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Moderation Analysis Of Bowel Function Among Nutrients And Physical Function Or Depression, As Well As Whether Bowel Function Is Related To Cognition In Older Adults, Jessie Alwerdt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As we age, the risk for gut issues, such as smooth muscle tone, may be an underlying indirect or direct cause or risk factor for many age-related issues, such as frailty. Consequences of decreased motility and depleted epithelial barrier may result in nutrient deficiencies that may increase the risk for malnutrition (Brownie, 2006). Further, there is increasing evidence that there is a gut-brain-axis relationship that may influence cognition and mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. While there are relationships established, the interconnections of these factors have yet to be fully understood.

This dissertation examined several relationships specific to …

Intense Piano Training On Self-Efficacy And Physiological Stress In Aging, Jennifer A. Bugos, Simran Kochar, Nathan Maxfield

Music Education Faculty Publications

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an intense piano training program on general self-efficacy, musical self-efficacy, and physiological stress in older adults. Self-efficacy refers to perceived beliefs regarding the performance of domain-specific tasks or activities, which contribute to psychological and physical health. A key challenge is to identify activities that promote self-efficacy in the aging population. Seventeen healthy community-dwelling older adults (60–85 years) with little to no previous musical training participated in a within subjects experimental design. Measures of self-efficacy and cortisol levels were administered over three time points: an initial pre-testing session, a second …

Large Cross-Sectional Study Of Presbycusis Reveals Rapid Progressive Decline In Auditory Temporal Acuity, Erol J. Ozmeral, Ann C. Eddins, Robert Frisina Sr., David A. Eddins

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Publications

The auditory system relies on extraordinarily precise timing cues for the accurate perception of speech, music, and object identification. Epidemiological research has documented the age-related progressive decline in hearing sensitivity that is known to be a major health concern for the elderly. Although smaller investigations indicate that auditory temporal processing also declines with age, such measures have not been included in larger studies. Temporal gap detection thresholds (TGDTs; an index of auditory temporal resolution) measured in 1071 listeners (aged 18–98 years) were shown to decline at a minimum rate of 1.05 ms (15%) per decade. Age was a significant predictor …

Metabolic Therapy For Age-Dependent Impaired Wound Healing, Shannon Lynn Kesl

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chronic wounds represent an under-acknowledged socioeconomic epidemic, affecting 1.8 million new patients per year and costing the US health care system upwards of $25 billion annually. This substantial cost is rapidly growing due to a disproportionate occurrence in the ever-aging population. Key features associated with age-related impairment of wound healing include limited energy and nutrient exchange, unremitting inflammations, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and diminished blood flow. Most chronic wound therapies target specific molecular mechanisms; however, there are often multiple mitigating factors that prevent normal wound closure. This is likely one reason most wound therapies are minimally effective. In the …

Training For Research And Teaching In Geropsychology: Preparing The Next Generation Of Scholars And Educators, Brian D. Carpenter, Erin Sakai, Michele J. Karel, Victor A. Molinari

Aging Studies Faculty Publications

For geropsychology to flourish in the years ahead, we need scientists to advance knowledge and teachers to draw new professionals into the field. In this project the authors surveyed 100 geropsychologists who completed a doctoral degree in clinical or counseling psychology about their experience with training for research and teaching. The majority were currently conducting some degree of research (38%) and some form of teaching (45%). The majority of ratings for components of research training were in the “very good to excellent” range, whereas elements of teacher training were rated in the “poor to good” range, though there was variability …

Caregivers' Considerations On Age-Friendly Community Features, Kathy Black, Adrian N.S. Badana, Kathryn Hyer

Aging Studies Sarasota Manatee Campus Faculty Publications

As communities strive to create age-friendly accommodations that promote the health and wellbeing of a growing aging citizenry, the concomitant growth of caregivers requires additional planning considerations. Increasingly, persons providing care are managing their own aging and negotiating their community's infrastructure for both themselves as well as on behalf of their aged loved ones. This study reports on the findings from a global age-friendly community effort that examined caregivers' perception of the importance of community features across three clustered domains of community life: the built environment; the social environment; and, community and health supports. The study surveyed caregivers (n = …