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Full-Text Articles in Geropsychology
Factors Associated With Functioning In Older Black Adults, Katrail D. Davis
Factors Associated With Functioning In Older Black Adults, Katrail D. Davis
LSU Master's Theses
Activities of daily living can be simple tasks such as bathing, showering, toileting or as complex as managing finances, driving, and preparing meals. Independence in everyday functioning has been associated with successful aging and declines in functioning may be indicative of pathological cognitive decline. Social determinants of health, like economic status and access to health care, also play a role in everyday functioning. Understanding these factors are of particular importance for older Black adults who have had long-standing disparate access to care, education, and treatments. The current study aimed to evaluate social determinants of health, more specifically social engagement, as …
Baseline Differences In Driving Frequency As A Predictor Of Cognitive Decline, Luke R. Miller
Baseline Differences In Driving Frequency As A Predictor Of Cognitive Decline, Luke R. Miller
LSU Master's Theses
Driving is a complex task heavily dependent on cognitive functions which can decline with age including executive functions and processing speed. Although driving cessation as a predictor of cognitive changes has been studied, driving frequency is understudied in the literature. Thus, the objective of the current study is to evaluate the predictive utility of driving frequency at baseline toward objective cognitive decline beyond other factors associated with cognitive decline (e.g., depression, general functional mobility). The sample included a subset of 1,426 older adults (M age = 77.6, SD = 7.1) from the Rush University Memory and Aging Project. Participants completed …
The Use Of Non-Immersive Virtual Reality As A Functional Rehabilitation Tool For Older Adults With Cognitive Decline, Ross M. Divers
The Use Of Non-Immersive Virtual Reality As A Functional Rehabilitation Tool For Older Adults With Cognitive Decline, Ross M. Divers
LSU Master's Theses
There is currently no cure for age-related cognitive decline or dementia and current pharmacologic interventions have had limited success at improving daily functioning. Consequently, older adults who experience cognitive decline require assistance with daily activities, which can be quite expensive and lead to caregiver burden. Repeated performance of everyday tasks has been shown to improve performance but requires supervision and direction by another person. The present study evaluated a low-cost computer training program that will use non-immersive virtual reality to enable participants with dementia or cognitive decline to independently practice meaningful everyday activities (e.g., meal preparation). Participants (N= 8) with …