and older, N = 108), adults (age 46-64 years, N = 252) and young adults (age 20-45 years, N = 462). 1) Stress symptoms measured by short version of Brief Symptom Inventory; 2) Individual resilience measured by Sense of Coherence Inventory; 3) Posttraumatic Recovery Inventory (PTR); and 4) Public Resilience Scale (included a scale for community and national resilience). The results indicated 1) The elderly group reported significantly higher levels of stress symptoms and lower levels of PTR; 2) Females in the three age groups reported higher levels of stress symptoms and lower levels of PTR and individual resilience than males; 3) Individual and public resilience negatively predicted stress symptoms and positively predicted posttraumatic recovery across three age groups; and 4) Public resilience has a differential effect on stress symptoms in each of the three age groups but not on PTR. Results question the division of older people into a vulnerable or inoculated group, indicating that the participants responded concurrently in a more vulnerable and a more resilient manner. Older people were characterized by higher levels of postwar stress symptoms, as well as a higher sense of coherence.

Dietary intake of energy, nutrients and water in elderly people living at home or in nursing home.

PubMed

Engelheart, S; Akner, G

2015-03-01

There is a lack of detailed information on dietary intake in elderly people at an individual level, which is crucial for improvement of nutritional support. The aim of this study was to investigate the dietary intake in elderly people in two types of living situations. Observational study, analysing prospective data. The dietary intake was studied in elderly people living at home or in nursing home, in different cities of Sweden. A total of 264 elderly people (mean age 84) participated in the observational study. Dietary intake was measured using weighed food records and food diaries, comparing females and males. The observed dietary intake was related to Recommended intake and Lower intake level. All dietary intake and patient characteristic variables showed large individual differences (ranges). We found no significant differences (p>0.05) between those living at home and nursing home residents regarding the average intake of energy, protein and water when expressed as total intake per kg of body weight. A very low daily intake of energy (<20 kcal/kg body weight/day) was observed in 16% of the participants. For vitamin D and iron, 19% and 15%, respectively, had intakes below the Lower intake level. There was no correlation between intake of energy, protein or water and resident characteristics such as age, autonomy, morbidity, nutritional state or cognition. The large individual differences (ranges) in energy, nutrients and water show that the use of mean values when analysing dietary intake data from elderly people is misleading. From a clinical perspective it is more important to consider the individual intake of energy, nutrients and water. Ageism is intrinsic in the realm of 'averageology'.

[Social support and living conditions in poor elderly people in urban Mexico].

PubMed

Pelcastre-Villafuerte, Blanca Estela; Treviño-Siller, Sandra; González-Vázquez, Tonatiuh; Márquez-Serrano, Margarita

2011-03-01

The aim of this paper was to analyze social support and living conditions among poor elderly people in Mexican cities. A qualitative study with eight focus groups was carried out in Guadalajara, Cuernavaca, Chilpancingo, and Culiacan, Mexico, in 2005. Forty men and 63 women participated in the study. The main support for the elderly in daily living came from their immediate family and in some cases from neighbors. Social support was basically material and economic, in addition to providing company and transportation for medical appointments. Daily emotional support, companionship, and social inclusion were minimal or absent. The study identified a significant lack of support from government and religious or civil society organizations. The family is still the main source of support for the elderly. Increased government collaboration is dramatically needed to combat the misconception that the needs of the elderly are the individual family's responsibility rather than a collaborative effort by society.

[Nutritional status and nutritional rehabilitation of elderly people living in long-term care institutions].

PubMed

Lelovics, Zsuzsanna

2009-11-01

We review our studies on the most important factors related to feeding and nutrition in long-term care institutions, as well as we present the nutritional status of elderly people living in social homes, and, based on our results, we make recommendations concerning nutritional rehabilitation. We aimed to assess the following: nutritional status of people older than sixty years (elderly) living in long-term care institutions; changes in the body mass index of elderly living in long-term care institutions; changes in the nutritional status of elderly living in long-term care institutions during the last half decade; relations and correlations between acute and chronic diseases and nutritional status; the sip feed provision for elderly living in long-term care institutions; relationship between the discovered potential influencing factors and nutritional status screened by Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). We screened the nutritional status of altogether 4774 (men: 28.9-30.9%, women: 69.1-71.19%; mean age: 77.8+/-8.9 years) elderly long-term care residents who volunteered to participate. In 2004 and 2006 the MUST and our questionnaire, in 2008 the nutritionDay questionnaire was used. Risk of malnutrition is high (26.8-77.0%) in elderly residents of social homes. Assessment of nutritional status is done four times a year or even more rarely in 29.5% of the residents. Nutritional status is multifactorial; it is influenced by immobility, fever, etc. Loss of appetite and swallowing difficulties are 2.5-fold, limited mobility, dementia and missing teeth are almost two-fold (1.6-1.7) more frequent in the group of high risk elderly than in the elderly living in social homes. Neurological diseases are in a significant correlation with nutritional status. Incidence of neurological diseases increased significantly in the last years. Nutritional rehabilitation does not end with screening the nutritional status, moreover, it begins with that. Individual diet has to

Optimal preferred MSG concentration in potatoes, spinach and beef and their effect on intake in institutionalized elderly people.

PubMed

Essed, N H; Oerlemans, P; Hoek, M; Van Staveren, W A; Kok, F J; De Graaf, C

2009-11-01

Elderly people may benefit from sensory stimulation to increase food intake since anorexia of ageing is prevalent among them. An optimal MSG concentration may increase the palatability of foods but this depends on the food and chemosensory status of the taster. Currently, the results on taste enhancing to increase intake are inconsistent. To find an optimal preferred MSG concentration in mashed potatoes, spinach and ground beef and to determine whether this concentration increases consumption of these foods among institutionalized elderly people. Single blind within subject cross-over study performed at the laboratory and in the residents' own apartments. 33 elderly and 29 young people in the sensory study and 53 elderly people in the intake study. Pleasantness of the foods was rated of the foods each with 0, 0.5, 0.8, 1.3 and 2.0 g of MSG/100g. Intake was measured by weighing back leftovers of 2 meals with MSG (0.5% in mashed potatoes, 2% in spinach and ground meat) and without MSG. 0.5% MSG (p < 0.05) was preferred in mashed potatoes but no optimal preferred concentration was found for spinach and ground beef, possibly because of their complex taste. Intake was not different between the foods with and without MSG or the total meal (all p > 0.68). MSG (0.5% and 2%) does not guarantee a higher intake among elderly. The chemosensory heterogeneity of the elderly population requires more individual flavor enhancement to improve the dietary intake and sensory experience.

Lower-limb warming improves sleep quality in elderly people living in nursing homes.

PubMed

Oshima-Saeki, Chika; Taniho, Yuiko; Arita, Hiromi; Fujimoto, Etsuko

2017-01-01

Sleep disturbances are common in older people. This study was conducted to examine the effects of a hot pack, which was used to warm the lower limbs, on the sleep of elderly people living in a nursing home. This is a prospective cohort involving seven elderly women. Subjects aged 74-93 years old were treated by warming the lower limbs for 40 minutes using hot packs every night over 8 weeks. A hot pack made of a dense polymer and warmed in a microwave oven was used as a warming device. In the first and last week, the subjects were required to wear an activity monitor to determine their sleep-awake status. During the second to ninth week, they received limb-warming treatment by a hot pack heated to 42ºC for 40 min every night. Surface skin temperature data were collected by thermographic measurement. As a result, lower-limb warming by a hot pack significantly improved the quality of sleep in the subjects. During warming, the surface temperature of the hands and face rose by approximately 0.5-1.5ºC. This study showed that lower-limb warming with a hot pack reduced sleep latency and wake episodes after sleep onset; thus, improving the quality of sleep in elderly people living in a nursing home.

Analyses of laboratory data and establishment of reference values and intervals for healthy elderly people.

PubMed

Kubota, K; Kadomura, T; Ohta, K; Koyama, K; Okuda, H; Kobayashi, M; Ishii, C; Fujiwara, Y; Nishiora, T; Ohmae, Y; Ohmae, T; Kitajima, M

2012-04-01

Protein-energy malnutrition is a common disorder in the elderly. Although serum albumin is commonly used as a nutritional marker, data is lacking on serum albumin levels in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to determine whether serum albumin levels decrease with advancing age and to establish reference value and interval of laboratory data for elderly people (75 years and over). Blood samples from 13821 healthy people, 42064 outpatients, and 15959 inpatients were collected during 2008. Blood from 127 of our nutrition support team (NST) patients was also collected during August 2006 and May 2009, and analyzed. Serum albumin, hemoglobin, total cholesterol levels and lymphocyte count were determined. We analyzed the change in each parameter in accordance with age, compared the data for elderly people with younger people, and established new reference values. Clinical outcomes were examined depending on the improved reference values. Albumin was lower in older persons than in younger persons. The estimated reference value and interval were 42 (48-36) g/l in older persons and was much lower in NST patients. Hemoglobin was decreased while cholesterol and lymphocyte count were not changed in older persons: all were markedly decreased in NST patients. Terms of hospital stay were significantly longer and mortality rates were significantly higher in older persons, comparing from above to below using a new reference value of albumin (36 g/l). The serum albumin level decreases with advancing age, but it was maintained to some extent in healthy older people. Serum albumin levels related to the clinical outcome. Hemoglobin and cholesterol levels and lymphocyte count were all lower in NST patients. These measurements may be valuable markers of nutritional status and can help in guiding the need for nutritional support.

The effects of chamomile extract on sleep quality among elderly people: A clinical trial.

PubMed

Adib-Hajbaghery, Mohsen; Mousavi, Seyedeh Nesa

2017-12-01

The prevalence of insomnia increases with age. Chamomile is among the medicinal plants which are used as tranquilizer. Yet, there is inadequate experimental and clinical evidence regarding its hypnotic effects. This study sought to evaluate the effects of chamomile extract on sleep quality among elderly people. A single-blind randomized controlled trial was performed. A convenient sample of sixty elderly people who aged sixty or more and lived in Kahrizak day care nursing home, Karaj, Iran, were randomly allocated to a control and a treatment group. The treatment group received chamomile extract capsules (200mg) twice a day for 28 consecutive days while the control group received wheat flour capsules (200mg) in the same manner. Using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, sleep quality was assessed immediately before, two weeks after beginning, immediately after the completion, and two weeks after the completion of the intervention. The data were analyzed via the independent-sample t, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact tests as well as the repeated measures analysis of variance. The means of age in the control and the treatment groups were 70.73±6.44 and 69.36±4.99, respectively. Except for the habitual sleep efficiency component of the Sleep Quality Index, the study groups did not differ significantly from each other at baseline regarding the scores of the other components of the index. Moreover, at baseline, sleep quality in both groups was low, with no statistically significant between-group difference (P=0.639). However, after the intervention, sleep quality in the treatment group was significantly better than the control group (P<0.05). The use of chamomile extract can significantly improve sleep quality among elderly people. Thus, it can be used as a safe modality for promoting elderly people's sleep. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation into Differences in Level of Knowledge about Hypertension between High School Students and Elderly People.

PubMed

Sanagawa, Akimasa; Ogasawara, Misa; Kusahara, Yuri; Yasumoto, Miki; Iwaki, Soichiro; Fujii, Satoshi

2017-01-01

As a major chronic non-communicable disease, hypertension is the most important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, stroke and, if not treated appropriately, premature death. A population-based approach aimed at decreasing high blood pressure among the general population is an important component of any comprehensive plan to prevent hypertension. However, few studies have investigated generational differences in knowledge about, and consciousness of, hypertension. Thus, we conducted a questionnaire survey about hypertension, with the aim of clarifying differences of understanding about hypertension between high school students and elderly people. The results of this investigation suggested that there is indeed a generational difference: knowledge about hypertension, and awareness of its relationship with salt intake, was higher in elderly people than in high school students. Furthermore, our study showed that among high school students, salt intake consciousness correlated with a family history of hypertension. By contrast, in elderly people, salt intake consciousness is related to age and to an awareness of recommended daily salt intake. This study strongly showed that knowledge and consciousness of hypertension varied among generations, with the elderly being more aware and conscientious about salt intake. Acknowledgement of this generational diversity is critical to developing an effective overall preventive strategy for hypertension.

Reminiscence Therapy Improves Cognitive Functions and Reduces Depressive Symptoms in Elderly People With Dementia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Huang, Hui-Chuan; Chen, Yu-Ting; Chen, Pin-Yuan; Huey-Lan Hu, Sophia; Liu, Fang; Kuo, Ying-Ling; Chiu, Hsiao-Yean

2015-12-01

Cognitive function impairments and depressive symptoms are common in elderly people with dementia. Previous meta-analyses of outdated and small-scale studies have reported inconsistent results regarding the effects of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions and depressive symptoms; therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis by including more recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with large sample sizes to investigate the immediate and long-term (6-10 months) effects of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions and depressive symptoms in elderly people with dementia. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and Chinese databases were searched to select eligible articles. Primary outcome measures included the scores of cognitive functions and depressive symptoms. In total, 12 RCT studies investigating the effects of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions and depressive symptoms in elderly people with dementia were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data. All analyses were performed using a random-effects model. Reminiscence therapy had a small-size effect on cognitive functions (g = 0.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.05-0.30) and a moderate-size effect on depressive symptoms (g = -0.49, 95% CI -0.70 to -0.28) in elderly people with dementia. Long-term effects of reminiscence therapy on cognitive functions and depressive symptoms were not confirmed. Moderator analysis revealed that institutionalized elderly people with dementia exhibited greater improvement in depressive symptoms than community-dwelling people with dementia did (g = -0.59 vs. -0.16, P = .003). This meta-analysis confirms that reminiscence therapy is effective in improving cognitive functions and depressive symptoms in elderly people with dementia. Our findings suggest that regular reminiscence therapy should be considered for inclusion as routine care for the improvement

Investigation effect of oral chamomilla on sleep quality in elderly people in Isfahan: A randomized control trial.

PubMed

Abdullahzadeh, Mehrdad; Matourypour, Pegah; Naji, Sayed Ali

2017-01-01

Elderly people often suffer from sleep disorders. Chamomile due to the many health benefits such as sedation may be effective in improving sleep quality in elderly people. This study aimed to determine the effect of Matricaria chamomilla extract on sleep quality in elderly people admitted to nursing homes of Isfahan in 2014. The present study is a quasi-experimental clinical trial. The study population was 77 cases of elderly hospitalized in nursing homes. Participants were selected through random continuous sampling and divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received 400 mg oral capsules of chamomile twice daily, after lunch and after dinner for 4 weeks. The control group did not receive the intervention. Sleep quality in older adults before and after intervention were compared using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t - and independent t -tests, one-way analysis of variance and liner regression analysis, using SPSS software version 17. Before intervention, the mean score of sleep quality both experimental and control groups showed no significant difference ( P > 0.05). After intervention, the mean score of sleep quality was a significant difference between experimental and control groups ( P < 0.001). Oral administration of chamomile extract has sedative properties in sleep quality of hospitalized elderly patients in nursing homes. Therefore, it can be used in similar cases and nursing care.

Perspective-Taking Judgments Among Young Adults, Middle-Aged, and Elderly People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ligneau-Herve, Catherine; Mullet, Etienne

2005-01-01

Perspective-taking judgments among young adults, middle-aged, and elderly people were examined. In 1 condition, participants were instructed to judge the likelihood of acceptance of a painkiller as a function of 3 cues: severity of the condition, potential side effects, and level of trust in the health care provider. In the other condition,…

Factors Predictive Of Alcohol Consumption Among Elderly People In A Rural Community: A Case Study In Phayao Province Thailand.

PubMed

Hongthong, Donnapa; Somrongthong, Ratana; Wongchaiya, Pimpimon; Kumar, Ramesh

2016-01-01

Alcohol consumption is recognized as a public health issue. Study objectives were to identify factors predictive of alcohol consumption among elderly people in Phayao province Thailand, where there was high prevalence of alcohol consumption. This was a cross-sectional study. Four hundred elderly people participated in a survey. Data was collected by face-to-face interviews. Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine the factors predictive of alcohol consumption among the study subjects. One thirds of elderly (31.7%) had consumed alcohol in their lifetime, and (15.7%) of them were current drinkers. Following univariate analysis, seven factors included gender, working, sickness, smoking, quality of life (QOL), daily activities and economic recession - were identified as being significantly associated with drinking (p<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed four factors to be predictive of alcohol among elderly people: gender (OR=6.02, 95% CI=3.58-10.13), smoking (OR=4.34, 95% CI=2.57-7.34), economic recession (OR=2.79, 95%, CI=1.66-4.71), and QOL (OR=1.86, 95%, CI=1.09-3.16). Gender (male) and smoking were strongly predictive factors of elderly alcohol consumption. Hence, an effort to reduce alcohol consumption should be placed on male elderly and those who smoke.

Are old people so gentle? Functional and dysfunctional impulsivity in the elderly.

PubMed

Morales-Vives, Fabia; Vigil-Colet, Andreu

2012-03-01

Although old people may seem less impulsive than adults, numerous experimental studies report that they have inhibitory deficits. Bearing in mind that there is a relationship between inhibition processes and impulsivity, age-related inhibition deficits suggest that older people could be more impulsive than adults. The aim of the current study was to compare the functional and dysfunctional impulsivity scores obtained in a sample of elderly people (65 years old and above) with those obtained in previous studies on samples of adolescents and adults. Dickman's Impulsivity Inventory was administered to 190 individuals aged between 65 and 94 years without dementia or cognitive impairment. Results indicated that the elderly sample showed higher dysfunctional impulsivity levels than the adult samples, which is consistent with the inhibition deficits mentioned above. There were no significant differences in functional impulsivity. Furthermore, old women had higher scores than old men on dysfunctional impulsivity. This study provides evidence of age-related changes in dysfunctional impulsivity. Functional impulsivity did not show the same pattern as dysfunctional impulsivity, being quite stable across the age span. it seems, then, that impulsivity cannot be considered to decrease with age and dysfunctional impulsivity may even increase.

Assertive community treatment for elderly people with severe mental illness

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Adults aged 65 and older with severe mental illnesses are a growing segment of the Dutch population. Some of them have a range of serious problems and are also difficult to engage. While assertive community treatment is a common model for treating difficult to engage severe mental illnesses patients, no special form of it is available for the elderly. A special assertive community treatment team for the elderly is developed in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and tested for its effectiveness. Methods We will use a randomized controlled trial design to compare the effects of assertive community treatment for the elderly with those of care as usual. Primary outcome measures will be the number of dropouts, the number of patients engaged in care and patient's psychiatric symptoms, somatic symptoms, and social functioning. Secondary outcome measures are the number of unmet needs, the subjective quality of life and patients' satisfaction. Other secondary outcomes include the number of crisis contacts, rates of voluntary and involuntary admission, and length of stay. Inclusion criteria are aged 65 plus, the presence of a mental disorder, a lack of motivation for treatment and at least four suspected problems with functioning (addiction, somatic problems, daily living activities, housing etc.). If patients meet the inclusion criteria, they will be randomly allocated to either assertive community treatment for the elderly or care as usual. Trained assessors will use mainly observational instruments at the following time points: at baseline, after 9 and 18 months. Discussion This study will help establish whether assertive community treatment for the elderly produces better results than care as usual in elderly people with severe mental illnesses who are difficult to engage. When assertive community treatment for the elderly proves valuable in these respects, it can be tested and implemented more widely, and mechanisms for its effects investigated. Trial Registration

Elderly people's perspectives on health and well-being in rural communities in England: findings from the evaluation of the National Service Framework for Older People.

PubMed

Manthorpe, Jill; Iliffe, Steve; Clough, Roger; Cornes, Michelle; Bright, Les; Moriarty, Jo

2008-09-01

Addressing the problems of meeting the needs of ageing populations in rural areas is recognised as a political and service delivery challenge. The National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People (NSFOP) set out a series of service standards to raise quality, to redress variations in service use and to enhance the effectiveness of services across health and social care in England and alluded to the challenges of meeting such standards in rural communities. This paper reports findings from the consultations undertaken with 713 elderly people as part of the midpoint review of the NSFOP in 2006, presenting and analysing the views and experiences of elderly people from rural areas. The consultations to engage with elderly people employed a mixed methodology that included public events, focus groups and individual interviews. The data reveal participants' views of how different patterns of social change in diverse country areas in England influence health and well-being in later life. The costs and benefits of centralization of services, and the pivotal issue of transport are important themes. The findings raise questions about the unclear and contradictory usages of the term 'rural' in England and the portrayal of rural ageing as a homogeneous experience.

Cardiovascular risk factors associated with frailty syndrome among hospitalized elderly people: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Tavares, Darlene Mara Dos Santos; Colamego, Camila Gigante; Pegorari, Maycon Sousa; Ferreira, Pollyana Cristina Dos Santos; Dias, Flávia Aparecida; Bolina, Alisson Fernandes

2016-01-01

Identification of frailty syndrome and its relationship with cardiovascular risk factors among hospitalized elderly people is important, since this may contribute towards broadening of knowledge regarding this association within tertiary-level services. This study aimed to evaluate the cardiovascular risk factors associated with frailty syndrome among hospitalized elderly people. Observational cross-sectional study in a public teaching hospital. The participants were elderly patients admitted to clinical and surgical wards. The cardiovascular risk factors assessed were: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), blood glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides. To identify frailty syndrome, the method proposed by Fried was used. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, chi-square test (P < 0.10) and multinomial logistic regression (P < 0.05). A total of 205 individuals were evaluated. It was found that 26.3% (n = 54) of the elderly people were frail, 51.7% (n = 106) were pre-frail and 22% (n = 45) were non-frail. The preliminary bivariate analysis (P < 0.10) for the regression model showed that frailty was associated with BMI (P = 0.016), LDL cholesterol (P = 0.028) and triglycerides (P = 0.093). However, in the final multivariate model, only overweight remained associated with the pre-frail condition (odds ratio, OR = 0.44; 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.20-0.98; P = 0.045). States of frailty were highly present in the hospital environment. The pre-frail condition was inversely associated with overweight.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations among elderly people in Japan.

PubMed

Cai, Li; Uchiyama, Hachiro; Yanagisawa, Shinichiro; Kamae, Isao

2006-01-01

During the periods of seasonal flu in 2003 and 2004, it was found that about 45 percent of elderly people in Japan had been inoculated with influenza vaccines. Comparatively, however, the proportion of inoculation with pneumococcal vaccine was only 0.1 percent. Taking into account such incongruent proportions, this study assesses health and economic benefits of vaccination strategies for both influenza and pneumonia particularly for the elderly population in Japan. To accomplish this objective, a cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted with the use of the Monte Carlo simulation based on the data from medical literature as well as from the public organizations, wherein three strategic patterns were delineated and compared (i) no vaccination (ii) influenza vaccine only, and (iii) combined influenza with pneumococcal vaccines. The cost for one year of life saved by each strategy was compared with the scenario of no vaccinations. It was found that for 100,000 elderly people over 65 years of age in Japan, the cost-effectiveness ratio of influenza-only vaccination was 516,332 Japanese yen per one year of life saved, while the combined vaccinations of influenza with pneumococcal was 459,874 Japanese yen for the same benefit. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the strategies (iii) versus (ii) was 426,698 Japanese yen per one year of life saved for 100,000 people. Consequently it was indicated that the combined vaccinations would be more cost-effective than the vaccination for influenza only.

Effectiveness of Social Behaviors for Autonomous Wheelchair Robot to Support Elderly People in Japan

PubMed Central

Shiomi, Masahiro; Iio, Takamasa; Kamei, Koji; Sharma, Chandraprakash; Hagita, Norihiro

2015-01-01

We developed a wheelchair robot to support the movement of elderly people and specifically implemented two functions to enhance their intention to use it: speaking behavior to convey place/location related information and speed adjustment based on individual preferences. Our study examines how the evaluations of our wheelchair robot differ when compared with human caregivers and a conventional autonomous wheelchair without the two proposed functions in a moving support context. 28 senior citizens participated in the experiment to evaluate three different conditions. Our measurements consisted of questionnaire items and the coding of free-style interview results. Our experimental results revealed that elderly people evaluated our wheelchair robot higher than the wheelchair without the two functions and the human caregivers for some items. PMID:25993038

How much elderly people of Isfahan are adherent to their drug therapy regimens?

PubMed

Abazari, Parvaneh; Jafari, Tayebe Arab; Sabzghabaee, Ali Mohammad

2017-01-01

The need for a correct follow-up for medical advices of health givers is the cornerstone for avoiding drug-related complications in especial period of elderly people life. There isn't any data about drug therapy regimens adherence of elderly people of Isfahan. In this study, we aimed to cover this deficit. In this cross-sectional study which was carried out in Isfahan (Iran) in 2013 senior citizens (aged 65 or more) who were taking at least one medication and had no record of residency in nursing homes were included. We used Morisky medication adherence scale (after validation and reliability assessment for using this questionnaire in Persian language) to evaluate the level of adherence in the study population. A total of 200 elderly participants were fully studied ( n = 200, 61% females), and 52% of them had poor medication adherence. 77.5% of participants were suffered from at least four medical illnesses, and 18.5% of them were taking more than eight medications per day. We have not found any significant statistical relationship between vision or hearing loss disorders and the medication adherence of the participants). There was a significant positive relationship between the level of education and medication adherence ( P = 0.001), ( χ 2 = 0.29). Low Medication adherence is a common and important drug issue in the elderly in Isfahan. This issue can lead to medical complications and huge cost if it is not addressed appropriately.

[Analysis of community composition in dental plaque of elder people with root caries].

PubMed

Ma, Shan-fen; Liang, Jing-ping; Jiang, Yun-tao; Zhu, Cai-lian

2011-10-01

To analyze the community in dental plaque of elder people with root caries. Total DNAs were extracted from the root caries dental plaques of nine elders over 60 years of age. Polymerase chaid reaction-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) was used to analyze the microbial composition, DGGE bands were excised from the gels for sequencing and identification. The dominant genus in root caries dental plaque of elder people were: Acinetobacte [0.9% (1/114)], Actinobaculum [1.8% (2/114)], Actinomyces [15.8% (18/114)], Aggregatibacter [0.9% (1/114)], Capnocytophaga [14.0% (16/114)], Corynebacterium [0.9% (1/114)], Haemophilus [0.9% (1/114)], Mobiluncus [0.9% (1/114)], Naxibacter [0.9% (1/114)], Neisseriaceae [10.5% (12/114)], Porphyromonas [0.9% (1/114)], Prevotella [12.3% (14/114)], Selenomonas [6.1% (7/114)], Staphylococcus [1.8% (2/114)], Oralis streptococcus [6.1% (7/114)], Mutans streptococcu [7.9% (9/114)], Tannerella [0.9% (1/114)], Treponema [1.8% (2/114)], Veillonella [10.5% (12/114)] and two uncultured unknown genus [1.8% (2/114)]. Uncultred genotypes accounted for 19.30% of the total. Gram-positive bacteria genotype accounted for 31.6% (36/114), and Gram-negative bacteria genotype accounted for 66.7% (76/114). There were many bacteria genotypes in root caries dental plaque in the elderly, which were widely distributed. Gram-negative bacteria accounted for the majority. Genotype-specific pathogenic bacteria were not found.

Association of socioeconomic status and cognitive functioning change among elderly Chinese people.

PubMed

Yang, Lei; Martikainen, Pekka; Silventoinen, Karri; Konttinen, Hanna

2016-09-01

the inverse association between high socioeconomic status and impaired cognitive functioning in old age has been widely studied. However, it is still inconclusive whether higher socioeconomic status slows the rate of cognitive decline over ageing, especially in non-Western populations. We examined this association using a large population-based longitudinal survey of older Chinese persons. the sample came from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) (from the years 2002 to 2011, N = 15,798 at baseline, aged 65-105). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) based on face-to-face interviews was used to assess cognitive functioning. Socioeconomic status was assessed using educational attainment and household income per capita. Latent growth curve and selection model considering the attrition during the follow-up were utilised to assess the effect of socioeconomic status on the rate of change in cognitive functioning. at baseline, younger elderly people, urban residents and elderly people living alone had better cognitive performance in both genders. Educational attainment was positively associated with cognitive functioning at baseline but did not have a significant effect on the rate of change in cognitive functioning. Higher incomes were associated with better cognitive functioning at baseline, but this difference diminished during the follow-up. higher socioeconomic status was associated with better cognitive performance at baseline but could not protect against the rate of decline in cognitive functioning measured by MMSE in this longitudinal study for elderly Chinese people. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Suicidal ideation and attempted suicide in elderly people - subjective experiences.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Denise Machado Duran; Sousa, Amandia Braga Lima; Grubits, Sonia

2015-06-01

We discuss the subjective experiences of elderly people who show suicidal ideation and/or attempts at suicide, based on their own reports. We understand the concept of 'subjective' as referring to intra-psychic experience resulting from social, economic, relationship or biographical conditions. Although the subject is sparsely covered in the literature, it is important, because it is in the field of subjectivity that ideations of, and attempts at, suicide develop and occur until they become a concrete act. Empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews focusing on: social characterization, portrayal and mode of life, previous mental state, atmosphere of the attempt, effects on the health of the elderly person and family. Based on the analysis of the meanings that emerge, five empirical categories were generated: (1) subject's feeling of being in a non-place; (2) absence of acceptance of losses; (3) suffering due to ingratitude of family members; (4) feeling of uselessness of, and in, life; (5) re-signification of the situations that generate suicide-related conduct. The results point to a fundamental need to incorporate knowledge about the subjective processes into programs for prevention of suicide among the elderly who have ideation of, or attempts at, suicide.

Low vitamin D status is associated with reduced muscle mass and impaired physical performance in frail elderly people.

PubMed

Tieland, M; Brouwer-Brolsma, E M; Nienaber-Rousseau, C; van Loon, L J C; De Groot, L C P G M

2013-10-01

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status has been associated with muscle mass, strength and physical performance in healthy elderly people. Yet, in pre-frail and frail elderly people this association has not been studied. The objective of this study was to explore the association between vitamin D intake and serum 25(OH)D status with muscle mass, strength and physical performance in a pre-frail and frail elderly population. This cross-sectional study included 127 pre-frail and frail elderly people in The Netherlands. Whole body and appendicular lean mass (ALM) (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry), leg strength (one repetition maximum), handgrip strength and physical performance (short physical performance battery) were measured, and blood samples were collected for the assessment of serum 25(OH)D status (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry). In addition, habitual dietary intake (3-day food records) and physical activity data (accelerometers) were collected. In total, 53% of the participants had a serum 25(OH)D level below 50  nmol/l. After adjustment for confounding factors, 25(OH)D status was associated with ALM (β=0.012, P=0.05) and with physical performance (β=0.020, P<0.05). Vitamin D intake was associated with physical performance (β=0.18, P<0.05) but not with ALM (P>0.05). In this frail elderly population, 25(OH)D status is low and suggests a modest association with reduced ALM and impaired physical performance. In addition, vitamin D intake tended to be associated with impaired physical performance. Our findings highlight the need for well-designed intervention trials to assess the impact of vitamin D supplementation on 25(OH)D status, muscle mass and physical performance in pre-frail and frail elderly people.

Children Growing Up: A Guide for Teaching Elderly People about Child Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Federation on Ageing, Washington, DC.

This guidebook provides information, exercises, and self-assessment instruments for training elderly people about the theory and practice of child care and development so that they can become caregivers in their homes or in community centers. The guide's eight units cover: (1) physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development; (2)…

Health Care and Public Transportation Use by Poor and Frail Elderly People.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittner, Barbara; Kirk, Alan B.

1995-01-01

Presents survey data on low-income elderly people. Examined sociocultural and quality-of-life variables as they affected use of health care and transportation services. More than half of respondents did not receive medical care despite reporting multiple symptoms. Most participants relied upon public transportation to obtain health services. (RJM)

Mortality in relation to the type of household among elderly people living in a community.

PubMed

Nakanishi, N; Nakura, I; Nagano, K; Yoneda, H; Takatorige, T; Shinsho, F; Tatara, K

1998-03-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association of mortality with the type of household in elderly people. A cohort of 1,352 elderly people aged 65 years and over at baseline in October 1992 was followed for 42 months. Follow-up was completed for 1,266 (93.6%) (172 deceased and 1,094 alive). From the analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test, male sex, older age group (75 years and over), no satisfaction with present dwelling, disability, no use of health checks, no practices of daily preventive health promotion, no participation in social activities, and no finding life worth living (no Ikigai) were univariately statistically significantly related to mortality. Furthermore, elderly people living with their spouse only or living alone had higher survival rates than those living with their spouse and children or living with their children, and the curves among the four subclasses of household were significantly different. From the Cox proportional hazards model, living with a spouse only remained as an independent predictor for survival, and living alone was not an increased risk factor for mortality, controlling for sex, age, housing conditions, disability, use of health management, and psychosocial conditions.

Swallowing Function and Nutritional Status in Japanese Elderly People Receiving Home-care Services: A 1-year Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Okabe, Y; Furuta, M; Akifusa, S; Takeuchi, K; Adachi, M; Kinoshita, T; Kikutani, T; Nakamura, S; Yamashita, Y

2016-01-01

Malnutrition is a serious health concern for frail elderly people. Poor oral function leading to insufficient food intake can contribute to the development of malnutrition. In the present study, we explored the longitudinal association of malnutrition with oral function, including oral health status and swallowing function, in elderly people receiving home nursing care. Prospective observational cohort study with 1-year follow-up. Two mid-sized cities in Fukuoka, Japan from November 2010 to March 2012. One hundred and ninety-seven individuals, aged ≥ 60 years, living at home and receiving home-care services because of physical disabilities, without malnutrition. Oral health status, swallowing function, taking modified-texture diets such as minced or pureed foods, nutritional status, cognitive function, and activities of daily living were assessed at baseline. The associations between malnutrition at 1-year follow-up and these related factors were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Swallowing disorders [risk ratio (RR): 5.21, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.65-16.43] were associated with malnutrition. On the other hand, oral health status did not have a direct association with malnutrition. Swallowing disorders may be associated with the incidence of malnutrition in elderly people receiving home-care. The findings indicate that maintaining swallowing function may contribute to the prevention of malnutrition in frail elderly people.

Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and the sexual behavior of elderly people presenting to health examination centers in Korea.

PubMed

Choe, Hyun-Sop; Lee, Seung-Ju; Kim, Chul Sung; Cho, Yong-Hyun

2011-08-01

Sexually transmitted infections are diseases provoking a great social and economic burden as well as health-related problems, and with the aging of society and the extension of life expectancy sexually transmitted infections in the elderly have drawn more attention these days. For the management of sexually transmitted infections in this population, basic epidemiological data need to be established. In this study, 1,804 persons from the general population aged over 60 years visiting health examination centers were tested for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, and interviewed about the patterns of sexual behavior of elderly people through questionnaires. The prevalence rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia recorded were 0.222% (4/1804), 0 (none), and 0.776% (14/1804), respectively. The results of the survey showed that the sexual life of the elderly people was currently active, and the sexual behavior of chlamydia patients was distinguished in some characteristics from that of the general participants. Political management to prevent sexually transmitted infections needs to be continued in elderly people as it is in other age groups. More detailed follow-up studies are necessary to determine the incidence and prevalence rates of the diseases in the elderly population in future, and the results of this study are considered to be useful as basic data for such studies.

Field study on behaviors and adaptation of elderly people and their thermal comfort requirements in residential environments.

PubMed

Hwang, R-L; Chen, C-P

2010-06-01

This study investigated the thermal sensation of elderly people in Taiwan, older than 60 years, in indoor microclimate at home, and their requirements for establishing thermal comfort. The study was conducted using both a thermal sensation questionnaire and measurement of indoor climatic parameters underlying the thermal environment. Survey results were compared with those reported by Cheng and Hwang (2008, J. Tongji Univ., 38, 817-822) for non-elders to study the variation between different age groups in requirements of indoor thermal comfort. The results show that the predominant strategy of thermal adaptation for elders was window-opening in the summer and clothing adjustment in the winter. The temperature of thermal neutrality was 25.2 degrees C and 23.2 degrees C for the summer and the winter, respectively. Logistically regressed probit modeling on percentage of predicted dissatisfied (PPD) against mean thermal sensation vote revealed that the sensation votes corresponding to a PPD of 20% were +/- 0.75 for elders, about +/- 0.10 less than the levels projected by ISO 7730 model. The range of operative temperature for 80% thermal acceptability for elders in the summer was 23.2-27.1 degrees C, narrower than the range of 23.0-28.6 degrees C reported for non-elders. This is likely a result of a difference in the selection of adaptive strategies. Taiwan in the last decade has seen a rapid growth in the elderly population in its societal structure, and as such the quality of indoor thermal comfort increasingly concerns the elderly people. This study presents the results from field-surveying elders residing in major geographical areas of Taiwan, and discusses the requirements of these elders for indoor thermal comfort in different seasons. Through a comparison with the requirements by non-elders, this study demonstrates the unique sensitivity of elders toward indoor thermal quality and the selection of adaptive strategies that need to be considered when a thermal

Elderly people in many respects benefit from interaction with dogs

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Over the course of evolution, humans and animals have entered into a close relationship. By domesticating animals, humans were able to use them to their own advantage. However, animals should not only be seen as mere providers of material value; in fact, they actually enrich humans' lives on an emotional level. The classic examples for this evolution are dogs: they are considered loyal companions, particularly for children and elderly people. This relationship between humans and animals is the subject of this research study and is examined from a gerontological perspective by employing qualitative social research methods. Conclusion: The results of the study reveal the manifold meanings that pets - in particular dogs - can and do have to the elderly. At this point, it should also be noted that there is still a strong need for further research into this topic from a gerontological perspective. PMID:22112364

Cost-effectiveness of a multicomponent primary care program targeting frail elderly people.

PubMed

Ruikes, Franca G H; Adang, Eddy M; Assendelft, Willem J J; Schers, Henk J; Koopmans, Raymond T C M; Zuidema, Sytse U

2018-05-16

Over the last 20 years, integrated care programs for frail elderly people aimed to prevent functional dependence and reduce hospitalization and institutionalization. However, results have been inconsistent and merely modest. To date, evidence on the cost-effectiveness of these programs is scarce. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the CareWell program, a multicomponent integrated care program for frail elderly people. Economic evaluation from a healthcare perspective embedded in a cluster controlled trial of 12 months in 12 general practices in (the region of) Nijmegen. Two hundred and four frail elderly from 6 general practices in the intervention group received care according to the CareWell program, consisting of multidisciplinary team meetings, proactive care planning, case management, and medication reviews; 165 frail elderly from 6 general practices in the control group received usual care. In cost-effectiveness analyses, we related costs to daily functioning (Katz-15 change score i.e. follow up score minus baseline score) and quality adjusted life years (EQ-5D-3 L). Adjusted mean costs directly related to the intervention were €456 per person. Adjusted mean total costs, i.e. intervention costs plus healthcare utilization costs, were €1583 (95% CI -4647 to 1481) higher in the intervention group than in the control group. Incremental Net Monetary Benefits did not show significant differences between groups, but on average tended to favour usual care. The CareWell primary program was not cost-effective after 12 months. From a cost-effectiveness perspective, widespread implementation of the program in its current form cannot be recommended. The study was registered in the ClinicalTrials.govProtocol Registration System: ( NCT01499797 ; December 26, 2011). Retrospectively registered.

The experience of older people living in an elderly residential home (Panti Sosial Tresna Werdha): a phenomenology.

PubMed

Rahayu, Septirina; Catharina Daulima, Novy Helena; Eka Putri, Yossie Susanti

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to gain an overview of the experiences of older people living in an elderly residential home (Panti Sosial Tresna Werdha [PSTW]). The study used qualitative method with the descriptive phenomenology approach. The participants consisted of six older people who live in institutions. Data were collected through in-depth interviews in accordance with the purpose of the research, and an analysis of the data from the interviews was performed using the analysis stage by Collaizi. Three themes emerged from this study, namely independent living needs and support systems as a reason for staying at PSTW, the adaptive response to life in PSTW, and family support as a contributing factor to remaining at PSTW. Most of the elderly's support came from their children or nephews and nieces. Receiving full emotional support from relatives through family visits was deemed necessary for the elderly, as it made them feel happy to continue the rest of their lives in the elderly care home. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[Relationships between nutritional status and the effects of exercise training in frail elderly people].

PubMed

Arai, Takeshi; Obuchi, Shuichi

2011-01-01

The objectives of this study were to examine the relationship between nutritional status indicators such as body mass index (BMI) and serum albumin, and the effects of exercise intervention in community-dwelling frail elderly people. We enrolled 44 subjects aged 65 years and older (average age 73.9±5.1 years) in this study. The subjects participated in exercise intervention, including muscle strength training twice a week for 3 months. We evaluated various functional performance measures at the start and end of the intervention, and calculated the measurement differences. We then evaluated any relationships between nutritional status and the amount of changes. Some physical functions improved after exercise intervention, even in participants with under-nutritional status. There were no significant differences or relationships found between nutritional status and improvements in physical function. These results suggest that the physical functions of frail elderly people can improve regardless of their nutritional status. Further study is necessary to evaluate the influence of nutritional status on exercise effects, and the optimal method of applying exercise interventions, primarily for community-dwelling frail older people.

Duloxetine in the treatment of elderly people with major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Del Casale, Antonio; Girardi, Paolo; Brugnoli, Roberto; Sani, Gabriele; Di Pietro, Simone; Brugnoli, Chiara; Caccia, Federica; Angeletti, Gloria; Serata, Daniele; Rapinesi, Chiara; Tatarelli, Roberto; Kotzalidis, Giorgio D

2012-01-01

The elderly population is more frequently subjected to depressive mood compared to the general population and show peculiarities affecting responsiveness; furthermore, aged people need also special care. Duloxetine is a relatively new antidepressant that proved to be effective in adult depression, but has received little attention in elderly population heretofore. To review the evidence of duloxetine in late-life major depressive disorder (MDD). A systematic review of studies focusing on the use of duloxetine in MDD in the elderly has been carried out through the principal specialized databases, including PubMed, PsycLIT, and Embase. Only a handful of papers were specifically dedicated to this issue. Duloxetine was found to be effective and safe in old-age MDD, to be better than placebo on many clinical measures in all studies, and to better differentiate from placebo with respect to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Compared to placebo, its side-effect profile is slightly unfavorable and its drop-out rate is slightly higher. Furthermore, when pain is present in old-age MDD, duloxetine is able to reduce it. The efficacy and safety of duloxetine in old-age depression are similar to those encountered in adult MDD. There is a relative lack of comparative studies other than with placebo. The special needs of elderly patients with MDD must be addressed with close patient contact to avoid the perils of inappropriate dosing.

Orofacial pain conditions and impact on quality of life in community-dwelling elderly people in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Luo, Yan; McMillan, Anne S; Wong, May C M; Zheng, Jun; Lam, Cindy L K

2007-01-01

To determine orofacial pain (OFP) characteristics, associated disability, and effect on quality of life in elderly community-dwelling Chinese people. A cross-sectional survey involving elderly people registered with the Family Medicine Unit of the University of Hong Kong served as the sampling frame. Elderly people with recent OFP symptoms and a comparison control group without OFP participated. Standard questions were asked about OFP conditions in the previous month and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and pain-related disability questions were administered prior to a standard clinical examination. Ninety-five people with OFP and 100 people without OFP participated. The median number of pain symptoms per subject was 2.0. Toothache was the most common symptom (58.9%); shooting pain across the face and muscle tenderness were the least common (6.3%). More than half of the pain participants described moderate to severe OFP. The prevalences of patients with neurological/vascular (NV), musculoligamentous/soft tissue (MST), or dentoalveolar (DA) OFP were 35.8%, 33.7%, and 30.5%, respectively. Chronic OFP was common (80%). The mean OHIP-14 summary score was significantly higher in OFP subjects than controls (P < .001) and significantly higher in the MST and DA subgroups than in the NV subgroup (P < .001). GHQ scores of > or = 4, indicating greater psychological distress, were more common in OFP subjects than controls (P < .01). Twenty percent of OFP subjects indicated that their conditions interfered with daily life activities, and in 9.9% it affected ability to work. OFP had a substantial detrimental impact on daily life activities, psychological distress level, and quality of life in Chinese elders. MST and DA conditions had the greatest adverse impact on quality of life.

Exploring Musical Activities and Their Relationship to Emotional Well-Being in Elderly People across Europe: A Study Protocol.

PubMed

Grau-Sánchez, Jennifer; Foley, Meabh; Hlavová, Renata; Muukkonen, Ilkka; Ojinaga-Alfageme, Olatz; Radukic, Andrijana; Spindler, Melanie; Hundevad, Bodil

2017-01-01

Music is a powerful, pleasurable stimulus that can induce positive feelings and can therefore be used for emotional self-regulation. Musical activities such as listening to music, playing an instrument, singing or dancing are also an important source for social contact, promoting interaction and the sense of belonging with others. Recent evidence has suggested that after retirement, other functions of music, such as self-conceptual processing related to autobiographical memories, become more salient. However, few studies have addressed the meaningfulness of music in the elderly. This study aims to investigate elderly people's habits and preferences related to music, study the role music plays in their everyday life, and explore the relationship between musical activities and emotional well-being across different countries of Europe. A survey will be administered to elderly people over the age of 65 from five different European countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Germany, Ireland, and UK) and to a control group. Participants in both groups will be asked about basic sociodemographic information, habits and preferences in their participation in musical activities and emotional well-being. Overall, the aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of the role of music in the elderly from a psychological perspective. This advanced knowledge could help to develop therapeutic applications, such as musical recreational programs for healthy older people or elderly in residential care, which are better able to meet their emotional and social needs.

Multidisciplinary approach for developing a new robotic system for domiciliary assistance to elderly people.

PubMed

Cavallo, F; Aquilano, M; Bonaccorsi, M; Mannari, I; Carrozza, M C; Dario, P

2011-01-01

This paper aims to show the effectiveness of a (inter / multi)disciplinary team, based on the technology developers, elderly care organizations, and designers, in developing the ASTRO robotic system for domiciliary assistance to elderly people. The main issues presented in this work concern the improvement of robot's behavior by means of a smart sensor network able to share information with the robot for localization and navigation, and the design of the robot's appearance and functionalities by means of a substantial analysis of users' requirements and attitude to robotic technology to improve acceptability and usability.

[Socializing groups as protective factor against depression in elderly people. Barranquilla, Colombia].

PubMed

Tuesca-Molina, Rafael; Fierro Herrera, Norma; Molinares Sosa, Alexandra; Oviedo Martínez, Fernando; Polo Arjona, Yesid; Polo Cueto, José; Sierra Manrique, Ivan

2003-01-01

The depression is a principal problem of public health. The principal aim of this study is to determine the role of the social groups as factor protective in elderly, to evaluate the agreement by American Psychiatric Association Criterions and Hamilton Depression test, and also to determine other socio-cultural risk factors associated with depressive syndrome in elderly. Cross-sectional survey. The sample consisted of 602 elderly people (eligible subjects) were men (223) and women (379) between 60 and 94 years (males and females), residents in the south-west of Barranquilla, Colombia. A previously tested, self answer questionnaire was used, therefore, we needed a report consent. Risk measures: Odds Ratio (OR-95% Confidence intervalue), Kappa test to agreement by the nine criteria of the American Psychiatric Association and Hamilton test so, screening testing. The participation in social groups was a protector factor. (Odds Ratio = 0.5; 95% CI 0.34-0.73, p = 0.001). The rate 29.9% was obtained with prevalence of depression in elderly (21.4%-39.4%) affecting principally males (32.7%). The agreement by Kappa test = 0.63 was very important or good. Sensibility = 56.1% (48.5%-63.4%) Specificity = 0.93% (97.8%-99.8%) and Predictive Positive Value = 97.1% (91.2%-99.3%). This survey was to determine risk factors related to depression in elderly in anyway can be potentially modifiable. The familiar disfunction by moderate and serious, the lack as blindness and deafness, the loneliness, the housingness and low incomes were obtained with risk factors associated to depression. The participation in a social group is a protective factor to depression syndrome in elders. The nine criteria of the American Psychiatric Association to allow the depressed patient exactly as sick even though is not necessary to screening because this test is low sensibility for used in a population elderly.

Physical frailty predicts incident depressive symptoms in elderly people: prospective findings from the Obu Study of Health Promotion for the Elderly.

PubMed

Makizako, Hyuma; Shimada, Hiroyuki; Doi, Takehiko; Yoshida, Daisuke; Anan, Yuya; Tsutsumimoto, Kota; Uemura, Kazuki; Liu-Ambrose, Teresa; Park, Hyuntae; Lee, Sanyoon; Suzuki, Takao

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether frailty is an important and independent predictor of incident depressive symptoms in elderly people without depressive symptoms at baseline. Fifteen-month prospective study. General community in Japan. A total of 3025 community-dwelling elderly people aged 65 years or over without depressive symptoms at baseline. The self-rated 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess symptoms of depression with a score of 6 or more at baseline and 15-month follow-up. Participants underwent a structural interview designed to obtain demographic factors and frailty status, and completed cognitive testing with the Mini-Mental State Examination and physical performance testing with the Short Physical Performance Battery as potential predictors. At a 15-month follow-up survey, 226 participants (7.5%) reported the development of depressive symptoms. We found that frailty and poor self-rated general health (adjusted odds ratio 1.86, 95% confidence interval 1.30-2.66, P < .01) were independent predictors of incident depressive symptoms. The odds ratio for depressive symptoms in participants with frailty compared with robust participants was 1.86 (95% confidence interval 1.05-3.28, P = .03) after adjusting for demographic factors, self-rated general health, behavior, living arrangements, Mini-Mental State Examination, Short Physical Performance Battery, and Geriatric Depression Scale scores at baseline. Our findings suggested that frailty and poor self-rated general health were independent predictors of depressive symptoms in community-dwelling elderly people. Copyright © 2015 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatiotemporal data visualisation for homecare monitoring of elderly people.

PubMed

Juarez, Jose M; Ochotorena, Jose M; Campos, Manuel; Combi, Carlo

2015-10-01

Elderly people who live alone can be assisted by home monitoring systems that identify risk scenarios such as falls, fatigue symptoms or burglary. Given that these systems have to manage spatiotemporal data, human intervention is required to validate automatic alarms due to the high number of false positives and the need for context interpretation. The goal of this work was to provide tools to support human action, to identify such potential risk scenarios based on spatiotemporal data visualisation. We propose the MTA (multiple temporal axes) model, a visual representation of temporal information of the activity of a single person at different locations. The main goal of this model is to visualize the behaviour of a person in their home, facilitating the identification of health-risk scenarios and repetitive patterns. We evaluate the model's insight capacity compared with other models using a standard evaluation protocol. We also test its practical suitability of the MTA graphical model in a commercial home monitoring system. In particular, we implemented 8VISU, a visualization tool based on MTA. MTA proved to be more than 90% accurate in identify non-risk scenarios, independently of the length of the record visualised. When the spatial complexity was increased (e.g. number of rooms) the model provided good accuracy form up to 5 rooms. Therefore, user preferences and user performance seem to be balanced. Moreover, it also gave high sensitivity levels (over 90%) for 5-8 rooms. Fall is the most recurrent incident for elderly people. The MTA model outperformed the other models considered in identifying fall scenarios (66% of correctness) and was the second best for burglary and fatigue scenarios (36% of correctness). Our experiments also confirm the hypothesis that cyclic models are the most suitable for fatigue scenarios, the Spiral and MTA models obtaining most positive identifications. In home monitoring systems, spatiotemporal visualization is a useful tool for

Anxiety, Outcome Expectancies, and Young People's Willingness to Engage in Contact with the Elderly

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchison, Paul; Fox, Edward; Laas, Anna Maria; Matharu, Jasmin; Urzi, Serena

2010-01-01

A cross-sectional study (N = 61) investigated the relationship between young people's previous experiences of intergenerational contact and their willingness to engage in future contact with the elderly. Regression analyses confirmed that frequent positive intergenerational contact predicted more positive outcome expectancies, less intergroup…

Vitamin E supplementation protects erythrocyte membranes from oxidative stress in healthy Chinese middle-aged and elderly people.

PubMed

Sun, Yongye; Ma, Aiguo; Li, Yong; Han, Xiuxia; Wang, Qiuzhen; Liang, Hui

2012-05-01

Elderly people are subject to higher levels of oxidative stress than are young people. Vitamin E, as a powerful antioxidant residing mainly in biomembranes, may provide effective protection against oxidative membrane damage and resultant age-related deterioration, especially in the elderly. We hypothesized that appropriate levels of vitamin E supplementation would protect erythrocyte membranes from oxidative stress and thus improve membrane fluidity in healthy middle-aged and elderly people. To test this, we conducted a 4-month double-blind, randomized trial in which 180 healthy subjects (55-70 years old) were randomly divided into 4 groups: group C (control), and 3 treatment groups in which daily doses of 100 mg (VE1), 200 mg (VE2), and 300 mg (VE3) dl-α-tocopheryl acetate were administered. We measured plasma α-tocopherol concentration, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase levels, erythrocyte hemolysis, and erythrocyte membrane fluidity at the beginning and end of the trial. After 4 months supplementation, plasma α-tocopherol concentrations in the 3 treatment groups had increased by 71%, 78%, and 95%, respectively (all P < .01), and significant decreases in plasma malondialdehyde concentrations were observed in these groups (all P < .05). Erythrocyte hemolysis was decreased by 20% to 38% after vitamin E supplementation (all P < .05), and in addition, groups VE2 and VE3 showed dramatic improvements in erythrocyte membrane fluidity (P < .01). Surprisingly, superoxide dismutase activity also decreased significantly in the treatment groups (all P < .05). In summary, vitamin E supplementation apparently alleviates oxidative stress in healthy middle-aged to elderly people, at least in part by improving erythrocyte membrane fluidity and reducing erythrocyte hemolysis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychiatric symptoms are not an independent mortality risk factor in community-living elderly people.

PubMed

Benabarre, Sergio; Olivera, Javier; Lorente, Teófilo; Rodriguez, Mariano; Barros-Loscertales, Alfonso; Pelegrín, Carmelo; Claver, Paula; Galindo, Izarbe; Labarta, María; Rodriguez, Jara

2014-06-01

Mortality risk factors have attracted great research interest in recent years. Physical illness is strongly associated with mortality risk in elderly people. Furthermore, a relationship between mortality risk and psychiatric disease in the elderly has gained research interest. This is a prospective longitudinal multicenter study. A sample of 324 participants was selected as a representative sample of community members aged 65 years and older and living in Huesca (Spain). The following information was collected: affiliation data, severity of physical illness, psychosocial, and psychiatric factors. Statistical analyses were completed with a multivariate analysis in order to control possible confounding variables related to mortality. Of the initially selected sample, 293 participants were assessed. Sixty-four participants died (21.8%, 95% CI [16.9%, 26.7%]), 5.3% annual rate, and 46.1% showed symptomatology of mental disorders. Older people have eight times greater risk of mortality. The risk increased 53 times in patients affected by several physical illness. No relationship between cognitive dysfunction and depressive symptomatology was observed. In fact, physical condition was associated with depression, and the percentage of participants with depressive symptoms increased according to the severity of physical illness. Severity of physical illness and age are independently and directly associated with mortality in the elderly people. Therefore, severity of physical illness seems to be a crucial factor in the bi-directional association between mortality and depression, acting as a risk factor independently for both. So the relationship between depression and mortality can be affected by the severity of physical illness.

Significance and costs of complex biopsychosocial health care needs in elderly people: results of a population-based study.

PubMed

Wild, Beate; Heider, Dirk; Maatouk, Imad; Slaets, Joris; König, Hans-Helmut; Niehoff, Dorothea; Saum, Kai-Uwe; Brenner, Hermann; Söllner, Wolfgang; Herzog, Wolfgang

2014-09-01

To improve health care for the elderly, a consideration of biopsychosocial health care needs may be of particular importance-especially because of the prevalence of multiple conditions, mental disorders, and social challenges facing elderly people. The aim of the study was to investigate significance and costs of biopsychosocial health care needs in elderly people. Data were derived from the 8-year follow-up of the ESTHER study-a German epidemiological study in the elderly population. A total of 3124 participants aged 57 to 84 years were visited at home by trained medical doctors. Biopsychosocial health care needs were assessed using the INTERMED for the Elderly (IM-E) interview. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was measured by the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey, and psychosomatic burden was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire. The IM-E correlated with decreased mental (mental component score: r = -0.38, p < .0001) and physical HRQOL (physical component score: r = -0.45, p < .0001), increased depression severity (r = 0.53, p < .0001), and costs (R = 0.41, p < .0001). The proportion of the participants who had an IM-E score of at least 21 was 8.2%; according to previous studies, they were classified as complex patients (having complex biopsychosocial health care needs). Complex patients showed a highly reduced HRQOL compared with participants without complex health care needs (mental component score: 37.0 [10.8] versus 48.7 [8.8]; physical component score: 33.0 [9.1] versus 41.6 [9.5]). Mean health care costs per 3 months of complex patients were strongly increased (1651.1 &OV0556; [3192.2] versus 764.5 &OV0556; [1868.4]). Complex biopsychosocial health care needs are strongly associated with adverse health outcomes in elderly people. It should be evaluated if interdisciplinary treatment plans would improve the health outcomes for complex patients.

Prevalence of oral cancer self-examination among elderly people treated under Brazil's Unified Health System: household health survey.

PubMed

Martins, Andréa Maria Eleutério de Barros Lima; Souza, João Gabriel Silva; Haikal, Desireé Sant'Ana; de Paula, Alfredo Maurício Batista; Ferreira e Ferreira, Efigênia; Pordeus, Isabela Almeida

2015-04-01

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of oral cancer self-examinationamong the elderly and confirm whether prevalence was higher among users of the dental services provided by Brazil's Unified Health System (SUS, acronym in Portuguese). A transversal study of elderly people aged between 65 and 74 years living in a large-sized Brazilian municipality was conducted using simple random sampling. Logistic regression was conducted and results were corrected for sample design and unequal weighting using the SPSS(r) software. The study assessed 740 individuals. A total of 492 met the inclusion criteria, of which 101 (22.4%) reported having performed an oral cancer self-examination. Prevalence was higher among users of the dental services provided by the SUS, higher-income individuals, people with higher levels of education, individuals that used a removable dental prosthesis, and people who had not experienced discomfort attributed to oral condition, and lower among people who sought regular and periodic dental treatment and individuals who did not have a drinking habit. This type of self-care should be encouraged by public health policies which respond to the needs of the elderly, with emphasis on users of private and philanthropic services, and other services outside the public health network.

Does Eating Out Make Elderly People Depressed? Empirical Evidence from National Health and Nutrition Survey in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, Hung-Hao; Saeliw, Kannika

2017-06-01

This study investigates the association between eating out and depressive symptoms among elderly people. Potential mediators that may link to elderly eating out and depressive symptoms are also discussed. A unique dataset of 1,184 individuals aged 65 and older was drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Survey in 2008 in Taiwan. A bivariate probit model and an instrumental variable probit model were estimated to account for correlated, unmeasured factors that may be associated with both the decision and frequency of eating out and depressive symptoms in the elderly. An additional analysis is conducted to check whether the nutrient intakes and body weights can been seen as mediators that link the association between eating out and depressive symptoms of the elderly. Elderly people who eat out are 38 percent points more likely to have depressive symptoms than their counterparts who do not eat out, after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics and other factors. A positive association between the frequency of eating out and the likelihood of having depressive symptoms of the elderly is also found. It is evident that one addition meal away from home is associated with an increase of the likelihood of being depressed by 3.8 percentage points. With respect to the mediations, we find that nutrient intakes and body weight are likely to serve as mediators for the positive relationship between eating out and depressive symptoms in the elderly. Our results show that elderly who eat out have a higher chance of having depressive symptoms. To prevent depressive symptoms in the elderly, policy makers should be aware of the relationship among psychological status, physical health and nutritional health when assisting the elderly to better manage their food consumption away from home. Our study have some caveats. First, the interpretation of our results on the causality issue calls for caution in that our analysis relies on a cross-sectional survey. Second, other

Environmental variables and levels of exhaled carbon monoxide and carboxyhemoglobin in elderly people taking exercise.

PubMed

Salicio, Marcos Adriano; Mana, Viviane Aparecida Martins; Fett, Waléria Christiane Rezende; Gomes, Luciano Teixeira; Botelho, Clovis

2016-04-01

This article aims to analyze levels of exhaled carbon monoxide, carboxyhemoglobinand cardiopulmonary variables in old people practicing exercise in external environments, and correlate them with climate and pollution factors. Temporal ecological study with118 active elderly people in the city of Cuiabá, in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Data were obtained on use of medication, smoking, anthropometric measurements, spirometry, peak flow, oxygen saturation, heart rate, exhaled carbon monoxide, carboxyhemoglobin, climate, number of farm fires and pollution. Correlations were found between on the one hand environmental temperature, relative humidity of the air and number of farmers' fires, and on the other hand levels of carbon monoxide exhaled and carboxyhemoglobin (p < 0.05).There was a correlation between heart rate and changes in environmental temperature, time of exposure to the sun and relative humidity (p < 0.05). In elderly people, environmental factors influence levels of exhaled carbon monoxide, carboxyhemoglobin and heart rate. There is thus a need for these to be monitored during exercise. The use of a carbon monoxide monitor to evaluate exposure to pollutants is suggested.

Perceived reasons for, opinions about, and suggestions for elders considering suicide: elderly outpatients' perspectives.

PubMed

Chen, Ying-Jen; Tsai, Yun-Fang; Ku, Yan-Chiou; Lee, Shwu-Hua; Lee, Hsiu-Lan

2014-07-01

The purposes of this study were to explore elderly outpatients' perceived reasons for, opinions of, and suggestions for elderly people considering suicide in Taiwan. Elderly outpatients (N = 83) were recruited in 2011-2012 by convenience sampling from three randomly selected medical centers in Taiwan. Data were collected in individual interviews using a semi-structured guide and analyzed by content analysis. Findings revealed that most participants had heard of elderly suicide, with television news as the main source for their information. Their opinions about elderly suicide reflected judgmental attitudes, negative emotional reactions, expectations of social welfare, and could happen after losing one's meaning in life. Their suggestions for elderly people considering suicide fell into four major themes: give up suicidal ideas, seek help, enhance social welfare, and attend religious activities. Since television news was the main source for participants' information about elderly suicide, this mass medium should be used in suicide prevention to disseminate suicide knowledge, increase access to help, and strengthen suicide-protective factors among the elderly. Furthermore, no participants mentioned depression as a reason for attempted or completed suicide among older people despite depression being a well-known suicide-risk factor. Future suicide-prevention programs should emphasize the role of depression in suicide among older people. Participants also did not suggest that older people considering suicide seek help from the health system. Thus, older people should be educated about the role of the health system in suicide prevention and trained as gatekeepers to recognize signs of suicide ideation and respond appropriately.

A Robot-Based Tool for Physical and Cognitive Rehabilitation of Elderly People Using Biofeedback

PubMed Central

Lopez-Samaniego, Leire; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya

2016-01-01

This publication presents a complete description of a technological solution system for the physical and cognitive rehabilitation of elderly people through a biofeedback system, which is combined with a Lego robot. The technology used was the iOS’s (iPhone Operating System) Objective-C programming language and its XCode programming environment; and SQLite in order to create the database. The biofeedback system is implemented by the use of two biosensors which are, in fact, a Microsoft band 2 in order to register the user’s heart rate and a MYO sensor to detect the user’s arm movement. Finally, the system was tested with seven elderly people from La Santa y Real Casa de la Misericordia nursing home in Bilbao. The statistical assessment has shown that the users are satisfied with the usability of the system, with a mean score of 79.29 on the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. PMID:27886146

Randomized controlled trial of an intervention to improve drug appropriateness in community-dwelling polymedicated elderly people.

PubMed

Campins, Lluís; Serra-Prat, Mateu; Gózalo, Inés; López, David; Palomera, Elisabet; Agustí, Clara; Cabré, Mateu

2017-02-01

Polypharmacy is frequent in the elderly population and is associated with potentially drug inappropriateness and drug-related problems. To assess the effectiveness and safety of a medication evaluation programme for community-dwelling polymedicated elderly people. Randomized, open-label, multicentre, parallel-arm clinical trial with 1-year follow-up. Primary care centres. Polymedicated (≥8 drugs) elderly people (≥70 years). Pharmacist review of all medication according to the Good Palliative-Geriatric Practice algorithm and the Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescriptions-Screening Tool to Alert Doctors to the Right Treatment criteria and recommendations to the patient's physician. Routine clinical practice. Recommendations and changes implemented, number of prescribed drugs, restarted drugs, primary care and emergency department consultations, hospitalizations and death. About 503 (252 intervention and 251 control) patients were recruited and 2709 drugs were evaluated. About 26.5% of prescriptions were rated as potentially inappropriate and 21.5% were changed (9.1% discontinuation, 6.9% dose adjustment, 3.2% substitution and 2.2% new prescription). About 2.62 recommendations per patient were made and at least one recommendation was made for 95.6% of patients. The mean number of prescriptions per patient was significantly lower in the intervention group at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Discontinuations, dose adjustments and substitutions were significantly higher than in the control group at 3, 6 and 12 months. No differences were observed in the number of emergency visits, hospitalizations and deaths. The study intervention was safe, reduced potentially inappropriate medication, but did not reduce emergency visits and hospitalizations in polymedicated elderly people. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The effect of a nutrient dense drink on mental and physical function in institutionalized elderly people.

PubMed

Manders, M; De Groot, L C P G M; Hoefnagels, W H L; Dhonukshe-Rutten, R A M; Wouters-Wesseling, W; Mulders, A J M J; Van Staveren, W A

2009-11-01

To determine whether in the current study the supply of a nutrient dense drink has a positive effect on mental and physical function of institutionalized elderly people. A 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, intervention trial. Homes for the elderly and nursing homes in the Netherlands. Institutionalized elderly people older than 60 years, with a BMI < or = 30 kg/m2, and a Mini-Mental State Examination score of at least 10 points. In addition to their usual diet the participants (n=176) received either a nutrient dense drink or a placebo drink twice a day during 24 weeks. The functionality measures included cognitive function, mood, physical performance and the ability to perform activities of daily living. In the supplement group a favorable effect of the intervention drink on body weight (1.6 kg difference in change; P = .035), calf circumference (0.9 cm difference in change; P = .048), and blood values (e.g. Hcy decreased from 16.8 to 11.2 mumol/L in the supplement group) was found. In the total group no significant effect was found on functionality outcomes. However, a subgroup of participants with BMI at baseline below 24.4 kg/m2 performed better on the cognitive subscale of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (P = .09), and its language sub score (P = .01) after 24 weeks of intervention. The results in the total group of this trial suggest that the nutritional supplement used in this study improves nutritional status. Furthermore, the results of this trial suggest that it is effective as treatment for decreasing function in a subgroup of institutionalized elderly people with low BMI.

Determinants of monovalent oral polio vaccine mutagenesis in vaccinated elderly people.

PubMed

Boot, Hein J; Sonsma, Jan; van Nunen, Femke; Abbink, Frithjofna; Kimman, Tjeerd G; Buisman, Anne-Marie

2007-06-11

Live oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) strains can mutate and recombine during replication in the host. Trivalent OPV has long been used to restrain wild-type poliovirus in developing countries. However, recently WHO advocates using monovalent OPV (mOPV) to finally eradicate poliovirus world-wide. We analysed polioviruses recovered from the faeces of 101 elderly patients (divided into three groups by immune status) challenged with mOPV-1 or mOPV-3. A high number of nucleotide mutations was found in the viral capsid-protein-encoding regions. Some of these mutations caused amino acid changes in or near regions with neutralizing epitopes, especially in mOPV-1-derived strains. The quantities of mutations in recovered poliovirus strains correlated with prevaccination immune status (seronegatives have more mutations) and excretion duration. Duration of excretion appears to be the dominant factor for the accumulation of mutations in mOPV-derived strains in vaccinated elderly people.

The effect of music therapy on depression and physiological parameters in elderly people living in a Turkish nursing home: a randomized-controlled trial.

PubMed

Gök Ugur, Hacer; Yaman Aktaş, Yeşim; Orak, Oya Sevcan; Saglambilen, Okan; Aydin Avci, İlknur

2017-12-01

This study was carried out in an effort to determine the effect of music therapy on depression and physiological parameters in elderly people who were living in a nursing home. The study was a randomized controlled trial. The study sample consisted of 64 elderly people who complied with the criteria of inclusion for the study. The data were collected using the 'Elderly Information Form' and 'Geriatric Depression Scale'. The music group listened to music three days in a week during 8 weeks. The depression levels were assessed at baseline (week 0) and follow-up in the eight week. It was found that the difference between post-test depression scores of the two groups was found to be statistically significant (t = -2.86, p <.01). The mean scores of post-test systolic blood pressure in the music group were found to be significantly lower than those of the control group (t = -3.11, p < .05). It was concluded that music therapy decreased the depression level and systolic blood pressure in elderly people. The study results implies that music therapy can be an effective practice for public health and home care nurses attempting to reduce depression and control physiological parameters of elderly people.

Internet-based remote counseling to support stress management: preventing interruptions to regular exercise in elderly people

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashimoto, Sayuri; Munakata, Tsunestugu; Hashimoto, Nobuyuki; Okunaka, Jyunzo; Koga, Tatsuzo

2006-01-01

Our research showed that a high degree of life-stress has a negative mental health effect that may interrupt regular exercise. We used an internet based, remotely conducted, face to face, preventive counseling program using video monitors to reduce the source of life-stresses that interrupts regular exercise and evaluated the preventative effects of the program in elderly people. NTSC Video signals were converted to the IP protocol and facial images were transmitted to a PC display using the exclusive optical network lines of JGN2. Participants were 22 elderly people in Hokkaido, Japan, who regularly played table tennis. A survey was conducted before the intervention in August 2003. IT remote counseling was conducted on two occasions for one hour on each occasion. A post intervention survey was conducted in February 2004 and a follow-up survey was conducted in March 2005. Network quality was satisfactory with little data loss and high display quality. Results indicated that self-esteem increased significantly, trait anxiety decreased significantly, cognition of emotional support by people other than family members had a tendency to increase, and source of stress had a tendency to decrease after the intervention. Follow-up results indicated that cognition of emotional support by family increased significantly, and interpersonal dependency decreased significantly compared to before the intervention. These results suggest that face to face IT remote counseling using video monitors is useful to keep elderly people from feeling anxious and to make them confident to continue exercising regularly. Moreover, it has a stress management effect.

A Mobile Game for the Social and Cognitive Well-Being of Elderly People in China.

PubMed

Li, Nan; Chen, Weiqin

2017-01-01

China, like many other countries, is facing the challenges of an ageing population. Literature has shown that the lack of social interaction has a negative impact on the physical health of the elderly, and playing games can be beneficial in maintaining or even improving their cognitive abilities. This study describes the design and development process for a social and cognitive mobile game and the related user evaluation in terms of well-being. The objective is to explore the underlying connections between game playing and the improvement of well-being among elderly people in China.

Vitamin D deficiency in elderly people in Swedish nursing homes is associated with increased mortality.

PubMed

Samefors, Maria; Östgren, Carl Johan; Mölstad, Sigvard; Lannering, Christina; Midlöv, Patrik; Tengblad, Anders

2014-05-01

Institutionalised elderly people at northern latitudes may be at elevated risk for vitamin D deficiency. In addition to osteoporosis-related disorders, vitamin D deficiency may influence several medical conditions conferring an increased mortality risk. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its association with mortality. The Study of Health and Drugs in the Elderly (SHADES) is a prospective cohort study among elderly people (>65 years) in 11 nursing homes in Sweden. We analysed the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (25(OH)D₃) at baseline. Vital status of the subjects was ascertained and hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality according to 25(OH)D₃ quartiles were calculated. We examined 333 study participants with a mean follow-up of 3 years. A total of 147 (44%) patients died within this period. Compared with the subjects in Q4 (25(OH)D₃ >48  nmol/l), HR (with 95% CI) for mortality was 2.02 (1.31-3.12) in Q1 (25(OH)D₃ <29  nmol/l) (P<0.05); 2.03 (1.32-3.14) in Q2 (25(OH)D₃ 30-37  nmol/l) (P<0.05) and 1.6 (1.03-2.48) in Q3 (25(OH)D₃ 38-47  nmol/l) (P<0.05). The mean 25(OH)D₃ concentration was 40.2  nmol/l (S.D. 16.0) and 80% had 25(OH)D₃ below 50  nmol/l. The vitamin D levels decreased from baseline to the second and third measurements. Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent and associated with increased mortality among the elderly in Swedish nursing homes. Strategies are needed to prevent, and maybe treat, vitamin D deficiency in the elderly in nursing homes and the benefit of vitamin D supplementation should be evaluated in randomised clinical trials.

Prevention of cardiovascular events in elderly people.

PubMed

Andrawes, Wafik Farah; Bussy, Caroline; Belmin, Joël

2005-01-01

Cardiovascular disease has been identified as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Given the increase in life expectancy and the development of cardiovascular preventive measures, it has become increasingly important to detect and prevent cardiovascular diseases in the elderly. We reviewed the scientific literature concerning cardiovascular prevention to assess the importance of cardiovascular preventive measures in old (> or =65 years of age) individuals. We undertook a systematic search for references relating to prevention of cardiovascular disease in the elderly, mainly ischaemic stroke, coronary artery disease and heart failure, on the MEDLINE database 1962-2005. For cardiovascular prevention by drugs or surgery, emphasis was placed on randomised controlled trials, review articles and meta-analyses. For cardiovascular prevention by lifestyle modification, major cohort studies were also considered. Stroke, coronary heart disease and heart failure were found to be the main targets for cardiovascular prevention in published studies. Antihypertensive treatment has proven its efficacy in primary prevention of fatal or nonfatal stroke in hypertensive and high-risk patients >60 years of age, particularly through treatment of systolic hypertension. Systolic blood pressure reduction is equally important in the secondary prevention of stroke. Similarly, in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, an adjusted dose of warfarin with a target International Normalized Ratio (INR) of between 2 to 3 prevents ischaemic stroke in elderly patients with an acceptable haemorrhagic risk but is still under prescribed. Antiplatelet agents are indicated in elderly patients with nonembolic strokes. Few large-scale studies have investigated the effect of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) on stroke prevention in old individuals. To date, the largest trials suggest a beneficial effect for stroke prevention with use of statins in high-risk elderly subjects < or

[Static posturography versus clinical tests in elderly people with vestibular pathology].

PubMed

Ortuño-Cortés, Miguel A; Martín-Sanz, Eduardo; Barona-de Guzmán, Rafael

2008-01-01

Balance can be quantified by clinical tests and through instrumental studies. The objective of this paper is to determine the correlation between static posturography and 4 clinical tests of balance in elderly people with vestibular disorders and to identify its capability to discriminate the groups studied. 60 patients with vestibular disorders and 60 healthy subjects performed 4 clinical tests (one leg standing with opened eyes, Timed Up and Go, Tinetti and Berg tests) and a static posturography analysis (NedSVE/IBV system) under 4 conditions: Romberg Test, Eyes Open (REO), Romberg Test, Eyes Closed (REC), Romberg Test on Foam with Eyes Open (RFEO), and Romberg Test on Foam with Eyes Closed (RFEC). RFEO correlated best with the clinical tests and RFEC was the worst. RFEO distinguished between healthy individuals and decompensated patients. RFEO gave the best information about postural balance in the elderly. RFEC was not useful. Static posturography can be useful to distinguish vestibular compensation status.

From Hospital to Home Care: Creating a Domotic Environment for Elderly and Disabled People.

PubMed

Lopez, Natalia M; Ponce, Sergio; Piccinini, David; Perez, Elisa; Roberti, Martin

2016-01-01

Advances in medicine have led to a significant increase in human life expectancy and, therefore, to a growing number of disabled elderly people who need chronic care and assistance [1]. The World Health Organization reports that the world's population over 60 years old will double between 2000 and 2050 and quadruple for seniors older than 80 years, reaching 400 million [2]. In addition, strokes, traffic-related and other accidents, and seemingly endless wars and acts of terrorism contribute to an increasing number of disabled younger people.

Geographic clustering of elderly people with above-norm anthropometric measurements and blood chemistry.

PubMed

Mena, Carlos; Fuentes, Eduardo; Ormazábal, Yony; Palomo, Iván

2017-05-11

The global percentage of people over 60 is strongly increasing and estimated to exceed 20% by 20,150, which means that there will be an increase in many pathological conditions related to aging. Mapping of the location of aging people and identification of their needs can be extremely valuable from a social-economic point of view. Participants in this study were 148 randomly selected adults from Talca City, Chile aged 60-74 at baseline. Geographic information systems (GIS) analyses were performed using ArcGIS software through its module Spatial Autocorrelation. In this study, we demonstrated that elderly people show geographic clustering according to above-norm results of anthropometric measurements and blood chemistry. The spatial identifications found would facilitate exploring the impact of treatment programmes in communities where many aging people live, thereby improving their quality of life as well as reducing overall costs.

Engaging Elderly People in Telemedicine Through Gamification.

PubMed

de Vette, Frederiek; Tabak, Monique; Dekker-van Weering, Marit; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam

2015-12-18

Telemedicine can alleviate the increasing demand for elderly care caused by the rapidly aging population. However, user adherence to technology in telemedicine interventions is low and decreases over time. Therefore, there is a need for methods to increase adherence, specifically of the elderly user. A strategy that has recently emerged to address this problem is gamification. It is the application of game elements to nongame fields to motivate and increase user activity and retention. This research aims to (1) provide an overview of existing theoretical frameworks for gamification and explore methods that specifically target the elderly user and (2) explore user classification theories for tailoring game content to the elderly user. This knowledge will provide a foundation for creating a new framework for applying gamification in telemedicine applications to effectively engage the elderly user by increasing and maintaining adherence. We performed a broad Internet search using scientific and nonscientific search engines and included information that described either of the following subjects: the conceptualization of gamification, methods to engage elderly users through gamification, or user classification theories for tailored game content. Our search showed two main approaches concerning frameworks for gamification: from business practices, which mostly aim for more revenue, emerge an applied approach, while academia frameworks are developed incorporating theories on motivation while often aiming for lasting engagement. The search provided limited information regarding the application of gamification to engage elderly users, and a significant gap in knowledge on the effectiveness of a gamified application in practice. Several approaches for classifying users in general were found, based on archetypes and reasons to play, and we present them along with their corresponding taxonomies. The overview we created indicates great connectivity between these taxonomies

Anthropometry for design for the elderly.

PubMed

Kothiyal, K; Tettey, S

2001-01-01

This paper presents anthropometric data on elderly people in Australia. Data were collected in the metropolitan city of Sydney, NSW, Australia. In all 171 elderly people (males and females, aged 65 years and above) took part in the study. Mean values, standard deviations, medians, range, and coefficients of variation for the various body dimensions were estimated. Correlation coefficients were also calculated to determine the relationship between different body dimensions for the elderly population. The mean stature of elderly Australian males and females were compared with populations from other countries. The paper discusses design implications for elderly people and provides several examples of application of the anthropometric data.

Evaluation of physical activity programmes for elderly people - a descriptive study using the EFQM' criteria

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In the past years, there has been a growing concern in designing physical activity (PA) programmes for elderly people, because evidence suggests that such health promotion interventions may reduce the deleterious effects of the ageing process. Quality is an important issue when designing a PA programme for older people. Some studies support the Excellence Model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) as an operational framework for evaluating the quality of an organization. Within this context, the aim of this study was to characterize the quality management models of the PA programmes developed by Portuguese Local Administration to enhance quality of life for elderly people, according to the criteria of the EFQM Excellence Model. Methods A methodological triangulation was conducted in 26 PA programmes using questionnaire surveys, semi-structured interviews and document analysis. We used standard approaches to the statistical analysis of data including frequencies and percentages for the categorical data. Results Results showed that Processes (65,38%), Leadership (61,03%), Customer results (58,46) and People (51,28%) had high percentage occurrences of quality practices. In contrast, Partnerships and resources (45,77%), People results (41,03%), Policy and strategy (37,91%), Key performance results (19,23%) and Society results (19,23%) had lower percentage occurrences. Conclusions Our findings suggest that although there are some good practices in PA programmes, there are still relevant areas that require improvement. PMID:21338497

Relationship between oral health, nutrient intake and nutritional status in a sample of Brazilian elderly people.

PubMed

de Andrade, Fabiola Bof; de França Caldas, Arnaldo; Kitoko, Pedro Makumbundu

2009-03-01

To evaluate the relationship between the oral health condition, the nutrient intake and the body mass index (BMI) in elderly people. Impaired dentition has been associated with an inadequate consumption of key nutrients and with changes in nutritional status in elderly people. The sample comprised 887 elderly people, aged 60 and over, of whom 816 underwent a clinical oral examination and were allocated into groups according to the numbers of teeth and number of posterior occluding pairs of natural teeth. Nutritional status was determined using the BMI. Dietary intake was assessed by a 24-h diet recall interview and the data from these records were converted to nutritional intake using DietPro software. Differences between means were evaluated using ANOVA, together with the Tukey test or Dunnet test, according to the normality of the data. Associations between categorical variables were tested using chi-square analysis. Ages ranged from 60 to 96 years (mean, 71.46 years), with 47% of the respondents in the 60-to 69-year-old group. A high DMFT index (mean, 27.81) was observed with the missing component accounting for 88.8% of the index. Significant differences were observed between the mean intake of nutrients and the number of posterior occluding pairs of natural teeth (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the number of teeth and BMI. Nutrient intake is associated with the oral health status as defined by clinical measures.

Engaging technology-resistant elderly people: Empirical evidence from an ICT-enabled social environment.

PubMed

Papa, Filomena; Cornacchia, Michele; Sapio, Bartolomeo; Nicolò, Enrico

2017-01-01

This paper presents a qualitative investigation on user reactions, opinions, and sentiments about a TV-based technological solution developed within the EasyReach Project of the EU Ambient Assisted Living Joint Program to promote social interaction of less educated elderly people, that is, those individuals who, because of poor scholarization, low income, and, possibly, linguistic barriers, still find it difficult to use computers in order to improve their socialization. Experimental data were collected by extensive trials involving 40 real-end users. A methodology called "scenario engagement" was applied to get participants engaged in a live demonstration with the mediation of a facilitator who assisted elderly people to interact with the system. Results point out that the system can be effectively employed to foster social interaction, particularly when it is introduced in a collective use environment (e.g., Senior Center). Although the focus of the investigation was on information and communication technology-enabled social environments, the end users themselves strongly suggested to include in future system releases extra functions considered as essential opportunities for their potential digital lives: that is, medical or health services and bridges toward public administration.

Real-time monitoring system for elderly people in detecting falling movement using accelerometer and gyroscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siregar, B.; Andayani, U.; Bahri, R. P.; Seniman; Fahmi, F.

2018-03-01

Most of the elderly people is experiencing a decrease in physical quality, especially the weakness in the legs. This will cause elderly easy to fall and can have a serious impact on their health if not getting help very quickly. It is, therefore, necessary to take immediate action against the falling cases experienced by the elderly. One such action is by developing supervision and detecting of falling movements in real-time, which is then the connection to a member of the family. In this research, we used Arduino Uno as a microcontroller, sensor accelerometer, and gyroscope that serves to measure falling movement of the elderly person and supported by GPS technology Ublox Neo 6M to provide information about coordinates. The result was the high accuracy of delivering notification data to server and accuracy of data delivery to family notification equal to 93,75%. The system successfully detects the direction of falling: forward, backward, left or right and able to distinguish between unintentional falling and conscious falling like a bow or prostrate position.

The relationship between elderly suicide rates and elderly dependency ratios: a cross-national study using data from the WHO data bank.

PubMed

Shah, Ajit; Padayatchi, Mellisha; Das, Kavita

2008-06-01

Cultural factors may influence cross-national variations in elderly suicide rates. A cross-national study examining the relationship between elderly suicide rates and elderly dependency ratios was conducted with the a priori unidirectional hypothesis that lower elderly dependency ratios (ratio of people over the age of 65 years to people under the age of 65 years) may imply a greater number of younger people being potentially available to provide support and respect to the elderly and to hold them in high esteem, and this would lead to a reduction in elderly suicide rates. Data on elderly suicide rates, and the total number of elderly and young people were ascertained from the World Health Organization website. Significant positive correlations were found between the natural logarithm of suicide rates, in both sexes in two elderly age-bands (65-74 years and 75+ years), and the elderly dependency ratio for males, females and both sexes combined. The impact of elderly dependency ratios on elderly suicide rates may interact with and be modified and mediated through cultural factors. The contribution of cross-national differences in cultural factors on elderly suicide rates require further study by formally measuring cultural factors with validated instruments.

Nonexercise movement in elderly compared with young people.

PubMed

Harris, Ann M; Lanningham-Foster, Lorraine M; McCrady, Shelly K; Levine, James A

2007-04-01

The association between free-living daily activity and aging is unclear because nonexercise movement and its energetic equivalent, nonexercise activity thermogenesis, have not been exhaustively studied in the elderly. We wanted to address the hypothesis that free-living nonexercise movement is lower in older individuals compared with younger controls matched for lean body mass. Ten lean, healthy, sedentary elderly and 10 young subjects matched for lean body mass underwent measurements of nonexercise movement and body posture over 10 days using sensitive, validated technology. In addition, energy expenditure was assessed using doubly labeled water and indirect calorimetry. Total nonexercise movement (acceleration arbitrary units), standing time, and standing acceleration were significantly lower in the elderly subjects; this was specifically because the elderly walked less distance per day despite having a similar number of walking bouts per day compared with the young individuals. The energetic cost of basal metabolic rate, thermic effect of food, total daily energy expenditure, and nonexercise activity thermogenesis were not different between the elderly and young groups. Thus, the energetic cost of walking in the elderly may be greater than in the young. Lean, healthy elderly individuals may have a biological drive to be less active than the young.

Engaging Elderly People in Telemedicine Through Gamification

PubMed Central

Tabak, Monique; Dekker - van Weering, Marit; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam

2015-01-01

Background Telemedicine can alleviate the increasing demand for elderly care caused by the rapidly aging population. However, user adherence to technology in telemedicine interventions is low and decreases over time. Therefore, there is a need for methods to increase adherence, specifically of the elderly user. A strategy that has recently emerged to address this problem is gamification. It is the application of game elements to nongame fields to motivate and increase user activity and retention. Objective This research aims to (1) provide an overview of existing theoretical frameworks for gamification and explore methods that specifically target the elderly user and (2) explore user classification theories for tailoring game content to the elderly user. This knowledge will provide a foundation for creating a new framework for applying gamification in telemedicine applications to effectively engage the elderly user by increasing and maintaining adherence. Methods We performed a broad Internet search using scientific and nonscientific search engines and included information that described either of the following subjects: the conceptualization of gamification, methods to engage elderly users through gamification, or user classification theories for tailored game content. Results Our search showed two main approaches concerning frameworks for gamification: from business practices, which mostly aim for more revenue, emerge an applied approach, while academia frameworks are developed incorporating theories on motivation while often aiming for lasting engagement. The search provided limited information regarding the application of gamification to engage elderly users, and a significant gap in knowledge on the effectiveness of a gamified application in practice. Several approaches for classifying users in general were found, based on archetypes and reasons to play, and we present them along with their corresponding taxonomies. The overview we created indicates great

[Observation of genetic diversity in dental plaque of elder people with root caries].

PubMed

Ma, Shan-fen; Liang, Jing-ping; Jiang, Yun-tao; Zhu, Cai-lian

2011-08-01

Bacterial community in dental plaque of elder people was analyzed to learn about the microhabitat composition and diversity. Dental plaque samples were collected from 25 elders. PCR-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) was used to evaluate the microbial diversity by displaying PCR-generated 16SrDNA fragments that migrate at different distances, reflecting the different sequence of fragment. SPSS12.0 software was used to analyze the variance of genotypes between different groups of bacteria. Genotypes of bacteria in dental plaques in the root caries group was significantly more than the other two groups. Crown caries group and caries-free group had no significant difference. The genetic diversity of the dental plaque microflora in the root caries group is significantly higher than coronal caries group and caries-free group.

Ergonomic aspects to be considered in planning public spaces destined for elderly people.

PubMed

de Oliveira Cunha, Marcella Viana Portela; Costa, Angelina Dias Leão; da Costa Ireland, Mariama

2012-01-01

As has happened in many other countries, Brazil has also witnessed an evident change in the question of accessibility over the last twenty years. In line with this theme, that of old age has only become evident in the last two decades. For a long period of time, the elderly have been systematically ignored as an object of investigation and have not been contemplated with consistent public social policies. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to verify the conditions of physical accessibility that allow the elderly to use public spaces, taking as a study case the São Gonçalo square and the Solón de Lucena Park, in the city of João Pessoa--PB, identifying the biological and functional losses suffered by elderly people due to the aging process and verifying the specific physical needs of this segment of the population. Qualitative methods were adopted, such as systematic observations with the production of behaviour maps, in addition to a review of the literature and analysis of the data. The research identified problems related to the physical accessibility of the elderly to public spaces that generate difficulties for displacement, use, information and orientation, contributing to the planning and ergonomic guidelines which aim at improving these environments, such as the use of different and contrasting colours on the urban furniture and floor, for example.

Scoping review of health promotion and disease prevention interventions addressed to elderly people.

PubMed

Duplaga, Mariusz; Grysztar, Marcin; Rodzinka, Marcin; Kopec, Agnieszka

2016-09-05

The ageing of modern societies remains one of the greatest challenges for health and social systems. To respond to this challenge, we need effective strategies assuring healthy active life for elderly people. Health promotion and related activities are perceived as a key intervention, which can improve wellbeing in later life. The main aim of this study is the identification and classification of such interventions addressed to older adults and elderly. Therefore, the strategy based on the scoping review as a feasible tool for exploring this domain, summarizing research findings and identifying gaps of evidence, was applied. The scoping review relies on the analysis of previous reviews of interventions aimed at older adults (55-64 years old) and elderly persons (65 years and above) assessed for their effectiveness in the framework of a systematic review and/or meta-analysis. The search strategy was based on the identification of interventions reported as health promotion, primary disease prevention, screening or social support. In the analysis, the reviews published from January 2000 to April 2015 were included. The search strategy yielded 334 systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses addressed to target groups of interest, 182 of them assessed interventions belonging to health promotion, 219 to primary prevention, 34 to screening and 35 to social support. The studies focused on elderly (65 years and above) made up 40.4 % of all retrieved reviews and those addressing population of 55 years and above accounted for 24.0 %. Interventions focused on health maintenance and improvement in elderly and older adults represent frequently combined health promotion and disease prevention actions. Many interventions of this type are not addressed exclusively to elderly populations and/or older adults but are designed for the general population. The most common types of interventions addressed to elderly and older adults in the area of health promotion include health

The effect of probiotics as a treatment for constipation in elderly people: A systematic review.

PubMed

Martínez-Martínez, Maria Isabel; Calabuig-Tolsá, Raquel; Cauli, Omar

2017-07-01

Treating constipation in elderly people remains a challenge; the administration of probiotics may be a valid therapy for this problem as an alternative to traditional drug-based treatments. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficiency of probiotics in treating constipation in elderly people. Articles related to this topic and published, without any time limitations, in the Medline, Embase, Scopus, Lilacs, or Cochrane databases were systematically reviewed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The primary search terms were 'constipation' and 'probiotics'. The main inclusion criteria were: 1) the article was original and the whole text was published in English or Spanish and 2) included the primary search terms in the title, summary, or body text; 3) the studies had to have included 60 or more participants defined as 'elderly' and 4) have specifically evaluated the effect of the administration of probiotics. Of the 475 articles consulted, 9 met the inclusion criteria. Among the selected studies, there were four randomised and placebo-controlled trials and the remaining five reports were observational. Overall, our analysis of the randomised and placebo-controlled trials suggests that administration of probiotics significantly improved constipation in elderly individuals by 10-40% compared to placebo controls in which no probiotic was administered. The strain of bacteria most commonly tested was Bifidobacterium longum. However, caution is needed when interpreting these reports because of the heterogeneity of the original study designs, populations, and the risk of bias. Therefore, further placebo-controlled trials are necessary to determine the most efficient strains, doses, and the optimal treatment duration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Being part of an enacted togetherness: narratives of elderly people with depression.

PubMed

Nyman, Anneli; Josephsson, Staffan; Isaksson, Gunilla

2012-12-01

In this article, we explored how five elderly persons with depression engaged in everyday activities with others, over time, and how this was related to their experience of meaning. Repeated interviews and participant observations generated data that was analysed using a narrative approach. Analysis identified togetherness as an acted relation, "enacted togetherness", emphasising how the act of doing everyday activities with someone created togetherness and belonging, and being part of an enacted togetherness seemed to be a way for the participants to negotiate and construct meaning. Opportunities for doing things together with someone were closely associated to the place where the participants lived. Furthermore, engagement in activities together with others created hope and expectations of future acting. Findings from this research can extend our understanding of how participating in everyday activities is experienced as a social process including change over time, presenting the perspective of elderly people themselves. In light of these findings, we highlight the need to consider how opportunities to become part of an enacted togetherness can be created. Also, we aspire to contribute to the debate on how to understand the complexity related to social aspects of ageing and add to the emerging understanding of everyday activities as transactional, incorporating people and the environment in a dynamic process that goes beyond the individual. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the Relationship between Spiritual and Social Health and the Self-Care Ability of Elderly People Referred to Community Health Centers.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Mahboobeh; Alavi, Mousa; Bahrami, Masoud; Zandieh, Zahra

2017-01-01

Promotion of self-care ability among older people is an essential means to help maintain and improve their health. However, the role of spiritual and social health has not yet been considered in detail in the context of self-care ability among elderly. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between spiritual and social health and self-care ability of older people referred to community health centers in Isfahan. In this cross-sectional correlation study, 200 people, aged 60 years and older, referred to healthcare centers in 2016 were recruited through convenience sampling method. Data were collected by four-part tool comprising of: (a) demographics, (b) Ellison and Palotzin's spiritual well-being scale, (c) Kees's "social health" scale, and (d) self-care ability scale for the elderly by Soderhamn's; data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential (independent t -test, analysis of variance - ANOVA, Pearson's coefficient tests, and multiple regression analysis) statistics by SPSS16 software. Findings showed that the entered predictor variables were accounted for 41% of total variance ( R 2 ) of the two self-care ability in the model ( p < 0.001, F 3, 199 = 46.02). Two out of the three predictor variables including religious well-being and social health, significantly predicted the self-care ability of older people. The results of this study emphasized on the relationship between spiritual and social health of the elderly people and their ability to self-care. Therefore, it would be recommended to keep the focus of the service resources towards improving social and spiritual health to improve self-care ability in elderly people.

Bacterial Pneumonia in Elderly Japanese Populations

PubMed Central

Miyashita, Naoya; Yamauchi, Yasuhiro

2018-01-01

Bacterial pneumonia is one of the most important infectious diseases in terms of incidence, effect on quality of life, mortality, and impact on society. Pneumonia was the third leading cause of death in Japan in 2011. In 2016, 119 650 Japanese people died of pneumonia, 96% of whom were aged 65 years and above. The symptoms of pneumonia in elderly people are often atypical. Aspiration pneumonia is seen more frequently than in young people because of swallowing dysfunction in the elderly. The mortality rate is also higher in the elderly than in young people. In Japan, the population is aging at an unprecedented rate, and pneumonia in the elderly will be increasingly important in medicine and medical economics in the future. To manage pneumonia in the elderly, it is important to accurately evaluate its severity, administer appropriate antibiotic treatment, and implement effective preventive measures. PMID:29434484

Challenges in managing elderly people with diabetes in primary care settings in Norway

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Abstract Objective To explore the experiences and clinical challenges that nurses and nursing assistants face when providing high-quality diabetes-specific management and care for elderly people with diabetes in primary care settings. Design Focus-group interviews. Subjects and setting Sixteen health care professionals: 12 registered nurses and four nursing assistants from nursing homes (10), district nursing service (5), and a service unit (1) were recruited by municipal managers who had local knowledge and knew the workforce. All the participants were women aged 32–59 years with clinical experience ranging from 1.5 to 38 years. Results Content analysis revealed a discrepancy between the level of expertise which the participants described as important to delivering high-quality care and their capacity to deliver such care. The discrepancy was due to lack of availability and access to current information, limited ongoing support, lack of cohesion among health care professionals, and limited confidence and autonomy. Challenges to delivering high-quality care included complex, difficult patient situations and lack of confidence to make decisions founded on evidence-based guidelines. Conclusion Participants lacked confidence and autonomy to manage elderly people with diabetes in municipal care settings. Lack of information, support, and professional cohesion made the role challenging. PMID:24205973

The association between death anxiety with spiritual experiences and life satisfaction in elderly people

PubMed Central

Taghiabadi, Mina; Kavosi, Ali; Mirhafez, Seyed Reza; Keshvari, Mahrokh; Mehrabi, Tayebe

2017-01-01

Introduction Death anxiety is a concept with greater importance among the elderly as they approach inevitability of death. Identifying the correlates of death anxiety among old people is important in order to reduce the burden of this problem. Therefore, the present study was performed with the aim to examine the association between spiritual experiences and life satisfaction with death anxiety in this stage of life. Method This cross-sectional study with descriptive-analytical design included 190 elderly people visiting the health and medical centers of Neyshabur city, Iran, during fall and winter, 2016. Participants were asked to complete three questionnaires including a 16-item spiritual experiences scale, life satisfaction index proposed by Wood and Shifor with 13 items, and a 27-item death anxiety scale developed by Aminpour. Analytical statistics (Spearman’s correlation coefficient, Pearson’s correlation coefficient) were conducted using SPSS software version 22. Results Fifty-eight percent of participants were in younger elderly age group with mean age of 68.18±7.13 years and the number of men and women was the same (95). A significant positive association between spiritual experiences and life satisfaction (r=0.2, p<0.05), a significant negative association between spiritual experiences and death anxiety (r=−0.184, p< 0.05) and a significant negative relationship between life satisfaction and death anxiety (r=−0.2, p<0.05) was found. Conclusion Based on results, it seems that reducing stressors in this stage of life including reduction of death anxiety, is possible through use of spiritual experiences and increasing life satisfaction. PMID:28461873

Vertical force and wrist deviation angle in a sample of elderly people using walkers.

PubMed

Leung, Cherng-Yee; Yeh, Po-Chan

2013-02-01

Walkers are frequently used by elderly people with weak lower limbs and limited balance, but the ergonomic relationship between the use of a walker and stress on the upper limbs is relatively unstudied. The current study assessed wrist deviation and vertical force among elderly individuals using a walker for assistance in walking. 60 elderly volunteers (M age = 81.0 yr., SD = 8.8) participated, 30 of whom frequently used a walker, and 30 who had no such prior experience. Data were obtained from four load cells and a twin-axis wrist goniometer during assisted ambulation using the walker. No significant group difference was found in gait cycle. Significant wrist deviation occurred, with ulnar deviation/dorsiflexion of the right hand, which was greater than that of the left. Non-experienced participants had larger dorsiflexion than experienced participants. Experienced participants produced larger vertical force than non-experienced participants. The greaterthe wrist deviation, the greater was the vertical force. The horizontal handles of most marketed walkers cause wrist deviations. This is a concern for users, clinicians, and related industries. Improvements in walker design should be considered.

[At-home music therapy intervention using video phone (Skype) for elderly people with dementia].

PubMed

Hori, Miyako; Iizuka, Mieko; Nakamura, Michikazu; Aiba, Ikuko; Saito, Yufuko; Kubota, Masakazu; Urabe, Mie; Kinoshita, Ayae

2014-12-01

There are various nonpharmacological therapies available for elderly people with dementia, and these can improve quality of life and the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) that appear throughout the progression of the disease. Since a substantial number of effects have been reported for music therapy, we focused on this nonpharmacological intervention. Generally, musical therapy is provided collectively in facilities. However, the music used in this context may not consider the preferences and music abilities of each person. Therefore, in this study we created made-to-order music CDs that accounted for each participant's musical preferences and abilities. Utilizing the CDs, we conducted an intervention study of music therapy using a video phone (Skype) that elderly people with dementia can use at home. An advantage of conducting music therapy for individuals with dementia using a video phone is that those who have difficulty going to the hospital or participating in dementia-related therapy groups can participate in therapy in a familiar place. The results of this intervention showed that participants demonstrated signs of improvement as measured by the smile degree(Smile scan)and Behavior Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease (BEHAVE-AD) scale.

Elderly peoples' meals. A comparative study between elderly living in a nursing home and frail, self-managing elderly.

PubMed

Engelheart, S; Lammes, E; Akner, G

2006-01-01

Sweden is one of few countries that have specific recommendations regarding mealtime habits. The importance of mealtime habits for health outcome is inadequately studied in elderly subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of the daily meals/energy intake; the number of eating episodes per day and subjectively estimated meal-dependent variables (appetite, motivation to eat, sense of taste and sense of smell) and compare the results of elderly living in a nursing home with frail, self-managing elderly living at home. Explorative study. All analyses of energy intake were based on food records; weighed in the nursing home and estimated in the frail, self-managing elderly. Participants or contact persons estimated the subjective variables using a 10-point VAS scale. On average there were 4-5 daily eating episodes in both groups. The eating episodes were much more widespread over the day in the self-managing elderly, and their length of fasting at night was significantly shorter. The subjects estimated appetite and sense of smell was reduced in about 30-40% in both groups. Sense of taste was reduced in 40 % of the males and 10-20 % of the females. Energy intake was similar in both groups, 25 kcal/kg body weight/day, with more than a threefold variation among individual subjects. Energy intake/kg body weight correlated with a shorter length of fasting at night in the nursing home residents, however, did not correlate with ADL, number of eating episodes per day, appetite, motivation to eat, or senses of taste or smell. The self-managing elderly had more widespread eating episodes than the elderly in the nursing home, indicating that self-managing elderly exhibit larger variations in food intake preferences, however, without affecting mean energy intake. The lack of correlation between energy intake and estimated appetite, taste and smell is in line with previous findings in elderly.

Lifestyle and lifestyle-related comorbidities independently associated with colorectal adenoma recurrence in elderly Chinese people

PubMed Central

Saiken, Adake; Gu, Fang

2016-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the lifestyle and lifestyle-related comorbidities independently associated with colorectal adenoma (CRA) recurrence in elderly Chinese people. Methods During the 5-year follow-up after the initial colonoscopy, participants aged >60 years with the diagnosis and removal of CRA underwent a complete surveillance colonoscopy, and 152 participants with CRA recurrence plus 152 participants free of recurrence were included in this analysis. Results Participants with CRA recurrence were more likely to consume less vegetables and fruits, and more red meats compared with the control group (P<0.05 for all). Lifestyle-related comorbidities, including hypertension and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), were more common in participants with CRA recurrence than in the control group (P<0.05 for all). In the multivariate analysis, pack-years of smoking were independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence (odds ratio [OR]: 1.03; P<0.05). Eating less vegetables (OR: 099; P<0.05) and fruits (OR: 0.98; P<0.05) was identified as a statistically independent factor influencing CRA recurrence, as was eating more red meats (OR: 1.01; P<0.05). Hypertension was also found to be a factor independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence (OR: 2.44; P<0.05). NAFLD had an independent association, with an increased CRA recurrence (OR: 3.43; P<0.05). Conclusion Smoking cigarettes, high consumption of red meats, low intake of fruits and vegetables, and the presence of hypertension and NAFLD were independently associated with an increased CRA recurrence in elderly Chinese people. This conclusion helps elderly Chinese people to make effective behavioral changes, such as smoking cessation, substitution of fruits and vegetables for red meats, and timely treatment of hypertension and NAFLD, to reduce CRA recurrence and colorectal cancer risk. PMID:27382263

[Longitudinal analysis of nutrition parameters in a cohort of elderly people with and without dementia].

PubMed

Fernández-Viadero, Carlos; Peña Sarabia, Nicolás; Jiménez-Sanz, Magdalena; Ordóñez-González, Javier; Verduga Vélez, Rosario; Crespo Santiago, Dámaso

2016-01-01

It is important to assess longitudinal nutritional parameters during the ageing process in order to determine body composition changes. This procedure is more relevant when dealing with institutionalised geriatric patients suffering from cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was to assess the interactions, if any, between mental status and several nutritional parameters in a cohort of elderly people. A longitudinal prospective two years follow-up evaluation was performed on 301 elderly residents (233 females and 68 males) in a nursing home, of whom 51 of them fulfilled the clinical criteria for dementia. Both anthropometric and biochemical parameters were obtained annually, according to standard procedures. The dementia group had lower values when compared to the non-dementia group. Furthermore, nutritional values remained constant in the group with cognitive impairment (no significant differences were observed throughout the study period). BMI 24.5±4.9 vs 24.2±4.1; tricipital skinfold 15.0±6.0 vs 14.7±6.9; brachial circumference 25.9±3.3 vs 25.7±3.5, and albumin 3.7±0.3 vs 3.7±0.3. At the end of the study, the group without cognitive impairment showed lower values in all the parameters analysed when compared to the baseline ones, except for bicipital fold and plasma triglycerides. Our study shows that there are no variations in the elderly with cognitive impairment, as regards the nutritional, anthropometric and biochemist parameters analysed. On the contrary, the group with normal cognitive status showed a reduction in most of the parameters. Further studies analysing larger populations of elderly people and over longer periods of time will provide more information to improve our knowledge on this important issue. Copyright © 2015 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

[The role of charities in the prevention of suicide in elderly people].

PubMed

Facy, Françoise; Fillatre, Marc

2016-01-01

Charitable associations have a role to play in the prevention of suicide in the elderly. They are involved in drawing up public policies and national programmes and also put in place strategies to fight against social isolation, for example through remote assistance. Their maxim is listening, sociability and support for people in situations of suffering and their families. However, their voice is not always heard when it comes to needs and adequate responses for suicide prevention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Subjective Values of Quality of Life Dimensions in Elderly People. A SEM Preference Model Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elosua, Paula

2011-01-01

This article proposes a Thurstonian model in the framework of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to assess preferences among quality of life dimensions for the elderly. Data were gathered by a paired comparison design in a sample comprised of 323 people aged from 65 to 94 years old. Five dimensions of quality of life were evaluated: Health,…

Body mass index, life-style, and healthy status in free living elderly people in Menorca Island.

PubMed

Ferra, A; Bibiloni, M Del Mar; Zapata, M E; Pich, J; Pons, A; Tur, J A

2012-04-01

To assess the BMI, life-style, and healthy status, and explore relationships between these parameters, among Menorca's free living elderly people. A cross-sectional survey carried out in Menorca Island in 2009. A random sample (n=450) of the elderly population (≥65 years) was interviewed. Anthropometric measurements and a general questionnaire incorporating questions related to socio-demographic and life-style factors and health status were used. Approximately five per cent of elders were underweight and 60% overweight or obese. Underweight were positively and overweight and obesity negatively affected by age. The prevalence of central obesity, according to the WC cut-off points, was 66.8% in men and 85.1% in women. Low education, socioeconomic status and physical activity were risk factors for malnutrition and overweight/obesity. A possible cognitive impairment was found among elderly persons with BMI<22 kg/m2. A J-shaped association between BMI and hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, heart failure and other CV diseases, a U-shaped relation between BMI and diabetes mellitus, arthritis, and chronic bronchitis, and an inverted J-shape between BMI and gastric ulcer, osteoporosis and bone fractures, cancer, and prostatitis (in men) were found. Both low and high BMI are associated with a wide range of prevalent conditions and diseases in Menorca elderly men and women.

The effects of physical exercise with music on cognitive function of elderly people: Mihama-Kiho project.

PubMed

Satoh, Masayuki; Ogawa, Jun-ichi; Tokita, Tomoko; Nakaguchi, Noriko; Nakao, Koji; Kida, Hirotaka; Tomimoto, Hidekazu

2014-01-01

Physical exercise has positive effects on cognitive function in elderly people. It is unknown, however, if combinations of non-pharmaceutical interventions can produce more benefits than single ones. This study aimed to identify if physical exercise combined with music improves cognitive function in normal elderly people more than exercise alone. We enrolled 119 subjects (age 65-84 years old). Forty subjects performed physical exercise (once a week for an hour with professional trainers) with musical accompaniment (ExM group), developed by YAMAHA Music Foundation; 40 subjects performed the same exercise without music (Ex group); 39 subjects were the control group (Cont group). Before and after the year-long intervention, each patient was assessed by neuropsychological batteries. MRIs were performed before and after intervention; the Voxel-based Specific Regional analysis system for Alzheimer's Disease (VSRAD) was used to assess medial temporal lobe atrophy. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was significant only in visuospatial function. The multiple comparison (ExM vs. Ex, ExM vs. Cont, Ex vs. Cont) was significant between the ExM and Cont group. Intra-group analyses before and after intervention revealed significant improvement in visuospatial function in the ExM group, and significant improvements in other batteries in all three groups. The VSRAD score significantly worsened in the ExM and Ex groups. Physical exercise combined with music produced more positive effects on cognitive function in elderly people than exercise alone. We attributed this improvement to the multifaceted nature of combining physical exercise with music, which can act simultaneously as both cognitive and physical training. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) UMIN000012148.

The Effects of Physical Exercise with Music on Cognitive Function of Elderly People: Mihama-Kiho Project

PubMed Central

Satoh, Masayuki; Ogawa, Jun-ichi; Tokita, Tomoko; Nakaguchi, Noriko; Nakao, Koji; Kida, Hirotaka; Tomimoto, Hidekazu

2014-01-01

Background Physical exercise has positive effects on cognitive function in elderly people. It is unknown, however, if combinations of non-pharmaceutical interventions can produce more benefits than single ones. This study aimed to identify if physical exercise combined with music improves cognitive function in normal elderly people more than exercise alone. Methods We enrolled 119 subjects (age 65–84 years old). Forty subjects performed physical exercise (once a week for an hour with professional trainers) with musical accompaniment (ExM group), developed by YAMAHA Music Foundation; 40 subjects performed the same exercise without music (Ex group); 39 subjects were the control group (Cont group). Before and after the year-long intervention, each patient was assessed by neuropsychological batteries. MRIs were performed before and after intervention; the Voxel-based Specific Regional analysis system for Alzheimer's Disease (VSRAD) was used to assess medial temporal lobe atrophy. Results Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was significant only in visuospatial function. The multiple comparison (ExM vs. Ex, ExM vs. Cont, Ex vs. Cont) was significant between the ExM and Cont group. Intra-group analyses before and after intervention revealed significant improvement in visuospatial function in the ExM group, and significant improvements in other batteries in all three groups. The VSRAD score significantly worsened in the ExM and Ex groups. Conclusions Physical exercise combined with music produced more positive effects on cognitive function in elderly people than exercise alone. We attributed this improvement to the multifaceted nature of combining physical exercise with music, which can act simultaneously as both cognitive and physical training. Trial Registration UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) UMIN000012148 PMID:24769624

Artificial humanoid for the elderly people.

PubMed

Simou, Panagiota; Alexiou, Athanasios; Tiligadis, Konstantinos

2015-01-01

While frailty and other multi-scale factors have to be correlated during a geriatric assessment, few prototype robots have already been developed in order to measure and provide real-time information, concerning elderly daily activities. Cognitive impairment and alterations on daily functions should be immediate recognized from caregivers, in order to be prevented and probably treated. In this chapter we recognize the necessity of artificial robots during the personal service of the elderly population, not only as a mobile laboratory-geriatrician, but mainly as a socialized digital humanoid able to develop social behavior and activate memories and emotions.

Overweight and obesity vs. simple carbohydrates consumption by elderly people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system.

PubMed

Skop-Lewandowska, Agata; Zając, Joanna; Kolarzyk, Emilia

2017-12-23

Overweight and obesity belong to the alarming and constantly increasing problems of the 21st century among all age groups. One of the major factors enhancing these problems are simple carbohydrates commonly found in popular sweet drinks. The aim of the study was to estimate the nutritional patterns of elderly people with diagnosed cardiovascular system diseases, and analysis of the relationship between consumption of simple carbohydrates and prevalence of overweight and obesity. From 233 individuals hospitalized in the Clinic of Cardiology and Hypertension in Krakow, Poland, a group of 128 elderly people was selected (66 women and 62 men). Actual food consumption for each individual was assessed using a 24-hour nutrition recall. BMI values was calculated for assessment of nutritional status. Statistical analysis was performed on two groups: one with BMI <25kg/m² and other with BMI≥25kg/m². Overweight was stated among 33.8% of women and 50% of men, obesity among 27.7% of women and 17.7% of men. Results indicated that consumption of products rich in sucrose was associated with overweight and obesity. People with overweight and obesity statistically more often ate sweet products comparing to those with proper weight: 46.2 g vs 33.8g. The growing world-wide epidemic of overweight and obesity is one of the main priorities of preventive medicine remains changing eating patterns As observed in this study, one additional spoon of sugar consumed daily increases the risk of being overweight or obese by about 14%. Overweight and obesity was found among 60% of the examined elderly people. Correlation was found between rise in risk of obesity or overweight by about 14% with each additional spoon of sugar (5g) eaten every day.

Age identity, social influence and socialization through physical activity in elderly people living in a nursing home.

PubMed

Prevc, Petra; Doupona Topic, Mojca

2009-12-01

Elderly people perceive their own ageing in very different ways and the aim of the present study was to explore age identity, the perception of "old age", the role of physical activity in the socialization of elderly people and social influences on physical activity in elderly people living in a nursing home. Questionnaires were answered by 75 nursing home residents (79 +/- 8 years old; 19 males, 56 females), coming from two different Slovenian regions. Subjective age ("felt age") was on average 5.5 years less than chronological age. Neither increasing chronological age nor subjective age was significantly correlated with a negative perception of health. Subjective age was neither correlated with any of the statements related to well-being and satisfaction with life. The importance of health in old age was confirmed by significant correlation of health status with perception of one's well-being and satisfaction with life. Interestingly, the age at which one perceives a person as having become old was not significantly related to one's own age. Nursing home residents in general associate old age with physical impairment and poor health. Slight differences between genders were noted; men grade retirement and communication difficulties with younger people as more prominent in old age. Interaction with other residents seems to be an important component of physical activity, as participants grade the importance of socializing during exercise quite highly; no significant differences between regions nor between men and women were noted. The social influence on physical activity did not differ significantly between genders and observed regions; the presence of negative social influence was relatively low. Furthermore, in the third period of life, physical activity plays an important socialization role and is, at the same time, influenced by the beliefs and ideas of the environment.

There is more to life than risk avoidance - elderly people's experiences of falls, fall-injuries and compliant flooring.

PubMed

Gustavsson, Johanna; Jernbro, Carolina; Nilson, Finn

2018-12-01

Falls are the most common cause of injury in all ages and are especially difficult to prevent among residential care residents. Compliant flooring that absorbs energy generated within the fall, has been proposed as a measure to prevent fall-injury, however little is known regarding the implementation aspects in clinical settings. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of falls, the risk of fall-injury, prevention in general and specifically compliant flooring as an injury preventative measure amongst frail elderly people living in a residential care facility with compliant flooring. Through this, generate a theory that further explains the underlying barriers of active prevention amongst elderly people. We used the grounded theory method and conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with eight elderly people in residential care (data collected between February and December 2017). The identified categories were Falling as a part of life, Fearing the consequences and A wish to prevent falls and injuries. Through the results it was clear that There is more to life than risk avoidance, permeated the interviews, therefore forming the grounded theory. The interviewees viewed falls as something common and normal, and were uninterested in focusing on the risk of falls. Although they wanted to prevent falls, it was often difficult to integrate preventative measures into their everyday life. They embraced the idea of an injury-reducing compliant flooring, however their main interests lay elsewhere, preferring to focus on social interaction and issues concerning daily activities. The theory generated in this paper proposes explanations on the obstacles of implementing fall prevention measures in an elderly frail population. The findings give insights as to why interest and compliance for active fall prevention measures are low. We conclude that complaint flooring, from the perspective of the residents, can work well in residential care.

Challenges of human resource management in the institutions for care of elderly people

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lepir, Lj; Šćepović, D.; Radonjić, A. R.

2017-05-01

Human resources are the most important resources of any work organization or institution. They are the bearers of the work process and are key in determining the quality of a product or service. The staff employed in an institution contributes with their work to its business success which is why the institution management should pay close attention to human resources management. Functionally, the successful management of social protection institutions implies the attainment of balance in the process of satisfying interests of beneficiaries, interests of the institution management (founder-owner), and interests of the employees (service providers to elderly people). Interests of beneficiaries (elderly people) who are placed in residential care are reflected in the need for high quality and accessible services. Interests of the institution management are recognized as the need to achieve economically sustainable and profitable institution. An interest of direct service providers (employed caregivers, social workers, etc.) is in the safe premises and good working conditions. The term “human resources” in institutions of social protection implies overall knowledge, skills, abilities, creative capabilities, motivation, loyalty and personal characteristics owned by employees in the institution. It is the overall intellectual and emotional energy of employees that the management can count on and that can be engaged to achieving the objectives of the institution. The objectives of human resource management in social protection institutions are related to providing capability with job demands, fulfillment of professional and optimal number of competent workers, improving socio-economic status of employees, ensuring full time engagement of workers, improving the quality of work conditions and work environment, creating and maintaining a flexible and adaptive potential of employees, reducing resistance and increasing the sensitivity of employees to changes in the

Trends and determinants of informal and formal caregiving in the community for disabled elderly people in Taiwan.

PubMed

Ku, Li-Jung E; Liu, Li-Fan; Wen, Miin-Jye

2013-01-01

Although family caregiving for elderly people has been the backbone of long-term care in Taiwan, it is not clear whether informal help from family members has diminished in recent years due to changes in social structure and traditions. The objective of this study is to examine the trend and the factors influencing the use of informal and formal caregiving among disabled elders in the community of Taiwan. Data were drawn from three waves of the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA) (1999, 2003, and 2007) to examine the receipt of help with activities of daily living (ADLs) in a nationally representative sample of Taiwanese elderly people aged 65 and older. Results showed the trend in having at least 1 of 6 ADL limitations in the community increased mildly in the past decade but a significant rise in the use of paid help compared to informal help between 1999 and 2007. Factors associated with higher likelihood of paid help use included better socio-economic status and more ADLs. However, those living with spouse only were much less likely to use paid help than those living with adult children. Findings suggest that future long-term care (LTC) policy in Taiwan should focus more on providing elders who live alone or with spouse only additional caregiving resource. Given the rapid growth of foreign care workers as primary source of caregiving, the government needs further monitoring to promote care quality and also strategies to develop needs-led home and community based care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Literature review on monitoring technologies and their outcomes in independently living elderly people.

PubMed

Peetoom, Kirsten K B; Lexis, Monique A S; Joore, Manuela; Dirksen, Carmen D; De Witte, Luc P

2015-07-01

To obtain insight into what kind of monitoring technologies exist to monitor activity in-home, what the characteristics and aims of applying these technologies are, what kind of research has been conducted on their effects and what kind of outcomes are reported. A systematic document search was conducted within the scientific databases Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO and Cinahl, complemented by Google Scholar. Documents were included in this review if they reported on monitoring technologies that detect activities of daily living (ADL) or significant events, e.g. falls, of elderly people in-home, with the aim of prolonging independent living. Five main types of monitoring technologies were identified: PIR motion sensors, body-worn sensors, pressure sensors, video monitoring and sound recognition. In addition, multicomponent technologies and smart home technologies were identified. Research into the use of monitoring technologies is widespread, but in its infancy, consisting mainly of small-scale studies and including few longitudinal studies. Monitoring technology is a promising field, with applications to the long-term care of elderly persons. However, monitoring technologies have to be brought to the next level, with longitudinal studies that evaluate their (cost-) effectiveness to demonstrate the potential to prolong independent living of elderly persons. [Box: see text].

[Nutrition and frail elderly at risk].

PubMed

Barrière-Arnoux, Cécile

2015-01-01

Good health for elderly people depends on some extent on their nutritional status. During the completion of a master's degree in nursing sciences, a study highlighted the need to develop measuring tools for screening for undernutrition in the elderly in community nursing practice. A programme for raising awareness of the consequences of undernutrition in elderly people is an area to develop through broader frailty screening in primary care.

"Classroom in Community: Serving the Elderly People, Learning from Senior Citizens" Community-Based Service Learning for Secondary Schools Students in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwok-bong, Chan

2009-01-01

Background: In recent years, more and more secondary schools in Hong Kong begin to employ service learning in designing student learning activities. A vast majority of these attempts is developed based on the philanthropic ideas of altruism, love and care; it involves serving elderly people living in the elderly homes far away from the school…

Does alcohol contribute to accident and emergency department attendance in elderly people?

PubMed Central

van der Pol, V; Rodgers, H; Aitken, P; James, O; Curless, R

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the possible contribution of alcohol to presentation of elderly subjects at a hospital accident and emergency (A&E) department. METHODS: 105 patients aged 70 years and over who attended the department were interviewed by a single observer using a structured questionnaire based on previously validated general population surveys. Details of alcohol consumption within the previous 24 hours were recorded. Usual consumption of alcohol in the preceding 12 months was estimated by the quantity frequency method. Alcohol dependence was screened for by the CAGE questionnaire. An assessment of disability was made using the Barthel index. Breath alcohol was measured. RESULTS: In only 2% of attenders was alcohol thought to be a contributory factor. Breath alcohol measurements were technically unsatisfactory in this age group. Regular drinkers were functionally and socially more independent than non-regular drinkers. Drinking patterns in this age group may partly be determined by the physical ability to obtain alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol was not found to be a major factor in A&E attendance in elderly people. PMID:8832344

Prevention of hip fractures by correcting calcium and vitamin D insufficiencies in elderly people.

PubMed

Meunier, P

1996-01-01

For a 50-year old caucasian woman today, the risk of a hip fracture over her remaining lifetime is about 17%. Tomorrow the situation will clearly be worse because the continual increase in life expectancy will cause a 3-fold rise in worldwide fracture incidence over the next 60 years, particularly in women, but also in men. In addition, a secular increase in the incidence of hip fractures in individuals of the same age has been noted in both sexes by several investigators, and the cost of hip fractures is expected to dramatically increase in the next decades. Consequently, preventive strategies are urgently required. A great deal has been learned in recent years about the risk factors for hip fracture, the pathophysiology of this fracture, and the prediction of fracture risk, particularly through bone mass measurements on the hip and biochemical evaluations of parathyroid and vitamin D status. The two main determinants of hip fractures are falls and bone loss leading to an intrinsic femoral fragility. A substantial femoral bone loss continues throughout the old age, with a continuous and exponential increase in the risk of hip fracture, and any reduction or arrest of this loss will induce an important reduction in the incidence of hip fractures. A preventive effect on the risk of hip fracture may be partly achieved by using long term estrogen replacement therapy after menopause, but also by using vitamin D and calcium supplements for a late prevention in elderly people. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficit in calcium intake are very common in elderly people living either in institutions or at home, particularly in Europe where dairy products are not fortified with vitamin D. The cumulative response to this deficit in calcium intake and low vitamin D status is a negative calcium balance which stimulates parathyroid hormone secretion. In 300 residents of nursing homes, we recently found a significant negative correlation between serum 25 OHD and log serum PTH after

The Role of Motivation to Reduce Obesity among Elderly People: Response to Priming Temptation in Obese Individuals.

PubMed

Obara-Gołębiowska, Małgorzata; Brycz, Hanna; Lipowska, Małgorzata; Lipowski, Mariusz

2018-02-01

The risk of obesity-related disorders is increased among the elderly, so changing eating habits can be an important element of prevention. The main aim of this article is to consider whether looking at pictures that present either fattening food or healthy food may motivate elderly people to change their nutrition habits. Might priming different kinds of food influence the attractiveness of the food for people in late adulthood undergoing obesity therapy? Based on priming theories, we analysed the effects of the conscious processing of stimuli associated with dietary habits in individuals aged with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m². Our experiments confirmed the influence of a higher-priority goal of "slimming" on the perception and internalization of nutrition-related stimuli. In response to such stimuli, individuals who are actively involved in weight reduction and health-oriented programs use strategies for resisting temptation and to effectively "slim". We present our findings in the context of their theoretical background and practical application.

The Role of Motivation to Reduce Obesity among Elderly People: Response to Priming Temptation in Obese Individuals

PubMed Central

Obara-Gołębiowska, Małgorzata; Brycz, Hanna; Lipowski, Mariusz

2018-01-01

The risk of obesity-related disorders is increased among the elderly, so changing eating habits can be an important element of prevention. The main aim of this article is to consider whether looking at pictures that present either fattening food or healthy food may motivate elderly people to change their nutrition habits. Might priming different kinds of food influence the attractiveness of the food for people in late adulthood undergoing obesity therapy? Based on priming theories, we analysed the effects of the conscious processing of stimuli associated with dietary habits in individuals aged with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Our experiments confirmed the influence of a higher-priority goal of “slimming” on the perception and internalization of nutrition-related stimuli. In response to such stimuli, individuals who are actively involved in weight reduction and health-oriented programs use strategies for resisting temptation and to effectively “slim”. We present our findings in the context of their theoretical background and practical application. PMID:29389858

Executive functioning in healthy elderly Chinese people.

PubMed

Lin, Han; Chan, Raymond C K; Zheng, Liuning; Yang, Tianxiao; Wang, Ya

2007-05-01

This study aimed to explore the executive function of healthy elderly Chinese people. A sample of 58 healthy Chinese aged 60 and over was recruited from Guangzhou in China. They were divided into two age groups, a younger age group (aged 60-70) and an older age group (aged over 70). Executive function was measured by a battery of seven tests which were assumed to capture specific components of executive function. The tests were initiation (Hayling Sentence Completion Test (HSC)), sustained attention (Monotone Counting Test), switching and flexibility (word fluency and modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)), disinhibition (Modified Six Element Task (SET), Stroop Test, and HSC), attention allocation and planning (SET and modified version of WCST), and updating (Chinese Letter-Number Span). When independent neurocognitive tests were analyzed, there were significant age differences in the WCST (perseverative errors and category completed, p=0.025, 0.023) and the SET (raw score, p=0.050). The older age group tended to do worse in the total profile score of the SET and correct responses of the HSC Part A. However, when these tests were grouped into specific executive function components, a significant difference was found between the two groups in attention allocation and planning (p=0.007) and total component score (p=0.026). Regression analyses also indicated that age accounted for only very little variance of executive function in this narrow band of the elderly, whereas educational level accounted for a large part of the variance in initiation (R(2)=0.252, p<0.001), switching and flexibility (R(2)=0.211, p<0.001), and updating (R(2)=0.236, p<0.001) components of executive function. Our findings suggest that a significant decline in general executive functioning with advancing age was only evident in some putative tests in this sample. In addition, executive functions were selectively affected by older age, with attention location and planning and initiation

Benefits of nutritional supplementation in free-living, frail, undernourished elderly people: a prospective randomized community trial.

PubMed

Payette, Hélène; Boutier, Véronique; Coulombe, Carole; Gray-Donald, Katherine

2002-08-01

To evaluate the impact of nutritional supplementation on nutritional status, muscle strength, perceived health, and functional status in a population of community-living, frail, undernourished elderly people. A 16-week intervention study in which subjects were randomized to an experimental or a control group and visited in their home on a monthly basis. Outcome variables were measured at the start and end of the study at subjects' homes by a dietitian blinded to treatment assignment. 83 elderly people (experimental group: n=42; control group: n=41; mean age=80+/-7 years) receiving community home-care services and at high risk for undernutrition. Provision of a nutrient-dense protein-energy liquid supplement and encouragement to improve intake from other foods. Anthropometric indexes, handgrip strength, isometric elbow flexion and leg extension strength, lower extremity function, perceived health, and functional status. Study groups were compared on an "intention to treat" basis using analysis of variance for repeated measures and unpaired and paired t tests and their nonparametric equivalents where appropriate. Total energy intake (1,772 vs 1,440 kcal; P<.001) and weight gain (1.62 vs 0.04 kg; P<.001) were higher in the supplemented group. No significant changes were observed with respect to other anthropometric indexes, muscle strength, or functional variables; however, beneficial effects were observed in emotional role functioning (P<0.01) and number of days spent in bed (P=.04). Nutrition intervention is feasible in free-living, frail, undernourished elderly people and results in significant improvement of nutritional status with respect to energy and nutrient intake and weight gain. Weight loss can be stopped and in some cases reversed; however, increased physical activity may also be required to improve health and functional status.

Do socio-economic factors, elderly population size and service development factors influence the development of specialist mental health programs for older people?

PubMed

Shah, Ajit

2008-12-01

Despite the increase in the proportion of older people in the population, little is known about factors that facilitate the development of specialist mental health services for older people. The relationship between the presence of specialist mental health programs for older people and elderly population size, proportion of older people in the population, gross national domestic product (GDP), and various parameters of health funding, mental health funding and mental health service provision was examined in an ecological study using data from the World Health Organization. The presence of specialist mental health programs for older people was significantly associated with higher GDP, higher expenditure on healthcare and mental healthcare, the presence of a national mental health policy and a national mental health program, the availability of mental health care in primary care and the community, and higher density of psychiatric beds, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychologists and social workers. The challenge will be to persuade policy-makers in low and medium income countries, where the increase in the elderly population is most rapid, to develop specialist mental health services for older people.

Cost-effectiveness of a herpes zoster vaccination program among the French elderly people.

PubMed

Belchior, Emmanuel; Lévy-Bruhl, Daniel; Le Strat, Yann; Herida, Magid

2016-09-01

A vaccine against herpes zoster (HZ) and its complications has already proven safe and effective against infection and pain and against the related deterioration of quality of life in the elderly. In order to inform the vaccination decision-making process regarding inclusion of this vaccine in the French immunization schedule, we assessed the cost-effectiveness of several vaccination scenarios, compared to no vaccination. We chose to use a previously published Markov model. Starting vaccination in elderly individuals aged 65, 70 and 75 y old appears more cost-effective than vaccination for those aged 60 y old, with a cost-effectiveness ratio between 30,000 and 35,000 euros per quality-adjusted-life year (QALY) gained for the first 3 age groups versus 54,500 €; for the latter group. These results largely contributed to the recommendation to include the HZ vaccination in the French immunization schedule for people aged between 65 and 74 y old in France.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in non-institutionalized people aged 65 or over from Spain: the elderly EXERNET multi-centre study.

PubMed

Gomez-Cabello, A; Pedrero-Chamizo, R; Olivares, P R; Luzardo, L; Juez-Bengoechea, A; Mata, E; Albers, U; Aznar, S; Villa, G; Espino, L; Gusi, N; Gonzalez-Gross, M; Casajus, J A; Ara, I

2011-08-01

Coupled with the growth of the older population, an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in this age group has occurred in the last decades. The main aims of the present study were (i) to provide an updated prevalence of overweight and obesity in a representative sample of the Spanish elderly population; (ii) to calculate the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity (SO) and (iii) to analyse the relationships between adiposity measurements and lifestyle. A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 3136 persons representative of the non-institutionalized population ≥65 years of age. Anthropometric measurements were obtained using standardized techniques and equipment. Overall, 84% of the population can be categorized as overweight and/or obese. The present study indicates that 67% of the Spanish elderly population has an increased percentage of fat mass and more than 56% suffer from central obesity. Moreover, SO is present in 15% of the Spanish elderly population. Finally, a strong relationship between both physically active and sedentary lifestyles and the level of adiposity was found. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among elderly people in Spain is very high and is still increasing. Lifestyle seems to be a determinant factor in the development of obesity among elderly people. © 2011 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2011 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Overview and Categorization of Robots Supporting Independent Living of Elderly People: What Activities Do They Support and How Far Have They Developed.

PubMed

Bedaf, Sandra; Gelderblom, Gert Jan; De Witte, Luc

2015-01-01

Over the past decades, many robots for the elderly have been developed, supporting different activities of elderly people. A systematic review in four scientific literature databases and a search in article references and European projects was performed in order to create an overview of robots supporting independent living of elderly people. The robots found were categorized based on their development stage, the activity domains they claim to support, and the type of support provided (i.e., physical, non-physical, and/or non-specified). In total, 107 robots for the elderly were identified. Six robots were still in a concept phase, 95 in a development phase, and six of these robots were commercially available. These robots claimed to provide support related to four activity domains: mobility, self-care, interpersonal interaction & relationships, and other activities. Of the many robots developed, only a small percentage is commercially available. Technical ambitions seem to be guiding robot development. To prolong independent living, the step towards physical support is inevitable and needs to be taken. However, it will be a long time before a robot will be capable of supporting multiple activities in a physical manner in the home of an elderly person in order to enhance their independent living.

Subjective alertness rhythms in elderly people

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monk, T. H.; Buysse, D. J.; Reynolds, C. F. 3rd; Kupfer, D. J.; Houck, P. R.

1996-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate age-related changes in the circadian rhythm of subjective alertness and to explore the circadian mechanisms underlying such changes. Using a visual analogue scale (VAS) instrument, 25 older men and women (71 y and older; 15 female, 10 male) rated their subjective alertness about 7 times per day during 5 baseline days of temporal isolation during which habitual bedtimes and waketimes were enforced. Comparisons were made with 13 middle-aged men (37-52 y) experiencing the same protocol. Advancing age (particularly in the men) resulted in less rhythmic alertness patterns, as indicated by lower amplitudes and less reliability of fitted 24-h sinusoids. This appeared in spite of the absence of any reliable age-related diminution in circadian temperature rhythm amplitude, thus suggesting the effect was not due to SCN weakness per se, but to weakened transduction of SCN output. In a further experiment, involving 36 h of constant wakeful bedrest, differences in the amplitude of the alertness rhythm were observed between 9 older men (79 y+), 7 older women (79 y+), and 17 young controls (9 males, 8 females, 19-28 y) suggesting that with advancing age (particularly in men) there is less rhythmic input into subjective alertness from the endogenous circadian pacemaker. These results may explain some of the nocturnal insomnia and daytime hypersomnia that afflict many elderly people.

Changes in psychosocial conditions and eventual mortality in community-residing elderly people.

PubMed

Nakanishi, Noriyuki; Fukuda, Hideki; Tatara, Kozo

2003-03-01

We evaluated the association between changes in psychosocial conditions (assessed In 1992 and 1998) and subsequent mortality through 2001 among 741 Japanese elderly people living in a city located on Osaka in 1992. After adjustment for potential predictors of mortality, the relative risk of mortality, compared with subjects who continued to participate in social activities, was 1.44 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.47-4.40), 4.03 (95% CI: 2.11-7.67), and 2.31 (95% CI: 1.28-4.17) for those who started, discontinued, and did not participate at any time, respectively. The multivariate-adjusted relative risk of mortality, compared with those who did not find human relationships difficult in either survey, was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.26-3.05) for those who did not find such relationships difficult in the second survey, 1.73 (95% CI: 1.03-2.88) for those who occasionally found them difficult, and 6.62 (95% CI: 2.43-18.03) for those who continuously did so. The multivariate-adjusted relative risk of mortality, relative to those who consistently considered life worth living (Ikigai), was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.28-1.87), 2.22 (95% CI: 1.44-3.42), and 1.46 (95% CI: 0.65-3.31) for those who found, lost, and did not find life worth living in either survey, respectively. Deterioration in psychosocial conditions as well as continuously poor psychosocial conditions may be an important determinant of mortality risk for elderly people.

Elder Abuse Awareness Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrow, Marilyn J.; Doyle, Kathleen

The Elder Abuse Awareness Project was developed to determine the incidence of abuse and neglect of elderly people in several rural counties in central Illinois. A primary purpose of the study was to survey service providers as to their actual encounters with elder abuse and neglect. Each provider was asked about warning signs or cues that were…

Transcranial alternating current stimulation modulates auditory temporal resolution in elderly people.

PubMed

Baltus, Alina; Vosskuhl, Johannes; Boetzel, Cindy; Herrmann, Christoph Siegfried

2018-05-13

Recent research provides evidence for a functional role of brain oscillations for perception. For example, auditory temporal resolution seems to be linked to individual gamma frequency of auditory cortex. Individual gamma frequency not only correlates with performance in between-channel gap detection tasks but can be modulated via auditory transcranial alternating current stimulation. Modulation of individual gamma frequency is accompanied by an improvement in gap detection performance. Aging changes electrophysiological frequency components and sensory processing mechanisms. Therefore, we conducted a study to investigate the link between individual gamma frequency and gap detection performance in elderly people using auditory transcranial alternating current stimulation. In a within-subject design, twelve participants were electrically stimulated with two individualized transcranial alternating current stimulation frequencies: 3 Hz above their individual gamma frequency (experimental condition) and 4 Hz below their individual gamma frequency (control condition) while they were performing a between-channel gap detection task. As expected, individual gamma frequencies correlated significantly with gap detection performance at baseline and in the experimental condition, transcranial alternating current stimulation modulated gap detection performance. In the control condition, stimulation did not modulate gap detection performance. In addition, in elderly, the effect of transcranial alternating current stimulation on auditory temporal resolution seems to be dependent on endogenous frequencies in auditory cortex: elderlies with slower individual gamma frequencies and lower auditory temporal resolution profit from auditory transcranial alternating current stimulation and show increased gap detection performance during stimulation. Our results strongly suggest individualized transcranial alternating current stimulation protocols for successful modulation of performance

A Comparative Study of Health Status and Quality of Life of Elderly People Living in Old Age Homes and within Family Setup in Raigad District, Maharashtra.

PubMed

Amonkar, Priyanka; Mankar, Madhavi Jogesh; Thatkar, Pandurang; Sawardekar, Pradeep; Goel, Rajesh; Anjenaya, Seema

2018-01-01

The traditional concept of family in India to provide support to the elderly is changing soon with disintegration of joint families. In this scenario the concept of old age homes (OAHs) is gaining momentum and the number of people seeking OAH care is rapidly increasing. However, not much is known about the quality of life (QOL) of Indian elderly staying in the OAH setup. To assess and compare the Health status, Quality of Life and Depression in elderly people living in OAHs & within family using WHOQOL -OLD questionnaire & Geriatric Depression Scale. A cross sectional study was conducted in elderly aged above 60 years of age. After taking a written consent and matching for age and sex & socioeconomic status, 60 elderly from OAHs & 120 elderly living within family setup were selected randomly. The WHOQOL-OLD standard questionnaire & GDS were used to assess quality of life & depression in elderly. The QOL of elderly in domains of autonomy, past present & future activities, social participation and intimacy was better in family setup (60.62, 70.62, 66.14 and 58.43) as compared to OAHs (51.35, 62.91, 59.47and 41.16) (p<0.05). There was statistically significant difference in mean geriatric depression scores of both the group (3.96 within family setup and 5.76 in OAH's). Quality of life of elderly within family setup was better as compared to elderly in OAHs.

Association between the nutritional status and the severity of sarcopenia among community-dwelling elderly Japanese people.

PubMed

Komai, Satsuki; Watanabe, Yutaka; Fujiwara, Yoshinori; Kim, Hunkyung; Edahiro, Ayako; Kawai, Hisashi; Yoshida, Hideyo; Obuchi, Shuichi; Tanaka, Yayoi; Hirano, Hirohiko

2016-01-01

To investigate the association between nutritional evaluation indices (body mass index, albumin, and weight loss) and sarcopenia severity among community-dwelling elderly people in Japan. The subjects consisted of 758 community-dwelling elderly people ≥65 years of age, categorized into two groups by based on Operation of long life medical care system (medical care system for elderly in the latter stage of life), the cut-off value for age used was 75. The outcome measures were basic characteristics, anthropometric measures, physical function, and blood biochemistry (five assessments). The appendicular skeletal muscle mass was calculated via a bioelectrical impedance analysis. The subjects were categorized into three groups by the body mass index (BMI) [BMI 3 group]. The cut-off value for albumin used was 3.8 g/dL [A1b 2 group]. Weight loss was assessed using item 11 on the Kihon check list: "Have you experienced more than 2-3 kg weight loss over the past 6 months? Yes=1, No=0." [weight loss 2 group]. Sarcopenia was defined based on the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People definition, using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia cut-off values. All subjects were then categorized into four groups based on their sarcopenia status: non-sarcopenic (non-), pre-sarcopenic (pre-), sarcopenic (sarco-), or severely sarcopenic (severe-) [sarco4 group]. The prevalence of sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia in men was 5.6% (n=18) and 1.2% (n=4), respectively, and in women was 7.8% (n=34) and 1.6% (n=7), respectively. The analysis showed that, among the people (>75 years of age) with normal BMI (18.5-25.0), 10.4%-15.6% were in the Sarco group. Further, among women over 75 years of age with BMI >25.0, 5.7% (n=2) were in the Sarco group. There was a significant association between weight loss and sarcopenia severity in older men. No significant association between albumin levels and sarcopenia severity was observed. 80.0% of weight-loss was presented in above BMI 18

Quality of life of elderly people with chronic kidney disease in conservative treatment.

PubMed

Pereira, Roberta Maria de Pina; Batista, Marcelo Aparecido; Meira, Aline de Sousa; Oliveira, Marília Pilotto de; Kusumota, Luciana

2017-01-01

To describe the quality of life (QOL) of elderly people with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in conservative treatment, correlating it with sociodemographic and health-related aspects. This is a quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive study that used: a previously validated instrument for data collection; the WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD QOL scales; and the Mini-Mental State Examination. Thirty-five elderly people (54.30% females), with mean age of 68.26 years, took part in the study. They reported, on average, 3.70 comorbidities and 5.60 complications related to CKD. Regarding QOL, the "psychological" domain (54.40±16.29) and the "death and dying" facet (37.32±23.79) were considered the most damaged ones; the most strengthened were "social relationships" (70.36±18.32) and "intimacy" (66.61±16.80). A positive correlation was verified between comorbidities and complications (p = 0.015), and an inverse correlation between the number of complications and QOL (p = 0.004). These results, if considered during the care planning, may help improving the quality of the care provided for elderly people with CKD. Descrever a qualidade de vida (QV) de idosos com Doença Renal Crônica (DRC) em tratamento conservador, correlacionando-a com aspectos sociodemográficos e de saúde. Pesquisa quantitativa, transversal e descritiva que utilizou: um instrumento pré-validado para coleta dos dados de caracterização; as escalas de QV WHOQOL-BREF e WHOQOL-OLD; e o Mini Exame do Estado Mental. Participaram 35 idosos (54,30% mulheres) com média de 68,26 anos. Referiram em média 3,70 comorbidades e 5,60 complicações relacionadas à DRC. Na QV, demonstraram-se mais prejudicados o domínio "psicológico" (54,40±16,29) e a faceta "morte e morrer" (37,32±23,79); e mais fortalecidos o domínio "relações sociais" (70,36±18,32) e a faceta "intimidade" (66,61±16,80). Verificou-se correlação positiva entre número de comorbidades e de complicações (p = 0,015), e correla

Elder abuse and its medical outcomes in older Chinese people with cognitive and physical impairments.

PubMed

Fang, Boye; Yan, Elsie; Chan, Ko Ling; Ip, Partick

2018-05-04

Elder abuse poses a major public health threat considering the ongoing rapid aging of the global population. This study investigates the association between elder abuse by family caregivers and medical outcomes among older Chinese patients with cognitive and physical impairments in the People's Republic of China. Using cross-sectional design, 1002 older patients (aged 55 y and older) and their family caregivers were recruited from 3 grade A hospitals in Guangdong Province. The major independent variable is caregiver-reported elder abuse, while outcome variables include cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peptic ulcer, digestive disorder, chronic hepatic disease, chronic renal disease, metabolic disease, acute inflammation, joint disease, tumor, and general injury. The prevalence of these medical conditions among patients who were abused and those who were not were compared using descriptive analyses and chi-square tests, and logistic regression was used to establish the relevant independent associations. A total of 429 (42.8%) older persons have experienced physical or psychological abuse over the past 12 months. After adjusting for potential confounders, abused older persons were more susceptible to cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peptic ulcer, digestive disorder, metabolic disease, acute inflammation, tumor, and injuries. Elder abuse is associated with various major medical morbidities. Interdisciplinary cooperation is necessary to identify and reduce the adverse physiological consequences in victims. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Coordination exercise and postural stability in elderly people: Effect of Tai Chi Chuan.

PubMed

Wong, A M; Lin, Y C; Chou, S W; Tang, F T; Wong, P Y

2001-05-01

To evaluate the effects of coordination exercise on postural stability in older individuals by Chinese shadow boxing, Tai Chi Chuan (TCC). Cross-sectional study. Research project in a hospital-based biomechanical laboratory. The TCC group (n = 25) had been practicing TCC regularly for 2 to 35 years. The control group (n = 14) included healthy and active older subjects. Static postural stability test: progressively harder sequential tests with 6 combinations of vision (eyes open, eyes closed, sway-referenced) and support (fixed, sway-referenced); and dynamic balance test: 3 tests of weight shifting (left to right, forward-backward, multidirectional) at 3 speeds. Static and dynamic balance of Sensory Organization Testing (SOT) of the Smart Balance Master System. In static postural control, the results showed no differences between the TCC or control group in the more simple conditions, but in the more complicated SOT (eyes closed with sway surface, sway vision with sway surface), the TCC group had significantly better results than the control group. The TCC group also had significantly better results in the rhythmic forward-backward weight-shifting test. Duration of practice did not seem to affect the stability of elder people. The elderly people who regularly practiced TCC showed better postural stability in the more challenged conditions than those who do not (eg, the condition with simultaneous disturbance of vision and proprioception). TCC as a coordination exercise may reduce the risk of a fall through maintaining the ability of posture control.

Difference in adherence to and influencing factors of a healthy lifestyle between middle-aged and elderly people in Korea: A multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Son, Ki Young; Park, Sang Min; Lee, Juhyun; Kim, Chang Yup

2015-06-01

Comprehensive research for factors related to healthy lifestyles of the elderly is limited. The present study aimed to elucidate the factors associated with adherence to a healthy lifestyle by age groups. The present study was based on data from the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We calculated crude proportions and adjusted proportions of cigarette smokers, problem alcohol drinkers, and physically inactive people in two age groups (40-59 years and ≥60 years). We carried out multilevel analysis to elucidate factors associated with healthy lifestyles. Of 3194 respondents included in the analysis, 1154 (36.13%) were aged 60 years or older. Older participants smoked less (23.0% vs 17.4%) and exercised less frequently (52.4% vs 66.9%; all P < 0.001) than their middle-aged counterparts. After adjustment, the proportion of regular exercisers was inversed (adjusted proportion 0.468, 95% CI 0.436-0.501 vs 0.377, 95% CI 0.337-0.419, P = 0.004). In multilevel analysis, contextual factors, such as local tax per capita, was associated significantly with cigarette smoking only in the elderly (OR 1.037, 95% CI 1.005-1.070). Different factors were associated with healthy lifestyles of elderly people when compared with middle-aged people. In addition, local tax per capita, an area level variable, was more likely to be associated with smoking in the elderly than the middle-aged group. © 2014 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Development, validity, and reliability of a food frequency questionnaire for antioxidants in elderly Iranian people

PubMed Central

Malekahmadi, Mahsa; Naeini, Amirmansour Alavi; Shab-Bidar, Sakineh; Feizi, Awat; Djazayery, Abolghasem

2016-01-01

Background: The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), as a way to assess the dietary intake in comparison with other methods, is easier to analyze and takes less time and is less costly. Our aim in this study was to develop and validate an FFQ for estimating the intakes of selected antioxidants in elderly Iranian people. Materials and Methods: A total of 185 elderly people were randomly selected. Three-day food records were completed by the subjects and collected every 2 months and dietary intake levels of zinc, selenium, carotenes and vitamins C and E were estimated. Based on the food records data, geographic location, and age, an FFQ was designed to estimate antioxidant intakes during 1 year. In addition, for controlling energy intake, 2-day food records were also collected with the food frequency questionnaire. To assess the reliability, 40 individuals were asked to complete the FFQ twice with an interval of 3 months in between. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between the two FFQs for antioxidant C, antioxidant E, carotene, selenium, and zinc were 0.62, 0.47, 0.51, 0.54, and 0.58, respectively (P < 0.05). In addition, Pearson correlation coefficients between the FFQ and the food records, after controlling energy for vitamin C, vitamin E, carotene, selenium, and zinc, were 0.46, 0.48, 0.38, 0.55, and 0.47 respectively (P < 0.001). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, considering the fact that the FFQ was designed for the elderly and the special conditions (patience, memory, etc.) and vulnerability of this age group, the questionnaire is relatively valid and reliable to use. PMID:27904560

Health-Related Quality of Life Measures for Physically Active Elderly in Community Exercise Programs in Catalonia: Comparative Analysis with Sedentary People

PubMed Central

Fortuño-Godes, Jesús; Guerra-Balic, Myriam; Cabedo-Sanromà, Josep

2013-01-01

Objective. To evaluate Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), medication used, and Stock of Health Capital (SHC) in physically active elderly participants in Community Exercise Programs (CEPs) compared to a sedentary group. Methods. EuroQol standardized instrument was completed by physically active elderly (n = 2,185) who participated in CEPs. Common items were compared to HRQoL data of 1,874 sedentary elderly people, taken from the Catalan Health Survey 2006 (CHS'06). Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) outcomes and medication used were assessed through parametric statistics. Dimensions of health conditions were compared, between sedentary people and physically active elderly participants in CEPs. SHC results were obtained combining the EuroQol scores and Life Expectancy (LE) values. An economic value of €34,858.70 was assigned to these years of LE. Results. Physically active subjects had better HRQoL values (75.36 in males and 70.71 in females) than CHS'06 sedentary subjects (58.35 in males and 50.59 in females). Medication used was different between physically active subjects (1.89 in males and 2.87 in females) and CHS'06 sedentary subjects (4.34 in males and 4.21 in females). SHC data for physically active elderly (€465,988.31/QALY in males and €522,550.31/QALY in females) were higher than for CHS'06 sedentary subjects (€363,689.33/QALY in males and €346,615.91/QALY in females). PMID:24454357

Effect of music care on depression and behavioral problems in elderly people with dementia in Taiwan: a quasi-experimental, longitudinal study.

PubMed

Wang, Su-Chin; Yu, Ching-Len; Chang, Su-Hsien

2017-02-01

The purpose was to examine the effectiveness of music care on cognitive function, depression, and behavioral problems among elderly people with dementia in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. The study had a quasi-experimental, longitudinal research design and used two groups of subjects. Subjects were not randomly assigned to experimental group (n = 90) or comparison group (n = 56). Based on Bandura's social cognition theory, subjects in the experimental group received Kagayashiki music care (KMC) twice per week for 24 weeks. Subjects in the comparison group were provided with activities as usual. Results found, using the control score of the Clifton Assessment Procedures for the Elderly Behavior Rating Scale (baseline) and time of attending KMC activities as a covariate, the two groups of subjects had statistically significant differences in the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Results also showed that, using the control score of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (baseline) and MMSE (baseline) as a covariate, the two groups of subjects had statistically significant differences in the Clifton Assessment Procedures for the Elderly Behavior Rating Scale. These findings provide information for staff caregivers in long-term care facilities to develop a non-invasive care model for elderly people with dementia to deal with depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems.

Cognitive Impairment and Risk Factors in Elderly People Living in Fluorosis Areas in China.

PubMed

Li, Mang; Gao, Yanhui; Cui, Jing; Li, Yuanyuan; Li, Bingyun; Liu, Yang; Sun, Jing; Liu, Xiaona; Liu, Hongxu; Zhao, Lijun; Sun, Dianjun

2016-07-01

Residents living in fluorosis areas generally experienced long-term exposure to excessive fluoride in drinking water. The adverse effects of high fluoride levels on the nervous system have been studied; however, the effect of fluoride exposure on cognitive functions of elderly people in fluorosis areas is rarely reported. This study was aimed to find out the potential risk factors of cognitive impairment among elderly people who lived in fluorosis areas of China. A total of 511 subjects, aged 60 years or above, were investigated in fluorosis areas of Heilongjiang Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to examine cognitive functions of the study subjects. Based on the MMSE scores, the study subjects were divided into normal group and cognitive impairment group that consisted of mild, moderate, and severe groups. Multivariable logistic regression showed that a higher risk of cognitive impairment was associated with increased age and decreased education levels. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that MMSE scores were negatively associated with serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels. However, both urinary fluoride and serum Hcy levels in the normal group were not the lowest among the four groups. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that urinary fluoride levels were positively correlated with serum Hcy (r s = 0.209, P < 0.01). Our study suggests that people with cognitive impairment in fluorosis areas have elevated serum Hcy levels, which was positively correlated with urinary fluoride concentrations. A certain low dose of fluoride intake may play a potential protective rather than harmful role in cognitive functions; however, high fluoride exposure is a potential risk factor for cognitive impairment.

[Role of the social support network which influences age of death and physical function of elderly people: study of trends in and outside of Japan and future problems].

PubMed

Kishi, Reiko; Horikawa, Naoko

2004-02-01

Concerning associations between the social support network and physical health of the elderly, longitudinal studies have been conducted using various measurement indexes. The studies indicated that the support network influences on physical function and life expectancy. In this study we compared research papers from Japan and elsewhere that appeared after 1980, from the viewpoint of 1) social support effects, and 2) social network effects, to examine potential problems in the future. The main knowledge obtained was that the receipt of emotional support, wide network size, and participation in social activities reduced the risk of early death and decrease in physical function of elderly people. Sex differences were indicated, and in many cases, the effects were more remarkable in men than women. In addition the positive influence of receiving help from a support network, a major subject of conventional research, the effects of offering help to others and negative findings were also examined. It has been indicated that participation in volunteer groups and offer of support to other people can prevent decrease in physical function or early death. As negative effects, improper instrumental support rather disturbs the mental and physical independence of elderly people. As future issues, it is necessary to focus on both positive/negative and receipt/offer effects of support network, and to clarify how to provide example which best match the life of elderly people by comparing sexes and regions. It is also important to actually apply the knowledge gained from observational studies to prevent the elderly from becoming a condition requiring care, and to develop intervention studies which can increase the social contacts of elderly people at the same time as conducting health education and medical treatment.

Perceived vision-related quality of life and risk of falling among community living elderly people.

PubMed

Källstrand-Eriksson, Jeanette; Baigi, Amir; Buer, Nina; Hildingh, Cathrine

2013-06-01

Falls and fall injuries among the elderly population are common, since ageing is a risk factor of falling. Today, this is a major problem because the ageing population is increasing. There are predictive factors of falling and visual impairment is one of them. Usually, only visual acuity is considered when measuring visual impairment, and nothing regarding a person's functional visual ability is taken into account. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the perceived vision-related quality of life among the community living elderly using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) and to investigate whether there was any association among vision-related quality of life and falls. There were 212 randomly selected elderly people participating in the study. Our study indicated that the participants had an impaired perceived vision-related health status. General health was the only NEI VFQ-25 variable significantly associated with falls in both men and women. However, among men, near and distance activities, vision-specific social functioning, role difficulties and dependency, color and peripheral vision were related to falls. © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Elder-Abuse Offenders: A Typology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsey-Klawsnik, Holly

2000-01-01

Addresses some of the perplexing issues involved in understanding and responding to elder-abuse offenders. Offers a typology of offenders to elucidate the dynamics when people mistreat the elderly. (Contains 13 references.) (Author)

Study deviance-type scale in the development of Korean elder

PubMed Central

Cho, Gun-Sang; Yi, Eun-Surk; Hwang, Hee-Jeong

2015-01-01

This research aims to develop a questionnaire of deviant behavior for the Korean elderly people which may make a big contribution to the examination of deviance behavior of the elderly people and may play an important role in providing a methodological basis. In order to accomplish the purpose of the this study, there were three different stages; (a) making preliminary question items, (b) refining the items of the scale through a plot study, and (c) finalizing question items by a main survey. In the first stage, 43 question items were developed using the open-ended questionnaire and structural inquiry of succession from 137 elderly people who are over 65 yr. In the second phase, based on data collected by the 200 elderly people pilot testing was performed through exploratory factor analysis and reliability test. The scale is a 27-item self-report questionnaire. In the main survey conducted by 184 elderly people, 21 items, which consisted of four subfactors, were finalized in order to measure deviance behaviors of the Korean elderly people: social deviance (n=8), economic deviance (n=5), psychological deviance (n=5), and physical deviance (n=3). PMID:26730382

Study deviance-type scale in the development of Korean elder.

PubMed

Cho, Gun-Sang; Yi, Eun-Surk; Hwang, Hee-Jeong

2015-12-01

This research aims to develop a questionnaire of deviant behavior for the Korean elderly people which may make a big contribution to the examination of deviance behavior of the elderly people and may play an important role in providing a methodological basis. In order to accomplish the purpose of the this study, there were three different stages; (a) making preliminary question items, (b) refining the items of the scale through a plot study, and (c) finalizing question items by a main survey. In the first stage, 43 question items were developed using the open-ended questionnaire and structural inquiry of succession from 137 elderly people who are over 65 yr. In the second phase, based on data collected by the 200 elderly people pilot testing was performed through exploratory factor analysis and reliability test. The scale is a 27-item self-report questionnaire. In the main survey conducted by 184 elderly people, 21 items, which consisted of four subfactors, were finalized in order to measure deviance behaviors of the Korean elderly people: social deviance (n=8), economic deviance (n=5), psychological deviance (n=5), and physical deviance (n=3).

Associations between social inequality and tooth loss in a household sample of elderly Thai people aged ≥60 years old.

PubMed

Srisilapanan, Patcharawan; Korwanich, Narumanas; Lalloo, Ratilal

2016-06-01

To assess the relationship between social inequality and the number of remaining teeth in an elderly Thai population. Having twenty or more remaining teeth is an important indicator of optimal oral health in the elderly. The data for this study were derived from the Survey of Older Persons in Thailand, conducted by the National Statistical Office, based on face-to-face interviews with people aged ≥60. The total sample was 30 427. The oral health measure was self-reported remaining number of teeth. Income, education and possession of durable goods were utilised as measures of social inequality. More than half of the sample (57.0%) was women. The majority (73.2%) was in the age range 60-74 years old. Less than a fifth (15.5%) had 7 or more years of education. A third earned <20 000 Thai Baht (THB) per annum (defined as poor). More than half (52.8%) of the sample had <20 remaining teeth. There was a link between social inequalities and tooth loss. In the adjusted model, elderly people, who were older than 75, who were not under a married status, had a lower level of education, had a lower income, and who did not own luxury goods, were 2.84 (CI 95% 2.66-3.03), 1.31 (CI 95% 1.21-1.41), 1.44 (CI 95% 1.34-1.56), 1.12 (CI 95% 1.13-1.29) and 1.21 (CI 95% 1.13-1.29) times more likely to have 19 or fewer teeth remaining, respectively. Social inequality is related to the number of remaining teeth in elderly Thai people. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S and The Gerodontology Association. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Health-related quality of life and conditions of health in non-institutionalised elderly people in Cali, Colombia].

PubMed

Ramírez-Vélez, Róbinson; Agredo, Ricardo A; Jerez, Alejandra M; Chapal, Liliam Y

2008-01-01

Studying the quality of life and conditions of health for non-institutionalised elderly patients. This was a cross-sectional study of elderly people aged over 65 years having no physical or psychic limitation disturbing communication between patient and doctor. The patients filled out the validated Spanish versión of the SF-12 health survey. Social-demographic and anthropometric variables were collected from clinical histories or patient interviews. Mean age was 69,2+/-6,4 (69,8-74,3 95 % Cl, p<0.05), height 1,53+/-0,08 metres (1,52-1,54 95 %,CI, p<0,05), body weight 63,8+/-11,0 kg (61,8-64,3 95 % Cl) and body mass Index (BMI) 26,7+/-4,4 kg/m 2 (26,2-27,2 95 % Cl). Waist hip Index (WHI) was 8+/-0,06 cm (83-54 95 % Cl, p<0.05) and waist circumference was 89,0+/-9,5 (104,2-106,5 95 % Cl). The highest scores were awarded regarding vitality (59+/-10,9 %), mental health (52,7+/-12,5 %) and physical health (50,1+/-7 %). The lowest score was given for emotional role (19,2+/-4 %) and social role (24,1+/-4,5 %). There has been an important deterioration in our elderly people's quality of life associated with morbidity risk factors, these being more pronounced on physical scales and slightly so on mental scales. Assessing subjective quality of life should become an every-day tool in our clinical practice.

Factors determining the use of social support services among elderly people living in a city environment in Poland.

PubMed

Burzynska, Monika; Bryla, Marek; Bryla, Pawel; Maniecka-Bryla, Irena

2016-11-01

Ageing populations entail important social issues. The population of Lodz is characterised by the highest ageing ratio in Poland (17.2% people aged 65 or above). The aim of our study was to present factors determining the use of social support services in the subpopulation of elderly people in a city environment. The study, conducted between 2011 and 2012 with the use of a survey questionnaire, included 466 respondents aged 65 or older, who were looked after by the Municipal Social Welfare Centre, Lodz-Polesie. The response rate was 93.2%. Most beneficiaries were women (77.9%). The respondents were mostly widows (73.9% of women) or widowers (43.7% of men). Most respondents applied for nursing services (79.7%), while 28.3% asked for financial help. In Lodz as a whole, these percentages were 81.0% and 19.0%. A chronic disease was the most common cause of the application for help (73.4%). In 4.1% of applicants, the cause was a low income per capita. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the variables which contributed to receiving financial support included being a man, aged 65-69 years, being single and receiving a monthly salary per capita below 500.0 PLN (Polish New Zlotys). The variables which contributed to receiving social care service in the form of nursing services included being a woman, aged 85 years or older, receiving a monthly salary per capita between 1001.0 and 1500.0 PLN, suffering from a chronic disease, which was a reason for applying for social support service, a result on the Activities of Daily Living scale confirming disability and a very negative self-evaluation of health. The results of the study have shown that the poor health condition of elderly people is the most frequent reason for applying for social services. Identifying reasons for applying for social care by elderly people might facilitate the introduction of workable solutions in the social and healthcare policy. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Social and health care needs of elderly people living in the countryside in Poland.

PubMed

Dziechciaż, Małgorzata; Guty, Edyta; Wojtowicz, Agata; Filip, Rafał

2012-01-01

The needs of elderly people living in the countryside constitute serious health, social, financial and organizational problems. To define the needs of elderly people living in the countryside regarding complex living actions. DATA COLLECTED AND METHODOLOGY: The study was carried out among 89 village citizens from the Podkarpackie Voivodeship (N=55; 61.8% women; N=34; 38.2% men) aged 61-2. Average age in the group was 76.3 (+/ -7.9 years). Research methods were 3 different questionnaires, applied to evaluate: socio-demographic data, occurrence of diseases and rehabilitation usage, mental and intellectual status, as well as the Lawton scale (IADL) assessing complex life activities. 18 subjects (20.2%) were fully functional in the scope of complex everyday activities. The highest number were independent in their financial affairs (N=52; 58.4%), preparation and taking of medicine (N=45; 50.6%), and using the telephone (N=39; 43.8%). Lack of self-reliance was most commonly observed with difficult housework (N=62; 69.7%), shopping (N=55; 61.8%), and walking distances exceeding regular walks (N=46; 51.7%). No relation was observed between gender, usage of social welfare, and self-reliance in complex everyday activities. Deterioration in efficiency in the scope of complex everyday activities was observed which progressed with age, and was worse among the unmarried subjects. A relation between material situation and independence, based on the IADL scale, was confirmed, with the exception of using the telephone. 1). People of old age living in the countryside most often need help with complex everyday housework, shopping, and walking distances exceeding regular walks. 2). With the advancement of age, the subjects need help with all IADL activities increased.

A Framework for a Context-Aware Elderly Entertainment Support System

PubMed Central

Hossain, M. Anwar; Alamri, Atif; Almogren, Ahmad S.; Hossain, SK Alamgir; Parra, Jorge

2014-01-01

Elderly people constitute a major portion of world's population. Many of them are physically and mentally vulnerable and need continuous support for their health and well-being. There is a growing trend that these elderly people are placed in an ambient assisted living environment (AAL) with an aim to receive better care and support. In such settings, a lot of attention has been given to continuous health monitoring for maintaining physical health status. However, much less attention has been given toward understanding the entertainment needs of the elderly people, which is an important factor relevant to their mental health and joyful living. This paper thus addresses the entertainment needs of the elderly and proposes a framework of an elderly entertainment support system. The proposed framework enables different categories of residents (e.g., elderly people and caregivers) to access various media services in both implicit and explicit manner in order to enhance the quality of their living experience in different contexts. Our experimental results demonstrate the viability of the proposed framework. We believe that the proposed approach will establish the need to develop entertainment systems and services for the elderly people and allow us to sensibly address the problems associated with their independent, happy and active living. PMID:24936946

A framework for a context-aware elderly entertainment support system.

PubMed

Hossain, M Anwar; Alamri, Atif; Almogren, Ahmad S; Hossain, S K Alamgir; Parra, Jorge

2014-06-16

Elderly people constitute a major portion of world's population. Many of them are physically and mentally vulnerable and need continuous support for their health and well-being. There is a growing trend that these elderly people are placed in an ambient assisted living environment (AAL) with an aim to receive better care and support. In such settings, a lot of attention has been given to continuous health monitoring for maintaining physical health status. However, much less attention has been given toward understanding the entertainment needs of the elderly people, which is an important factor relevant to their mental health and joyful living. This paper thus addresses the entertainment needs of the elderly and proposes a framework of an elderly entertainment support system. The proposed framework enables different categories of residents (e.g., elderly people and caregivers) to access various media services in both implicit and explicit manner in order to enhance the quality of their living experience in different contexts. Our experimental results demonstrate the viability of the proposed framework. We believe that the proposed approach will establish the need to develop entertainment systems and services for the elderly people and allow us to sensibly address the problems associated with their independent, happy and active living.

Effect of Pet Insects on the Psychological Health of Community-Dwelling Elderly People: A Single-Blinded, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Ko, Hae-Jin; Youn, Chang-Ho; Kim, Seong-Hyun; Kim, So-Yun

2016-01-01

There is evidence that animal-assisted therapy has positive effects on mental health, especially in elderly people. Caring for insects is easy, relatively inexpensive, and does not require much space. The aim of this 8-week randomized, controlled, single-blinded study was to investigate the effect of pet insects on the psychological health of community-dwelling elderly people. Elderly subjects (≥65 years old) attending a community center in Daegu, Korea, were enrolled in the study between April and May 2014 and randomized at a 1:1 ratio to receive insect therapy and health advice or only health advice. The insect group received 5 crickets in a cage with sufficient fodder and a detailed instruction manual. At baseline and at 8 weeks, all subjects underwent psychometric tests via a direct interview [Beck Anxiety Inventory, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, Insomnia Severity Index, Fatigue Severity Scale, and Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument] and laboratory analyses of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, biological antioxidant potential, and derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites). The insect-caring (n = 46) and control (n = 48) groups did not differ in baseline characteristics. The insect-caring group had significantly lower GDS-15 scores at week 8 (3.20 vs. 4.90, p = 0.004) and, after adjustment for baseline values, a significantly greater change in GDS-15 scores relative to baseline (-1.12 vs. 0.20, p = 0.011). They also had a significantly greater change in MMSE scores relative to baseline (1.13 vs. 0.31, p = 0.045). The two groups did not differ in terms of other psychometric and laboratory tests. No serious risks or adverse events were reported. Caring for insects, which is cost-effective and safe, was associated with a small to medium positive effect on depression and cognitive function in community

The Value of a Gardening Service for the Frail Elderly and People With a Disability Living in the Community.

PubMed

Same, Anne; Lee, Elinda Ai Lim; McNamara, Beverley; Rosenwax, Lorna

2016-11-01

Little is known about the significance of gardening services for frail elderly people. This study explored the value of a gardening service for frail older people and people with a disability living in the community. Using qualitative and quantitative data collected from pre-gardening ( n = 38) and post-gardening service delivery interviews ( n = 35) and the Housing Enabler, the value of a gardening service was examined. Findings suggest that the service had a positive impact on the independence and emotional well-being of frail aged people and younger people with a functional disability, with little impact on physical health. Results indicate that gardening services should be fundamental to planning for these populations to remain or return to living in the community.

The Value of a Gardening Service for the Frail Elderly and People With a Disability Living in the Community

PubMed Central

Same, Anne; Lee, Elinda Ai Lim; McNamara, Beverley; Rosenwax, Lorna

2016-01-01

Little is known about the significance of gardening services for frail elderly people. This study explored the value of a gardening service for frail older people and people with a disability living in the community. Using qualitative and quantitative data collected from pre-gardening (n = 38) and post-gardening service delivery interviews (n = 35) and the Housing Enabler, the value of a gardening service was examined. Findings suggest that the service had a positive impact on the independence and emotional well-being of frail aged people and younger people with a functional disability, with little impact on physical health. Results indicate that gardening services should be fundamental to planning for these populations to remain or return to living in the community. PMID:27746669

Wheelchair Navigation System for Disabled and Elderly People

PubMed Central

Kim, Eun Yi

2016-01-01

An intelligent wheelchair (IW) system is developed in order to support safe mobility for disabled or elderly people with various impairments. The proposed IW offers two main functions: obstacle detection and avoidance, and situation recognition. First, through a combination of a vision sensor and eight ultrasonic ones, it detects diverse obstacles and produces occupancy grid maps (OGMs) that describe environmental information, including the positions and sizes of obstacles, which is then given to the learning-based algorithm. By learning the common patterns among OGMs assigned to the same directions, the IW can automatically find paths to prevent collisions with obstacles. Second, it distinguishes a situation whereby the user is standing on a sidewalk, traffic intersection, or roadway through analyzing the texture and shape of the images, which aids in preventing any accidents that would result in fatal injuries to the user, such as collisions with vehicles. From the experiments that were performed in various environments, we can prove the following: (1) the proposed system can recognize different types of outdoor places with 98.3% accuracy; and (2) it can produce paths that avoid obstacles with 92.0% accuracy. PMID:27801852

Mapping White Matter Integrity in Elderly People with HIV

PubMed Central

Nir, Talia M.; Jahanshad, Neda; Busovaca, Edgar; Wendelken, Lauren; Nicolas, Krista; Thompson, Paul M.; Valcour, Victor G.

2013-01-01

People with HIV are living longer as combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) becomes more widely available. However, even when plasma viral load is reduced to untraceable levels, chronic HIV infection is associated with neurological deficits and brain atrophy beyond that of normal aging. HIV is often marked by cortical and subcortical atrophy, but the integrity of the brain’s white matter (WM) pathways also progressively declines. Few studies focus on older cohorts where normal aging may be compounded with HIV infection to influence deficit patterns. In this relatively large diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) study, we investigated abnormalities in WM fiber integrity in 56 HIV+ adults with access to cART (mean age: 63.9 ± 3.7 years), compared to 31 matched healthy controls (65.4 ± 2.2 years). Statistical 3D maps revealed the independent effects of HIV diagnosis and age on fractional anisotropy (FA) and diffusivity, but we did not find any evidence for an age by diagnosis interaction in our current sample. Compared to healthy controls, HIV patients showed pervasive FA decreases and diffusivity increases throughout WM. We also assessed neuropsychological (NP) summary z-score associations. In both patients and controls, fiber integrity measures were associated with NP summary scores. The greatest differences were detected in the corpus callosum and in the projection fibers of the corona radiata. These deficits are consistent with published NP deficits and cortical atrophy patterns in elderly people with HIV. PMID:23362139

[Oral ecosystem in elderly people].

PubMed

Lacoste-Ferré, Marie-Hélène; Hermabessière, Sophie; Jézéquel, Fabienne; Rolland, Yves

2013-06-01

The mouth is a complex natural cavity which constitutes the initial segment of the digestive tract. It is an essential actor of the vital functions as nutrition, language, communication. The whole mouth (teeth, periodontium, mucous membranes, tongue) is constantly hydrated and lubricated by the saliva. At any age, a balance becomes established between the bacterial proliferations, the salivary flow, the adapted tissular answer: it is the oral ecosystem. The regulation of this ecosystem participates in the protection of the oral complex against current inflammatory and infectious pathologies (caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, candidiasis). In elderly, the modification of the salivary flow, the appearance of specific pathologies (root caries, edentulism, periodontitis), the local conditions (removable dentures), the development of general pathologies, the development of general pathologies (diabetes, hypertension, immunosuppression, the insufficient oral care are so many elements which are going to destabilize the oral ecosystem, to favor the formation of the dental plaque and to weaken oral tissues. The preservation of this ecosystem is essential for elderly: it allows to eat in good conditions and so to prevent the risks of undernutrition. The authors describe the oral physiopathology (oral microflora, salivary secretion) and the strategies to be adopted to protect the balance of the oral ecosystem in geriatric population.

[Characteristics of bedridden elderly people living at home and in a hospital].

PubMed

Nagura, E; Igata, A; Fujita, H; Inoue, T; Kanno, K; Matsuura, T; Tokuda, H; Hosokawa, T

1997-07-01

We compared bedridden elderly people living at home to others who were hospital inpatients. Questionnaires regarding medical status and care were returned by 85 of 116 people caring for a bedridden elderly person at home in Obu city, Aichi prefecture and by 62 of 64 nurses and family members caring for bedridden inpatients at Chubu National hospital. All subjects were at least 65 years old. The median age in both groups was 81 years, neither age distribution nor female sex predominance differed between both groups. The percentage of subjects with only one underlying disease was 62.5% among those living at home and 64.4% among inpatients. In both groups the most common disease was cerebrovascular disease (42.5% among those at home and 39.0% among inpatients), followed by dementia (31.3%), infirmity of old age (17.5%) and bone fracture (13.8%) among those at home, and by bone fracture (27.1%), dementia (20.3%) and infirmity of old age (16.9%) among inpatients. The median durations of bedridden status were 2 years and 3 months among those at home and 3 months among inpatients. The proportion of subjects bedridden for less than 6 months was greater among inpatients (p < 0.0001). The percentage who needed medical treatment was 60.0% among those at home and 67.7% among inpatients. The most common conditions for which drugs were taken were hypertension, dementia, chronic cerebrovascular dysfunction, and osteoporosis. Among inpatients, 54.8% were ambulatory before admission, 24.2% were almost completely bedridden, and 17.7% were completely bedridden. The most common cause rending the patients bedridden was infection (usually pneumonia). The degree of disability did not differ between groups. Decubitus ulcers were present in 25.9% of those at home and 17.7% of inpatients.

Relationship between subjective fall risk assessment and falls and fall-related fractures in frail elderly people

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Objective measurements can be used to identify people with risks of falls, but many frail elderly adults cannot complete physical performance tests. The study examined the relationship between a subjective risk rating of specific tasks (SRRST) to screen for fall risks and falls and fall-related fractures in frail elderly people. Methods The SRRST was investigated in 5,062 individuals aged 65 years or older who were utilized day-care services. The SRRST comprised 7 dichotomous questions to screen for fall risks during movements and behaviours such as walking, transferring, and wandering. The history of falls and fall-related fractures during the previous year was reported by participants or determined from an interview with the participant's family and care staff. Results All SRRST items showed significant differences between the participants with and without falls and fall-related fractures. In multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, diseases, and behavioural variables, the SRRST score was independently associated with history of falls and fractures. Odds ratios for those in the high-risk SRRST group (≥ 5 points) compared with the no risk SRRST group (0 point) were 6.15 (p < 0.01) for a single fall, 15.04 (p < 0.01) for recurrent falls, and 5.05 (p < 0.01) for fall-related fractures. The results remained essentially unchanged in subgroup analysis accounting for locomotion status. Conclusion These results suggest that subjective ratings by care staff can be utilized to determine the risks of falls and fall-related fractures in the frail elderly, however, these preliminary results require confirmation in further prospective research. PMID:21838891

Early stages of Alzheimer's disease are alarming signs in injury deaths caused by traffic accidents in elderly people (≥60 years of age): A neuropathological study.

PubMed

Wijesinghe, Printha; Gorrie, Catherine; Shankar, S K; Chickabasaviah, Yasha T; Amaratunga, Dhammika; Hulathduwa, Sanjayah; Kumara, K Sunil; Samarasinghe, Kamani; Suh, Yoo-Hun; Steinbusch, H W M; De Silva, K Ranil D

2017-01-01

There is little information available in the literature concerning the contribution of dementia in injury deaths in elderly people (≥60 years). This study was intended to investigate the extent of dementia-related pathologies in the brains of elderly people who died in traffic accidents or by suicide and to compare our findings with age- and sex-matched natural deaths in an elderly population. Autopsy-derived human brain samples from nine injury death victims (5 suicide and 4 traffic accidents) and nine age- and sex-matched natural death victims were screened for neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular pathologies using histopathological and immunohistochemical techniques. For the analysis, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 was used. There was a greater likelihood for Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related changes in the elders who succumbed to traffic accidents (1 out of 4) compared to age- and sex-matched suicides (0 out of 5) or natural deaths (0 out of 9) as assessed by the National Institute on Aging - Alzheimer's Association guidelines. Actual burden of both neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and (SPs) was comparatively higher in the brains of traffic accidents, and the mean NFT counts were significantly higher in the region of entorhinal cortex ( P < 0.05). However, associations obtained for other dementia-related pathologies were not statistically important. Our findings suggest that early Alzheimer stages may be a contributing factor to injury deaths caused by traffic accidents in elderly people whereas suicidal brain neuropathologies resembled natural deaths.

Cross-sectional study on the association between frailty and violence against community-dwelling elderly people in Brazil.

PubMed

Belisário, Mariane Santos; Dias, Flavia Aparecida; Pegorari, Maycon Sousa; Paiva, Mariana Mapelli de; Ferreira, Pollyana Cristina Dos Santos; Corradini, Fabrício Anibal; Tavares, Darlene Mara Dos Santos

2018-01-01

The physical, emotional and cognitive limitations that may be present in the aging process, coupled with family unpreparedness, may lead to greater dependence among the elderly. This favors development of frailty syndrome and greater levels of violence against the elderly. The objective here was to analyze the association between violence against the elderly and frailty; and the geographic distribution of violence against the elderly according to the presence of frailty syndrome. Cross-sectional study on 705 community-dwelling elderly people in Uberaba (MG), Brazil. The Fried frailty phenotype and conflict tactics scale were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test and a logistic regression model. The intensity of the events and the relationship between clusters of violence and frailty status were assessed by means of kernel estimation. The adjusted analysis indicated that pre-frailty and frailty were associated with physical and verbal aggression (odds ratio, OR = 1.51; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.04-2.19; OR = 2.12; 95% CI: 1.29-3.47), frailty was associated with physical aggression (OR = 2.48; 95% CI: 1.25-4.94) and pre-frailty and frailty were associated with verbal aggression (OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.03-2.15; OR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.31-3.52), respectively. Regardless of frailty status and its relationship with violence, clusters of occurrences were larger in similar regions in the southeastern part of the municipality; but superimposition of overlays relating to aggression showed that for frail individuals the clusters were smaller than for non-frail and pre-frail individuals. The condition of frailty was associated with greater chances of violence against the elderly.

[Prevention of elderly pneumonia by pneumococcal, influenza and BCG vaccinations].

PubMed

Ohrui, Takashi; Nakayama, Katsutoshi; Fukushima, Takeyasu; Chiba, Hiroshi; Sasaki, Hidetada

2005-01-01

Pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly people, especially in those with chronic medical conditions such as chronic heart and lung diseases. We prospectively examined the effect of influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations on the rate of hospitalization for and complications of pneumonia, all respiratory tract conditions and mortality in elderly bedridden patients and found that both febrile days and pneumonia cases decreased. Thus, these results show that it is valuable to vaccinate for influenza elderly people even if they are confined to bed. Furthermore, the tuberculin skin test is an easy method to check the cell-mediated immunity in the elderly people. In the tuberculin skin test, all Japanese over 65 years old should have positive status. A negative result indicates depressed cell-mediated immunity. We undertook a trial to vaccinate tuberculin negative elderly people with BCG vaccine and found that the risk of pneumonia is decreased to a similar degree to that in subjects with positive tuberculin test results. We conclude that vaccination might be an effective strategy for the prevention of pneumonia in elderly people with limited activities of daily living.

Numeral size, spacing between targets, and exposure time in discrimination by elderly people using an lcd monitor.

PubMed

Huang, Kuo-Chen; Yeh, Po-Chan

2007-04-01

The present study investigated the effects of numeral size, spacing between targets, and exposure time on the discrimination performance by elderly and younger people using a liquid crystal display screen. Analysis showed size of numerals significantly affected discrimination, which increased with increasing numeral size. Spacing between targets also had a significant effect on discrimination, i.e., the larger the space between numerals, the better their discrimination. When the spacing between numerals increased to 4 or 5 points, however, discrimination did not increase beyond that for 3-point spacing. Although performance increased with increasing exposure time, the difference in discrimination at an exposure time of 0.8 vs 1.0 sec. was not significant. The accuracy by the elderly group was less than that by younger subjects.

Falls in long-term care institutions for elderly people: protocol validation.

PubMed

Baixinho, Cristina Rosa Soares Lavareda; Dixe, Maria Dos Anjos Coelho Rodrigues; Henriques, Maria Adriana Pereira

2017-01-01

To validate the content of a fall management risk protocol in long-term institutions for elderly people. Methodological, quanti-qualitative study using the Delphi technique. The tool, based on the literature, was sent electronically to obtain consensus among the 14 experts that meet the defined inclusion criteria. The 27 indicators of the protocol are organized in three dimensions: prepare for the institutionalization (IRA=.88); manage the risk of falls throughout the institutionalization (IRA=.9); and lead the communication and formation (IRA=1), with a CVI=.91. Two rounds were performed to get a consensus superior to 80% in every item. The values obtained in the reliability test (>0.8) show that the protocol can be used to meet the intended goal. The next step is the clinic validation of the protocol with residents of long-term care institutions for elderly people. Validar o conteúdo de um protocolo para a gestão do risco de queda em Instituições de Longa Permanência para Idosos. Estudo metodológico, de abordagem quantiqualitativa, utilizando a técnica de Delphi. O instrumento, construído com base na literatura, foi enviado por via electrónica, para obter consenso entre os 14 peritos que respeitam os critérios de inclusão definidos. Os 27 indicadores do protocolo estão organizados em três dimensões: Preparar a Institucionalização (IRA=,88); Gerir o Risco de Queda ao longo da Institucionalização (IRA=,9) e Liderar a comunicação e formação (IRA=1), com um CVI=,91. Foram efetuadas duas rodadas para se obter consenso superior a 80% em todos os itens. Os valores obtidos no teste de fidedignidade (>0,8) atestam que o protocolo pode ser utilizado para atingir o fim que se pretende. A próxima etapa é a validação clínica do protocolo com idosos residentes em Instituições de Longa Permanência para Idosos.

Tactile Intervention as a Novel Technique in Improving Body Stability in Healthy Elderly and Elderly with Diabetes

PubMed Central

Alshammari, Faris S.; Daher, Noha; Alzoghbieh, Eman S.; Dehom, Salem O.; Laymon, Michael S.

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: Body sway increases in the elderly because of normal aging and high incidence of disease such as diabetes. Prevalence of sway is greater in the elderly with diabetes because of damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems. Increase in body sway is associated with an elevated risk of falling. Falling is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to develop a new technique to improve body stability and decrease body sway in the elderly people with or without diabetes. Subjects and Methods: Twenty-two subjects—12 elderly (mean age, 75.5±7.3 years) and 10 age-matched elderly with diabetes (mean age, 72.5±5.3 years)—were recruited for this study. Subjects received tactile feedback as a tingling sensation resulting from electrical stimulation triggered by body sway. Results: The results showed a significant reduction in body sway in the elderly while standing on foam with eyes open (1.0±0.31 vs. 1.9±0.8; P=0.006) and eyes closed (1.8±0.7 vs. 3.3±1.5; P=0.001). In the group with diabetes, there was a significant reduction in body sway while standing on foam with eyes closed (1.4±0.5 vs. 2.3±0.8; P=0.045) but not with eyes open. Conclusions: In this small study, this technique offers a new tool for training people with diabetes and elderly people to improve body stability and balance. PMID:25299792

Development and effect of a cognitive enhancement gymnastics program for elderly people with dementia

PubMed Central

Han, Yoon-Soo; Araki, Tatsuo; Lee, Pil-Young; Choi, Jung-Hyun; Kwon, In-Seon; Kwon, Ki-Nam; Kim, Ji-Youn

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a cognitive enhancement gymnastics program for the elderly with dementia and to verify its effect. The study was conducted on 27 people with dementia being treated in a dementia day care center in Incheon city. No statistically significant differences were found in the measures Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS), Short Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS), Seoul Activities of Daily Living (S-ADL), or rock-paper-scissors. However, the MMSE-DS and rock-paper-scissors showed improvement after 12 weeks. PMID:27656632

Mini Nutritional Assessment of rural elderly people in Bangladesh: the impact of demographic, socio-economic and health factors.

PubMed

Kabir, Zarina Nahar; Ferdous, Tamanna; Cederholm, Tommy; Khanam, Masuma Akter; Streatfied, Kim; Wahlin, Ake

2006-12-01

In stating the Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations aims to halve malnutrition around the world by 2015. Nutritional status of the elderly population in low-income countries is seldom focused upon. The present study aimed to evaluate the magnitude of malnutrition among an elderly population in rural Bangladesh. Data collection for a multidimensional cross-sectional study of community-based elderly people aged 60 years and over was conducted in a rural area in Bangladesh. Of 850 randomly selected elderly individuals, 625 participated in home interviews. Complete nutritional information was available for 457 individuals (mean age 69+/-8 years, 55% female). Nutritional status was assessed using an adapted form of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) including body mass index (BMI). Age, sex, education, household expenditure on food and self-reported health problems were investigated as potential predictors of nutritional status. BMI<18.5 kg m(-2), indicating chronic energy deficiency, was found in 50% of the population. MNA revealed a prevalence of 26% for protein-energy malnutrition and 62% for risk of malnutrition. Health problems rather than age had a negative impact on nutritional status. Level of education and food expenditure were directly associated with nutritional status. In order to reduce world hunger by half in the coming decade, it is important to recognise that a substantial proportion of the elderly population, particularly in low-income countries, is undernourished.

The break remains – elderly people's experiences of a hip fracture 1 year after discharge.

PubMed

Zidén, Lena; Scherman, Marianne Hansson; Wenestam, Claes-Göran

2010-01-01

To explore experienced long-term consequences of a hip fracture and conceptions of what influences hip fracture recovery among community-living elderly people 1 year after discharge. Fifteen subjects (13 females and 2 males), aged 66-94, were interviewed. The phenomenographic method was used for analysis. Experiences of insecurity and restricted life dominated the interviews. The descriptive categories within experienced consequences of a hip fracture were: (1) isolated life with more restricted activity and fewer social contacts, with the two sub-categories (a) more insecure and afraid and (b) more limited ability to move, (2) disappointed and sad that identity and life have changed and (3) satisfied with the situation or feeling even better than before the fracture. The categories within conceptions of what influences hip fracture recovery were: (4) own mind and actions influence recovery, (5) treatment and actions from others influence recovery and (6) you cannot influence recovery. The findings accentuate that the negative consequences of a hip fracture are substantial and long-lasting. As it strikes mostly elderly people, who may have experienced earlier losses and growing disabilities, a hip fracture could add to the risk of losing important life values. Furthermore, the findings indicate that all health care professionals who meet the patients need to consider the patients' own experiences and possible fear and not merely focus on the physical injury and disabilities.

Highly prevalent and poorly controlled cardiovascular risk factors among Chinese elderly people living in the rural community.

PubMed

Song, Aiqin; Liang, Yajun; Yan, Zhongrui; Sun, Binglun; Cai, Chuanzhu; Jiang, Hui; Qiu, Chengxuan

2014-10-01

The epidemiological scenario of cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) among elderly people in rural China is unclear. We seek to describe the distribution, burden and management of major CRFs among older Chinese people living in the rural community. This cross-sectional study included 1538 participants in the Confucius Hometown Aging Project (2010-2011) of people ≥60 years of age (mean age 68.6 years; 59.1% women) who lived in a rural community nearby Qufu, Shandong, China. Data were collected through a face-to-face interview, a clinical examination and laboratory tests. We carried out descriptive analysis on the prevalence and management of major CRFs. The overall prevalence of current smoking, physical inactivity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity were 13.8%, 83.7%, 76.0%, 26.6%, 42.4% and 13.1%, respectively: 82.8% and 50.4% of participants had ≥ 2 and ≥ 3, respectively, of the six CRFs. Prevalence of alcohol consumption was 18.7%. Men were more likely to smoke and consume alcohol than women, whereas women were more likely to be obese and physically inactive than men (p < 0.001). Prevalence of physical inactivity and hypertension increased with age, prevalence of alcohol intake and obesity decreased with age, and prevalence of smoking and diabetes was stable. Hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol were treated in 60.6%, 68.1% and 41.1% of those with the disease, respectively, but only 11.3%, 13.7% and 31.7% achieved good control. CRFs are highly prevalent and poorly controlled among elderly people in rural China, where men and women have different CRF profiles. Intervention programs targeting major CRFs may improve the health of older people in China. © The European Society of Cardiology 2013 Reprints and permissions:sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Metabolic syndrome and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis among Chinese elderly people living in a rural community.

PubMed

Yan, Zhongrui; Liang, Yajun; Jiang, Hui; Cai, Chuanzhu; Sun, Binglun; Qiu, Chengxuan

2014-06-01

The relationship between the metabolic syndrome and subclinical atherosclerosis among elderly people remains controversial. We seek to investigate the associations of metabolic syndrome and its components with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in older people living in rural China. This cross-sectional study included 911 participants (age ≥60 years, 59.4% women) of the community-based Confucius Hometown Aging Project in Shandong, China, who were free of clinical cardiovascular disease. In 2010-2011, data were collected through interviews, clinical examinations, and laboratory tests. Carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) and carotid artery plaque were assessed using ultrasonography. Metabolic syndrome was defined by four sets of criteria. Data were analyzed with multiple general linear and logistic regression models. Carotid plaque was detected in 514 (56.4%) persons. Depending on the defining criteria, prevalence of metabolic syndrome ranged from 30.6% to 56.9%. Hypertension, elevated blood pressure (≥130/85 mmHg), diabetes/prediabetes, and high fasting plasma glucose (≥5.6 mmol/L) were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of carotid plaque, whereas an increased cIMT was associated with elevated blood pressure and hypertension (P<0.05). Obesity, high triglycerides, and dyslipidemia were not associated with carotid artery plaque or cIMT. The significant association of metabolic syndrome with an increased likelihood of carotid plaque disappeared when elevated blood pressure and high plasma glucose were added to the models. Metabolic syndrome was not associated with cIMT. Metabolic syndrome is associated with subclinical carotid plaque among Chinese elderly people, driven primarily by elevated blood pressure and hyperglycemia. Older adults with metabolic syndrome, especially those with high blood pressure and hyperglycemia, may benefit from evaluation for subclinical atherosclerosis.

[Violence against elderly people. Recognize--Sensitize--Act!].

PubMed

Hirsch, Rolf D

2016-01-01

Elder abuse is--especially in view of the demographic development--a topic that is still neglected socially and in health policy, but also in terms of scientific research. There are different definitions of violence and these can be difficult to formulate, depending on the field. In gerontology, a rather broad frame is usually used to describe the phenomenon of violence. Its shapes are multilayered and diverse (e.g., physical, psychological, restriction of freedom, neglect, financial exploitation, and structural and cultural). In principle, any act of violence is also a breach of the law. Violence can occur in public places and in family and institutional settings (e.g., hospital and outpatient and inpatient care for the elderly). The statistical occurence in family settings is around 25% and in institutional settings between 11 and 24%. Acts of violence are usually an expression of helplessness, shame, overwork, poor support and lack of knowledge of alternatives. Often there is a pathological relationship, in which the roles of "perpetrators" and "victims" can change. Acts of violence have massive consequences for those affected. Preventative measures to reduce violence have various points of departure (e.g., company, region, institution, professional). So far, there are hardly any points of contact and professional assistance for elderly victims.

Designing Products Using Quality Function Deployment and Conjoint Analysis: A Comparison in a Market for Elderly People

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu-Assab, Samah; Baier, Daniel

In this paper, we compare two product design approaches, quality function deployment (QFD) and conjoint analysis (CA), on the example of mobile phones for elderly people as a target group. Then, we compare between our results and the results from former similar comparisons, e.g., Pullman et al. (J Prod Innov Manage 19(5):354-364, 2002) and Katz (J Innov Manage 21:61-63, 2004). In this work, the same procedures and conditions are taken into consideration as that taken by Pullman et al. in their paper. They viewed the relation between the two methods: QFD and CA as a complementary one in which both should be simultaneously implemented since each provide feedback to the other. They concluded that CA is more efficient in reflecting the end-users’ present preferences for the product attributes, whereas QFD is definitely better in satisfying end-users’ needs from the developers’ point of view. Katz in his response from a practitioner’s point of view agreed with Pullman et al. However, he concluded that the two methods are better used sequentially and that QFD should precede conjoint analysis. We test these results in a market for elderly people.

[The Relationship of Serum Leptin Level and Metabolism in Elderly People with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease].

PubMed

Yang, Lu; Zhang, Xue-mei; Hu, Xiu-ying; Zhang, Yan-ling

2016-01-01

To investigate the correlation of serum leptin and to energy consumption and metabolization in the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We included 92 outpatients with stable COPD in West China Hospital of Sichuan University as trail group (COPD group) and 80 healthy elderly people in community as control group. All patients and healthy control received the measurements of body mass index (BMI), fat mass, resting energy expenditure (REE), lung function, serum leptin and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The concentrations of serum leptin, BMI and lung function were lower in COPD group than those in control group (P < 0.01). The concentrations of serum leptin between two groups were not difference after the adjusted results of BMI and fat mass.. There was no difference of REE and TNF-α concentrations in these two groups. The serum leptin had positive correlation with BMI and fat mass, but there were no correlation between of TNF-α and serum leptin. In elderly people with stable COPD, the decline on the serum leptin is related to the decrease of BMI and fat mass, but barely related to the level of TNF-α.

[Travel and cultural activities in care homes for the elderly].

PubMed

Andriot, Hervé; Roumilhac, Vanessa

2010-01-01

Travel and cultural activities are still accessible for elderly people, in particular those living in care homes. With some precautions and adequate professional supervision, it is possible to carry out such activities, elderly people's limits being psychological rather than physical. Elderly people can thereby open up to the adventure of travelling whether it is an actual, physical trip or a virtual journey, through cultural activities. A report on the Residence Orpea des Noues care home's experience of such initiatives.

Factors related to perceived health among elderly people: the Albertina Project.

PubMed

Lindgren, A M; Svärdsudd, K; Tibblin, G

1994-07-01

The Albertina Project is an epidemiological study of the medical, social and economic situation among people aged 75 years or older in Uppsala, Sweden. In this report, health conditions, quality-of-life measures and housing problems affecting it are presented. A postal questionnaire was sent to an 11% random sample (n = 959) of the eligible population out of which 706 (74%) persons responded. Nearly one-third of the elderly people could not read a newspaper with or without glasses, more than one-third had impaired hearing, 47% had some sort of mobility problem and 66% reported some form of sleeping problem. Forty-two per cent felt lonely sometimes or often and 65% were worried, in most cases about the risk of falling. In spite of this, 87% rated their health as good and 79% were content or rather content with their situation. Even though eyesight and hearing problems were common in this study, they did not affect perceived health to any large extent. Mobility problems and sleeping problems had a greater impact. The most important factors related to perceived health were activity score, contentment and mobility problems. Contentment was affected by activity score and loneliness and the latter was in turn affected by age and type of dwelling. The practical implication of these findings is that perhaps more attention should be focused on efforts to improve old people's satisfaction with their life situation rather than on marginal improvements of their medical situation.

Anxiety and mortality risk in community-dwelling elderly people.

PubMed

Carrière, Isabelle; Ryan, Joanne; Norton, Joanna; Scali, Jacqueline; Stewart, Robert; Ritchie, Karen; Ancelin, Marie Laure

2013-09-01

There are conflicting data on the role of anxiety in predicting mortality. To evaluate the 10-year mortality risk associated with anxiety in community-dwelling elderly people. Using data from 718 men and 1046 women aged 65 years and over, gender-stratified associations of anxiety symptoms (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, third tertile) and current DSM-IV anxiety disorder including generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and phobia with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were determined. In women, mortality risk was increased for anxiety disorder and GAD in multivariate Cox models (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.53, 95% CI 1.02-2.27 and HR = 2.04, 95% CI 1.08-3.86 respectively), whereas for phobia it was nearly significant (HR = 1.52, 95% CI 0.94-2.47). Anxiety trait symptoms became non-significant as a result of the confounding effect of depressive symptoms. Anxiety disorder was associated with cardiovascular mortality in univariate analysis (HR = 2.42, 95% CI 1.16-5.07). No significant associations were found in men. Our study suggests a gender-specific association of anxiety and mortality.

Effect evaluation of a two-year complex intervention to reduce loneliness in non-institutionalised elderly Dutch people

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Public health policy calls for intervention programmes to reduce loneliness in the ageing population. So far, numerous loneliness interventions have been developed, with effectiveness demonstrated for few of these interventions. The loneliness intervention described in this manuscript distinguishes itself from others by including multiple intervention components and targeting individuals and their environment. Intervention components included a mass media campaign, information meetings, psychosocial group courses, social activities organised by neighbours, and training of intermediaries. The aim of this manuscript is to study the effects of this integrated approach on initial and long-term outcomes. Methods A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test intervention study was conducted among non-institutionalised elderly people aged 65 years and over to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention by comparing the intervention community and the control community. Data on outputs, initial and long-term outcomes, and the overall goal were collected by self-administered questionnaires. Data of 858 elderly people were available for the analyses. To assess the effect linear regression analyses with adjustments for age, gender, church attendance, and mental health were used. In addition, the process evaluation provided information about the reach of the intervention components. Results After two years, 39% of the elderly people were familiar with the intervention programme. The intervention group scored more favourably than the control group on three subscales of the initial outcome, motivation (−4.4%, 95% CI−8.3-−0.7), perceived social support (−8.2%, 95% CI−13.6-−2.4), and subjective norm (−11.5%, 95% CI−17.4-−5.4). However, no overall effects were observed for the long-term outcome, social support, and overall goal, loneliness. Conclusions Two years after its initiation the reach of the intervention programme was modest. Though no effect of the

[Evaluation of a nutritional intervention among elderly people: the Edumay project].

PubMed

Bujanda Sainz de Murieta, Elena; Beitia Berrotaran, Guadalupe; Zazpe, Itziar; Lasheras, Berta; Bes-Rastrollo, Maira

2014-07-01

The adherence to a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern is associated with a morbi-mortality reduction, and with a better quality of life. To evaluate a nutritional intervention among independent elderly people enrolled in an educational program to increase the knowledge of the food and daily diets, promoting a healthy dietary pattern. Quasi-experimental design conducted in elderly participants who lived in foster home apartments owned by the City Council of Pamplona (n = 41). The intervention was based on six group sessions and an individual motivational session in a period of three months. Adherence to Mediterranean diet was evaluated through a 14-point scale previously validated. Eighty point five per cent of participants were women, with a median age of 79 years, the majority of them widowed (48.8%) and with primary education (58.5%). After the nutritional intervention the percentage of participants who consumed two or more servings of vegetables increased significantly versus the control group (p = 0.042). Similarly, in comparison with the control group, there was an increase in the percentage of participants who consumed three servings per week of legumes (p = 0.042), three or more servings per week of nuts (p = 0.003), and those who consumed preferably meat from chicken, turkey, or rabbit instead of veal, pork, hamburgers, or sausages (p = 0.011). An intervention based on individual and group sessions improved significantly several parameters of a Mediterranean dietary pattern. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Communication between the elderly person and the family health team: is there integrality?

PubMed

de Almeida, Rita Tereza; Ciosak, Suely Itsuko

2013-01-01

to verify the forms of communication used in four Primary Health Units with Family Health Program teams in Porto Feliz, São Paulo, and how they impact in the care and control of the health of elderly people. this qualitative study sought to capture the communication between elderly people and healthcare professionals. Interviews were conducted with 20 elderly people of both sexes. from the discourses and observations, assertive communication and blocked communication emerged as the central analysis themes, the verbal and nonverbal elements of which, unveiled subjectivity of the communication process, of the local culture and of the psychosocial factors positively and negatively contributing to the healthcare for elderly people. The nursing teams of the Family Health Strategy showed forms of communication that favored the adherence of the elderly people to the care and control of their health. Negatives aspects did not have completely prejudicial consequences, however, should be avoided, in order to facilitate integral care to elderly people. it is worth reinforcing the need for improvement of the nursing team and other healthcare professionals regarding health communication as an innovative technology, bringing credibility to the health promotion and prevention programs with elderly users.

Risk factors for a 6-year decline in physical disability and functional limitations among elderly people with type 2 diabetes in the Japanese Elderly Diabetes Intervention Trial.

PubMed

Sakurai, Takashi; Iimuro, Satoshi; Sakamaki, Kentaro; Umegaki, Hiroyuki; Araki, Atsushi; Ohashi, Yasuo; Ito, Hideki

2012-04-01

Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of disability. The purpose of this study was to clarify the explanatory factors for disability in Japanese diabetic elderly. The 6-year decline in physical disability and functional limitations was investigated among 317 elderly people with type 2 diabetes recruited in a large-scale prospective study of the Japanese Elderly Diabetes Intervention Trial. Information about diabetes, blood examinations and complications was obtained, and basic activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) were assessed by total score of the Barthel index and the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, respectively. After 6 years of follow up, 13.6% of patients had developed a new ADL disability and 38.3% had developed a new functional impairment. In the 65-74 years age group, basic ADL decreased only in males, whereas females became functionally impaired. In the 75-84 years age group, basic and IADL decreased in both males and females. Older age and metabolic syndrome were prognostic for impairment of basic ADL, whereas baseline IADL problems, lower cognitive function, physical inactivity and insulin therapy were significant predictors of a future decline in the IADL. This study identified several factors predicting the future decline of basic ADL and IADL in diabetic elderly patients, and provided a conceptual framework that might help to clarify the pathways leading to disability. Because the specific causes of each functional problem are modifiable, comprehensive treatment and care are needed to allow Japanese diabetic elderly patients to have more favorable living conditions. © 2012 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Early stages of Alzheimer's disease are alarming signs in injury deaths caused by traffic accidents in elderly people (≥60 years of age): A neuropathological study

PubMed Central

Wijesinghe, Printha; Gorrie, Catherine; Shankar, S. K.; Chickabasaviah, Yasha T.; Amaratunga, Dhammika; Hulathduwa, Sanjayah; Kumara, K. Sunil; Samarasinghe, Kamani; Suh, Yoo-Hun; Steinbusch, H. W. M.; De Silva, K. Ranil D.

2017-01-01

Background: There is little information available in the literature concerning the contribution of dementia in injury deaths in elderly people (≥60 years). Aim: This study was intended to investigate the extent of dementia-related pathologies in the brains of elderly people who died in traffic accidents or by suicide and to compare our findings with age- and sex-matched natural deaths in an elderly population. Materials and Methods: Autopsy-derived human brain samples from nine injury death victims (5 suicide and 4 traffic accidents) and nine age- and sex-matched natural death victims were screened for neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular pathologies using histopathological and immunohistochemical techniques. For the analysis, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 was used. Results: There was a greater likelihood for Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related changes in the elders who succumbed to traffic accidents (1 out of 4) compared to age- and sex-matched suicides (0 out of 5) or natural deaths (0 out of 9) as assessed by the National Institute on Aging – Alzheimer's Association guidelines. Actual burden of both neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and (SPs) was comparatively higher in the brains of traffic accidents, and the mean NFT counts were significantly higher in the region of entorhinal cortex (P < 0.05). However, associations obtained for other dementia-related pathologies were not statistically important. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that early Alzheimer stages may be a contributing factor to injury deaths caused by traffic accidents in elderly people whereas suicidal brain neuropathologies resembled natural deaths. PMID:29497190

Socioeconomic Differences and Trends in the Place of Death among Elderly People in China

PubMed Central

Cai, Jiaoli; Zhao, Hongzhong; Coyte, Peter C.

2017-01-01

China is facing a dramatic aging of its population. Little is known about the factors that influence the place of death and the trends in the place of death for elderly people in China. The purposes of this study were: (1) to examine the impact of the socioeconomic status (SES) on place of death for elderly Chinese residents; and (2) to assess temporal trends in the place of death over the last 15 years. Data were derived from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) (1998–2012). Place-of-death as an outcome was dichotomized into either death at home or death outside the home. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the impact of SES on place of death. The results showed that, of the 23,098 deaths during the study period, 87.78% occurred at home. The overall trend in home death has increased since 2005. SES was shown to be an important factor affecting place of death. The elderly with higher SES were more likely to die where health resources were concentrated, i.e., in a hospital or other type of institution. Our finding suggests that the trend towards a greater emphasis on death at home may call for the development of more supportive home care programs in China. Our finding also suggests that the socioeconomic differences in the place of death may be related to the availability of or access to health care services. PMID:29019952

A replication of the relationship between elderly suicides rates and elderly dependency ratios: cross-national study

PubMed Central

Shah, Ajit

2010-01-01

Abstract: Background: A positive correlation between elderly dependency ratios and elderly suicide rates has been observed using one-year cross-sectional data on elderly suicide rates. Methods: A cross-national study designed to replicate this positive correlation between elderly dependency ratios and elderly suicide rates was undertaken by: (i) using one-year average of five years data on suicide rates; and (ii) using more recent data on both elderly suicide rates and elderly dependency ratios. Data on elderly suicide rates, and the total number of elderly and young people was ascertained from the World Health Organization website. Results: The main findings were of significant positive correlations between elderly dependency ratios and suicide rates in both sexes in both the elderly age-bands (65-74 years and 75+ years). Conclusions: The replication of the positive correlations between elderly dependency ratios and elderly suicide rates by using one-year average of five years data on suicide rates suggests that this relationship is robust and accurate. PMID:21483194

Health behavior of elderly people engaged in agriculture in conjunction with information communication technology.

PubMed

Fujii, Chieko; Okahisa, Reiko; Matsushita, Yasuko; Tada, Toshiko

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to clarify the health behavior of elderly people engaged in agriculture and information communication technology (ICT). The participants were 61 people engaged in agriculture in conjunction with ICT systems (group A), and 49 people not engaged in this (group B) from among the people aged 65 years or over in village C, both living located in a mountain areas. Data were collected from August 2009 to June 2011 in two stages: interviews to members of group A through home visits, and a group survey of groups A and B through questionnaires. The results of the study were as follows: 1) members of group A lived with feelings of attachment to the land to which they were accustomed and showed gratitude to their ancestors; 2) in group A, the desire of participants to continue their life was sufficient motivation to look after their own health and maintain independence; and 3) they provided a new challenge and a sense of achievement. The results suggest that the health behavior in group A was behavior adopted voluntarily in order to maintain an independent lifestyle supported by working, and it is likely to be linked to the preservation of health.

[Trauma in the elderly].

PubMed

de Souza, José Antonio Gomes; Iglesias, Antonio Carlos R G

2002-01-01

The populational growth of the elderly, associated to a healthier and more active life, make this group of people more exposed to accidents. In some countries, trauma in the elderly is responsible for a high mortality rate, disproportionately higher than in the adults. This fact consumes a great portion of health care resources and implies in a high social cost. The distinct physiologic characteristics of the elderly and the frequent presence of associated diseases make that these patients behave differently and in a more complex way than patients of other ages. These particularities make that health care to the elderly victims of trauma have to be different. The present revision is about aspects of epidemiology, prevention, physiology, health care and rehabilitation of the elderly victims of trauma.

The effects of air pollution on hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease in elderly people in Australian and New Zealand cities.

PubMed

Barnett, Adrian G; Williams, Gail M; Schwartz, Joel; Best, Trudi L; Neller, Anne H; Petroeschevsky, Anna L; Simpson, Rod W

2006-07-01

The goal of this study was to estimate the associations between outdoor air pollution and cardiovascular hospital admissions for the elderly. Associations were assessed using the case-crossover method for seven cities: Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand; and Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney Australia. Results were combined across cities using a random-effects meta-analysis and stratified for two adult age groups: 15-64 years and >/= 65 years of age (elderly). Pollutants considered were nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, daily measures of particulate matter (PM) and ozone. Where multiple pollutant associations were found, a matched case-control analysis was used to identify the most consistent association. In the elderly, all pollutants except O3 were significantly associated with five categories of cardiovascular disease admissions. No associations were found for arrhythmia and stroke. For a 0.9-ppm increase in CO, there were significant increases in elderly hospital admissions for total cardiovascular disease (2.2%) , all cardiac disease (2.8%), cardiac failure (6.0%), ischemic heart disease (2.3%), and myocardial infarction (2.9%). There was some heterogeneity between cities, possibly due to differences in humidity and the percentage of elderly people. In matched analyses, CO had the most consistent association. The results suggest that air pollution arising from common emission sources for CO, NO2, and PM (e.g., motor vehicle exhausts) has significant associations with adult cardiovascular hospital admissions, especially in the elderly, at air pollution concentrations below normal health guidelines. Relevance to clinical and professional practice: Elderly populations in Australia need to be protected from air pollution arising from outdoor sources to reduce cardiovascular disease.

Effects of elastic-band resistance exercise on balance, mobility and gait function, flexibility and fall efficacy in elderly people.

PubMed

Kwak, Cheol-Jin; Kim, You Lim; Lee, Suk Min

2016-11-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of elastic-band resistance exercise on balance, gait function, flexibility and fall efficacy in the elderly people of rural community. [Subjects and Methods] It is selected by 45 outpatients. They have come into the clinic continually to treat of physical therapy at least 1-2 times for a week. A group treated with both general physical therapy and elastic-band resistance exercise (23 patients), and the other group treated with only general physical therapy (22 patients). Elastic-band resistance exercise is composed of 8 movements of lower extremity joints. It is performed for 30 minutes during 8 weeks by 3 times for a week. It is measured and recorded at the pre and post test that sit and reach test (SRT), functional reach test (FRT), timed up and go test (TUG) for every subjects by measurement equipments. And, subjects performed for the form of performance and question as its rated scale by Berg's balance scale (BBS), dynamic gait index (DGI), activities-specific balance confidence scale (ABC). [Results] In the study, both the elastic-band exercise group and the general physical therapy group showed a significant improvement in balance, gait function, flexibility and fall efficacy. And the group with elastic-band resistance exercise showed more effectiveness than the contrast group in value of variation. [Conclusion] From this study, it was confirmed that elastic-band resistance exercise has influence on balance, gait function, flexibility and fall efficacy are working for agriculture of elderly people of rural community. Based on this result, elastic-band resistance exercise can be better instrument and easier to elderly people of rural community for the improvement in balance, gait function, flexibility and fall efficacy as it performing along with and reciprocal physical therapy.

Why are antibiotics prescribed for asymptomatic bacteriuria in institutionalized elderly people? A qualitative study of physicians' and nurses' perceptions.

PubMed

Walker, S; McGeer, A; Simor, A E; Armstrong-Evans, M; Loeb, M

2000-08-08

Antibiotic therapy for asymptomatic bacteriuria in institutionalized elderly people has not been shown to be of benefit and may in fact be harmful; however, antibiotics are still frequently used to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria in this population. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions, attitudes and opinions of physicians and nurses involved in the process of prescribing antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria in institutionalized elderly people. Focus groups were conducted among physicians and nurses who provide care to residents of long-term care facilities in Hamilton, Ont. A total of 22 physicians and 16 nurses participated. The focus group discussions were tape-recorded, and the transcripts of each session were analysed for issues and themes emerging from the text. Content analysis using an open analytic approach was used to explore and understand the experience of the focus group participants. The data from the text were then coded according to the relevant and emergent themes and issues. We observed that the ordering of urine cultures and the prescribing of antibiotics for residents with asymptomatic bacteriuria were influenced by a wide range of nonspecific symptoms or signs in residents. The physicians felt that the presence of these signs justified a decision to order antibiotics. Nurses played a central role in both the ordering of urine cultures and the decision to prescribe antibiotics through their awareness of changes in residents' status and communication of this to physicians. Education about asymptomatic bacteriuria was viewed as an important priority for both physicians and nurses. The presence of non-urinary symptoms and signs is an important factor in the prescription of antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria in institutionalized elderly people. However, no evidence exists to support this reason for antibiotic treatment. Health care providers at long-term care facilities need more education about antibiotic use and

Vitamin D Levels and the Risk of Cognitive Decline in Chinese Elderly People: the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey.

PubMed

Matchar, David B; Chei, Choy-Lye; Yin, Zhao-Xue; Koh, Victoria; Chakraborty, Bibhas; Shi, Xiao-Ming; Zeng, Yi

2016-10-01

Vitamin D has a neuroprotective function, potentially important for the prevention of cognitive decline. Prospective studies from Western countries support an association between lower vitamin D level and future cognitive decline in elderly people. No prospective study has examined this association in Asia. This community-based cohort study of elderly people in China follows 1,202 cognitively intact adults aged ≥60 years for a mean duration of 2 years. Plasma vitamin D level was measured at the baseline. Cognitive state of participants was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Cognitive impairment was defined as an MMSE score <18. Cognitive decline was defined as ≥3 points decline from baseline. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association between quartiles of vitamin D levels with cognitive decline and incidence of cognitive impairment. Participants with low vitamin D level had an increased risk of cognitive decline. Compared with the highest quartile of vitamin D levels, the multivariable odds ratios (ORs; 95% confidence interval) for cognitive decline were 2.1 (1.3-3.4) for the second highest quartile, 2.2 (1.4-3.6) for the third highest quartile, and 2.0 (1.2-3.3) for the lowest quartile. The multivariable ORs of incident cognitive impairment for the second highest, third highest, and lowest versus highest quartiles of vitamin D levels were 1.9 (0.9-4.1), 2.6 (1.2-5.6), and 3.2 (1.5-6.6), respectively. This first follow-up study of elderly people, including the oldest-old, in Asia shows that low vitamin D levels were associated with increased risk of subsequent cognitive decline and impairment. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Normalizing effect of the pineal gland peptides on the daily melatonin rhythm in old monkeys and elderly people].

PubMed

Korkushko, O V; Lapin, B A; Goncharova, N D; Khavinson, V Kh; Shatilo, V B; Vengerin, A A; Antoniuk-Shcheglova, I A; Magdich, L V

2007-01-01

In the course of aging both monkeys and people reveal decreased night and average daily level of melatonin in the blood plasma and reduced hormone circadian rhythm amplitude, which evidence the disorder of the pineal gland melatonin releasing function. Peptide preparations of the pineal gland (Epithalamin--a complex of peptides isolated from the pineal gland and Epitalon--synthetic tetrapeptide) recover night release of endogenous melatonin and lead to the normalization of the hormone circadian rhythm in the blood plasma. In elderly people Epithalamin and Epitalon modulate pineal gland functional state: people with pineal gland functional insufficiency report an increase of night melatonin level. The preparations of the pineal gland, effectively increasing melatonin concentration and having no side effects, can be used in clinical geriatric practice.

Taste loss in the elderly: Possible implications for dietary habits.

PubMed

Sergi, Giuseppe; Bano, Giulia; Pizzato, Simona; Veronese, Nicola; Manzato, Enzo

2017-11-22

Aging may coincide with a declining gustatory function that can affect dietary intake and ultimately have negative health consequences. Taste loss is caused by physiological changes and worsened by events often associated with aging, such as polypharmacy and chronic disease. The most pronounced increase in elderly people's detection threshold has been observed for sour and bitter tastes, but their perception of salty, sweet, and umami tastes also seems to decline with age. It has often been suggested that elderly people who lose their sense of taste may eat less food or choose stronger flavors, but the literature has revealed a more complicated picture: taste loss does not appear to make elderly people prefer stronger flavors, but nutrition surveys have pointed to a greater consumption of sweet and salty foods. Real-life eating habits thus seem to be more influenced by other, social and psychological factors. Elderly gustatory function is worth investigating to identify dietary strategies that can prevent the consequences of unhealthy eating habits in the elderly. This paper discusses age-related changes in taste perception, focusing on their consequences on food preferences, and pointing to some strategies for preserving appropriate dietary habits in elderly people.

[A phenomenological study of suicide attempts in elders].

PubMed

Im, Mi Young; Kim, Yun Jeong

2011-02-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the meaning and essence of suicide for elderly people who had previously attempted suicide as an older person. Giorgi's descriptive phenomenology was used for analysis. The researchers carried out in-depth interviews, recordings and memos individually with four elders. The elders were individuals who had attempted suicide sometime in the past 5 yr. They were interviewed from 5 to 10 times using open-ended questions and a semi-structural format. Demographic data were also collected. The meaning of suicide before a suicide attempt in older people had four core components: conflict with family, powerlessness and despair in their life with a drop in self-esteem, using internal and external resources to resolve their troubles and awareness of imminent crisis. These results of this study will increase understanding of suicide in older people by defining their subjective experience of suicide attempts and applying grounded data in the development of programs that provide concrete intervention strategies to prevent suicide in elderly people.

Actual use of and satisfaction associated with rollators and "shopping carts" among frail elderly Japanese people using day-service facilities.

PubMed

Kitajima, Eiji; Moriuchi, Takefumi; Iso, Naoki; Sagari, Akira; Kikuchi, Yasuyuki; Higashi, Toshio

2017-07-01

Purpose This study aimed at clarifying the actual use of and satisfaction with rollators and "shopping carts" (wheeled walkers with storage) among frail elderly people, who were certified by a long-term care insurance system as users of facilities that provide day-service nursing care and rehabilitation. Methods We identified 1247 frail elderly people who used day-service facilities, and evaluated their actual use of, and satisfaction with, rollators and shopping carts. Results Forty-four (3.5%) individuals used rollators, and 53 (4.3%) used shopping carts. The shopping cart group contained more individuals who were certified as care level 1 (26.4%), than the rollator group (20.5%), and 52.8% of the shopping cart group was certified as care levels 1-3. The scores for "repairs and services" and "follow-up" from the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology second version (QUEST 2.0) survey were significantly higher in the rollator group than in the shopping cart group. Conclusions The QUEST 2.0 scores revealed that shopping cart users exhibit insufficient "repairs and services" and "follow-up" scores. As frail elderly people with poor care status accounted for >50% of the shopping cart group, these individuals urgently need walking aids that are tailored to their care status. Implications for Rehabilitation We conclude that walking aid fitting must be tailored to each persons care status, and suggest that a system should be established to allow occupational or physical therapists to provide this fitting Moreover, our analysis of the QUEST2.0 service scores revealed that repairs, services, and follow-up are insufficient to meet the needs of shopping cart users.

Battling insulin resistance in elderly obese people with type 2 diabetes: bring on the heavy weights.

PubMed

Willey, Karen A; Singh, Maria A Fiatarone

2003-05-01

Exercise improves insulin resistance and has beneficial effects in preventing and treating type 2 diabetes. However, aerobic exercise is hindered in many type 2 diabetic patients because of advancing age, obesity, and other comorbid conditions. Weight lifting or progressive resistance training (PRT) offers a safe and effective exercise alternative for these people. PRT promotes favorable energy balance and reduced visceral fat deposition through enhanced basal metabolism and activity levels while counteracting age- and disease-related muscle wasting. PRT improves insulin sensitivity and glycemic control; increases muscle mass, strength, and endurance; and has positive effects on bone density, osteoarthritic symptoms, mobility impairment, self-efficacy, hypertension, and lipid profiles. PRT also alleviates symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia in individuals with clinical depression and improves exercise tolerance in individuals with cardiac ischemic disease and congestive heart failure; all of these aspects are relevant to the care of diabetic elders. Moreover, PRT is safe and well accepted in many complex patient populations, including very frail elderly individuals and those with cardiovascular disease. The greater feasibility of using PRT over aerobic exercise in elderly obese type 2 diabetic individuals because of concomitant cardiovascular, arthritic, and other disease provides a solid rationale for investigating the global benefits of PRT in the management of diabetes.

Factors predicting meat and meat products consumption among middle-aged and elderly people: evidence from a consumer survey in Switzerland.

PubMed

Schmid, Alexandra; Gille, Doreen; Piccinali, Patrizia; Bütikofer, Ueli; Chollet, Magali; Altintzoglou, Themistoklis; Honkanen, Pirjo; Walther, Barbara; Stoffers, Helena

2017-01-01

Background : An adequate diet contributes to health and wellbeing in older age. This is nowadays more important than ever since in industrialised countries the elderly population is growing continually. However, information regarding the consumption behaviour of older persons in Switzerland is limited. Objective : The objective of this investigation was to explore how middle-aged and elderly Swiss view animal products in relation to diet and health, and what factors predict consumption frequency. Design : A representative consumer survey among 632 people over the age of 50 years, living in the German-, French- and Italian-speaking regions of Switzerland was conducted. Results : This paper presents the results related to meat and meat products consumption. Most participants consumed meat and meat products regularly. The majority of participants with low meat intake indicated that eating small amounts would be enough. Respondents judged fresh meat (except pork) to be healthier than meat products, and poultry to be the healthiest meat. Overall meat consumption frequency was predicted by language region, gender, household size, and BMI. Furthermore, participants' opinion about healthiness, taste and safety of meat but not their adherence to the Swiss food pyramid was found to be correlated to the consumption frequency of individual types of meat. Conclusion : Several factors have an impact on consumption frequency of meat and meat products in the middle-aged and elderly Swiss population and the importance varies according to the individual types of meat and meat products. The results show that the traditional food pyramid is not one of these factors for which reason new tools must be explored to support elderly people in regard to a healthy dietary behaviour.

Factors predicting meat and meat products consumption among middle-aged and elderly people: evidence from a consumer survey in Switzerland

PubMed Central

Schmid, Alexandra; Gille, Doreen; Piccinali, Patrizia; Bütikofer, Ueli; Chollet, Magali; Altintzoglou, Themistoklis; Honkanen, Pirjo; Walther, Barbara; Stoffers, Helena

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: An adequate diet contributes to health and wellbeing in older age. This is nowadays more important than ever since in industrialised countries the elderly population is growing continually. However, information regarding the consumption behaviour of older persons in Switzerland is limited. Objective: The objective of this investigation was to explore how middle-aged and elderly Swiss view animal products in relation to diet and health, and what factors predict consumption frequency. Design: A representative consumer survey among 632 people over the age of 50 years, living in the German-, French- and Italian-speaking regions of Switzerland was conducted. Results: This paper presents the results related to meat and meat products consumption. Most participants consumed meat and meat products regularly. The majority of participants with low meat intake indicated that eating small amounts would be enough. Respondents judged fresh meat (except pork) to be healthier than meat products, and poultry to be the healthiest meat. Overall meat consumption frequency was predicted by language region, gender, household size, and BMI. Furthermore, participants’ opinion about healthiness, taste and safety of meat but not their adherence to the Swiss food pyramid was found to be correlated to the consumption frequency of individual types of meat. Conclusion: Several factors have an impact on consumption frequency of meat and meat products in the middle-aged and elderly Swiss population and the importance varies according to the individual types of meat and meat products. The results show that the traditional food pyramid is not one of these factors for which reason new tools must be explored to support elderly people in regard to a healthy dietary behaviour. PMID:28469547

A replication of the relationship between elderly suicides rates and elderly dependency ratios: a cross-national study.

PubMed

Shah, Ajit

2010-01-01

A positive correlation between elderly dependency ratios and elderly suicide rates has been observed using one-year cross-sectional data on elderly suicide rates. A cross-national study designed to replicate this positive correlation between elderly dependency ratios and elderly suicide rates was undertaken by: (i) using one-year average of five years data on suicide rates; and (ii) using more recent data on both elderly suicide rates and elderly dependency ratios. Data on elderly suicide rates, and the total number of elderly and young people was ascertained from the World Health Organization website. The main findings were of significant positive correlations between elderly dependency ratios and suicide rates in both sexes in both the elderly age-bands (65-74 years and 75+ years). The replication of the positive correlations between elderly dependency ratios and elderly suicide rates by using one-year average of five years data on suicide rates suggests that this relationship is robust and accurate. ‎

Are elderly people with co-morbidities involved adequately in medical decision making when hospitalised? A cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Ekdahl, Anne W; Andersson, Lars; Wiréhn, Ann-Britt; Friedrichsen, Maria

2011-08-18

Medical decision making has long been in focus, but little is known of the preferences and conditions for elderly people with co-morbidities to participate in medical decision making. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the preferred and the actual degree of control, i.e. the role elderly people with co-morbidities wish to assume and actually had with regard to information and participation in medical decision making during their last stay in hospital.This study was a cross-sectional survey including three Swedish hospitals with acute admittance. The participants were patients aged 75 years and above with three or more diagnoses according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and three or more hospitalisations during the last year. We used a questionnaire combined with a telephone interview, using the Control Preference Scale to measure each participant's preferred and actual role in medical decision making during their last stay in hospital. Additional questions were asked about barriers to participation in decision making and preferred information seeking role. The results are presented with descriptive statistics with kappa weights. Of the 297 elderly patients identified, 52.5% responded (n = 156, 46.5% male). Mean age was 83.1 years. Of the respondents, 42 of 153 patients said that they were not asked for their opinion (i.e. no shared decision making). Among the other 111 patients, 49 had their exact preferred level of participation, 37 had less participation than they would have preferred, and 23 had more responsibility than they would have preferred. Kappa statistics showed a moderate agreement between preferred and actual role (κw = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.45-0.69). Most patients wanted to be given more information without having to ask. There was no correlation between age, gender, or education and preferred role. 35% of the patients agreed that they experienced some of the various barriers to decision making that they

Data Management in an Intelligent Environment for Cognitive Disabled and Elderly People

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loniewski, Grzegorz; Ramon, Emilio Lorente; Walderhaug, Ståle; Martinez Franco, Sixto; Cubillos Esteve, Juan Jose; Marco, Eduardo Sebastian

Recently intelligent and personalized medical systems tend to be one of the most important branches of the health-care domain, playing a great role in improving the quality of life of people that want to feel safe and to be assisted not regarding the place they are. This paper presents an innovative way of data management based on a middleware platform providing services for fast and easy creation of applications dealing with the problems of taking care of patients in their homes. The work was carried out as a part of the MPOWER project, funded by the EU 6th Framework Programme, and carried out by a multinational development team. The project focuses on supporting activities of daily living and provides services for elderly and cognitive disabled, e.g. people with dementia. The MPOWER platform is designed to facilitate rapid development of a variety of applications and adopt them to specific users’ needs. The paper introduces the whole platform, its functionality and principal goals along with the architectural background of data management, focusing on the different types of data that the system has to manage and analyze. The last section concludes the work done on the project.

Pain, range of motion and activity level as correlates of dynamic balance among elderly people with musculoskeletal disorder.

PubMed

Bello, A I; Ababio, E; Antwi-Baffoe, S; Seidu, M A; Adjei, D N

2014-12-01

Assessment of impairment and disability measures on dynamic balance status of elderly patients is well documented in the rehabilitation of neuromuscular disorders. Few studies however considered similar evaluation in musculoskeletal disorders. To determine the influence of pain, hip range of motion and level of activity on dynamic balance among elderly people with hip osteoarthritis (OA). Elderly patients with hip OA participated in the cross-sectional survey. The impairment measures were assessed using the visual analogue scale and double-arm universal goniometer whilst their levels of activity were assessed with the Barthel Index. Participants performed Turn-180 on two trials by taking steps clockwise and anti-clockwise round a sturdy arm chair. The total number of steps taken to complete each Turn- 180 was determined. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data whilst Pearson moment correlation coefficient determined the correlations of the variables at 95% confidence interval. The study involved 87 participants comprising 40(46%) males and 47(54%) females. The age of the participants ranged from 60 to 74 years with a mean of 65.8±4.5 years. There was a positive and significant correlation (r=0.596; p<0.001) between the participants' pain and steps taken to complete Turn-180. The participants' hip flexibility and the level of activity were also significantly and inversely correlated with the performance of Turn-180. The dynamic balance of the sampled elderly patients was considerably influenced by pain, hip flexibility and level of activity, thereby putting premium on the assessment of the variables during musculoskeletal rehabilitation of elderly patients.

Elder abuse.

PubMed

Kurrle, Susan

2004-10-01

Elder abuse is a common and yet often unrecognised problem in our community. With up to 5% of the community dwelling older population being victims of abuse, the general practitioner has a pivotal role in identifying this abuse. This article provides an outline of the definition of elder abuse, describes the types of abuse seen and the reasons for occurrence of abuse. It summarises the role of the GP in the identification and management of abuse and provides guidance on intervention strategies. Case studies are used to illustrate the issues discussed. Elder abuse is defined as any pattern of behaviour which causes physical, psychological, financial or social harm to an older person. The role of the GP in identifying abuse is critical. The vast majority of older people visit their GP at least once a year, and the GP often has a long standing relationship with their patient and the patient's family. They are therefore ideally placed to identify elder abuse.

[Ischemic stoke in the elderly].

PubMed

İnce, Birsen

2017-09-01

Stroke can affect individuals of any age but mostly occurs in elderly people. For each decade after the age of 55 years, the stroke rates doubles in both men and women. Worldwide, the aging of the population increases the importance of primary and secondary prevention interventions for stroke among the elderly group.

Adverse effects of outdoor pollution in the elderly.

PubMed

Simoni, Marzia; Baldacci, Sandra; Maio, Sara; Cerrai, Sonia; Sarno, Giuseppe; Viegi, Giovanni

2015-01-01

With fewer newborns and people living longer, older people are making up an increasing fraction of the total population. Epidemiological evidence shows that older-age-related health problems affect a wide and expanding proportion of the world population. One of the major epidemiological trends of this century is the rise of chronic diseases that affect more elderly than younger people. A total of 3.7 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012 are attributable to outdoor air pollution; the susceptibility to adverse effects of air pollution is expected to differ widely between people and within the same person, and also over time. Frailty history, a measure of multi-system decline, modifies cumulative associations between air pollution and lung function. Moreover, pre-existing diseases may determine susceptibility. In the elderly, due to comorbidity, exposure to air pollutants may even be fatal. Rapid and not-well-planned urbanization is associated with high level of ambient air pollution, mainly caused by vehicular exhausts. In general, there is sufficient evidence of the adverse effects related to short-term exposure, while fewer studies have addressed the longer-term health effects. Increased pollution exposures have been associated with increased mortality, hospital admissions/emergency-room visits, mainly due to exacerbations of chronic diseases or to respiratory tract infections (e.g., pneumonia). These effects may also be modulated by ambient temperature and many studies show that the elderly are mostly vulnerable to heat waves. The association between heat and mortality in the elderly is well-documented, while less is known regarding the associations with hospital admissions. Chronic exposure to elevated levels of air pollution has been related to the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis (CB), asthma, and emphysema. There is also growing evidence suggesting adverse effects on lung function related to long-term exposure

Health Related Quality of Life in a Sample of Older People who are Members of Open Care Centers for the Elderly.

PubMed

Ponirou, Paraskevi; Diomidous, Marianna; Kalokairinou, Athena; Mantas, John; Tsimahidou, Chariklia; Tzavara, Chara

2014-01-01

The consequences of demographic ageing, demographic and social-economic changes, changes in the structure of family, in the shrinkage of Welfare state, influenced the lifestyle of the older people and their social relations. The institution of Open Care Centers for the Elderly (KAPI) was created in the context of these conditions. This cross-sectional study examined the lifestyle of the older people who are member of KAPI and their association with all HRQoL dimensions. The results of this research showed that the main reason for the participants to become members of the KAPI was entertainment and/or companionship (98.4%). Additionally subjects who suffered from a chronic disease had significantly lower scores on all HRQoL dimensions, while participants who were members in the activity groups of KAPI had significantly higher scores. The elderly within the KAPI have many opportunities to meet with other persons of their age, and develop various activities and interests.

An ergonomic garment design for elderly Turkish men.

PubMed

Civitci, S Sule

2004-05-01

This paper presents an ergonomic garment design for elderly Turkish men. The purpose of this study was to determine elderly men's demands, needs and problems in regard to clothing and to design an ergonomic garment in the light of this knowledge. The sample consisted of 120 elderly men living in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey, and its province. A questionnaire was prepared and given to these people in order to determine their clothing demands and needs. It was established that most of our subjects need functional garments. An ergonomic garment has been designed using the obtained data. It was found that the design of clothing for the elderly requires attention to bodily changes from aging in order to facilitate and raise the quality of life. Specific suggestions are made to elderly people and to the ready-to-wear sector.

Mental health first aid for the elderly: A pilot study of a training program adapted for helping elderly people.

PubMed

Svensson, Bengt; Hansson, Lars

2017-06-01

Epidemiological studies have shown a high prevalence of mental illness among the elderly. Clinical data however indicate both insufficient detection and treatment of illnesses. Suggested barriers to treatment include conceptions that mental health symptoms belong to normal aging and lack of competence among staff in elderly care in detecting mental illness. A Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training program for the elderly was developed and provided to staff in elderly care. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in knowledge in mental illness, confidence in helping a person, readiness to give help and attitudes towards persons with mental illness. Single group pre-test-post-test design. The study group included staff in elderly care from different places in Sweden (n = 139). Significant improvements in knowledge, confidence in helping an elderly person with mental illness and attitudes towards persons with mental illness are shown. Skills acquired during the course have been practiced during the follow-up. The adaption of MHFA training for staff working in elderly care gives promising results. Improvements in self-reported confidence in giving help, attitudes towards persons with mental illness and actual help given to persons with mental illness are shown. However, the study design allows no firm conclusions and a randomized controlled trail is needed to investigate the effectiveness of the program. Outcomes should include if the detection and treatment of mental illness among the elderly actually improved.

Low-frequency group exercise improved the motor functions of community-dwelling elderly people in a rural area when combined with home exercise with self-monitoring

PubMed Central

Matsubayashi, Yoshito; Asakawa, Yasuyoshi; Yamaguchi, Haruyasu

2016-01-01

[Purpose] This study examined whether low-frequency group exercise improved the motor functions of community-dwelling elderly people in a rural area when combined with home exercise with self-monitoring. [Subjects] The subjects were community-dwelling elderly people in a rural area of Japan. [Methods] One group (n = 50) performed group exercise combined with home exercise with self-monitoring. Another group (n = 37) performed group exercise only. Low-frequency group exercise (warm-up, exercises for motor functions, and cool-down) was performed in seven 40 to 70-minute sessions over 9 weeks by both groups. Five items of motor functions were assessed before and after the intervention. [Results] Significant interactions were observed between groups and assessment times for all motor functions. Improvements in motor functions were significantly greater in the group that performed group exercise combined with home exercise with self-monitoring than in the group that performed group exercise only. Post-hoc comparisons revealed significant differences in 3 items of motor functions. No significant improvements were observed in motor functions in the group that performed group exercise only. [Conclusions] Group exercise combined with home exercise with self-monitoring improved motor functions in the setting of low-frequency group exercise for community-dwelling elderly people in a rural area. PMID:27065520

Research on Indigenous Elders: From Positivistic to Decolonizing Methodologies

PubMed Central

Braun, Kathryn L.

2014-01-01

Although indigenous peoples have lower life expectancies than the social majority populations in their countries, increasing numbers of indigenous people are living into old age. Research on indigenous elders is informed by a number of research traditions. Researchers have mined existing data sets to compare characteristics of indigenous populations with non-indigenous groups, and these findings have revealed significant disparities experienced by indigenous elders. Some investigators have attempted to validate standardized research tools for use in indigenous populations. Findings from these studies have furthered our knowledge about indigenous elders and have highlighted the ways in which tools may need to be adapted to better fit indigenous views of the constructs being measured. Qualitative approaches are popular, as they allow indigenous elders to tell their stories and challenge non-indigenous investigators to acknowledge values and worldviews different from their own. Recently, efforts have extended to participatory and decolonizing research methods, which aim to empower indigenous elders as researchers. Research approaches are discussed in light of the negative experiences many indigenous peoples have had with Eurocentric research. Acknowledgment of historical trauma, life-course perspectives, phenomenology, and critical gerontology should frame future research with, rather than on, indigenous elders. PMID:23841952

Research on indigenous elders: from positivistic to decolonizing methodologies.

PubMed

Braun, Kathryn L; Browne, Colette V; Ka'opua, Lana Sue; Kim, Bum Jung; Mokuau, Noreen

2014-02-01

Although indigenous peoples have lower life expectancies than the social majority populations in their countries, increasing numbers of indigenous people are living into old age. Research on indigenous elders is informed by a number of research traditions. Researchers have mined existing data sets to compare characteristics of indigenous populations with non-indigenous groups, and these findings have revealed significant disparities experienced by indigenous elders. Some investigators have attempted to validate standardized research tools for use in indigenous populations. Findings from these studies have furthered our knowledge about indigenous elders and have highlighted the ways in which tools may need to be adapted to better fit indigenous views of the constructs being measured. Qualitative approaches are popular, as they allow indigenous elders to tell their stories and challenge non-indigenous investigators to acknowledge values and worldviews different from their own. Recently, efforts have extended to participatory and decolonizing research methods, which aim to empower indigenous elders as researchers. Research approaches are discussed in light of the negative experiences many indigenous peoples have had with Eurocentric research. Acknowledgment of historical trauma, life-course perspectives, phenomenology, and critical gerontology should frame future research with, rather than on, indigenous elders.

Across the health-social care divide: elderly people as active users of health care and social care.

PubMed

Roberts, K

2001-03-01

Several ways in which elderly people may assume an active role when using welfare services are discussed here. Selected findings are presented from a study that explored the experience and behaviour of elderly people on discharge from inpatient care with regard to criteria indicating user influence or control (namely participation, representation, access, choice, information and redress). Data were collected via semistructured interviews with service users (n = 30) soon after their return home from hospital. A number of differences were revealed between health care and social care in relation to users being provided with opportunities to assume an active role and in being willing and able to assume an active role. These differences were manifest in elderly service users accessing services, seeking information, exercising choice and acting independently of service providers. It appeared paradoxical that contact points were more easily defined with regard to health care yet users were more likely to exercise choice and act independently in securing social care. It is suggested that social care needs and appropriate service delivery are more easily recognised than making the link between perceived health care needs and appropriate services. In addition, it appeared that informal and private providers are more widely available and accessible for social care. If comprehensive continuing care is to be provided, incorporating both health and social care elements, greater uniformity appears to be required across the welfare sector. Lessons for social care provision from the delivery of health care suggest the clear definition of contact points to facilitate service use. Making health care more accessible, however, does not appear to be easily attainable due to the monopoly provision of health care and the lack of direct purchasing power by potential users.

The assessment of social skills deficits in the elderly.

PubMed

Furnham, A; Pendleton, D

1983-01-01

This paper tested the hypothesis that a sample of elderly people compared to a matched sample of younger people reports an increase in difficulty and social anxiety in dealing with a wide range of everyday social situations. The literature on assertiveness and social skills training with the elderly was first reviewed. Then an assertiveness and social difficulty scale was administered to a group of eighty participants divided by age and sex. It was found that older people experienced less discomfort in situations requiring assertiveness, yet were less likely to respond assertively. Older people reported higher incidence of social anxiety across forty everyday situations. In general females reported more difficulty than males, though there were no interaction effects. The results are discussed in terms of the assessment and training of social skills in the elderly.

Dietary intake of antioxidants and fats in the context of coronary heart disease prevention among elderly people.

PubMed

Kolarzyk, Emilia; Skop-Lewandowska, Agata; Jaworska, Jagoda; Ostachowska-Gąsior, Agnieszka; Krzeszowska-Rosiek, Teresa

2018-03-14

Some literature data indicate that the proper intake of exogenic antioxidants from food and the proper intake of fats can offer significant protection against coronary heart disease. The estimation of total antioxidant capacity of food intake on the basis of Dietary Antioxidant Index (DAI), together with an assessment of the contribution of particular food products in DAI, and the evaluation of consumption of all dietary fats and frequency of consumption of products that are a source of fats among elderly people in Krakow, Poland. 143 persons (73 women and 70 men) aged 65-80 were studied. None of them was under specialist medical control, including cardiological control. DAI was investigated on the basis of the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) which included 145 food items. DAI was measured using the method by Benzi and expressed as FRAP (the ability to reduce Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺, measured in mMol/l). The daily intake of fats was estimated using the 24-h nutritional recall. The frequency of fats consumption was estimated with the usage of FFQ. For statistical analysis, χ2 test was used. The mean value of DAI of all studied persons was 34.27 + 11.72 mMol/l. The largest percentage of those studied had FRAP values in the range 25-35 mMol/l. The highest contribution in the total DAI value was found in fruit (36.2%), grains and cereal-based products (23.6%), and beverages (24.0%). The consumption of vegetables was on the fourth position (7.1%). The contribution of the remaining food products was low. The consumption of total fats (about 70g/24h) and saturated fatty acids (14% of energetic value) exceeded the recommendations. The participation of mono-and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the diets was not in accordance with recommendations. The most frequently consumed fats were animal fats (sausages, butter) and cakes, but the consumption of vegetable oils, fish, nuts and seeds of oil plants was too low. The majority of elderly people made mistakes in

[Frequency of dementia and pre-dementia in elderly people requesting an Autonomy Adapted Assistance grant in the department of Nièvre].

PubMed

Carrin-Maudet, C; Abidh, L; Ganier, M H; Schulz, T; Refait, D

2005-06-01

This study was carried out in the French county of Nièvre after the establishment of a new state funded grant for elderly people called the Autonomy Adapted Allocation. The study looks at the medical evaluations conducted in the homes of elderly people aged 60 and over who have submitted a request for this new grant (a total of 2388 requests were received). The study points to a high level of dependence within the target population of those who are "susceptible to dementia". It also demonstrated that the current scale used for identifying those who are susceptible to dementia is insufficient for its purpose in this case, and unfortunately it lacks the ability to include a portion of the population who should be considered as recipients of these funds. This gap corroborates the difficulty in fully appreciating and understanding the functional repercussions of dementia.

Equity and equality in the use of GP services for elderly people: the Spanish case.

PubMed

Crespo-Cebada, Eva; Urbanos-Garrido, Rosa M

2012-02-01

To present new evidence both on the horizontal inequity in the delivery of primary health care and on the factors driving inequalities in the use of GP services for Spanish population aged 50 years and over. Cross-sectional study based on the Spanish sample of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) for 2006-07. We use the index proposed by Wagstaff and van Doorslaer (HI(WV)) to compute health care inequity. The concentration index measuring income related inequality in health care use is decomposed into the contribution of each determinant. Our results show the presence of pro-poor inequality in both the access and the frequency of use for GP services, which is mainly explained by unequal distribution of need factors. The contribution of non-need factors to income related inequality is quite higher for the conditional number of GP visits (48.13%) than for the probability of positive use (17.55%). We have also found significant pro-poor inequity in the probability of access to a GP and in the conditional number of visits for elderly people. The relevance of social determinants of health is confirmed, and hence the need for wide-scoped public policies to reduce health inequalities. At equal levels of need, rich and poor elderly people are not treated equally. As much as appropriateness of care provided is unknown, we cannot conclude that inequity in GP services really favours the lower income individuals in terms of health gains. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Future research: a prospective longitudinal study of elder self-neglect.

PubMed

Dyer, Carmel Bitondo; Franzini, Luisa; Watson, Mary; Sanchez, Luis; Prati, Laura; Mitchell, Stacy; Wallace, Robert; Pickens, Sabrina

2008-11-01

In almost every U.S. jurisdiction, elder self-neglect is the most common allegation addressed by Adult Protective Service (APS) agencies. Not only is self-neglect common, but this form of mistreatment is an independent risk factor for death. A lack of understanding of the precipitating factors and root causes and of the effect on social and medical systems persists in this field. Research in this area has been limited, because the needs of these vulnerable elderly people are complex and diverse. Moreover, these factors encompass interrelated medical, psychiatric, economic, social, and functional problems. In 2004, the National Institutes of Health Interdisciplinary Roadmap Initiative provided the means for preliminary exploration of elder self-neglect through the formation of the Consortium for Research in Elder Self-neglect of Texas (CREST). The goals of CREST include to conduct pilot studies, form interdisciplinary working groups, convene a national research conference, and appoint a national external advisory board. CREST orchestrated the work of 35 interdisciplinary investigators to achieve these goals. CREST researchers have begun to characterize the population of vulnerable elderly people who were reported to APS for neglecting themselves. The pilot studies provided a snapshot of 100 elderly people who had neglected themselves. A proposed next phase could involve a prospective longitudinal study of elderly people with severe self-neglect. This study of the clinical course, the death rate, the causes of death, the occurrence of acute and chronic medical or mental illness, and the costs to the healthcare and social systems would greatly inform the field of elder mistreatment.

The influence of fruit and vegetable intake on the nutritional status and plasma homocysteine levels of institutionalised elderly people.

PubMed

Bermejo, L M; Aparicio, A; Andrés, P; López-Sobaler, A M; Ortega, R M

2007-03-01

To determine the difference in the nutritional status of elderly people depending on their consumption of fruits and vegetables, and to study the possible association between the consumption of these foods and different cardiovascular risk factors, especially total plasma homocysteine (t-Hcys) levels. A cross-sectional study in 152 institutionalised older people from Madrid aged > or = 65 years. Food and nutrient intakes were recorded over 7 days using the 'precise individual weighing' method. The weight, height, and waist and hip circumferences of all subjects were recorded, as were their alpha-erythrocyte glutathione reductase, serum B6, B12 and folate levels, erythrocyte folate levels, t-Hcys levels, serum lipids and blood pressure. The experimental population was then divided into tertiles depending on the serving intake of fruit and vegetables (T1, < 2.29 servings day(-1); T2, 2.29-2.79 servings day(-1); and T3, >2.79 servings day(-1)). Compared with T1 subjects, T3 subjects showed consumptions of cereals, pulses, meat, fish and eggs closer to those recommended (P < 0.05). In addition, the contribution of their diet towards covering the recommended daily intake of vitamin B1, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin C, B12, vitamin A, and P, Mg, Zn and Fe was higher. The intake of fibre increased with consumption of fruit and vegetables (r = 0.6839, P < 0.001). T3 subjects also had better serum and erythrocyte folate levels than T1 and T2 subjects (P < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between the consumption of fruit and vegetables and serum folate (r = 0.2665, P < 0.01) and with erythrocyte folate levels (r = 0.2034, P < 0.05), and a negative correlation with t-Hcys (r = -0.2493, P < 0.01). Greater consumption of fruit and vegetables is associated with better food habits, increased vitamin and mineral intakes and lower t-Hcys levels. Considering that the fruit and vegetable intake in Spanish elderly people is very low, it is recommended that the

Effects of glucose load on cognitive functions in elderly people.

PubMed

van der Zwaluw, Nikita L; van de Rest, Ondine; Kessels, Roy P C; de Groot, Lisette C P G M

2015-02-01

Glucose is the main fuel for the brain, and manipulation of the glucose supply may consequently affect brain function. The present review was conducted to provide an overview of studies that investigated the acute effects of glucose load on memory and other cognitive functions in elderly people. The effects of sucrose on cognition and suggested mechanisms were also explored. A total of twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. In the majority of studies, episodic memory was investigated and a beneficial role for glucose in that specific cognitive domain was suggested. Other cognitive domains, i.e., working memory, semantic memory, visual memory, information-processing speed, attention, executive function, and visual/spatial function, have been studied less frequently and evidence for a beneficial effect of glucose was equivocal. Mechanisms are suggested to be mainly related to the human body's need for glucose as a metabolic substrate for physiological mechanisms in both central and peripheral processes. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

WOMAC and SF-36: instruments for evaluating the health-related quality of life of elderly people with total hip arthroplasty. A descriptive study.

PubMed

Rampazo-Lacativa, Mariana Kátia; Santos, Ariene Angelini dos; Coimbra, Arlete Maria Valente; D'Elboux, Maria José

2015-01-01

Quality-of-life results have increasingly been evaluated among patients undergoing joint replacements. The objective of this study was to compare two assessment instruments for health-related quality of life (one generic and the other specific), among elderly patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. Cross-sectional descriptive study in a reference hospital in the region of Campinas. The subjects were 88 elderly outpatients aged 60 years or over who underwent primary total hip arthroplasty. Two instruments for assessing health-related quality of life were applied: the generic Medical Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the specific Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Cronbach's alpha and the ceiling and floor effects of the instruments were evaluated. The scores from both instruments showed that issues of a physical nature affected these elderly people's quality of life most. The pain and stiffness dimensions of WOMAC showed ceiling effects and only the functional capacity and pain dimensions of the SF-36 did not show the ceiling effect. The SF-36 presented floor effects in the dimensions of physical and emotional aspects. Cronbach's alpha was considered satisfactory in both instruments (α > 0.70). The floor and ceiling effects that were observed suggest that these instruments may present some limitations in detecting changes to the majority of the SF-36 dimensions, except for functional capacity and pain, and to the pain and stiffness dimensions of WOMAC, when applied to elderly people with total hip arthroplasty.

The Most Prevalent Causes of Deaths, DALYs, and Geriatric Syndromes in Iranian Elderly People Between 1990 and 2010: findings from the Global Burden of Disease study 2010.

PubMed

Namazi Shabestari, Alireza; Saeedi Moghaddam, Sahar; Sharifi, Farshad; Fadayevatan, Reza; Nabavizadeh, Fatemeh; Delavari, Alireza; Jamshidi, Hamid Reza; Naderimagham, Shohreh

2015-08-01

The substantial increase in life expectancy during recent decades has left all countries with a high number of elderly people that have particular health needs. Health policy-makers must be aware of the most prevalent causes of deaths and DALYs in this age group, as well as geriatric syndromes, in order to provide appropriate care and allocate resources in an equitable manner. The Global Burden of Disease study 2010 (GBD 2010), conducted by the institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation team, estimated the worldwide burden of diseases from 1990 to 2010. Its estimations were conducted on the basis of the proportion of deaths, the duration of symptoms and disability weights for sequelae, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to different diseases. In the present study, we extracted the data regarding the top five most prevalent causes of deaths, DALYs, and geriatric syndromes in the elderly based on the aforementioned GBD 2010, discussed the results using some tables and figures, reviewed the results, described the limitations of GBD 2010, and finally provided some recommendations as potential solutions. According to GBD 2010, the total number of deaths in Iran in 1990 was 321,627, of which 116,100 were in elderly people (those aged 60 years and above), meaning that 36.10% of all deaths occurred in the elderly. Among all diseases in this year, the first to third ranked causes of death were ischemic heart disease (IHD; 29.44%), neoplasms (13.52%), and stroke (7.24%). In comparison, the total number of deaths in Iran increased to 351,814 in 2010, with 213,116 of these occurring in the elderly (60.58% of deaths), but the most prevalent causes of death remained the same as in 1990. The highest 1990 DALYs rates were the result of IHD (21.56%), neoplasms (10.70%), and stroke (4.85%). IHD (22.77%), neoplasms (9.48%), and low back pain (LBP; 5.72%) were the most prevalent causes of DALYs in

[Effects of community-based comprehensive fall prevention program on muscle strength, postural balance and fall efficacy in elderly people].

PubMed

Bae, Jeongyee; Cho, Seong Il

2014-12-01

The purposes of this study was to develop a comprehensive community-based fall prevention program and to test the effects of the program on the muscle strength, postural balance and fall efficacy for elderly people. The design of this study was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. There were 28 participants in the experimental group and 29 in the control group. The program consisted of balance exercises, elastic resistance exercises and prevention education. The program was provided five times a week for 8 weeks and each session lasted 90 minutes. Data were analyzed using χ²-test, independent t-test and paired t-test using the SPSS program. Muscle strength of the lower extremities, postural balance and fall efficacy scores significantly improved in the experimental group compared to the control group. These results suggest that this program can improve lower extremity muscle strength, postural balance and fall efficacy in elders. Therefore, this program is recommended for use in fall prevention programs for elders living in the community.

Nutritional assessment of elderly people.

PubMed

Cena, H; Madini, N; Zaccardo, A; Rondanelli, M; Roggi, C

2008-09-01

Since today's society is characterised by an increase in the number of elderly persons, who are subject more than any other group to an alteration in their state of nutrition, in this review we propose the possible methods that can be used for an accurate nutritional diagnosis in this age group. Considering that malnutrition, sarcopenia and motor disability are factors that are more likely to occur with aging, it is extremely important for certain clinical anamnestic parameters, such as biohumoral and anthropometric indicators, but also specific tables and questionnaires, to become standard routine practice in health care in order to facilitate the diagnosis of these possible events.

The factors associated with a self-perceived hearing handicap in elderly people with hearing impairment--results from a community-based study.

PubMed

Chang, Hsin-Pin; Ho, Chin-Yu; Chou, Pesus

2009-10-01

Elderly persons with a physiologic hearing deficit (hearing impairment) are not necessarily socially or emotionally disturbed by the deficit in everyday life (hearing handicap). The self-perception of a hearing handicap in elderly people is a key element in seeking consultation for a hearing impairment or using hearing aids. Thus, it is important to determine the factors associated with the self-perception of a hearing handicap. The aims of the present study were to report the relation between a hearing impairment and the self-perception of a hearing handicap, and the factors associated with a self-perceived hearing handicap among a group of randomly recruited, community-dwelling elderly persons, aged 65 yr and older, in Taipei, Taiwan. A cross-sectional survey of community-dwelling elderly persons aged 65 yr and older (N = 1220) participating in an annual general purpose geriatric health examination in 2005 in Taipei. Pure-tone audiometry and a questionnaire including the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening Version (HHIE-S) were administered, after obtaining the subject's consent to participate in the study. Demographic information, lifestyle, self-report health status, and biochemical data were also collected. There was a moderate association (gamma(s) = 0.52) between hearing impairment and self-perceived handicap. Only 21.4% of the study subjects with moderate to profound hearing impairment (M4 >or=41 dB HL, N = 555) perceived themselves as hearing-handicapped (HHIE-S total score >or=10). Besides hearing level, marital status (widowed) and self-perceived general health (bad or neutral) were factors that are significantly associated with a self-perceived hearing handicap among elderly subjects with moderate to profound hearing impairment. For study subjects with moderate to profound hearing impairment (M4 >or=41 dB HL), 5.0% of those with HHIE-S <10 and 45.4% of those with HHIE-S >or=10 used or felt that they required hearing aids (chi2 test, p

The Prevention of Elder Abuse: An Educational Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gold, Deborah T.; Gwyther, Lisa P.

1989-01-01

Notes that research on elder abuse highlights importance of communication and conflict resolution in families of older people, and that few prevention programs are available for use with community groups. Reviews literature on elder abuse and describes an educational curriculum designed to prevent abuse and neglect in families of the elderly.…

A daily living activity remote monitoring system for solitary elderly people.

PubMed

Maki, Hiromichi; Ogawa, Hidekuni; Matsuoka, Shingo; Yonezawa, Yoshiharu; Caldwell, W Morton

2011-01-01

A daily living activity remote monitoring system has been developed for supporting solitary elderly people. The monitoring system consists of a tri-axis accelerometer, six low-power active filters, a low-power 8-bit microcontroller (MC), a 1GB SD memory card (SDMC) and a 2.4 GHz low transmitting power mobile phone (PHS). The tri-axis accelerometer attached to the subject's chest can simultaneously measure dynamic and static acceleration forces produced by heart sound, respiration, posture and behavior. The heart rate, respiration rate, activity, posture and behavior are detected from the dynamic and static acceleration forces. These data are stored in the SD. The MC sends the data to the server computer every hour. The server computer stores the data and makes a graphic chart from the data. When the caregiver calls from his/her mobile phone to the server computer, the server computer sends the graphical chart via the PHS. The caregiver's mobile phone displays the chart to the monitor graphically.

"Stay Tuned": The Role of ICTs in Elderly Life.

PubMed

Colombo, Fausto; Aroldi, Piermarco; Carlo, Simone

2014-01-01

Ageing in western society has become a key issue in political and academic debate: politicians, sociologists, doctors, demographers, psychologists, economists are trying to understand how ageing will impact our future society. In this frame, media and communication technologies seem to be more and more relevant for the elderly, thanks to those services and devices helping people to grow old actively. Technologies, the Internet and ICTs could help the elderly to improve their quality of life, to be healthy and independent and to get better assistance. Our ongoing research investigates the relationship between the elderly and use of technologies, and explores the role played by media and ICTs in building a friendly and positive environment for the elderly, and in constructing and maintaining social relations and promoting healthy ageing. Specifically, the research will investigate the use of ICTs by the elderly by taking into account two different perspectives: a) Exchanges between generations: lengthening of life corresponds to a longer period of cohabitation between at least three generations (grandparents, children, grandchildren), and also of co-use of digital media. The research wants to investigate relations between two age groups (grandparents and grandchildren; young people and older people) to understand the dynamics of intergenerational mutuality in the use of technologies and ICTs. b) Media, ICTs, Health: the Western world is increasingly populated by elderly population. Technologies and ICTs can help elderly people to improve their quality of life, to be healthy and independent and to get better assistance. ICTs should encourage active ageing and, in the case of health technologies, new models of care. The project, lasting 1 year, is based on (1) a survey on young elderly (65-74 yrs) population in Italy, and (2) a field-work which consists of family interviews and ethnographical sections in natural contexts.

Effects of Cognitive, Motor, and Karate Training on Cognitive Functioning and Emotional Well-Being of Elderly People

PubMed Central

Jansen, Petra; Dahmen-Zimmer, Katharina

2012-01-01

The present study investigated the influence of cognitive, motor, and Karate (accordingly the guidelines of the German-Karate-Federation, DKV) training on the cognitive functioning and mental state of older people between 67 and 93 years of age. The three training groups each consisted of 12 elderly participants; the waiting control group included 9 participants. Before the training, participants were evaluated with cognitive measurements (cognitive speed: number-connection test, number–symbol test; memory performance: digit-span test, blocking-tapping test, figure test) and a measurement of emotional well-being. After this pre-testing they participated the specific training in on average sixteen 1-h training sessions. The cognitive training exercised inductive thinking ability, the motor training worked on easy stretching and mobilization techniques, and the Karate training taught tasks of self-defense, partner training, and Katas. After completion of the training sessions, all tests were applied again. The results show no significant difference in cognitive improvement dependent on group between the three training conditions. However a significant improvement was found in the emotional mental state measurement for the Karate group compared to the waiting control group. This result suggests that the integrated involvement in Karate leads to a feeling of self-worth and that, even in elderly people, integration of new sports helps to improve quality of life. PMID:22363311

No effect on intake and liking of soup enhanced with mono-sodium glutamate and celery powder among elderly people with olfactory and/or gustatory loss.

PubMed

Essed, Natasja H; Kleikers, Suzanne; van Staveren, Wija A; Kok, Frans J; de Graaf, Cees

2009-01-01

Mono-sodium glutamate (MSG) and/or flavors may improve palatability and intake in elderly people. Whether this improvement is related to a decline in chemosensory sensitivity is unclear. We examined the effect of flavor-enhanced tomato soup (1,200 mg/l MSG (0.12% MSG) + 3 g/l celery powder) versus non-enhanced soup on intake and liking in 120 older adults (72+/-6 years). Olfactory and gustatory performance was measured. For the whole group, no difference in intake (198 g vs. 203 g) (P =0.97), liking (6.6 vs. 6.7) (P =0.99) and strength (7.2 vs. 7.2) (P =0.76) between the soups was found. Intake (P =0.52), liking (P =0.90) and strength (P =1.00) between the soups were not different within the low olfactory/low gustatory group. Intake and liking of the flavor-enhanced soup was not increased within elderly with low chemosensory sensitivity. Enhancing flavors to increase intake and liking may not be a uniform approach due to the heterogeneity in chemosensory losses among elderly people.

The Association Between Physical Activity, Mental Status, and Social and Family Support with Five Major Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases Among Elderly People: A Cross-Sectional Study of a Rural Population in Southern China.

PubMed

Huang, Xiang; Yang, Huajie; Wang, Harry H X; Qiu, Yongjun; Lai, Xiujuan; Zhou, Zhiheng; Li, Fangjian; Zhang, Liwei; Wang, Jiaji; Lei, Jimin

2015-10-21

Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) have become the top threat in China. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of major NCDs among the elderly population in rural areas in southern China and explore its associated social determinants. A multistage cluster random sampling methodology was adopted to select a total of 9245 rural elderly people from 3860 rural households in Guangdong Province. Interviews and physical examinations were performed to collect patient information. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore factors associated with the presence of major NCDs. Over one-third (38.5%) of the study population suffered from five major NCDs. The grade of activities of daily living (ADL), mental status, and social relationship of elderly people without NCDs were better than those with NCDs. The major factors associated with the presence of NCDs among the elderly people included age (70-79 years group and 80-89 years group), education level (senior high/technical secondary school and junior college and above), mental status (concentration, enrichment and happy life and memory), relationship with neighbours, activities of daily living (ADL) (being able to climb three floors and bend over), physical activity, marital status (bereft), and living conditions (with offspring and family members). The study identified several social determinants associated with the presence of major NCDs. A higher level of family support and physical exercise might contribute to improved physical condition, mental status, and ADL among the elderly people in rural areas in southern China.

Comparison of Outpatient Services between Elderly People with Intellectual Disabilities and the General Elderly Population in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Shang-Wei; Lin, Jin-Ding; Chiang, Po-Huang; Chang, Yu-Chia; Tung, Ho-Jui

2012-01-01

This study aims to analyze the ambulatory visit frequency and medical expenditures of the general elderly population versus the elderly with intellectual disabilities in Taiwan, while examining the effects of age, gender, urbanization and copayment status on ambulatory utilization. A cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze data from 103,183…

Preparedness for Protecting the Health of Community-Dwelling Vulnerable Elderly People in Eastern and Western Japan in the Event of Natural Disasters.

PubMed

Tsukasaki, Keiko; Kanzaki, Hatsumi; Kyota, Kaoru; Ichimori, Akie; Omote, Shizuko; Okamoto, Rie; Kido, Teruhiko; Sakakibara, Chiaki; Makimoto, Kiyoko; Nomura, Atsuko; Miyamoto, Yukari

2016-01-01

We clarified the preparedness necessary to protect the health of community-dwelling vulnerable elderly people following natural disasters. We collected data from 304 community general support centres throughout Japan. We found the following in particular to be challenging: availability of disaster-preparedness manuals; disaster countermeasures and management systems; creation of lists of people requiring assistance following a disaster; evacuation support systems; development of plans for health management following disasters; provision of disaster-preparedness guidance and training; disaster-preparedness systems in the community; disaster information management; the preparedness of older people themselves in requiring support; and support from other community residents.

Theories and measures of elder abuse.

PubMed

Abolfathi Momtaz, Yadollah; Hamid, Tengku Aizan; Ibrahim, Rahimah

2013-09-01

Elder abuse is a pervasive phenomenon around the world with devastating effects on the victims. Although it is not a new phenomenon, interest in examining elder abuse is relatively new. This paper aims to provide an overview of the aetiological theories and measures of elder abuse. The paper briefly reviews theories to explain causes of elder abuse and then discusses the most commonly used measures of elder abuse. Based on the reviewed theories, it can be concluded that elder abuse is a multifactorial problem that may affect elderly people from different backgrounds and involve a wide variety of potential perpetrators, including caregivers, adult children, and partners. The review of existing measurement instruments notes that many different screening and assessment instruments have been developed to identify elders who are at risk for or are victims of abuse. However, there is a real need for more measurements of elder abuse, as the current instruments are limited in scope. © 2013 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2013 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Adverse effects of outdoor pollution in the elderly

PubMed Central

Baldacci, Sandra; Maio, Sara; Cerrai, Sonia; Sarno, Giuseppe; Viegi, Giovanni

2015-01-01

With fewer newborns and people living longer, older people are making up an increasing fraction of the total population. Epidemiological evidence shows that older-age-related health problems affect a wide and expanding proportion of the world population. One of the major epidemiological trends of this century is the rise of chronic diseases that affect more elderly than younger people. A total of 3.7 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012 are attributable to outdoor air pollution; the susceptibility to adverse effects of air pollution is expected to differ widely between people and within the same person, and also over time. Frailty history, a measure of multi-system decline, modifies cumulative associations between air pollution and lung function. Moreover, pre-existing diseases may determine susceptibility. In the elderly, due to comorbidity, exposure to air pollutants may even be fatal. Rapid and not-well-planned urbanization is associated with high level of ambient air pollution, mainly caused by vehicular exhausts. In general, there is sufficient evidence of the adverse effects related to short-term exposure, while fewer studies have addressed the longer-term health effects. Increased pollution exposures have been associated with increased mortality, hospital admissions/emergency-room visits, mainly due to exacerbations of chronic diseases or to respiratory tract infections (e.g., pneumonia). These effects may also be modulated by ambient temperature and many studies show that the elderly are mostly vulnerable to heat waves. The association between heat and mortality in the elderly is well-documented, while less is known regarding the associations with hospital admissions. Chronic exposure to elevated levels of air pollution has been related to the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis (CB), asthma, and emphysema. There is also growing evidence suggesting adverse effects on lung function related to long-term exposure

A mobile phone-based Communication Support System for elderly persons.

PubMed

Ogawa, Hidekuni; Yonezawa, Yoshiharu; Maki, Hiromichi; Caldwell, W Morton

2007-01-01

A mobile phone-based communication support system has been developed for assisting elderly people to communicate by mobile phone. The system consists of a low power mobile phone (PHS phone) having a large liquid crystal screen. When an elderly person telephones, they then choose a communication person from registered support personnel pictures displayed on the liquid crystal screen. The PHS phone dials that person automatically. The elderly person can therefore easily recognize and verify the person. The newly-developed communication support system assists a significant percentage of elderly people with poor eyesight and memory, which frequently cause communication problems, such as dialing a wrong number.

[Factors associated with the frailty of elderly people with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis].

PubMed

Gesualdo, Gabriela Dutra; Zazzetta, Marisa Silvana; Say, Karina Gramani; Orlandi, Fabiana de Souza

2016-11-01

The scope of this article is to identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with the frailty of elderly people with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis. This involved a correlational, cross-sectional study conducted in a dialysis center in the state of São Paulo. The sample consisted of 60 participants. The Participant Characterization Instrument was used for extracting sociodemographic and clinical data and the Edmonton Frail Scale was used to evaluate the level of frailty. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with frailty. The mean age of the 60 patients included was 71.1 (± 6.9) years, predominantly male (70%), of which 36.7% were classified as frail. With respect to the factors associated with frailty among the variables of gender, age, self-reported skin color, schooling, monthly per capita income, hemodialysis time, number of associated diseases, falls in the year, hematocrit level, parathyroid hormone and use of calcitriol, it was found that only the monthly per capita income was significantly associated with frailty (OR = 0.44; 95% CI 0.1-0.9; p = 0.04). There was an association between frailty and income, showing that the elderly most at risk of frailty were those with lower income.

Needs, Interests, and Limitations for the Promotion of Health and Exercise by a Web Site for Sighted and Blind Elderly People: A Qualitative Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gusi, Narcis; Prieto, Josue; Forte, David; Gomez, Ignacio; Gonzalez-Guerrero, Jose-Luis

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify needs, interests, and obstacles related to obtaining health education by means of a Web site for elderly people who do not use the Internet. A total of 34 participants were divided into five discussion groups, one of which was made up of blind people. An analysis of the semantic content of the…

Screening for Elder Abuse among Turkish Older People: Validity of the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (H-S "East")

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özmete, Emine; Megahead, Hamido A.

2017-01-01

Objective: This study aims to adapt "The Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Test (H-S "East")" (Neale, Hwalek, Scott, Sengstock, & Stahl, 1991) to Turkish and to assess its validity and reliability while determining the factors that affect elder abuse. Method: The sample of the study is composed of 465 elderly women and…

User-centered development and testing of a monitoring system that provides feedback regarding physical functioning to elderly people

PubMed Central

Vermeulen, Joan; Neyens, Jacques CL; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D; van Rossum, Erik; Sipers, Walther; Habets, Herbert; Hewson, David J; de Witte, Luc P

2013-01-01

Purpose To involve elderly people during the development of a mobile interface of a monitoring system that provides feedback to them regarding changes in physical functioning and to test the system in a pilot study. Methods and participants The iterative user-centered development process consisted of the following phases: (1) selection of user representatives; (2) analysis of users and their context; (3) identification of user requirements; (4) development of the interface; and (5) evaluation of the interface in the lab. Subsequently, the monitoring and feedback system was tested in a pilot study by five patients who were recruited via a geriatric outpatient clinic. Participants used a bathroom scale to monitor weight and balance, and a mobile phone to monitor physical activity on a daily basis for six weeks. Personalized feedback was provided via the interface of the mobile phone. Usability was evaluated on a scale from 1 to 7 using a modified version of the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ); higher scores indicated better usability. Interviews were conducted to gain insight into the experiences of the participants with the system. Results The developed interface uses colors, emoticons, and written and/or spoken text messages to provide daily feedback regarding (changes in) weight, balance, and physical activity. The participants rated the usability of the monitoring and feedback system with a mean score of 5.2 (standard deviation 0.90) on the modified PSSUQ. The interviews revealed that most participants liked using the system and appreciated that it signaled changes in their physical functioning. However, usability was negatively influenced by a few technical errors. Conclusion Involvement of elderly users during the development process resulted in an interface with good usability. However, the technical functioning of the monitoring system needs to be optimized before it can be used to support elderly people in their self-management. PMID

Prospective observational study to evaluate risk factors for falls in institutionalized elderly people: the role of cystatin C.

PubMed

Peláez, Verónica Centeno; Ausín, Lourdes; Mambrilla, Marta Ruiz; Gonzalez-Sagrado, Manuel; Pérez Castrillón, José Luis

2015-08-01

To evaluate the role of balance and gait disorders, comorbidities and laboratory abnormalities in the occurrence of falls in an institutionalized elderly population. We made a non-interventional, prospective, observational study in elderly institutionalized people. Comorbidities and information on treatments were obtained. Function and cognition were measured using the Katz Index, the Tinetti Balance and Gait, lower extremity function tests and the Mini-Mental test. At the inclusion, the analytical was made including cystatin C. Falls were recorded for 20 months after inclusion. Patients with falls were older (85 ± 7 vs. 82 ± 8, p = 0.04) and more often female (88 vs. 12 %, p = 0.01). Dyslipidemia, hypertension and antihypertensive treatment were associated with an increased risk of falls. Cystatin C was higher in patients with falls (0.96 ± 0.21 vs. 1.12 ± 0.29, p = 0.02). Functional tests showed differences in the Tinetti balance test (15 ± 2 vs. 13 ± 3, p = 0.04) and lower extremity function balance test (2.8 ± 1.2 vs. 2.2 ± 1.2, p = 0.05). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were worse in patients with falls (22 ± 4 vs. 25 ± 4, p = 0.01). Only female status (6.2, p = 0.03), the MMSE scores (1.2, p = 0.02) and cystatin C (5.3, p = 0.02) were independent risk factors for falls after logistic regression. Female sex, cognitive impairment and cystatin C were risk factors for falls in non-dependent institutionalized elderly people.

Short-term effects of glucose and sucrose on cognitive performance and mood in elderly people.

PubMed

van der Zwaluw, Nikita L; van de Rest, Ondine; Kessels, Roy P C; de Groot, Lisette C P G M

2014-01-01

In this study we determined the short-term effects of a glucose drink and a sucrose drink compared to a placebo on cognitive performance and mood in elderly people with subjective, mild memory complaints using a randomized crossover study design. In total, 43 nondiabetic older adults with self-reported memory complaints were included. Drinks consisted of 250 ml with dissolved glucose (50 g), sucrose (100 g), or a mixture of artificial sweeteners (placebo). Multiple neuropsychological tests were performed and were combined by means of z scores into four cognitive domains: episodic memory, working memory, attention and information (processing speed), and executive functioning. Mood was assessed with the short Profile of Mood Status (s-POMS) questionnaire. Blood glucose concentrations were measured at five time points to divide participants into those with a better or poorer blood glucose recovery. Performance on the domain of attention and information processing speed was significantly better after consuming the sucrose drink (domain score of 0.06, SD = 0.91) than after the placebo drink (-0.08, SD = 0.92, p = .04). Sucrose had no effect on the other three domains, and glucose had no effect on any of the domains compared to the placebo. When dividing participants into poorer or better glucose recoverers, the beneficial effect of sucrose on attention and information processing speed was only seen in participants with a poorer recovery. After sucrose consumption, depressive feelings and tension were slightly higher than after the placebo. To conclude, 100 g sucrose, but not 50 g glucose, optimized attention and information processing speed in the short term in this study in elderly people with subjective, mild memory complaints.

A Season of Loss: Training Manual for the Prevention of Elderly Depression and Suicide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Praeger, Susan; And Others

This instructional module emphasizes that depression and suicide are real problems for elderly people, shows how depression and suicidal thoughts can arise in older people, and describes interventions that can be used. Chapter 1 presents an introduction and overview of elderly suicide and includes sections on the plight of the elderly, community…

Nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in elderly people: Clinical outcomes and prognostic factors.

PubMed

González-González, José A; Monreal-Robles, Roberto; García-Compean, Diego; Paz-Delgadillo, Jonathan; Wah-Suárez, Martín; Maldonado-Garza, Héctor J

2017-04-01

To analyze the clinical characteristics, outcomes and prognostic factors in elderly patients (aged 75 years and elder) with acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). Consecutive patients admitted with acute nonvariceal UGIB who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were prospectively recruited and subdivided into two age-based groups, elderly (aged ≥75 years) and younger patients (<75 years). The patients' characteristics and outcomes were recorded. Altogether 1136 patients were included in the study, 276 (24.3%) aged ≥75 years. Peptic ulcers, gastroduodenal erosions and esophagitis represented the three most common endoscopic lesions found in 87.7% of the elderly patients compared with 80.8% in younger patients ( P  = 0.008). Overall, the rebleeding rate (4.0% vs 3.3%, P = 0.568), need for blood transfusion (66.3% vs 61.0%, P = 0.122), surgery rate (1.2% vs 1.4%, P = 0.947) and in-hospital mortality (13.0% vs 10.0%, P = 0.157) were not different between the two groups. In elderly patients, serum albumin was the only predictive variable independently associated with mortality in the overall analysis (OR 5.867, 95% CI 2.206-15.604, P < 0.001) and in the subgroup patients with peptic ulcers (OR 5.230, 95% CI 2.099-13.029, P = 0.001). Elderly patients with serum albumin >23.5 g/L at admission presented a low mortality (negative predictive value 97.3%). Clinical evolution and mortality do not differ between the elderly and younger patients with acute nonvariceal UGIB. Serum albumin level at admission is a prognostic marker for mortality in elder patients. © 2017 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Aspects of care culture in municipal care for elderly people: a hermeneutic documentary analysis of reports of abuse.

PubMed

Rytterström, Patrik; Arman, Maria; Unosson, Mitra

2013-06-01

Care culture is an important contextual factor in care practice. Care culture refers to a process of creating meaning out of tradition, horizon and bildung. The care culture is often taken into consideration in situations that go beyond the everyday routine, such as cases of abuse. In Sweden, health care professionals are obliged to document and report any suspected bad conditions. Although the reports have the potential to communicate underlying values and assumptions about the care culture, such studies have not been performed. The aim of this study was to understand how elderly care abuse in institutions could be understood from a care culture perspective. A hermeneutic documentary analysis was conducted on 269 incident reports concerning suspected mistreatment of the elderly in three municipalities in Sweden. The hermeneutic analysis followed a four-stage process: selecting and reading the text, setting out the context, closing the hermeneutic circle, and finally creating a conceptual bridge towards a critical understanding from a phenomenological lifeworld perspective.   The care of the elderly in the municipality was based on a social culture that placed residents' needs at the centre. Following routines were considered important in preventing mistreatment and were intended to ensure that all patients were treated fairly and equally. Care was described as task oriented and often lacking in interpersonal relations. From a phenomenological lifeworld perspective, it was interpreted that in the municipalities' care of the elderly, there was a focus on elderly people's freedom at the expense of the vulnerability aspects of well-being. Raising awareness of the care culture underlying abuse could help to improve understanding of care practice. Change may be only possible when reflected on the existing perspectives underpinning the care culture, and integrate them into a broader framework for caring. © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Exercise training improves sleep pattern and metabolic profile in elderly people in a time-dependent manner

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Aging and physical inactivity are two factors that favors the development of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, and sleep dysfunction. In contrast, the adoption a habitual of moderate exercise may present a non-pharmacological treatment alternative for sleep and metabolic disorders. We aimed to assess the effects of moderate exercise training on sleep quality and on the metabolic profile of elderly people with a sedentary lifestyle. Fourteen male sedentary, healthy, elderly volunteers performed moderate training for 60 minutes/day, 3 days/week for 24 wk at a work rate equivalent to the ventilatory aerobic threshold. The environment was kept at a temperature of 23 ± 2°C, with an air humidity 60 ± 5%. Blood and polysomnographs analysis were collected 3 times: at baseline (1 week before training began), 3 and 6 months (after 3 and 6 months of training). Training promoted increasing aerobic capacity (relative VO2, time and velocity to VO2max; p < 0.05), and reduced serum NEFA, and insulin concentrations as well as improved HOMA index (p < 0.05), and increased adiponectin levels (p < 0.05), after 3 months of training when compared with baseline data. The sleep parameters, awake time and REM sleep latency were decreased after 6 months exercise training (p < 0.05) in relation baseline values. Our results demonstrate that the moderate exercise training protocol improves the sleep profile in older people, but the metabolism adaptation does not persist. Suggesting that this population requires training strategy modifications as to ensure consistent alterations regarding metabolism. PMID:21733182

Prescribing benzodiazepines for noninstitutionalized elderly.

PubMed Central

Thomson, M.; Smith, W. A.

1995-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To describe benzodiazepine prescribing for elderly people living in the community in British Columbia, and to compare such prescribing with an indicator of current guidelines. DESIGN: Descriptive analysis of pharmacy billing data. SETTING: Province of British Columbia. PARTICIPANTS: All elderly persons (age 65 and older) dispensed benzodiazepines by community pharmacies in British Columbia during 1990. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Potentially inappropriate prescriptions were defined by a maximum 2-month limit of 20 diazepam equivalents daily, as determined by the BC Drug Usage Review Program in consultation with experts in the field. Physicians' rates of potentially inappropriate prescribing were determined per 100 benzodiazepine prescriptions written. RESULTS: Almost 24% of elderly people in British Columbia were prescribed benzodiazepines at least once during 1990. Of these, 17.1% were given potentially inappropriate prescriptions. Physicians who prescribed benzodiazepines most frequently had the highest rates of potentially inappropriate prescriptions. CONCLUSION: Prescribing practice does not correspond with our indicator of current guidelines. PMID:7756916

Comparison of the effects of swimming and Tai Chi Chuan on body fat composition in elderly people.

PubMed

Yu, Tung-Yang; Pei, Yu-Cheng; Lau, Yiu-Chung; Chen, Chih-Kuang; Hsu, Hung-Chih; Wong, Alice M K

2007-01-01

Accumulation of fat and substantial loss of muscle mass are common phenomena in the elderly. In this study, we observed the effects of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) and swimming, two exercises suitable for elderly people, on the percentage body fat and fat distribution by measuring subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness and body composition. Subjects were divided into three groups: regular swimmers (n = 20), regular TCC practitioners (n = 32), and age-matched control subjects (n = 31). Subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness was taken using a Lange skinfold caliper at the chests, abdomens, and thighs in the men, and the triceps, suprailium, and thighs in the women. Mid-arm circumference (MAC) was measured on the non-dominant upper arm using fiberglass tape. Body composition was analyzed using the Inbody 3.0 logo, a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) system. No significant differences were found between the three test groups in relation to total body adiposity and arm muscle circumference in the men and women. There was significantly less subcutaneous adipose tissue at the abdomen (p = 0.011) and thigh (p < 0.001) of TCC-group men and at the thighs (p < 0.001) of the swimming group compared with the control group. In women, only the thigh skinfold (p = 0.002) showed a decrease in the TCC group compared with the control group. Swimming and TCC may not decrease total fat adiposity in elderly men and women, however, they may change body fat distribution due to certain muscle group usage. The differences observed in the effects of exercise on body fat distribution between elderly women and men may be gender-related.

Femoral nerve block in a representative sample of elderly people with hip fracture: A randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Unneby, Anna; Svensson, Olle; Gustafson, Yngve; Olofsson, Birgitta

2017-07-01

The number of elderly people with hip fracture and dementia is increasing, and many of these patients suffer from pain. Opioids are difficult to adjust and side effects are common, especially with increased age and among patients with dementia. Preoperative femoral nerve block is an alternative pain treatment. To investigate whether preoperative femoral nerve block reduced acute pain and opioid use after hip fracture among elderly patients, including those with dementia. In this randomised controlled trial involving patients aged ≥70years with hip fracture (trochanteric and cervical), including those with dementia, we compared femoral nerve block with conventional pain management, with opioid use if required. The primary outcome was preoperative pain, measured at five timepoints using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Preoperative opioid consumption was also registered. The study sample comprised 266 patients admitted consecutively to the Orthopaedic Ward. The mean age was 84.1 (±6.9)years, 64% of participants were women, 44% lived in residential care facilities, and 120 (45.1%) had dementia diagnoses. Patients receiving femoral nerve block had significantly lower self-rated pain scores from baseline to 12h after admission than did controls. Self-rated and proxy VAS pain scores decreased significantly in these patients from baseline to 12h compared with controls (p<0.001 and p=0.003, respectively). Patients receiving femoral nerve block required less opioids than did controls, overall (2.3±4.0 vs. 5.7±5.2mg, p<0.001) and in the subgroup with dementia (2.1±3.3 vs. 5.8±5.0mg, p<0.001). Patients with hip fracture, including those with dementia, who received femoral nerve block had lower pain scores and required less opioids before surgery compared with those receiving conventional pain management. Femoral nerve block seems to be a feasible pain treatment for elderly people, including those with dementia. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

Evaluation of vulnerable PM2.5-exposure individuals: a repeated-measure study in an elderly population.

PubMed

Chu, Haiyan; Xin, Junyi; Yuan, Qi; Zhang, Xu; Pan, Wang; Zeng, Xinying; Chen, Yaoyao; Ma, Gaoxiang; Ge, Yuqiu; Du, Mulong; Tong, Na; Li, Xiaobo; Zhang, Zhengdong; Wang, Meilin

2018-04-01

Numerous studies have shown that elderly people are susceptible to high-level particles with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ) exposure. However, not all elderly people exposed to PM 2.5 suffer from diseases. In this study, we aim to establish a method to predict the vulnerable PM 2.5 -exposure individuals among elderly population. Fourteen elderly people were recruited from May 8 to July 4, 2016, in Nanjing, China. Ten physiological indicators were repeatedly measured for 15 times. Liner mixed-effects model, principal component analysis (PCA), and PM 2.5 lag score were used to estimate the effects of PM 2.5 on blood pressure, pulse, and lung function. As a result, each quartile increase of ambient PM 2.5 was significantly associated with increased pulse (P < 0.05 for lag0, 1, 4, 0-1, 0-2, 0-3, and 0-5 days), decreased blood pressure (P < 0.05 for lag4 and 0-3 days), and decreased lung function (P < 0.05 for lag0, 1, 0-1, and 0-2 days) among the 14 elderly people. In terms of pulse or lung function, three elderly people were considered as vulnerable PM 2.5 -exposure individuals. No vulnerable individual was found for blood pressure. Blood pressure, pulse, and lung function could be affected by high-level PM 2.5 exposure in elderly people. This method for screening three elderly people may provide a new insight on identifying the vulnerable PM 2.5 -exposure individuals.

Nutrition knowledge, attitudes and dietary restriction behaviour of Taiwanese elderly.

PubMed

Lin, Wei; Lee, Ya-Wen

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study is to understand knowledge about and general attitudes towards nutrition, dietary restriction attitudes, and dietary restriction behavior in the Taiwanese elderly, and the relationship of these various components to each other. Data from the Elderly Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (1999-2000) were used for analysis and included 1937 elderly persons aged over 65. The results indicated that the elderly had poor nutrition knowledge, especially about the relationship between nutrition and disease. Elderly nutrition attitudes were fair; they tended to disagree with misconceptions about "healthy" or functional foods and also had quite positive general eating attitudes. However, the Taiwanese elderly hold quite strong attitudes influenced by Chinese traditional or food-texture-related dietary restrictions. Elderly people frequently avoid eating foods considered unhealthy by modern medical science (e.g. high fat/cholesterol foods) as well as foods forbidden by Chinese traditional medicine (e.g. "heating" foods, "cooling" foods). Most of the elderly regularly eat three meals a day, however, they seldom pay attention to dietary and nutrition information. The most important sources of nutrition information are offspring or family members, TV, and medical practitioners. In general, elderly men with a higher educational level and living in less remote areas had better nutrition knowledge, held more positive nutrition attitudes, and kept to dietary restrictions less frequently. Elderly people's nutrition knowledge was positively related to their health-care attitudes, general eating attitudes, high- fat or high-cholesterol food restriction behavior, fermented or pickled food restriction behavior, attention to nutrition information, and regularity of meals. However, nutrition knowledge was inversely related to Chinese traditional or food-texture-related dietary restriction behaviors. The results of this study suggest that education of elderly

Spatiotemporal characteristics of elderly population's traffic accidents in Seoul using space-time cube and space-time kernel density estimation.

PubMed

Kang, Youngok; Cho, Nahye; Son, Serin

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the spatiotemporal characteristics of traffic accidents involving the elderly population in Seoul are changing by time period. We applied kernel density estimation and hotspot analyses to analyze the spatial characteristics of elderly people's traffic accidents, and the space-time cube, emerging hotspot, and space-time kernel density estimation analyses to analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics. In addition, we analyzed elderly people's traffic accidents by dividing cases into those in which the drivers were elderly people and those in which elderly people were victims of traffic accidents, and used the traffic accidents data in Seoul for 2013 for analysis. The main findings were as follows: (1) the hotspots for elderly people's traffic accidents differed according to whether they were drivers or victims. (2) The hourly analysis showed that the hotspots for elderly drivers' traffic accidents are in specific areas north of the Han River during the period from morning to afternoon, whereas the hotspots for elderly victims are distributed over a wide area from daytime to evening. (3) Monthly analysis showed that the hotspots are weak during winter and summer, whereas they are strong in the hiking and climbing areas in Seoul during spring and fall. Further, elderly victims' hotspots are more sporadic than elderly drivers' hotspots. (4) The analysis for the entire period of 2013 indicates that traffic accidents involving elderly people are increasing in specific areas on the north side of the Han River. We expect the results of this study to aid in reducing the number of traffic accidents involving elderly people in the future.

Elderly Care Centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagiman, Aliani; Haja Bava Mohidin, Hazrina; Ismail, Alice Sabrina

2016-02-01

The demand for elderly centre has increased tremendously abreast with the world demographic change as the number of senior citizens rose in the 21st century. This has become one of the most crucial problems of today's era. As the world progress into modernity, more and more people are occupied with daily work causing the senior citizens to lose the care that they actually need. This paper seeks to elucidate the best possible design of an elderly care centre with new approach in order to provide the best service for them by analysing their needs and suitable activities that could elevate their quality of life. All these findings will then be incorporated into design solutions so as to enhance the living environment for the elderly especially in Malaysian context.

Ageing in place, an overview for the elderly in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobi, S. U. Mohd; Fathi, M. S.; Amaratunga, D.

2017-10-01

Population ageing is a worldwide phenomenon experienced by developed and developing countries. It occurs when the median age of a country rises and shifts the distribution of that country's population towards older ages. Malaysia is experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of elderly people. Recent medical advances and improvements in hygiene and food supply have led to the people of Malaysia having a longer life expectancy. This paper comprehensively reviews articles and journals to discover the concepts, definitions and issues regarding the ageing population globally and in Malaysia, particularly looking at how elderly people can age in place. The concern over ageing is not just about the size of the old age population but, more importantly, about their health, welfare, care and living arrangements as well as the implications for infrastructure, housing, income and economic growth. The built environment plays a role in defining the conditions for people to live healthy lives, and older people require high-quality built environments that suit their needs across the whole life course - a building stock and infrastructure that supports independent living and enhances quality of life for the ageing population. Lifetime houses which fulfil the desires and vital requirement of most households whilst considering the changing essentials of households with elderly and aged people require careful consideration. This paper will review the key areas of housing for elderly people to support the concept of ageing in place as an independent living lifestyle.

[Special characteristics of antibiotic therapy in the elderly].

PubMed

Stock, Ingo

2012-03-01

The ever-increasing proportion of elderly people in the general population represents physicians and pharmacists with new challenges. Older people suffer more frequently than younger persons from bacterial diseases, and they have a higher tendency to develop more severe or progressive forms of these illnesses. Bacterial diseases of the urinary tract, respiratory tract, skin and soft tissues are especially common in old age. In general, most antibacterial agents are also promising agents for the therapy of bacterial diseases in the elderly. Prior to initiating therapy, however, the modified organ functions of the elderly have to be considered carefully. Depending on the individual and the antibacterial agent, a dose adjustment may be necessary. To reduce the high mortality rate characteristic for many infectious diseases in the elderly, antibacterial therapy ought to be carefully calculated and initiated as quickly as possible. It has to be born in mind that some side effects of antibiotics are more common and more severe in old age. Since older people often take several drugs simultaneously, the probability for the occurrence of side effects and drug interactions in this population is greatly increased. Significant compliance problems may also arise.

Factors affecting medication adherence in elderly people

PubMed Central

Jin, Hyekyung; Kim, Yeonhee; Rhie, Sandy Jeong

2016-01-01

Background Little is known about the functional health literacy (FHL) associated with medication adherence in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to examine the FHL among older adults and identify influencing factors that can predict medication adherence. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey. Participants (n=160) aged 65 years and older were selected from outpatient clinics of 3 tertiary care hospitals, 6 community pharmacies, and 2 senior centers between November 1 and 30, 2014. The participants’ FHL was measured using the Korean Functional Health Literacy Test, which consists of 15 items including 8 numeracy and 7 reading comprehension items. Medication adherence was measured by the Adherence to Refills and Medication Scale. Descriptive statistics, chi-square or Fisher’s exact test, and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Results The mean score of the total FHL was 7.72±3.51 (range 0–15). The percentage of the total number of correct answers for the reading comprehension subtest and numeracy subtest were 48.1% and 54.4%, respectively. Among 160 participants, 52.5% showed low adherence to medication. The factors affecting medication adherence included the patient’s degree of satisfaction with the service (β=−0.215, P=0.022), sufficient explanation of medication counseling (β=−0.335, P=0.000), education level (β=−0.153, P=0.045), health-related problems (β=−0.239, P=0.004), and dosing frequency (β=0.189, P=0.018). Conclusion In this study, we found medication adherence of elderly patients was associated with education level, health-related problems, dosing frequency, satisfaction with patient counseling, and explanation of medication, but no association was found with FHL. Pharmacists should consider elderly patients’ individual characteristics such as educational background and specific patient-related health problems, provide sufficient information and explanation of medication, and ensure patient

Frequency of leisure activities and depressive symptomatology in elderly people: the moderating role of rumination.

PubMed

Fernández-Fernández, Virginia; Márquez-González, María; Losada-Baltar, Andrés; Romero-Moreno, Rosa

2014-02-01

The positive effects of leisure activities on depressive symptomatology are well known. However, the extent to which emotional regulation variables moderate that relationship has scarcely been studied, especially in older people. The aim of this study is to analyze the moderating role of rumination in the relation between leisure activities and depressive symptoms. Participants in this study were 311 people, aged 60 to 90 years (mean age: 71.27 years; SD: 6.99; 71.7% women). We evaluated depressive symptomatology, frequency of leisure activities, and rumination. We carried out a hierarchical regression analysis to confirm the moderating role of rumination. We obtained a model that explains 39.4% of the variance of depressive symptomatology. Main effects were found for the frequency of leisure activities (β = -0.397; p < 0.01) and for rumination (β = 0.497; p < 0.01). Moreover, we found a significant effect of the interaction between frequency of leisure activities and rumination (β = 0.110; p < 0.05), suggesting that rumination plays a moderating role in the relation between leisure activities and depressive symptomatology. A risk profile of elderly people may consist of those who engage in low levels of leisure activities but also use more frequently the dysfunctional emotional regulation strategy of rumination.

[Artificial intelligence in medicine: project of a mobile platform in an intelligent environment for the care of disabled and elderly people].

PubMed

Cortés, Ulises; Annicchiarico, Roberta; Campana, Fabio; Vázquez-Salceda, Javier; Urdiales, Cristina; Canãmero, Lola; López, Maite; Sánchez-Marrè, Miquel; Di Vincenzo, Sarah; Caltagirone, Carlo

2004-04-01

A project based on the integration of new technologies and artificial intelligence to develop a device--e-tool--for disabled patients and elderly people is presented. A mobile platform in intelligent environments (skilled-care facilities and home-care), controlled and managed by a multi-level architecture, is proposed to support patients and caregivers to increase self-dependency in activities of daily living.

Body composition in elderly people: effect of criterion estimates on predictive equations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baumgartner, R.N.; Heymsfield, S.B.; Lichtman, S.

1991-06-01

The purposes of this study were to determine whether there are significant differences between two- and four-compartment model estimates of body composition, whether these differences are associated with aqueous and mineral fractions of the fat-free mass (FFM); and whether the differences are retained in equations for predicting body composition from anthropometry and bioelectric resistance. Body composition was estimated in 98 men and women aged 65-94 y by using a four-compartment model based on hydrodensitometry, {sup 3}H{sub 2}O dilution, and dual-photon absorptiometry. These estimates were significantly different from those obtained by using Siri's two-compartment model. The differences were associated significantly (Pmore » less than 0.0001) with variation in the aqueous fraction of FFM. Equations for predicting body composition from anthropometry and resistance, when calibrated against two-compartment model estimates, retained these systematic errors. Equations predicting body composition in elderly people should be calibrated against estimates from multicompartment models that consider variability in FFM composition.« less

Are elderly dependency ratios associated with general population suicide rates?

PubMed

Shah, Ajit

2011-05-01

The elderly population size is increasing worldwide due to falling birth rates and increasing life expectancy. It has been hypothesized that as the elderly dependency ratio (the ratio of those over the age of 65 years to those under 65) increases, there will be fewer younger people available to care for older people and this, in turn, will increase the burden on younger carers with increased levels of psychiatric morbidity leading to an increase in general population suicide rates. A cross-national study examining the relationship between elderly dependency ratios and general population suicide rates was conducted using data from the World Health Organization and the United Nations websites. The main findings were of a significant and independent positive correlation between elderly dependency ratios and general population suicide rates in both genders. The contribution of cross-national differences in psychiatric morbidity in younger carers on general population suicide rates requires further study. The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in younger carers of older people should be examined by: (i) cross-national studies using standardized measures of psychiatric morbidity that are education-free, culture-fair and language-fair; and (ii) within-country longitudinal studies with changing elderly dependency ratios over time.

Increased collagenase and dipeptidyl peptidase I activity in leucocytes from healthy elderly people

PubMed Central

Llorente, L; Richaud-Patin, Y; Díaz-Borjón, A; Jakez-Ocampo, J; Alvarado-De La Barrera, C

1999-01-01

The incidence of infectious diseases increases with ageing. The enzymatic activity of leucocytes may have a relevant role in the morbidity and mortality due to infections in the elderly. In this study we have compared the activity of enzymes involved in the inflammatory response in leucocytes from young and elderly women. A total of 35 healthy females was studied, 20 volunteers aged 78–98 years (mean 89.1 years) and 15 young controls aged 19–34 years (mean 26 years). All of them were in good clinical condition, without any acute or chronic disease. Intracellular enzyme activity was analysed by flow cytometry in leucocytes from young and elderly women. The enzyme substrates employed were for oxidative burst, l-aminopeptidase, collagenase, cathepsin B, C, D and, G and dipeptidyl peptidase I. The intracellular enzyme activity assessed by flow cytometry in leucocytes from young and elderly women was similar, as far as oxidative burst, l-aminopeptidase, cathepsin B, C, D and G are concerned. An increased collagenase activity was detected in granulocytes from elders. The mean fluorescence channels for this enzyme corresponded to 86 ± 23 and 60 ± 15 in cells from elders and controls, respectively (P = 0.01224). An increased dipeptidyl peptidase I activity was detected in lymphocytes from elderly women. The corresponding values for this enzyme in elders and the young were 65.9 ± 43.3 and 17.3 ± 5, respectively (P = 0.0036). The proper functional activity of intracellular enzymes involved in inflammatory responses is likely to be determinant for successful ageing. PMID:10361229

The key actors maintaining elders in functional autonomy in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Globally, a significant increase in functional disability among the elderly is expected in the near future. It is therefore vital to begin considering how Sub-Saharan Africa countries can best start building or strengthening the care and support system for that target population. Study objectives are: 1) identify the key actors of the social system who maintain elders in functional autonomy at home in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) and 2) to describe the functional status of older people living at home. Methods We conducted a longitudinal descriptive study among the elderly aged 60 and above (351). Their functional status was evaluated using the Functional Autonomy Measurement System (SMAF). Data analysis was done using the statistical software package STATA (SE11). Results In Bobo-Dioulasso, 68% of seniors have good functional capacity or a slight incapacity and 32% have moderate to severe incapacities. Older people die before (3%) or during (14%) moderate to severe disabilities. This would mean that the quality of medical and/or social care is not good for maintaining functional autonomy of older people with moderate to severe disabilities. Two main groups of people contribute to maintain elders in functional autonomy: the elderly themselves and their family. Community, private or public structures for maintaining elders in functional autonomy are non-existent. The social system for maintaining elders in functional autonomy is incomplete and failing. In case of functional handicap at home, the elders die. But stakeholders are not conscious of this situation; they believe that this system is good for maintaining elders in functional autonomy. Conclusion It is likely that the absence of formal care and support structure likely shortens the lifespan of severely disabled older people. Stakeholders have not yet looked at this possibility. The stakeholders should seriously think about: 1) how to establish the third level of actors who can fulfill the needs to

Home Health Telecare and the Elderly in Spain: Technologies Involved and Methodological Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-25

requirements of quality in medical attendance to the elderly , with sustained costs, in a population whose mean age is increasingly older . • IT offer a...Home health telecare, information technologies, elderly people, virtual center. I. INTRODUCTION Nowadays the developed countries are facing...whether home health telecare is a cost-effective solution. To answer this question, health costs based on age show that the elder people are the main

Effects of physical and sporting activities on balance control in elderly people

PubMed Central

Perrin, P. P.; Gauchard, G. C.; Perrot, C.; Jeandel, C.

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Balance disorders increase with aging and raise the risk of accidental falls in the elderly. It has been suggested that the practice of physical and sporting activities (PSA) efficiently counteracts these age related disorders, reducing the risk of falling significantly. METHODS: This study, principally based on a period during which the subjects were engaged in PSA, included 65 healthy subjects, aged over 60, who were living at home. Three series of posturographic tests (static, dynamic with a single and fast upward tilt, and dynamic with slow sinusoidal oscillations) analysing the centre of foot pressure displacements or electromyographic responses were conducted to determine the effects of PSA practice on balance control. RESULTS: The major variables of postural control were best in subjects who had always practised PSA (AA group). Those who did not take part in PSA at all (II group) had the worst postural performances, whatever the test. Subjects having lately begun PSA practice (IA group) had good postural performances, close to those of the AA group, whereas the subjects who had stopped the practice of PSA at an early age (AI group) did not perform as well. Overall, the postural control in the group studied decreased in the order AA > IA > AI > II. CONCLUSIONS: The period during which PSA are practised seems to be of major importance, having a positive bearing on postural control. It seems that recent periods of practice have greater beneficial effects on the subject's postural stability than PSA practice only at an early age. These data are compatible with the fact that PSA are extremely useful for elderly people even if it has not been a lifelong habit. 


 PMID:10205695

Nutrition and prevalence of undernutrition assessed by different diagnostic criteria in nursing homes for elderly people.

PubMed

López-Contreras, M J; Torralba, C; Zamora, S; Pérez-Llamas, F

2012-06-01

Undernutrition is the state produced by the intake of insufficient energy, macronutrients or micronutrients. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of undernutrition using 10 different diagnostic criteria described in the literature and to assess its association with energy intake in an institutionalised elderly population. The cross-sectional study included 213 subjects, aged 65-96 years (135 women and 78 men), who lived in seven nursing homes in the province of Murcia, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Dietary intake and anthropometric and biochemical parameters were assessed, and 10 different diagnostic criteria, taken from studies of elderly subjects similar to our population, were applied. The mean dietary intakes appeared to cover the recommended dietary intake for a Spanish elderly population. However, only 58.2% of the studied subjects consumed 100% of the recommended dietary intake and 15.5% of the subjects had an energy intake below 80% of the recommended dietary intake. Depending on the criteria used for the diagnosis, the proportion of patients with undernutrition varied between 2% and 57%. When the relationship between undernourishment, as defined by the different methods and intake deficiency, was assessed, a statistically significant relationship was only found for five of the 10 diagnostic criteria assessed.   Research needs to focus on the development and evaluation of specific nutritional assessment tools for application to older people aiming to improve the detection of those suffering (or who are at risk of suffering) undernutrition. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics © 2012 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Effects of a short-term whole body vibration intervention on bone mass and structure in elderly people.

PubMed

Gómez-Cabello, Alba; González-Agüero, Alejandro; Morales, Silvia; Ara, Ignacio; Casajús, José A; Vicente-Rodríguez, Germán

2014-03-01

We aimed to clarify whether a short-term whole body vibration training has a beneficial effect on bone mass and structure in elderly men and women. Randomised controlled trial. A total of 49 non-institutionalised elderly (20 men and 29 women) volunteered to participate in the study. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to one of the study groups (whole body vibration or control). A total of 24 elderly trained squat positioned on a vibration platform 3 times per week for 11 weeks. Bone-related variables were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Two-way repeated measures one-way analysis of variance (group by time) was used to determine the effects of the intervention on the bone-related variables and also to determinate the changes within group throughout the intervention period. Analysis of covariance was used to test the differences between groups for bone-related variables in pre- and post-training assessments and in the percentage of change between groups. All analysis were carried out including age, height, subtotal lean mass and daily calcium intake as covariates. 11 weeks of whole body vibration training led to no changes in none of the bone mineral content and bone mineral density parameters measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry through the skeleton. At the tibia, total, trabecular and cortical volumetric bone mineral density decreased significantly in the whole body vibration group (all P<0.05). A short-term whole body vibration therapy is not enough to cause any changes on bone mineral content or bone mineral density and it only produces a slight variation on bone structure among elderly people. Copyright © 2013 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Communication map of elderly people Sociodemographic and cognitive-linguistic aspects

PubMed Central

Silagi, Marcela Lima; Peres, Aline Rufo; Schochat, Eliane; Mansur, Leticia Lessa

2013-01-01

Language and communication difficulties may occur in the elderly population. This is the case of the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon and receptive and auditory comprehension difficulties. Few studies have focused on examining the effects of social exposure on maintaining communication in the aging process. OBJECTIVES [1] To describe the communication map of healthy elderly subjects; [2] To search for associations between frequency and time dedicated to communication and cognitive and sociodemographic factors. METHODS Healthy elderly subjects were submitted to cognitive screening, the Token Test – Revised, and the Verbal Fluency test, and answered the ASHA-FACS and the Circles of Communication Partners questionnaires. RESULTS 55 subjects, 67% female, with ages over 60 years and varied schooling were included in the sample. Interlocutors in the circle of close friends and acquaintances predominated in the communication map, although the time devoted to communication with these partners was lower than in other circles. Overall, the elderly reported no deficits in language comprehension, with some reports of the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon. Poor performances on the Token Test – Revised and in phonemic verbal fluency along with reports of communication functionality indicated that these subjects compensate for their problems. CONCLUSION Older subjects with lower schooling tended to predominantly communicate within the family circle. Within other circles, the number of hours devoted to communication and dialogue partners was not associated with age or schooling. The time devoted to the circle of communication with friends may indicate cognitive difficulties. PMID:29213862

Time-compressed speech test in the elderly.

PubMed

Arceno, Rayana Silva; Scharlach, Renata Coelho

2017-09-28

The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of elderly people in the time-compressed speech test according to the variables ears and order of display, and analyze the types of errors presented by the volunteers. This is an observational, descriptive, quantitative, analytical and primary cross-sectional study involving 22 elderly with normal hearing or mild sensorineural hearing loss between the ages of 60 and 80. The elderly were submitted to the time-compressed speech test with compression ratio of 60%, through the electromechanical time compression method. A list of 50 disyllables was applied to each ear and the initial side was chosen at random. On what concerns to the performance in the test, the elderly fell short in relation to the adults and there was no statistical difference between the ears. It was found statistical evidence of better performance for the second ear in the test. The most mistaken words were the ones initiated with the phonemes /p/ and /d/. The presence of consonant combination in a word also increased the occurrence of mistakes. The elderly have worse performance in the auditory closure ability when assessed by the time-compressed speech test compared to adults. This result suggests that elderly people have difficulty in recognizing speech when this is pronounced in faster rates. Therefore, strategies must be used to facilitate the communicative process, regardless the presence of hearing loss.

Who wants to work with older people? Swedish student nurses' willingness to work in elderly care--a questionnaire study.

PubMed

Carlson, Elisabeth; Idvall, Ewa

2015-07-01

The aging population is a globally recognized challenge for the health care service. The growing number of older people will probably lead to increased demands for nurses working in elderly care. Clinical practice has been shown to have an impact on how student nurses perceive a particular field of nursing. To compare perceptions of the clinical learning environment in nursing homes among students considering a career in aged care or not, and to examine the difference in age, gender and previous working experience as health care assistants in elderly care between the two groups. This was a cross-sectional study using the Swedish version of the Clinical Learning Environment and Nurse Teacher evaluation scale. Consecutive sampling was performed over three semesters from September 2011 to December 2012. The survey was conducted with 183 student nurses. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to examine differences in relation to two groups namely student nurses who did or did not consider to work in elderly care. A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine the difference in age, gender and previous working experience between the two groups. The analysis leaned towards an overall positive evaluation of the clinical learning environment with more positive values for students considering a career. There were no significant differences between younger students (18-23) and older students (24-50) regarding willingness to work in elderly care or not. Neither was any significant difference displayed between students, based on gender nor for previous work experience. Age, gender and previous work experiences as health care assistants did not impact on students' willingness to work in elderly care. Future studies need to acknowledge the complexity of why student nurses choose a particular pathway in nursing by longitudinal studies following cohorts of students during the course of the nursing programme. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expression of proinflammatory, proatherogenic genes is reduced by the Mediterranean diet in elderly people.

PubMed

Camargo, Antonio; Delgado-Lista, Javier; Garcia-Rios, Antonio; Cruz-Teno, Cristina; Yubero-Serrano, Elena M; Perez-Martinez, Pablo; Gutierrez-Mariscal, Francisco M; Lora-Aguilar, Pilar; Rodriguez-Cantalejo, Fernando; Fuentes-Jimenez, Francisco; Tinahones, Francisco Jose; Malagon, Maria M; Perez-Jimenez, Francisco; Lopez-Miranda, Jose

2012-08-01

Ageing is an important determinant of atherosclerosis development rate, mainly by the creation of a chronic low-grade inflammation. Diet, and particularly its fat content, modulates the inflammatory response in the fasting and postprandial states. Our aim was to study the effects of dietary fat on the expression of genes related to inflammation (NF-κB, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), TNF-α and IL-6) and plaque stability (matrix metalloproteinase 9, MMP-9) during the postprandial state of twenty healthy, elderly people who followed three diets for 3 weeks each: (1) Mediterranean diet (Med Diet) enriched in MUFA with virgin olive oil; (2) SFA-rich diet; and (3) low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet enriched in n-3 PUFA (CHO-PUFA diet) by a randomised crossover design. At the end of each period, after a 12-h fast, the subjects received a breakfast with a composition similar to the one when the dietary period ended. In the fasting state, the Med Diet consumption induced a lower gene expression of the p65 subunit of NF-κB compared with the SFA-rich diet (P = 0·019). The ingestion of the Med Diet induced a lower gene postprandial expression of p65 (P = 0·033), MCP-1 (P = 0·0229) and MMP-9 (P = 0·041) compared with the SFA-rich diet, and a lower gene postprandial expression of p65 (P = 0·027) and TNF-α (P = 0·047) compared with the CHO-PUFA diet. Direct plasma quantification mostly reproduced the findings. Our data suggest that consumption of a Med Diet reduces the postprandial inflammatory response in mononuclear cells compared with the SFA-rich and CHO-PUFA diets in elderly people. These findings may be partly responsible for the lower CVD risk found in populations with a high adherence to the Med Diet.

Household characteristics and influenza vaccination uptake in the community-dwelling elderly: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Chan, Denise P.C.; Wong, Ngai Sze; Wong, Eliza L.Y.; Cheung, Annie W.L.; Lee, Shui Shan

2015-01-01

Elderly people are at higher risk of influenza diseases. The morbidity benefit of vaccination is often offset by its low and variable coverage in elderly people in the community. To assess household and individual factors associated with influenza vaccination uptake in the community-dwelling elderly of age ≥ 65, data from a cross-sectional Thematic Household Survey conducted in 2011/12 in Hong Kong were analysed, using vaccination in the past 12 months as the outcome variable. Households comprising an elderly person living with non-elderly member(s) of age ≤ 64 were also evaluated. Data fields included socio-demographics, household structures, health status, eligibility to financial subsidy, and subscription to health insurance. The influenza vaccination rate was 27% in 4204 elderly persons from 3224 households. Being male, being economically active, attaining primary education, having smoking behaviours were negatively associated with vaccination, while chronic illness and age ≥ 70 were positively associated factors. Elderly people living alone gave a variable rate of vaccination ranging from 16.4% in males of age 65–69 to 36.3% in females ≥ 70. Household size per se was not associated with vaccination, but a positive correlation could be seen if the household was composed of vaccinated non-elderly member(s). Influenza vaccination uptake in the community-dwelling elderly is dependent on both individual and household characteristics, the latter including the influence of vaccinated non-elderly member(s). The low vaccination coverage of “younger” (age 65–69) elderly men living alone is particularly worrisome. Interventions focusing on vulnerable elderly people and their social networks would be desirable. PMID:26844153

Influence of socioeconomic conditions on air pollution adverse health effects in elderly people: an analysis of six regions in São Paulo, Brazil

PubMed Central

Martins, M; Fatigati, F; Vespoli, T; Martins, L; Pereira, L; Martins, M; Saldiva, P; Braga, A

2004-01-01

Study objective: To evaluate if the effects of particulate matter (PM10) on respiratory mortality of elderly people are affected by socioeconomic status. Design: Time series studies. The daily number of elderly respiratory deaths were modelled in generalised linear Poisson regression models controlling for long term trend, weather, and day of the week, from January 1997 to December 1999, in six different regions of São Paulo City, Brazil. The regions were defined according to the proximity of air pollution monitoring stations. Three socioeconomic indicators were used: college education, monthly income, and housing. Main results: For a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM10, the percentage increase in respiratory mortality varied from 1.4% (95% CI 5.9 to 8.7) to 14.2% (95% CI 0.4 to 28.0). The overall percentage increase in the six regions was 5.4% (95% CI 2.3 to 8.6). The effect of PM10 was negatively correlated with both percentage of people with college education and high family income, and it was positively associated with the percentage of people living in slums. Conclusions: These results suggest that socioeconomic deprivation represents an effect modifier of the association between air pollution and respiratory deaths. PMID:14684725

[SCREENING OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS AMONG ELDERLY PEOPLE AT FAMILY MEDICINE].

PubMed

Račić, M; Ivković, N; Kusmuk, S

2015-11-01

The prevalence of malnutrition in elderly is high. Malnutrition or risk of malnutrition can be detected by use of nutritional screening or assessment tools. This systematic review aimed to identify tools that would be reliable, valid, sensitive and specific for nutritional status screening in patients older than 65 at family medicine. The review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Studies were retrieved using MEDLINE (via Ovid), PubMed and Cochrane Library electronic databases and by manual searching of relevant articles listed in reference list of key publications. The electronic databases were searched using defined key words adapted to each database and using MESH terms. Manual revision of reviews and original articles was performed using Electronic Journals Library. Included studies involved development and validation of screening tools in the community-dwelling elderly population. The tools, subjected to validity and reliability testing for use in the community-dwelling elderly population were Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), Nutrition Screening Initiative (NSI), which includes DETERMINE list, Level I and II Screen, Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating, and Nutrition (SCREEN I and SCREEN II), Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), and Malaysian and South African tool. MNA and MNA-SF appear to have highest reliability and validity for screening of community-dwelling elderly, while the reliability and validity of SCREEN II are good. The authors conclude that whilst several tools have been developed, most have not undergone extensive testing to demonstrate their ability to identify nutritional risk. MNA and MNA-SF have the highest reliability and validity for screening of nutritional status in the community-dwelling elderly, and the reliability and validity of SCREEN II are satisfactory. These

Suicide Risk in the Hospitalized Elderly in Turkey and Affecting Factors.

PubMed

Avci, Dilek; Selcuk, Kevser Tari; Dogan, Selma

2017-02-01

This study aimed to investigate the suicide risk among the elderly hospitalized and treated because of physical illnesses, and the factors affecting the risk. The study has a cross-sectional design. It was conducted with 459 elderly people hospitalized and treated in a public hospital between May 25, 2015 and December 4, 2015. Data were collected with the Personal Information Form, Suicide Probability Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. For the analysis, descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and logistic regression analysis were used. In the study, 24.0% of the elderly were at high risk for suicide. Suicide risk was even higher among the elderly in the 60-74 age group, living alone, drinking alcohol, perceiving his/her religious beliefs as weak, being treated for cancer, having the diagnosis 11 years or over, having a history of admission to a psychiatry clinic, and being at risk for anxiety and depression. In the study, approximately one out of every four elderly people was at high risk for suicide. Therefore, older people should be assessed for suicide risk and programs targeting to prevent the elderly from committing suicide should be organized. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sociodemographic predictors of elderly's psychological well-being in Malaysia.

PubMed

Momtaz, Yadollah A; Ibrahim, Rahimah; Hamid, Tengku A; Yahaya, Nurizan

2011-05-01

Psychological well-being as one of the most important indicators of successful aging has received substantial attention in the gerontological literature. Prior studies show that sociodemographic factors influencing elderly's psychological well-being are multiple and differ across cultures. The aim of this study was to identify significant sociodemographic predictors of psychological well-being among Malay elders. The study included 1415 older Malays (60-100 years, 722 women), randomly selected through a multistage stratified random method from Peninsular Malaysia. WHO-Five well-being index was used to measure psychological well-being. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 13.0. Using multiple regression analysis a significant model emerged (F(7, 1407) = 20.14, p ≤ 0.001), where age, sex, marital status, and household income were significant predictor variables of psychological well-being among Malay elders. However, level of education, employment status, and place of residence failed to predict psychological well-being. This study showed that the oldest old, elderly women, unmarried, and the poor elderly people are at risk for experiencing low psychological well-being. Therefore, they need special attention from family, policy makers, and those who work with elderly people.

Evidence-based dietary guidance and the role of dairy products for appropriate nutrition in the elderly.

PubMed

van Staveren, Wija A; de Groot, Lisette C P G M

2011-10-01

Food consumption surveys in the elderly come to the general conclusions that most elderly people outside institutions eat reasonably well. There is, however, tremendous variation in health status between older adults. The aging process is complex and influenced not only by factors intrinsic to the individual but also by extrinsic factors. The latter includes nutrition. In the various phases in the aging process, nutritional status and thus appropriate nutrition differ. Undernutrition is a great concern. In community-dwelling people older than 70 years, 5%-10% are undernourished, and for institutionalized elderly, this is up to 30%-65%. The cause is often inappropriate food consumption, and treatment is not always evidence based. National evidence-based dietary guidelines are mainly for healthy elderly people and vary between regions and even between institutes within the same region. To understand these differences, insight is required into the paradigm applied for nutritional science and the designs, selection of the older population, methodology, and endpoints of studies supplying the science behind the guidelines. A European project (Eurecca) compiles and harmonizes dietary guidelines. These activities underpin the need for sound evidence to improve the nutrition of older adults in different health phases. For frail elderly, there is also a plea to take into account results of studies on food satisfaction. First studies in this field show the effectiveness of an adapted social context for meals, appropriate nutritional care, and availability of tasty drinks and foods for selected groups of older adults. Because of the nutrient richness of dairy products and their good taste, these foods are helpful in the diet of healthy as well as frail elderly people. Key teaching points: Most elderly people eat reasonably well. There are, however, large differences in health status between elderly people and therefore also in nutrient requirements. Undernutrition is a main

Missing links in oral health care for frail elderly people.

PubMed

MacEntee, Michael I

2006-06-01

A national interdisciplinary strategy is needed to address the comprehensive oral health care needs of frail elderly people residing in long-term care facilities. Reasonable care within the social and personal context of frailty encompasses active prevention of disease augmented by necessary restorative treatment, provided with sensitivity to a person"s propensity to seek care. Typically, dental emergencies are managed quite well in longterm care facilities, either by treating the resident on site or by transporting the resident to a local clinician. In addition, facility administrators are usually well aware of their legal responsibilities to provide diagnostic services to residents before disease or dysfunction causes irreparable damage. Consequently, many facilities have arrangements with dental hygienists, dentists or denturists for periodic clinical assessment of all residents, or they seek help at the first sign of trouble. On the other hand, effective, widely accepted strategies for assisting frail residents with daily oral hygiene are lacking, and in many regions across the country it is overly difficult for frail residents with severe oral impairment or dysfunction to receive appropriate care and treatment. A cooperative effort from many disciplines will be needed to provide these missing links in Canadian health services and to realize the principle of providing maximum benefit to the least advantaged in society.

Social functioning of elderly persons with malignant diseases.

PubMed

Berat, Svetlana; Nešković-Konstantinović, Zora; Nedović, Goran; Rapaić, Dragan; Marinković, Dragan

2015-01-01

Malignant disease, its treatment and consequences of treatment can often lead to social marginalization and reduced quality of life. The aim of this research was to determine how elderly patients with malignant diseases function in their social environment. Sociodemographic questionnaire and interview were used to investigate a group of 49 elderly persons undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy treatment against early carcinomas (P1), and a group of 51 elderly persons with advanced stages of cancer undergoing systemic chemotherapy (P2). There were two cycles of assessment: one just before the beginning of the first cycle of adjuvant or systemic chemotherapy, and the other three months later. The research paradigm was based on the relation between individual treatment and the impact of the malignant disease on functional and social incompetence. The obtained findings were compared with the group of 50 healthy elderly people (K) who share the same relevant features but do not suffer from malignant diseases. It was found that most healthy older people live in share house, whereas those who suffer from malignant diseases mostly live in separate households. In both groups of patients and healthy group older people are mostly taken care of by their children. Individuals in both groups of patients have been frequently visited by their relatives during initial stages of treatment, unlike the elderly people in the control group. However, the difference did not reach a statistical significance. Three months after the beginning of chemotherapy, there was a statistically relevant difference in favor of the group undergoing adjuvant treatment. Home visits eventually become less frequent, whereas communication by telephone becomes more frequent. It was also found that visits by friends and neighbors are statistically more frequent among subjects who undergo adjuvant treatment, both before the treatment began and three months later when compared to other groups. Our research shows that

The association between the low muscle mass and osteoporosis in elderly Korean people.

PubMed

Kim, Sunyoung; Won, Chang Won; Kim, Byung Sung; Choi, Hyun Rim; Moon, Min Young

2014-07-01

The purpose of this study was to predict osteoporosis risk as decreasing muscle mass and to declare the cut-off value of low muscle mass in an elderly Korean population. This study was based on data from the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Surveys (KNHANES). The subjects included 1,308 men and 1,171 women over 65 yr. Bone mineral density (BMD) and appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and appendicular skeletal muscle was adjusted by height as a marker of sarcopenia. After confirming the correlation between low muscle mass and BMD, the best cut-off value of muscle mass to estimate osteoporosis was suggested through the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. For both men and women, BMD correlated positively with low muscle mass when ASM/Ht(2) was used as a marker for sarcopenia. The ROC curve showed that ASM/Ht(2) was the best marker for osteoporosis at a cut-off value of 6.85 kg/m(2) for men and 5.96 kg/m(2) for women. When these cut-off values were used to determine sarcopenia, the risk of osteoporosis increased 4.14 times in men and 1.88 times in women. In particular, men (OR 2.12) with sarcopenia were more greatly affected than women (OR 1.15), even after adjusting for osteoporosis risk factors. In elderly Korean people, sarcopenia is positively correlated with BMD and there is a strong correlation between sarcopenia and osteoporosis with risk of bone fracture.

Filial care and the relationship with the elderly in families of different nationalities.

PubMed

Faller, Jossiana Wilke; Zilly, Adriana; Alvarez, Angela Maria; Marcon, Sonia Silva

2017-01-01

identify how filial care and the relationship with the elderly occur in families of different nationalities. qualitative study carried out in a town on the triple frontier of Paraná, comprising 33 elderly people of five different nationalities, adopting the Symbolic Interactionism and the Grounded Theory as theoretical-methodological strategy. among Lebanese people, the Muslim religion teaches children to obey and respect parents; among French, distant family relationships and institutions for the elderly stand out. Paraguayans hold close family relationships; Chinese people consider filial care as a tacit obligation; Brazilians, in turn, tend to embrace and take care of their parents in old age. family care prevailed, but the traditions of each society lead the actions of that care, demanding health professionals' capacity of recognizing in which context the elderly is inserted.

Concomitant use of analgesics and psychotropics in home-dwelling elderly people – Kuopio 75 + study

PubMed Central

Hartikainen, Sirpa; Mäntyselkä, Pekka; Louhivuori-Laako, Kirsti; Enlund, Hannes; Sulkava, Raimo

2005-01-01

Aims To investigate the extent of concomitant use of analgesic and psychotropic medicines among home-dwelling elderly people aged at least 75 years in Finland. Methods This was a population-based study in Finland, performed as part of Kuopio 75 + study focusing on the clinical epidemiology of diseases, medication and functional capacity. A random sample of 700 persons was drawn from the total population of the city of Kuopio, eastern Finland, aged 75 years on January 1, 1998 (n = 4518). Ninety-nine persons could not be examined and 78 were living in long-term institutions, so that the number of home-dwelling elderly persons amounted to 523. A trained nurse interviewed the participants about their use of medicines, and a geriatrician examined their overall physical and mental status. Dementia and depression were diagnosed according to the DSM IV criteria. Both regular and irregular prescribed and nonprescribed drug use was recorded. Results Every fourth elderly person (27.2%) used analgesics and psychotropics concomitantly, this use becoming twice as common with advancing age (19.6% in the age group 75–79 years, 38.2% among the oldest, aged 85 + years). Concomitant use of psychotropics and opioids also became more common with increasing age (2.8% in age group 75–79 years and 9.6% in the oldest group, aged 85 + years). The use of opioids was nearly twice as common among concomitant users (19.7%) than among those using only analgesics (11.3%). Concomitant users suffered from interfering daily pain and daily pain at rest more commonly than nonusers of analgesics. Depression, sleeping problems and polypharmacy were more common among the concomitant users, who had also had more hip fractures than the rest. Conclusions Concomitant use of analgesics and psychotropics becomes more common with advancing age and is a potential risk factor for adverse drug effects. PMID:16120070

[Trajectories of aging in a sample of elderly people: a longitudinal study].

PubMed

Navarro-González, Elena; Calero, María Dolores; Becerra-Reina, Dolores

2015-01-01

The present study analyzes variables associated with different trajectories of aging, and the level of cognitive functioning in a sample of older adults. Although this work is part of a broader investigation where initially 141 people were assessed, this paper only discusses the cognitive functioning and cognitive development of 64 older people who have been followed up four years after the initial assessment, with a mean age of 83.84 years (age range 65 to 99 years). In the initial assessment all the participants were assessed with a psychological battery that included the MEC, the verbal fluency task FVS, a sustained attention task, a working memory test, a Quality of Life Questionnaire, a scale of dependency, and the AVLT-Learning Potential test. In the follow up assessment, participants have been assessed with the MEC, the verbal fluency task FVS, and the verbal memory test AVLT-PA. the results show relatively stable trajectories of aging and that the variables that better predict cognitive evolution of the elderly are working memory and post-test score in the AVLT-LP. Despite the time lapse between the two assessments and the age of the participants, older adults have remained relatively stable in their cognitive functioning, which in part contradicts the idea that--especially after 80 years--a general decline of cognitive functioning occurs in old age. Copyright © 2014 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Social inclusion affects elderly suicide mortality.

PubMed

Yur'yev, Andriy; Leppik, Lauri; Tooding, Liina-Mai; Sisask, Merike; Värnik, Peeter; Wu, Jing; Värnik, Airi

2010-12-01

National attitudes towards the elderly and their association with elderly suicide mortality in 26 European countries were assessed, and Eastern and Western European countries compared. For each country, mean age-adjusted, gender-specific elderly suicide rates in the last five years for which data had been available were obtained from the WHO European Mortality Database. Questions about citizens' attitudes towards the elderly were taken from the European Social Survey. Correlations between attitudes and suicide rates were analyzed using Pearson's test. Differences between mean scores for Western and Eastern European attitudes were calculated, and data on labor-market exit ages were obtained from the EUROSTAT database. Perception of the elderly as having higher status, recognition of their economic contribution and higher moral standards, and friendly feelings towards and admiration of them are inversely correlated with suicide mortality. Suicide rates are lower in countries where the elderly live with their families more often. Elderly suicide mortality and labor-market exit age are inversely correlated. In Eastern European countries, elderly people's status and economic contribution are seen as less important. Western Europeans regard the elderly with more admiration, consider them more friendly and more often have elderly relatives in the family. The data also show gender differences. Society's attitudes influence elderly suicide mortality; attitudes towards the elderly are more favorable among Western European citizens; and extended labor-market inclusion of the elderly is a suicide-protective factor.

Possible correlation between gut microbiota and immunity among healthy middle-aged and elderly people in southwest China.

PubMed

Shen, Xi; Miao, Junjie; Wan, Qun; Wang, Shuyue; Li, Ming; Pu, Fangfang; Wang, Guoqing; Qian, Wei; Yu, Qian; Marotta, Francesco; He, Fang

2018-01-01

quality. Changes in gut microbiota caused by ageing, characterized by decreased Bacteroidetes levels, might be associated with immunosenescence among healthy middle-aged and elderly people in southwest China.

Small Acute Benefits of 4 Weeks Processing Speed Training Games on Processing Speed and Inhibition Performance and Depressive Mood in the Healthy Elderly People: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial

PubMed Central

Nouchi, Rui; Saito, Toshiki; Nouchi, Haruka; Kawashima, Ryuta

2016-01-01

Background: Processing speed training using a 1-year intervention period improves cognitive functions and emotional states of elderly people. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether short-term processing speed training such as 4 weeks can benefit elderly people. This study was designed to investigate effects of 4 weeks of processing speed training on cognitive functions and emotional states of elderly people. Methods: We used a single-blinded randomized control trial (RCT). Seventy-two older adults were assigned randomly to two groups: a processing speed training game (PSTG) group and knowledge quiz training game (KQTG) group, an active control group. In PSTG, participants were asked to play PSTG (12 processing speed games) for 15 min, during five sessions per week, for 4 weeks. In the KQTG group, participants were asked to play KQTG (four knowledge quizzes) for 15 min, during five sessions per week, for 4 weeks. We measured several cognitive functions and emotional states before and after the 4 week intervention period. Results: Our results revealed that PSTG improved performances in processing speed and inhibition compared to KQTG, but did not improve performance in reasoning, shifting, short term/working memory, and episodic memory. Moreover, PSTG reduced the depressive mood score as measured by the Profile of Mood State compared to KQTG during the 4 week intervention period, but did not change other emotional measures. Discussion: This RCT first provided scientific evidence related to small acute benefits of 4 week PSTG on processing speed, inhibition, and depressive mood in healthy elderly people. We discuss possible mechanisms for improvements in processing speed and inhibition and reduction of the depressive mood. Trial registration: This trial was registered in The University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000022250). PMID:28066229

Small Acute Benefits of 4 Weeks Processing Speed Training Games on Processing Speed and Inhibition Performance and Depressive Mood in the Healthy Elderly People: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial.

PubMed

Nouchi, Rui; Saito, Toshiki; Nouchi, Haruka; Kawashima, Ryuta

2016-01-01

Background: Processing speed training using a 1-year intervention period improves cognitive functions and emotional states of elderly people. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether short-term processing speed training such as 4 weeks can benefit elderly people. This study was designed to investigate effects of 4 weeks of processing speed training on cognitive functions and emotional states of elderly people. Methods: We used a single-blinded randomized control trial (RCT). Seventy-two older adults were assigned randomly to two groups: a processing speed training game (PSTG) group and knowledge quiz training game (KQTG) group, an active control group. In PSTG, participants were asked to play PSTG (12 processing speed games) for 15 min, during five sessions per week, for 4 weeks. In the KQTG group, participants were asked to play KQTG (four knowledge quizzes) for 15 min, during five sessions per week, for 4 weeks. We measured several cognitive functions and emotional states before and after the 4 week intervention period. Results: Our results revealed that PSTG improved performances in processing speed and inhibition compared to KQTG, but did not improve performance in reasoning, shifting, short term/working memory, and episodic memory. Moreover, PSTG reduced the depressive mood score as measured by the Profile of Mood State compared to KQTG during the 4 week intervention period, but did not change other emotional measures. Discussion: This RCT first provided scientific evidence related to small acute benefits of 4 week PSTG on processing speed, inhibition, and depressive mood in healthy elderly people. We discuss possible mechanisms for improvements in processing speed and inhibition and reduction of the depressive mood. Trial registration: This trial was registered in The University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000022250).

[Improving fall prevention in the elderly].

PubMed

Bongue, Bienvenu; Hugues, Julie; Achour, Émilie; Colvez, Alain; Sass, Catherine

2016-01-01

The prevention of falls in the elderly requires action on several levels. Firstly, it is essential to identify those at risk of a fall. They must then be encouraged to do appropriate physical and sports activities, a factor of prevention. Social workers have a major role to play in supporting elderly people and encouraging them to participate in such programmes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Depression in Elderly. Is Perceived Social Support Related? A Nursing Home Study : Depression and Social Support in Elderly.

PubMed

Patra, Paraskevi; Alikari, Victoria; Fradelos, Evangelos C; Sachlas, Athanasios; Kourakos, Michael; Rojas Gil, Andrea Paola; Babatsikou, Fotoula; Zyga, Sofia

2017-01-01

Geriatric depression is more common in nursing homes and social support is a mechanism that mitigates the stressors of life factors and simultaneously promotes wellness and health. The purpose of the study was to assess the levels of depression and social support among elderly in nursing homes. During the period February 2016-March 2016 170 elderly residents in nursing homes completed the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 (GDS-15) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Statistical analysis was conducted with IBM SPSS Statistics 23. 37, 1% of the sample had depressive symptoms. Depression is statistically correlated with age and it is affected by the years of education (p = 0.003), the number of the children (p = 0.006), whether the elderly person is bedridden or not (p < 0.001), the frequency of visits by family members (p < 0.001) and whether the elderly performs activities outside the nursing home (0.001). Higher GDS score had those who were illiterate (6.41), those with one or no children (6.82 and 6.59 respectively), the bedridden (6.70), people without visits from relatives (7.69) and without activities outside (5.64). Also, social support is affected by the family status (p < 0.001), the number of children (p < 0.001), the frequency of visits by relatives (p < 0.001) and whether the elderly performs activities outside the foundation (p < 0.008). Higher MSPSS score had those who were married (61.60), those who had four children (63.50), people who accept visits from relatives every day (64.58) and people who do activities outside the institution (58.07). The appearance of this increased rate of depression symptoms in this elderly population leads to the need for more aid social support.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among elderly Mexicans.

PubMed

Ortiz-Rodríguez, María Araceli; Yáñez-Velasco, Lucía; Carnevale, Alessandra; Romero-Hidalgo, Sandra; Bernal, Demetrio; Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos; Rojas, Rosalba; Villa, Antonio; Tur, Josep A

2017-11-01

One of the most prevalent chronic diseases among elderly population is the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of MetS and associated factors among Mexican elderly people. Cross-sectional survey carried out in Mexico (2007). A random sample (n=516) of the elderly population (≥65years; 277 female, 239 male) was interviewed. Anthropometric and analytical measurements, and a general questionnaire incorporating questions related to socio-demographic and life-style factors were used. MetS definition AHA/NHLBI/IDF was applied. The prevalence of MetS in the elderly (≥65years) was of 72.9% (75.7% men; 70.4% women). Participants with values above MetS cut-off points were 92.4% (hypertension), 77.8% (hypertriglyceridemia), 77.1% (low HDL-cholesterol), 71.1% (hyperglycaemia), and 65.4% (central obesity). People with MetS showed higher values of anthropometric and biochemical variables than those without MetS, except for the height, cholesterol and creatinine. Mid-high education level (9-12 years), no smokers and former smokers, and Central-Western inhabitants of Mexico were associated with MetS components. BMI status was the main determinant of MetS prevalence and MetS components. The reported prevalence of MetS among the elderly Mexican population was higher than those previously obtained in the geographical area, showing a major public health problem in Mexican elders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing Human Activity in Elderly People Using Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring.

PubMed

Alcalá, José M; Ureña, Jesús; Hernández, Álvaro; Gualda, David

2017-02-11

The ageing of the population, and their increasing wish of living independently, are motivating the development of welfare and healthcare models. Existing approaches based on the direct heath-monitoring using body sensor networks (BSN) are precise and accurate. Nonetheless, their intrusiveness causes non-acceptance. New approaches seek the indirect monitoring through monitoring activities of daily living (ADLs), which proves to be a suitable solution. ADL monitoring systems use many heterogeneous sensors, are less intrusive, and are less expensive than BSN, however, the deployment and maintenance of wireless sensor networks (WSN) prevent them from a widespread acceptance. In this work, a novel technique to monitor the human activity, based on non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM), is presented. The proposal uses only smart meter data, which leads to minimum intrusiveness and a potential massive deployment at minimal cost. This could be the key to develop sustainable healthcare models for smart homes, capable of complying with the elderly people' demands. This study also uses the Dempster-Shafer theory to provide a daily score of normality with regard to the regular behavior. This approach has been evaluated using real datasets and, additionally, a benchmarking against a Gaussian mixture model approach is presented.

Pet Ownership by Elderly People: Two New Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, David W. E.; And Others

1992-01-01

Examined two issues of pet ownership in mail questionnaire and interview survey of 1,595 older adults over age 60, 377 of whom had a pet. Found evidence that pets were important determinant of housing choice. Many elderly pet owners had made no arrangements for pet if they predecease it or become unable to care for it. (Author/NB)

Association between socio-economic status and dental caries in elderly people in Sichuan Province, China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Wang, Linyan; Cheng, Li; Yuan, Bo; Hong, Xiao; Hu, Tao

2017-09-24

As a vulnerable group, the elders' oral health gained less attention, particularly the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and dental caries. This study aimed to assess the associations and to explore the effects of confounders on the associations in elderly people. Cross-sectional study. 3 neighbourhood committees and 3 village committees in Sichuan Province, China. 744 people (362 men and 382 women) aged 65-74 years were included. Oral health outcomes included the decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index and its components. SES was assigned by educational level, household income and type of household. The bivariate association between the participants' characteristics and DMFT was analysed using non-parametric tests. Four logistic regression models were used to analyse the associations between SES and dental caries by regulating confounders. Poor oral health was observed in these participants. Bivariate analysis showed a significant association between SES and DMFT (p﹤0.05). Only adjusting gender, high educational level (adjusted (AOR)=0.34, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.66), high household income (AOR=0.47, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.77) were protective factors against dental caries, and living in agricultural families (AOR=1.86, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.63) was risk factor (p﹤0.05). After adjusting other confounders, SES was partly related to the dental caries. Moreover, an interaction existed among SES indicators. SES is associated with dental caries, and older people with low SES have poor oral health. The associations were explained partly by diet, behaviour and awareness. Our results provide effective evidence in targeted policy-making and intervention measures and implicate that pertinence measures, economic assistance and medical insurance funds should be provided to older people of low SES. Furthermore, a follow-up design should attempt to confirm the causal relationship between SES and dental caries and evaluate the effect of intervention. © Article

Conversation map: an educational strategy in the care of elderly people with diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Carvalho, Silvana Linhares de; Ferreira, Marília Araripe; Medeiros, Juliana Mineu Pereira; Queiroga, Anne Caroline Ferreira; Moreira, Tatiana Rebouças; Negreiros, Francisca Diana da Silva

2018-01-01

To report the experience of using diabetes conversation maps as an educational strategy for diabetic elderly people. Experience report, conducted from July to December 2016 in a specialized outpatient clinic for diabetics, in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. A total of 72 users participated, between diabetics and those accompanying them. The participants talked about issues that were not addressed in personal consultations, and could see themselves through the stories of others, thus realizing they were not alone and that others also experienced the same difficulties as them. Through empathy and the accounts of others, participants built knowledge and practices for their own daily lives. Final Considerations: The conversation map enables professionals to empower patients with diabetes, promoting self-care and ensuring better control over the disease, in order to prevent or delay the onset of related complications.

Mining Spatiotemporal Patterns of the Elder's Daily Movement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, C. R.; Chen, C. F.; Liu, M. E.; Tsai, S. J.; Son, N. T.; Kinh, L. V.

2016-06-01

With rapid developments in wearable device technology, a vast amount of spatiotemporal data, such as people's movement and physical activities, are generated. Information derived from the data reveals important knowledge that can contribute a long-term care and psychological assessment of the elders' living condition especially in long-term care institutions. This study aims to develop a method to investigate the spatial-temporal movement patterns of the elders with their outdoor trajectory information. To achieve the goal, GPS based location data of the elderly subjects from long-term care institutions are collected and analysed with geographic information system (GIS). A GIS statistical model is developed to mine the elderly subjects' spatiotemporal patterns with the location data and represent their daily movement pattern at particular time. The proposed method first finds the meaningful trajectory and extracts the frequent patterns from the time-stamp location data. Then, a density-based clustering method is used to identify the major moving range and the gather/stay hotspot in both spatial and temporal dimensions. The preliminary results indicate that the major moving area of the elderly people encompasses their dorm and has a short moving distance who often stay in the same site. Subjects' outdoor appearance are corresponded to their life routine. The results can be useful for understanding elders' social network construction, risky area identification and medical care monitoring.

The relationship between health and cognitive functioning in a sample of elderly people in the community.

PubMed

Christensen, H; Jorm, A F; Henderson, A S; Mackinnon, A J; Korten, A E; Scott, L R

1994-05-01

The association between health status and cognitive performance was examined in a sample of 708 community dwelling elderly people aged 70 years or over. Cognitive performance declined significantly across the age groups 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and 85-89 years on the Mini-Mental State Examination and on measures of fluid intelligence and memory, but not on measures of crystallized intelligence. Health status declined significantly across age for five of 49 past and current medical conditions, for measures of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and for systolic blood pressure, but did not decline significantly for global self-ratings of health, diastolic blood pressure or reports of smoking. Weak but significant correlations between health and cognitive performance were found for self-reported global ratings of health and for self-reports of some physical symptoms but not for diastolic or systolic blood pressure, or for many other physical conditions. Both self- and informant-based ratings of ADL correlated with cognitive performance. Age differences remained after cognitive performance was adjusted for health variables such as ADL, self-ratings of health and current health problems. It is concluded that, at the population level, lower levels of cognitive performance in community-dwelling elderly subjects are not strongly mediated by ill health.

Socio-Demographic Variables and Successful Aging of the Angolan Elderly

PubMed Central

Galiana, Laura; Gutiérrez, Melchor; Sancho, Patricia; Francisco, Elizabeth-Hama; Tomás, José M.

2016-01-01

The proportion of elderly people is growing faster than any other age group. Amongst them, the group of oldest old is indeed the segment of the elderly population with the fastest growth rate. The increase in the proportion of elderly in the Angolan population makes research on this area badly needed. Within the theoretical framework of successful aging, the study aims to test for sociodemographic group differences in perceived health, life satisfaction, and social relations in Angolan elderly. The dependent variables are three of the components of what has been called successful aging. Data came from a cross-sectional survey of elderly people living in Luanda. 1003 Angolan elderly were surveyed on sociodemographic information, perceived health, life satisfaction, and social support. MANOVAs were calculated to test for mean differences in the dependent variables. Results permit to conclude that the factors associated with the largest differences on the Angolan elderly's quality of life and social relations were age (becoming oldest old) and institutionalization. The interactions of several factors with age pointed out that the oldest old were clearly a group in which the decreased quality of life due to becoming oldest old could not be compensated by other factors, as it was the case in the group of young old. PMID:27088039

Decision-making in the treatment of elderly people: a cross-cultural comparison between Swedish and German physicians and nurses.

PubMed

Richter, Jörg; Eisemann, Martin R; Bauer, Barbara; Kreibeck, Hannelore; Aström, Sture

2002-06-01

Decision-making in the treatment of elderly people: a cross-cultural comparison between Swedish and German physicians and nurses The aim of the study was to evaluate the comparability of decisions in the treatment of severely ill incompetent elderly patients among physicians and nurses from a cross-cultural perspective. Convenience samples of 192 doctors and 182 nurses from Germany and 104 doctors and 122 nurses from Sweden have been investigated by a questionnaire in a cross-sectional study. Between 39 and 58% of the subjects in the various groups have chosen treatment options, which are not consistent with the patient's will. However, nurses showed a significantly higher compliance than doctors. The probability of choosing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation decreased with increasing information about the patient's wish. Ethical concerns and the patient's wishes appeared as the most important determinants of treatment decisions, whereas the hospital costs as well as the physicians' religion were of minor importance. The inconsistencies concerning decision- making within and between the groups reflect differences in underlying values and lack of societal consensus, which represent a prerequisite for the improvement of patient autonomy. To focus more frequently and to a larger extent onto the problems related to the treatment of severely ill elderly patients as well as onto the training of communication skills with an orientation towards informed consent in the medical training seems to be warranted.

The effect of loneliness on malnutrition in elderly population.

PubMed

Ramic, Enisa; Pranjic, Nurka; Batic-Mujanovic, Olivera; Karic, Enisa; Alibasic, Esad; Alic, Alma

2011-01-01

The clinical and epidemiological data show that proper nutrition plays an important role in maintaining health and combating the danger of developing some chronic diseases in the elderly population. Nutrition is an important factor in many physiological and pathological changes that accompany the aging process. More than 50% of elderly patients are suffering from malnutrition which is information that concerns. Due to various factors, older people are potentially vulnerable groups at risk of malnutrition. Loneliness, isolation from society and neglect of parents by children is a big problem to many people in old age. To determine differences in nutritional status of elderly people living alone compared to those who live in family surroundings. The study was conducted in the municipality of Tuzla in 2009-2010, in outpatient family medicine Simin Han. The survey covered a total of 200 elderly subjects (age >65 years). Subject group consisted of 45% of people living alone, and 55% control group consisted of elderly patients who live in traditional family surroundings. Questionnaires used in this study are General geriatric assessment questionnaire and Mini nutritional status. The average age (+/- SD) was 75.4 +/- 6.2 years in subject group, while the same in the control group was 74.9 +/- 5.6 years. In subject group significantly more patients are on the verge of poverty. There are significant differences in the classification of financial status, according to the groups (p = 0.043). Members of subject groups have significantly lower BMI categories (p = 0.03) compared with the control group. In our study, people who live alone are at increased risk of malnutrition (p = 0030), have reduced the number of daily meals, significantly lower daily intake of protein, fruits and vegetables in the diet in relation to persons living in a family environment. Significantly more patients with loss of appetite live alone. According to the existence of self-reported food problems

[Motivational orientation and depressive symptoms in the elderly].

PubMed

Altintas, E; Guerrien, A

2009-04-01

This article is focused on motivation and depression in later life. For about 20 years, research on the motivation of elders has underlined the importance of the cognitive evaluation of life contexts, notably in terms of self-determination. This cognitive evaluation determines the motivational orientation for daily activities (notably the levels of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation). The purpose of this research was specifically to study the relationships between the existence of four types of motivation (intrinsic, self-determined extrinsic, nonself-determined extrinsic and amotivation) and the consequences for adaptation and well-being. The study, therefore, focused on the possible links between motivation and geriatric-depression level and explored the nature of this link. Forty persons aged 60 or over (31 women: 80.48+/-9.24; nine men: 80.56+/-9.48) who live in nursing homes (20 elderly) or in their own homes (20 elderly) were enrolled. Elderly persons were assessed with specific and standardized tools: the Elderly Motivation Scale (EMS, in the French version: EMPA) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). For the statistical analyses of the results, correlations and Mann-Whitney test were used. We found that in elderly people, the motivational styles (the four types of motivation) can be reliably measured and are related to geriatric depression. First, significant positive links were noticed between intrinsic motivation and depression scores and between self-determined extrinsic motivation and depression scores. Conversely, significant negative links were noticed between nonself-determined extrinsic motivation and depression scores and between amotivation and depression scores. The most self-determined elders presented low-depression levels, whereas the more nonself-determined elders showed high-depression levels. Moreover, motivational styles significantly differed in the two groups (depressive or not depressive). The most depressive elders showed

Factors associated with attitudes toward the elderly in a sample of elderly caregivers.

PubMed

Luchesi, Bruna Moretti; Alexandre, Tiago da Silva; de Oliveira, Nathalia Alves; Brigola, Allan Gustavo; Kusumota, Luciana; Pavarini, Sofia Cristina Iost; Marques, Sueli

2016-12-01

The number of elderly caregivers is increasing in the world. It is important to know the attitudes toward the elderly, because they can influence a range of behaviors. Our aim was to determine factors associated with attitudes toward the elderly in a sample of older carers. Three hundred and thirteen elderly caregivers (75.4% women, mean age 69.7 ± 7.1) who cared for a dependent older person at home completed a cross-sectional household interview. In addition to the four domains of the Neri Scale to Assess Attitudes Toward the Elderly, participants were evaluated regarding the demographics, care recipient (CR) characteristics, functional and cognitive status, general health, life satisfaction, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Overall, attitudes toward the elderly were neutral in this sample. More negative attitudes in some Neri Scale domains were associated with being older, living in an urban setting, taking more medications per day, caring for an elderly dependent in basic Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), being "more or less" satisfied with life, and having higher levels of perceived stress. There was a negative association between positive attitudes and educational level. The results highlight the need for public policies to promote more positive attitudes toward aging and change negative stereotypes usually used to designate older people. These public policies can try to modify some predictors of negative attitudes, such as perceived stress, which was associated with all four domains of Neri Scale.

[Late diagnosis and vulnerabilities of the elderly living with HIV/AIDS].

PubMed

Alencar, Rúbia Aguiar; Ciosak, Suely Itsuko

2015-04-01

To identify vulnerabilities of elderly people with HIV/AIDS and the trajectory that they follow until reaching the diagnosis of the disease. Qualitative research conducted in specialized clinics in the state of São Paulo, from January to June 2011. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 elderly people who were found to be infected with the virus at the age of 60 years or older. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis. In this process four categories emerged, then analyzed with reference to the theoretical framework of vulnerability. Late diagnosis of HIV infection or AIDS among the elderly happens in the secondary or tertiary service. Issues related to sexual life of the elderly are only questioned by health professionals after the diagnosis, also the time that condom use becomes absolute. It is believed that the investigation of the vulnerability of the elderly to HIV/AIDS allows for carrying out appropriate interventions for this population.

Effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccination in community-dwelling elderly people: an individual participant data meta-analysis of test-negative design case-control studies.

PubMed

Darvishian, Maryam; van den Heuvel, Edwin R; Bissielo, Ange; Castilla, Jesus; Cohen, Cheryl; Englund, Helene; Gefenaite, Giedre; Huang, Wan-Ting; la Bastide-van Gemert, Sacha; Martinez-Baz, Iván; McAnerney, Johanna M; Ntshoe, Genevie M; Suzuki, Motoi; Turner, Nikki; Hak, Eelko

2017-03-01

Several aggregate data meta-analyses have provided estimates of the effectiveness of influenza vaccination in community-dwelling elderly people. However, these studies ignored the effects of patient-level confounders such as sex, age, and chronic diseases that could bias effectiveness estimates. We aimed to assess the confounder-adjusted effectiveness of influenza vaccines on laboratory-confirmed influenza among elderly people by conducting a global individual participant data meta-analysis. In this individual participant data meta-analysis, we considered studies included in a previously conducted aggregate data meta-analysis that included test-negative design case-control studies published up to July 13, 2014. We contacted all authors of the included studies on Dec 1, 2014, to request individual participant data. Patients were excluded if their unique identifier was missing, their vaccination status was unknown, their outcome status was unknown, or they had had suspected influenza infection more than once in the same influenza season. Cases were patients with influenza-like illness symptoms who tested positive for at least one of A H1N1, A H1N1 pdm09, A H3N2, or B viruses; controls were patients with influenza-like illness symptoms who tested negative for these virus types or subtypes. Influenza vaccine effectiveness against overall and subtype-specific laboratory-confirmed influenza were the primary and secondary outcomes. We used a generalised linear mixed model to calculate adjusted vaccine effectiveness according to vaccine match to the circulating strains of influenza virus and intensity of the virus activity (epidemic or non-epidemic). Vaccine effectiveness was defined as the relative reduction in risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza in vaccinated patients compared with unvaccinated patients. We did subgroup analyses to estimate vaccine effectiveness according to hemisphere, age category, and health status. We received 23 of the 53 datasets included in the

Association of sleep habits with blood pressure in elderly people.

PubMed

Sasaki, Nobuo; Ozono, Ryoji; Yamashita, Hidehisa; Ashimen, Hirofumi; Miyamoto, Yoshiko; Iwami, Sumi; Yuzono, Naomi; Fujiwara, Saeko; Kihara, Yasuki

We investigated the impact of sleep habits on blood pressure (BP) in cross-sectional analyses of 1533 participants aged ≥ 70 without cardiovascular disease or treatment for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. We assessed sleep habits [time in bed (TIB), bed time, and taking sleeping pills], using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. For groups where TIB was >8 h and <6 h, systolic BP was significantly higher than the group where TIB ranged 6-8 h (134.2 ± 17.5, 134.8 ± 19.6 vs. 130.1 ± 17.7, p < 0.05, p < 0.001, respectively). Systolic BP was significantly higher in the group whose bed time was before 21:00 than that whose bed time was 21:00 or later (136.6 ± 18.6 vs. 132.0 ± 18.4, p < 0.01). Both systolic and diastolic BPs were lower in the group taking sleeping pills (133.2 ± 18.6 vs. 128.1 ± 17.3, p < 0.0001; 75.3 ± 11.5 vs. 73.3 ± 10.7, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analyses revealed that after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, and alcohol intake, taking sleeping pills and short or long TIB were significantly associated with systolic BP, whereas bed time was not. These results suggested that inappropriate TIB and sleeping pills were associated with BP in elderly people.

Library Services to the Homebound Elderly in Denmark.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Gyda Skat

The number of elderly people in Denmark continues to grow, which means there is an increasing need for special library services to those elderly who are not able to come to the library because of physical or mental limitations. This paper uses the practices of Sollerod Public Libraries (Sollerod, Denmark) to frame the discussion of the following:…

Depression among the elderly (image)

MedlinePlus

The elderly are at high risk for depression because they are more likely than younger people to have experienced illness, death of loved ones, impaired function and loss of ... life experiences may be overwhelming to an older person.

Psychological Problems in the Elderly

PubMed Central

Jones, Kingsley

1984-01-01

Intellectual changes in healthy old people are slight and not of practical significance. When intellectual changes are suspected, patients should be examined very carefully in a relaxed situation so they do not feel they are being `tested'. The physician should be aware of the differential diagnosis of psychiatric disorders in the elderly and not simply label patients as `senile'. The elderly are subject to acute brain syndromes caused by physical illness or drug toxicity. When acute brain syndromes are excluded, the illness is as likely to be a functional one as a chronic organic brain syndrome. The most common functional illness in old age is depression. More accurate diagnosis of elderly, mentally ill patients will lead to more effective treatment and management. PMID:21279076

[Self-evaluation of posture by elderly people with or without thoracic kyphosis].

PubMed

Gasparotto, Lívia Pimenta Renó; Reis, Camila Costa Ibiapina; Ramos, Luiz Roberto; Santos, José Francisco Quirino Dos

2012-03-01

This article lists the differences between self-perception of body posture among the elderly suffering from postural alterations or not, in order to ascertain whether self-evaluation of posture can lead to preventive measures. Eighteen cases from the elderly population participated in the EPIDOSO project at UNIFESP and were subjected to postural evaluation. Postures were photographed and copies given to the participants and their subsequent comments were analyzed by the qualitative method. The narratives were taped and cataloguedusingthe technique of theoretical axial and selective coding from the perspective of symbolic interactionism. A passive attitude was identified among the elderly in relation to postural alterations. There is a distortion of body image by those with postural deviation. Participants with adequate spinal alignment were more conscious about body posture and the importance of this being assimilated in the phases prior to aging. The adoption of postural self-care seems to occur in the earlier stages of aging and preventive measures should be implemented at this stage. Lack of concern about posture is linked to the concept of the elderly regarding the notion that aging is, in itself, the accumulation of inevitably simultaneous or successive dysfunctions.

Attitudes towards the Elderly among German Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randler, Christoph; Vollmer, Christian; Wilhelm, David; Flessner, Melanie; Hummel, Eberhard

2014-01-01

Many societies are encountering significant changes in their population structure as the number of older people is increasing while children and adolescents become fewer. This study examines pupils' attitudes towards elderly people in Germany. A total of 935 pupils (458 boys, 477 girls) participated in this study. Grade distribution was as…

[Lifestyle of elderly patients with diabetes mellitus].

PubMed

Fukuoka, Yuki; Yamada, Yuichiro

2013-11-01

In elderly people, glucose tolerance is deteriorated and the incidence of diabetes mellitus is increased, due to decreased muscle mass and physical activity, declining pancreatic beta cell function, and other factors. Diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for arteriosclerosis development in the elderly. Precise diagnosis and adequate treatment are necessary to prevent cerebrovascular and ischemic heart diseases. Elderly patients with diabetes mellitus are characteristically afflicted with more complications, impaired activities of daily living, cognitive function decline, and family environment problems, as compared with young and middle-aged diabetics. Therefore, tailor-made rather than uniform therapy becomes important. Lifestyle modification is the basis of diabetes treatment. Herein, we describe "prevention and management" of diabetes mellitus, focusing on the lifestyles of elderly diabetics.

Family support for the elderly in Korea: continuity, change, future directions, and cross-cultural concerns.

PubMed

Sung, K T

2001-01-01

This article discusses major issues and concerns regarding family support for parents and elderly people in industrialized and urbanized Korea. It summarizes new trends in family support for elderly members, continuing influences of the traditional value of family support (filial piety), growing needs for public services for elderly people and their families, urgent calls for the state to assume greater responsibilities for providing social security and services for the elderly, needs for cross-cultural studies of family support, and certain cultural similarities and differences to be considered. The article concludes with some suggestions for future research.

Elder Abuse in a Developing Area in Bolivia.

PubMed

Carmona-Torres, Juan Manuel; López-Soto, Pablo Jesús; Coimbra-Roca, Ana Isabel; Gálvez-Rioja, Ruth Mary; Goergen, Thomas; Rodríguez-Borrego, M Aurora

2015-10-06

In many parts of the world, elder abuse happens almost unnoticed. Until recently, this serious social problem was hidden from public view and was regarded as an essentially private matter. However, there is growing evidence that elder abuse is an important problem of public health and in the society. The objective of this study is to determine the degree of abuse of elder and vulnerable people in the families and communities of Eastern Bolivia. With this end in mind, we conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study with a sample size of 210 60-year-old people coming from different health care areas. Elder Abuse Suspicion Index (EASI) and Yaffe's Evaluation Form of Social Work were used. An abuse rate of 39% of the older adults was identified. The most common type of abuse observed was psychological abuse (32.4% of cases), followed by neglect (21.9%). Children were identified as triggers of the abuse in 66.7% of cases of abuse. The prevalence of elder abuse was similar to the prevalence of other types of abuse that exist in Bolivia, such as the gender-based abuse. Also, this prevalence is comparable to other developing countries and European countries. The profile of abused older adult is as follows: woman, widow, 70 years old, incomplete primary education, without an occupation, and an average of 4.59 children. The information obtained shows that dysfunctional families have a higher percentage of elder abuse. © The Author(s) 2015.

[Analysis of body composition and resting metabolic rate of 858 middle-aged and elderly people in urban area of Beijing].

PubMed

Yu, D N; Xian, T Z; Wang, L J; Cheng, B; Sun, M X; Guo, L X

2018-05-10

Objective: To understand the overweight rate and obesity rate in middle-aged and elderly people in urban area of Beijing, and analyze the changes of body composition and resting metabolic rate with age. Methods: From November 2014 to December 2015, body composition measurement and resting metabolic rate detection were conducted among 858 people aged 51 to 99 years, including 760 men, 98 women, who received physical examination at Beijing Hospital. Results: The overweight rate was 51.4 % , and the obesity rate was 16.9 % . The overweight rate was 26.5 % and the obesity rate was 14.3 % in women, significantly lower than those in men (54.6 % and 17.2 % ) ( P <0.001). The distribution of skeletal muscle volume, muscle index, body fat percentage, visceral fat area and resting metabolic rate in different age groups were different ( P <0.001). In the normal weight group, the skeletal muscle volume, muscle index and resting metabolic rate in age group ≥80 years decreased obviously ( P <0.05). At the same time, the body fat percentage and visceral fat area increased obviously ( P <0.05). However, the skeletal muscle volume, muscle index and resting metabolic rate of the overweight and obese groups began to decrease obviously in age group 70- years ( P <0.05), and the decrease in age group ≥80 years was more obvious. At the same time, body fat percentage and visceral fat area increased significantly in age group 70- years ( P <0.05). Conclusion: The overweight and obesity rates were high in the middle-aged and elderly people in the urban area of Beijing, and the rates were higher in men than in women. With the increase of age, the skeletal muscle volume, muscle index and resting metabolic rate gradually decreased, while the percentage of body fat and visceral fat area increased; Overweight and obese people had earlier changes in body composition and resting metabolic rate.

Meals for the Elderly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

NASA is drawing upon its food-preparation expertise to assist in solving a problem affecting a large segment of the American population. In preparation for manned space flight programs, NASA became experienced in providing astronauts simple, easily-prepared, nutritious meals. That experience now is being transferred to the public sector in a cooperative project managed by Johnson Space Center. Called Meal System for the Elderly, the project seeks to fill a gap by supplying nutritionally balanced meal packages to those who are unable to participate in existing meal programs. Many such programs are conducted by federal, state and private organizations, including congregate hot meal services and home-delivered "meals on wheels." But more than 3.5 million elderly Americans are unable to take advantage of these benefits. In some cases, they live in rural areas away from available services; in others, they are handicapped, temporarily ill, or homebound for other reasons. Meal System for the Elderly, a cooperative program in which the food-preparation expertise NASA acquired in manned space projects is being utilized to improve the nutritional status of elderly people. The program seeks to fill a gap by supplying nutritionally-balanced food packages to the elderly who are unable to participate b existing meal service programs.

The Elderly of Appalachia. Appalachian Data Bank Report #3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowles, Graham D.; And Others

Analysis of 1980 census data reveals that elderly people (age 65 and over) living in Central and Southern Appalachia suffer more inferior life circumstances than the elderly population in the nation as a whole, falling well below national averages in terms of income, access to transportation, availability of telephones, and presence of resources…

[Descending control of quiet standing and walking: a plausible neurophysiological basis of falls in elderly people].

PubMed

Nakajima, Masashi

2011-03-01

Quiet standing and walking are generally considered to be an automatic process regulated by sensory feedback. In our report "Astasia without abasia due to peripheral neuropathy," which was published in 1994, we proposed that forced stepping in patients lacking the ankle torque is a compensatory motor control in order to maintain an upright posture. A statistical-biomechanics approach to the human postural control system has revealed open-loop (descending) control as well as closed-loop (feedback) control in quiet standing, and fractal dynamics in stride-to-stride fluctuations of walking. The descending control system of bipedal upright posture and gait may have a functional link to cognitive domains. Increasing dependence on the descending control system with aging may play a role in falls in elderly people.

Ten-year trends in vitamin intake in free-living healthy elderly people: the risk of subclinical malnutrition.

PubMed

Toffanello, E D; Inelmen, E M; Minicuci, N; Campigotto, F; Sergi, G; Coin, A; Miotto, F; Enzi, G; Manzato, E

2011-02-01

To explore the trends of vitamin intake over a 10-year follow-up in a group of successfully aging elderly people. Longitudinal study. City of Padua, Italy. 78 (34M/44F) free-living and still well-functioning survivors among the Italian participants in the SENECA multicenter project, aged 70-75 y at the baseline. data were collected by means of a modified validated dietary history, both at baseline and then 10 y later. The dietary intake of vitamins B1, B2, A and C were considered, calculating the percentages of individuals with an intake below the lowest European Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI). mean energy and macronutrient intake were consistent with dietary guidelines at both time points. There was no decline in total energy intake after a decade. At baseline, the intake of all vitamins exceeded the Lowest European RDI, with the exception of vitamin B1, for which 44% of the men and 60% of the women were already deficient. After a decade, the prevalence of vitamin B2 and vitamin A deficiencies rose to 50% of the sample. Vitamin C deficiencies rose in a decade from 3% to 6% in men and from 2.3% to 4.5% in women and it was the least prevalent. despite an adequate nutritional/functional status and a total energy intake that could be expected to cover the recommendations for micronutrients too, a considerable proportion of our successfully aging elderly were already deficient in, or at high risk of becoming deficient in several essential vitamins. Multivitamin supplementation may be necessary, even in healthy individuals, to ensure an adequate micronutrient intake in the elderly.

Assessment of Walking Stability of Elderly by Means of Nonlinear Time-Series Analysis and Simple Accelerometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohtaki, Yasuaki; Arif, Muhammad; Suzuki, Akihiro; Fujita, Kazuki; Inooka, Hikaru; Nagatomi, Ryoichi; Tsuji, Ichiro

This study presents an assessment of walking stability in elderly people, focusing on local dynamic stability of walking. Its main objectives were to propose a technique to quantify local dynamic stability using nonlinear time-series analyses and a portable instrument, and to investigate their reliability in revealing the efficacy of an exercise training intervention for elderly people for improvement of walking stability. The method measured three-dimensional acceleration of the upper body, and computation of Lyapunov exponents, thereby directly quantifying the local stability of the dynamic system. Straight level walking of young and elderly subjects was investigated in the experimental study. We compared Lyapunov exponents of young and the elderly subjects, and of groups before and after the exercise intervention. Experimental results demonstrated that the exercise intervention improved local dynamic stability of walking. The proposed method was useful in revealing effects and efficacies of the exercise intervention for elderly people.

Effects of 2-Year Cognitive⁻Motor Dual-Task Training on Cognitive Function and Motor Ability in Healthy Elderly People: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Morita, Emiko; Yokoyama, Hisayo; Imai, Daiki; Takeda, Ryosuke; Ota, Akemi; Kawai, Eriko; Suzuki, Yuta; Okazaki, Kazunobu

2018-05-11

We aimed to examine the effect of 2-year cognitive⁻motor dual-task (DT) training on cognitive functions and motor ability of healthy elderly people without marked cognitive impairment. From the 25 participants of our 12-week DT trial conducted in 2014, we recruited 8 subjects who voluntarily participated in a new DT training program once a week for 2 years (exercise (EX) group). Their cognitive functions were evaluated by the Modified Mini-Mental State (3MS) examination and the Trail Making Test, and results were compared with those of the 11 subjects who discontinued the training and did not perform any types of exercise for 2 years (non-exercise (NO) group). Subjects in the NO group showed deterioration in the 3MS examination results, especially in the cognitive domain of attention. Meanwhile, participation in DT training maintained the scores in almost all domains of cognitive function, as well as the total 3MS scores. However, both groups had impaired quadriceps muscle strength and motor ability after the 2-year observation period. These results suggest that participating in exercise program comprising DT training for 2 years may be beneficial for maintaining the broad domains of cognitive function in healthy elderly people, although further verification is needed.

Legal capacity of the elderly in Greece.

PubMed

Giannouli, Vaitsa; Tsolaki, Magda

2014-01-01

Legal capacity of the elderly people in Greece is of great legal, medical and social importance, but has received little attention till now from medical literature. This paper aims to study whether elderly people with dementia are able to participate in legal contracts like sales, purchases, loans, leases, donations and testaments. We tried to introduce a new test for the above legal-financial contracts and show some preliminary findings. The test consists of six examined relevant domains concerning basic monetary skills, cash transactions, bank statement management, financial conceptual knowledge, knowledge of potential heirs (beneficiaries) and assets/estate and finally the decision making process for different dilemmas on sales, purchases, loans, leases, donations and testaments. We studied 203 people. Eighty three people were healthy, 64 with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (10 with severe AD, 22 with moderate, and 32 with mild AD), 10 with Parkinson's disease (PD), and 46 with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI). Individuals were included in the study only if they were aged 60 and over and only if they had a partner or a guardian who could give information on the individual's daily living. The exclusion criteria were predefined as follows: history of any other mental health disease and/or any other serious somatic health disease except for their official diagnosis of dementia. Results showed statistically significant differences with all three groups of patients characterized as incapable for legal-financial actions. Patients with severe AD (P<0.001), patients with moderate AD (P<0.001), patients with mild AD (P<0.001), patients with PD (P<0.001) and aMCI patients (P<0.001) differed significantly from healthy controls. Further research should include more extensive sampling of elderly patients with varying demographic characteristics in Greece, to confirm and expand our initial findings. In conclusion, our new test which is based on Marson's theoretical model

[Family functioning of elderly with depressive symptoms].

PubMed

Souza, Rosely Almeida; Desani da Costa, Gislaine; Yamashita, Cintia Hitomi; Amendola, Fernanda; Gaspar, Jaqueline Correa; Alvarenga, Márcia Regina Martins; Faccenda, Odival; Oliveira, Maria Amélia de Campos

2014-06-01

To classify families of elderly with depressive symptoms regarding their functioning and to ascertain the presence of an association between these symptoms, family functioning and the characteristics of the elderly. This was an observational, analytical, cross-sectional study performed with 33 teams of the Family Health Strategy in Dourados, MS. The sample consisted of 374 elderly divided into two groups (with and without depressive symptoms). The instruments for data collection were a sociodemographic instrument, the GeriatricDepression Scale (15 items) and the Family Apgar. An association was observed between depressive symptoms and family dysfunction, female gender, four or more people living together, and physical inactivity. The functional family may represent effective support for the elderly with depressive symptoms, because it offers a comfortable environment that ensures the well-being of its members. The dysfunctional family can barely provide necessary care for the elderly, which can exacerbate depressive symptoms.

[Domestic elder abuse and neglect--conclusions from the evaluation of a model project].

PubMed

Görgen, T; Nägele, B

2005-02-01

The main task of a federally funded model project in the German city of Hannover was to develop approaches for prevention and intervention in the field of domestic elder abuse. Over a three year period (1998-2001), different approaches--like a telephone helpline for senior citizens, and social workers operating as counsellors for elderly people and their relatives--were tested at a local level. The paper presents results from the evaluation of the project and draws conclusions for future prevention and intervention in the field. The authors argue that the explicit use of the conceptual framework of "violence"/"abuse" creates potentials for scandalizing the issue and is therefore supportive for media appearance, whereas it can impede the approach to the main target groups (elderly people and their relatives) and reduce accessibility of counselling services for potential clients. In the light of evaluation results the focus of the project ("domestic elder abuse" or "violence against elderly people in close relationships") was too narrow for a local project. Counselling services were used in a relatively small number of cases; analyses of cases show that incidents of domestic elder abuse are often embedded in complex problem constellations. Cases brought to the attention of the model project were multifaceted and not limited to incidents of neglect and abuse of elderly care recipients caused by caregiver overload. Cases of intimate violence in partnerships and of intergenerational violence without any of the participants being dependent on care show the need to develop a broader concept of domestic elder abuse. Integration of the concepts of domestic violence, violence against women, elder abuse/neglect and abuse/neglect in caregiving relationships is necessary on a conceptual level as well as on the level of interagency cooperation of institutions dealing with cases of "elder abuse".

The Impact of Audio Book on the Elderly Mental Health.

PubMed

Ameri, Fereshteh; Vazifeshenas, Naser; Haghparast, Abbas

2017-01-01

The growing elderly population calls mental health professionals to take measures concerning the treatment of the elderly mental disorders. Today in developed countries, bibliotherapy is used for the treatment of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of audio book on the elderly mental health of Retirement Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. This experimental study was conducted on 60 elderly people participated in 8 audio book presentation sessions, and their mental health aspects were evaluated through mental health questionnaire (SCL-90-R). Data were analyzed using SPSS 24. Data analysis revealed that the mean difference of pretest and posttest of control group is less than 5.0, so no significant difference was observed in their mental health, but this difference was significant in the experimental group (more than 5.0). Therefore, a significant improvement in mental health and its dimensions have observed in elderly people participated in audio book sessions. This therapeutic intervention was effective on mental health dimensions of paranoid ideation, psychosis, phobia, aggression, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive and somatic complaints. Considering the fact that our population is moving toward aging, the obtained results could be useful for policy makers and health and social planners to improve the health status of the elderly.

e-Learning for the elderly on drug utilization: A pilot study.

PubMed

Throfast, Victoria; Hellström, Lina; Hovstadius, Bo; Petersson, Göran; Ericson, Lisa

2017-05-01

This study explores the attitudes of elderly people to the use of electronic educational technology (e-learning) on drug utilization, with particular emphasis on the layout, usability, content, and level of knowledge in the tool. e-Learning modules were evaluated by a group of elderly people (aged ⩾65 years, n = 16) via a questionnaire comprising closed and open-ended questions. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the responses showed mostly positive reviews. The results indicate that the e-learning modules are a suitable tool for distributing information and education and that they can be managed by elderly individuals who are familiar with computers, allowing them to learn more about medication use.

Analysis of Chronic Illnesses and Disability in a Community-Based Sample of Elderly People in South-Eastern Poland.

PubMed

Ćwirlej-Sozańska, Agnieszka; Wilmowska-Pietruszyńska, Anna; Sozański, Bernard; Wiśniowska-Szurlej, Agnieszka

2018-03-07

BACKGROUND The proportion of elderly people living in Poland has risen in recent years. With rising life expectancy, there is likely to be a concurrent increase in the incidence of chronic diseases and disabilities. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the prevalence of chronic diseases and disability of the elderly in order to help guide strategies of prevention and public health control. MATERIAL AND METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of 1,000 randomly-selected residents living in the Podkarpackie region of Poland. The WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire was used to assess the disability and functioning of the participants across six domains of functioning using the following scores: no disability (0-4%), mild disability (5-24%), moderate disability (25-49%), severe disability (50-95%), and extreme disability (96-100%). RESULTS The presence of at least one chronic disease was identified in 84.1% of participants. The most common diseases were: circulatory diseases (59.10%), spinal pain syndromes (51.50%), degenerative joint diseases (50.30%), and rheumatic diseases (23.90%). Severe or extreme disability was found in 8.46% of patients with circulatory disease, 9.32% of patients with spinal pain syndromes, 9.34% of patients with degenerative joint diseases, and 12.13% of patients with rheumatic diseases. CONCLUSIONS Based on our findings, we recommend an emphasis be placed on early diagnosis of chronic diseases. We also recommend implementing methods of primary and secondary prevention aimed at reducing or eliminating disability resulting from chronic diseases. Our research highlights the need to plan targeted support and prevention programs using strategies that optimize social participation of older people with various chronic diseases.

Analysis of Chronic Illnesses and Disability in a Community-Based Sample of Elderly People in South-Eastern Poland

PubMed Central

Wilmowska-Pietruszyńska, Anna; Sozański, Bernard; Wiśniowska-Szurlej, Agnieszka

2018-01-01

Background The proportion of elderly people living in Poland has risen in recent years. With rising life expectancy, there is likely to be a concurrent increase in the incidence of chronic diseases and disabilities. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the prevalence of chronic diseases and disability of the elderly in order to help guide strategies of prevention and public health control. Material/Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 1,000 randomly-selected residents living in the Podkarpackie region of Poland. The WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire was used to assess the disability and functioning of the participants across six domains of functioning using the following scores: no disability (0–4%), mild disability (5–24%), moderate disability (25–49%), severe disability (50–95%), and extreme disability (96–100%). Results The presence of at least one chronic disease was identified in 84.1% of participants. The most common diseases were: circulatory diseases (59.10%), spinal pain syndromes (51.50%), degenerative joint diseases (50.30%), and rheumatic diseases (23.90%). Severe or extreme disability was found in 8.46% of patients with circulatory disease, 9.32% of patients with spinal pain syndromes, 9.34% of patients with degenerative joint diseases, and 12.13% of patients with rheumatic diseases. Conclusions Based on our findings, we recommend an emphasis be placed on early diagnosis of chronic diseases. We also recommend implementing methods of primary and secondary prevention aimed at reducing or eliminating disability resulting from chronic diseases. Our research highlights the need to plan targeted support and prevention programs using strategies that optimize social participation of older people with various chronic diseases. PMID:29512628

Association of sarcopenia with depressive symptoms and functional status among ambulatory community-dwelling elderly.

PubMed

Kilavuz, Asli; Meseri, Reci; Savas, Sumru; Simsek, Hatice; Sahin, Sevnaz; Bicakli, Derya Hopanci; Sarac, Fulden; Uyar, Mehmet; Akcicek, Fehmi

Sarcopenia, functional disability, and depression are common problems in the elderly. Sarcopenia is associated with physical disability, functional impairment, depression, cardiometabolic diseases, and even mortality. This study aims to determine the association of sarcopenia with depression and functional status among ambulatory community-dwelling elderly aged 65 years and older. The sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of 28,323 people, aged 65 years and older, living in Bornova, Izmir. Multi-stage sample selection was performed to reach 1007 individuals. However, 966 elderly people could be reached, and 861 elderly people who can walk were included in the study. The data were collected by the interviewers at home through face-to-face interview. The mean age was 72.2 ± 5.8 (65-100) years. The prevalence of functional disability, depressive symptoms, and sarcopenia were 21.7%, 25.2%, and 4.6%, respectively. In multivariate analysis depression was associated with sarcopenia, being illiterate and divorced, perception of the economic situation as poor/moderate, increased number of chronic diseases, and having at least one physical disability. IADL associated functional disability with sarcopenia, being illiterate/literate and female, increased age and number of medications, and the BMI. Sarcopenia in ambulatory community-dwelling elderly is significantly associated with depressive symptoms and functional disability. Elderly people at high risk of sarcopenia should be screened for functional disability and depression. Appropriate interventions should also be implemented. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk factors for falls with severe fracture in elderly people living in a middle-income country: a case control study.

PubMed

Coutinho, Evandro S F; Fletcher, Astrid; Bloch, Katia V; Rodrigues, Laura C

2008-08-26

Fracture after falling has been identified as an important problem in public health. Most studies of risk factors for fractures due to falls have been carried out in developed countries, although the size of the elderly population is increasing fast in middle income countries. The objective of this paper is to identify risk factors for fall related to severe fractures in those aged 60 or more in a middle-income country. A case-control study was carried out in Rio de Janeiro-Brazil based general hospitals between 2002-2003. Two hundred-fifty hospitalised cases of fracture were matched with 250 community controls by sex, age group and living area. Data were collected for socio-demographic variables, health status and drugs used before the fall. A conditional logistic regression model was fitted to identify variables associated with the risk of fall related severe fracture. Low body mass index, cognitive impairment, stroke and lack of urine control were associated with increased risk of severe fall related fractures. Benzodiazepines and muscle relaxants were also related to an increased risk of severe fractures while moderate use of alcohol was associated with reduced risk. Although the association between benzodiazepines and fractures due to fall has been consistently demonstrated for old people, this has not been the case for muscle relaxant drugs. The decision to prescribe muscle relaxants for elderly people should take into account the risk of severe fracture associated with these drugs.

A mobile and ubiquitous approach for supporting frailty assessment in elderly people.

PubMed

Fontecha, Jesús; Hervás, Ramon; Bravo, José; Navarro, Fco Javier

2013-09-04

Frailty is a health condition related to aging and dependence. A reduction in or delay of the frailty state can improve the quality of life of the elderly. However, providing frailty assessments can be difficult because many factors must be taken into account. Usually, measurement of these factors is performed in a noncentralized manner. Additionally, the lack of quantitative methods for analysis makes it impossible for the diagnosis to be as complete or as objective as it should be. To develop a centralized mobile system to conduct elderly frailty assessments in an accurate and objective way using mobile phone capabilities. The diagnosis of frailty includes two fundamental aspects: the analysis of gait activity as the main predictor of functional disorders, and the study of a set of frailty risk factors from patient records. Thus, our system has several stages including gathering information about gait using accelerometer-enabled mobile devices, collecting values of frailty factors, performing analysis through similarity comparisons with previous data, and displaying the results for frailty on the mobile devices in a formalized way. We developed a general mechanism to assess the frailty state of a group of elders by using mobile devices as supporting tools. In collaboration with geriatricians, two studies were carried out on a group of 20 elderly patients (10 men and 10 women), previously selected from a nursing home. Frailty risk factors for each patient were collected at three different times over the period of a year. In the first study, data from the group of patients were used to determine the frailty state of a new incoming patient. The results were valuable for determining the degree of frailty of a specific patient in relation to other patients in an elderly population. The most representative similarity degrees were between 73.4% and 71.6% considering 61 frailty factors from 64 patient instances. Additionally, from the provided results, a physician could

Cancer surgery in the elderly.