Gerontology Commons^™

Educating Dietetics Students About The Nutritional Concerns Of Older Adults, Lily Brickman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The percentage of individuals in the United States who fall within the 65 years and older cohort is anticipated to increase substantially over the next decade due to the large baby boomer generation aging into this category by 2030. Consequently, the healthcare demands of older adults are expected to increase, and medical and healthcare providers must be educated and prepared to meet the unique needs of this population. The purpose of this study is to help learn why interest in FSN 406 Nutritional Care of Older Adults has been so low since its inception in 2020, and whether other institutions …

The Role Of Leisure In Older Adults Moving Homes, Kristin Prentice

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Moving homes is a common experience for older adults in later life. Concomitant with moving is the transition process of adapting to the new home and developing a sense of place. When older adults change residences they experience disruption in place and risk losing identities. Leisure engagement has been known to help older adults adapt to new transitions in their life, such as death of a spouse, health decline and retirement. Leisure engagement has been linked to the development of sense of home and maintaining identity when moving to residential care settings and congregate living, however, these processes are not …

Exploring Gaps In Understanding And Responding To Ageism: A Conceptual Model, Psychosocial Health, And Racialized Ageism, Andrew T. Steward

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ageism is an insidious, prevalent social justice issue which has harmful effects on the health of older adults. This dissertation includes three manuscripts which explore gaps in understanding and responding to ageism through three distinct methodological approaches. Two primary gaps are addressed in the three manuscripts: 1) conceptualizing and testing activities or interventions to reduce internalized ageism and enhance psychosocial health for older adults, and 2) exploring the intersectionality of ageism with racism.

The first manuscript draws from stereotype embodiment theory and theories of successful and productive aging to detail a conceptual model of interventions which may reduce internalized ageism …

An Investigation Of The Perception Of Elderspeak Among Community Dwelling Older Adults, Abby L. Teply

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study aimed to expand the literature on the perception of elderspeak among community dwelling older adults with secondary purposes concerning how these perceptions vary across gender and region. Participants (n = 110) were presented a written vignette that depicted a nursing assistant in an assisted living facility waking a tenant from a nap and assisting the tenant to the bathroom before lunch. The nursing assistant uses elderspeak throughout the vignette. Following the vignette, participants’ reactions to the use of elderspeak and perceptions of the nursing assistant in the vignette were assessed using a series of open-ended questions, the Positive …