Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Topical Menthol On Ipsilateral And Contralateral Superficial Blood Flow Following A Bout Of Maximum Voluntary Muscle Contraction, Robert V. Topp, Lee J. Winchester, Jessica Schilero, Dean E. Jacks

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose/Background: Various doses of topical menthol are commonly applied prior to, during, and after exercise to relieve pain although there is limited empirical evidence examining the physiological effects of this treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two different doses of menthol (3.5% and 10%) on blood flow and arterial diameter before and after an acute bout of three isokinetic maximum voluntary muscular contraction (MVMC) of the quadriceps and hamstrings.

Methods: Blood flow and arterial diameter of the right and left popliteal arteries were measured with an ultrasound Doppler prior to and after subjects completed …

Rocky Mountain Highs And Lows: Efforts To Improve Health And Reduce Costs In Denver, Michele J. Orza, Jessamyn Taylor

National Health Policy Forum

In late May–early June 2011, the Forum sponsored a site visit to Denver, Colorado, to observe innovative efforts to improve the health of Coloradans and reduce the cost of health care. The three-day agenda was designed to convey the breadth and interconnectedness of the efforts underway in Denver and to highlight both successes and challenges. The exploration concentrated on how three themes of national interest are unfolding in Denver: building and sustaining a robust and effective safety net in an evolving health care market; improving the health of people and their communities to prevent and reduce the need for health …

A Review Focused On The Psychological Effectiveness Of Tai Chi On Different Populations, Long Zhang, Thomas Lowder, Jian Liu

Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering Faculty Research

As a popular exercise form, Tai Chi (TC) has been investigated to determine its contributions to an active and healthy lifestyle. There are an increasing number of researchers who focus on exploring the potential physiological and psychological benefits of TC but only a few systematic reviews of these benefits to a variety of populations. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively evaluate the reported psychological benefits associated with practicing TC. Although many investigators have reported possible psychological benefits of TC for children, young adults, older healthy adults, and for a variety of patient populations, many of the reports suffer …

Evaluation Of A Medical And Mental Health Unit Compared With Standard Care For Older People Whose Emergency Admission To An Acute General Hospital Is Complicated By Concurrent ‘Confusion’: A Controlled Clinical Trial. Acronym: Team: Trial Of An Elderly Acute Care Medical And Mental Health Unit, Rowan H. Harwood, Sarah E. Goldberg, Kathy H. Whittamore, Catherine Russell, John Rf Gladman, Rob G. Jones, Davina Porock, Sarah A. Lewis, Lucy E. Bradshaw, Rachel A. Elliot

Publications and Research

Background: Patients with delirium and dementia admitted to general hospitals have poor outcomes, and their carers report poor experiences. We developed an acute geriatric medical ward into a specialist Medical and Mental Health Unit over an eighteen month period. Additional specialist mental health staff were employed, other staff were trained in the ‘person-centred’ dementia care approach, a programme of meaningful activity was devised, the environment adapted to the needs of people with cognitive impairment, and attention given to communication with family carers. We hypothesise that patients managed on this ward will have better outcomes than those receiving standard care, and …

Residents' Perceptions Of Social Interaction And Social Activity In An Affordable Assisted Living Facility, Elena Garcia

Honors Scholar Theses

This study is a qualitative study looking at the social interactions and social activities in an assisted living facility, based on the residents’ perceptions. In this study I interviewed 20 residents of an affordable assisted living facility. The participants were male and female, 65 or older, and any ethnicity. Inclusion criteria include: (1) Residing in the assisted living facility at least 6 months and no more than 2 years; and (2) being mentally competent to give informed consent. I recruited the participants based on a list of who was eligible from the facilities administration and then asked the eligible participants …

Nutritional Status And Clinical Outcomes Of Residents Admitted To A Nursing Home, Sheryl Nespor Phd

Dissertations

Purpose The purpose of this research study was to describe the nutritional status (well nourished, at risk for malnutrition, or malnourished) of residents admitted to nursing homes and adverse clinical outcomes in those residents after four weeks. Methodology A descriptive, correlational design utilizing medical record data was used to examine the relationship between nutritional status and adverse clinical outcomes of weight loss and pressure ulcers. Results The sample (n=69) was predominately Caucasian (90%) with 38% having one or more pressure ulcers on admission. Most of the residents were admitted from an acute care facility (97%) and were either malnourished or …

Vital Signs, Summer 2011, Boonshoft School Of Medicine

Vital Signs

A forty-eight page newsletter created by the Boonshoft School of Medicine to document the current affairs of the school. This issue includes a variety of feature articles, a research spotlight, alumni notes, and more.

Bmi Trajectories During The Transition To Older Adulthood: Persistent, Widening, Or Diminishing Disparities By Ethnicity And Education?, Katrina M. Walsemann, Jennifer A. Ailshire

Faculty Publications

Previous research has produced inconsistent results on whether education and ethnic disparities in BMI persist, widen, or diminish over time. We investigate how education and ethnicity, independently and conditionally, influence BMI trajectories during the transition to older adulthood. Employing random coefficient modeling, we analyzed 8 biennial waves of data (1992-2006) from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative longitudinal study of individuals born between 1931 and 1941. After adjusting for health behaviors and health status, education and ethnic disparities in BMI persisted for most groups, but narrowed between high-educated white men and both low-educated Hispanic men and high-educated black …

Resources For Assisting Elderly Individuals With Insomnia: An Occupational Therapy Perspective, Michelle Linn Anderson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project is to provide a resource manual for elderly individuals, and those providing care to elderly people, to assist the individual in relieving symptoms of insomnia. Insomnia affects elderly individuals worldwide. Studies document that approximately 50% of individuals in the United States over the age of 65 are noted to have either clinically diagnosed or self-diagnosed insomnia (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2007). As the population worldwide continues to age, it is important that occupational therapists, elderly individuals, family members and care providers be aware of the impact that symptoms of insomnia may …

Development Of A Scale To Assess Avoidance Behavior Due To A Fear Of Falling: The Fear Of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (Ffabq), Cortney Durand, D. Shalom Powell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: A history of falls or imbalance may lead to a fear of falling which may lead to self-imposed avoidance of activity; this avoidance may stimulate a vicious cycle of deconditioning and subsequent falls.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a questionnaire that would quantify avoidance behavior due to a fear of falling.

Design: This study consisted of two parts, questionnaire development and psychometric testing. Questionnaire development included an expert panel and 39 assisted living residents. Psychometric testing included 63 community dwelling subjects with various health conditions.

Methods: Questionnaire development included the evaluation …

Creating A Therapeutic Milieu In Retirement Communities, Abir K. Bekhet, Jaclene A. Zauszniewski

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Elderly persons’ relocation to retirement communities is a stressful event that requires person-milieu adjustment. Research has shown differences in relocation adjustment for elders residing in different retirement communities. A secondary analysis used findings from a study of relocated elders in order to determine whether certain therapeutic factors were lacking in retirement communities where elders had difficulty in adjusting. Study participants were 104 elders who relocated to six retirement communities in Northeast Ohio. This study analyzed qualitative data from the researchers’ observations and field notes and narratives obtained from the elders who participated in the original study. The analysis focused on …

Oxidative Stress Accumulates In Adipose Tissue During Aging And Inhibits Adipogenesis, Hannes M. Findeisen, Kevin J. Pearson, Florence Gizard, Yue Zhao, Hua Qing, Karrie L Jones, Dianne Cohn, Elizabeth B. Heywood, Rafael De Cabo, Dennis Bruemmer

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Aging constitutes a major independent risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes and is accompanied by insulin resistance and adipose tissue dysfunction. One of the most important factors implicitly linked to aging and age-related chronic diseases is the accumulation of oxidative stress. However, the effect of increased oxidative stress on adipose tissue biology remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that aging in mice results in a loss of fat mass and the accumulation of oxidative stress in adipose tissue. In vitro, increased oxidative stress through glutathione depletion inhibits preadipocyte differentiation. This inhibition of adipogenesis is at …

Mid-Atlantic Ethics Committee Newsletter, Spring-Summer 2011

Mid-Atlantic Ethics Committee Newsletter

No abstract provided.

The College Of Health & Human Services [Annual Report], Wku College Of Health & Human Services, Dr. John Bonaguro, Dean

College of Health & Human Services Publications

No abstract provided.

Soul Medicine: The Role Of Traditional Senegalese Music In A Therapeutic Context, Alexa K. Dorris

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this study was to discover the role of traditional Senegalese music used in therapeutic contexts. Specifically, I sought to discover its uses and understand the ideologies and cultural significance behind its usage. I collected data using participant observation, interviewing, and archival research in Dakar and Ngoundiame, a Serrere village, Senegal. I found that music was used for cathartic and healing purposes in two primary schools in Dakar and in the traditional ndepp ceremony, respectively. These usages of music reflected larger themes in Senegalese culture. In conclusion, I recommended that music be integrated into mental health treatment through …

“So I Just Took Over”: African American Daughters Caregiving For Parents With Heart Failure, Nancy Thornton, Faith Pratt Hopp

Social Work Faculty Publications

This article examines the experiences of African American women who are caring for a parent with heart failure. Seven adult daughter caregivers completed in-depth, qualitative interviews, and a phenomenological approach was used for data analysis. Results suggest the presence of caregiving stressors, including heart failure symptoms and comorbidity, caregiving duties, social–emotional stressors, and distrust of the health system. Relevant coping strategies included valuing the caregiving role, coordinating care with siblings, taking charge, and spirituality. Social workers can play a critical role in supporting and advocating for caregivers of persons with heart failure, helping them to cope with stressors associated with …

Implementation Of The 2009 Cacrep Standards Addiction Competencies, Tiffany K. Lee

Dissertations

Addiction issues have been and continue to be significant problems affecting the United States. Over the past few decades, substantial scholarly attention has been paid to the lack of addictions training in the counseling profession. The purposes of this mixed-method study were to examine the current status of addiction training among institutions that offer counselor education programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and determine how institutions plan to integrate the addiction-related competencies outlined in the 2009 CACREP standards.

The quantitative data were obtained from a 15-item online survey completed by 74 CACREP …

Are Scores On The Ppt Useful In Determination Of Risk Of Future Falls In Individuals With Dementia?, Mary K. Farrell, Richard A. Rutt, Michelle M. Lusardi, Ann K. Williams

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

Individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease (AD), exhibit both a progressive decline in cognitive function and accumulating difficulty with physical function.¹ As cognitive impairment begins, individuals will initially demonstrate difficulties with short-term memory and with instrumental activities of daily living. As the dementia progresses, individuals will increasingly demonstrate difficulties with long-term memory, communication, and basic activities of daily living.

Content Validation Of A Standardized Language Diagnosis By Certified Specialists In Gerontological Nutrition, Paula K. Ritter-Gooder, Nancy M. Lewis, Kent M. Eskridge

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Validation of the nutrition standardized language assures the language is accurate for use in practice, policy, and research, but few validation studies have been reported. The purpose of this descriptive study was to validate content of all components of the nutrition diagnostic term involuntary weight loss using experts providing care for older adults in health care settings. A Nutrition Diagnosis Validation Instrument was developed that contained the definition, etiologies, and signs and symptoms of the diagnosis plus items added from literature review. Questions on clarity and completeness of the language were included. The Nutrition Diagnosis Validation Instrument used a Likert-type …

Today - March 16, 2011, Loma Linda University

TODAY

Inside this issue:

-- Loma Linda University Medical Center-Murrieta opens
-- Loma Linda City Council moves toward approval of pedestrian walkway project
-- Physical therapy graduate inducted into Rose Bowl Hall of Frame
-- Social work graduate students brave the night to survey the unsheltered
-- AACR awards 50 Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Awards
-- Loma Linda University School of Medicine dedicates the class of 2014
-- School of Nursing hosts delegation from South Korea
-- Volunteer opportunities for Goal 4 Health youth soccer league
-- Shona sculpture at Highland Springs Medical Plaza depicts family embrace
-- Physical therapy …

Dimensions Of Aging And Belonging For The Older Person And The Effects Of Ageism, Laurence C. Nolan

Brigham Young University Journal of Public Law

No abstract provided.

In Translation V.1:No.3 (2011:Spring), Matthew J. Cook

UCHC Articles - Research

The Winter-Spring issue features an article on Dr. James Grady, the new director of the Biostatistics Center, and describes the biostatistics services being offered to CICATS investigators. You can also read about a TRIPP Center pilot and planning grant awarded to Dr. Rick Fortinsky and colleagues which helped to support a $400K grant from the National Institute for Nursing Research. Additional stories describe the activities of the Biomedical Informatics Division and the Correctional Health Services Research Core Interest Group (CIG)

Massachusetts’ Home Care Programs And Reasons For Discharge Into Nursing Homes, Cathy M. Wong, Nina M. Silverstein

Gerontology Institute Publications

Home and community-based services (HCBS) are a range of long-term care services intended to enable older adults and persons with disabilities to “age in place” in their own homes and communities. Previous studies well document that older adults prefer receiving HCBS rather than institutional care at a nursing home. One study concluded that 84 percent of older Americans, aged 50 years and older, want to remain in their homes for as long as possible. Medicaid is a major source of funding for long term care. Currently, a large proportion of Medicaid funds in most states has been spent on institutional, …

What Is The Caregivers' (Certified Nursing Assistant) Perception Of Their Role While Caring For A Patient In The Household Model?, Daniyele Feaster

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This was a mixed design study that assessed the caregivers' perception of their role while caring for patients in the household model. A sample of 12 caregivers currently employed in a long-term care facility operating in the household model was asked to complete a survey and answer 11 questions during a one on one interview. This interview tool allowed the caregivers the opportunity to rate their personal experiences, environment and express their feelings associated with their role as a certified nursing assistant working in a household model. The results indicated that the caregivers enjoyed working in the household environment and …

Medical Education Digest, Vol. 13 No. 1 (January/February 2011), Nova Southeastern University

Medical Education Digest

No abstract provided.

Baby Boomers And Stereotypes, Edward F. Ansello

Director's Editorials from Age in Action

With age we become more and more like ourselves. This would mean millions and millions of individual Baby Boomers, each with his or her own characteristics and life trajectory. Stereotyping would, therefore, be wrong, but it is happening.

Skin Blood Flow Response To 2-Hour Repositioning In The Long-Term Care Residents: A Pilot Study, Vivian K. Wong

Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of this noninvasive pilot study was to examine the changes in transcutaneous oxygen (tcO2), skin temperature, and hyperemic response in the heels, sacrum, and trochanters in a 2-hour loading-unloading condition in nursing home residents who are positioned in supine and lateral positions. DESIGN: A 1-group, prospective, repeated-measures design was used. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Nine subjects (5 males, 4 females) with a mean age of 85.3 ± 10.86 years (mean ± SD) who required help in turning and positioning at a skilled nursing facility participated in the study. METHODS: Oxygen and temperature sensors were placed on the heels, …

Hospital Quality And Medicare Payment: A Theoretical And Empirical Investigation, Jinghua Huang

Wayne State University Dissertations

Does Medicare's payment rate for a hospital stay influence the quality of care received by a patient? We examine this question, theoretically and empirically. First, a model is developed which generates the key hypothesis -- that Medicare's payment rate per admission should be positively related to care quality. We then test this hypothesis by estimating the relationship between Medicare's DRG payment for pneumonia, heart failure and heart attacks and care quality, using clinically-recognized measures of the quality of pneumonia care, heart failure care and heart attack care. Newly available data on acute hospitals in 2007 from "Hospital Compare" (maintained by …

Evaluating Driving As A Valued Instrumental Activity Of Daily Living, Anne E. Dickerson, Timothy Reistetter, Elin Schold Davis, Miriam Monahan

Collected Faculty Scholarship

The purpose of this translational research article is to illustrate how general practice occupational therapists have the skills and knowledge to address driving as a valued occupation using an algorithm based on the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (2nd ed.; American Occupational Therapy Association, 2008b). Evidence to support the model is offered by a research study. Participants were compared on their performance of complex instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and a behind-thewheel driving assessment. A significant relationship was found between the process skills from the performance assessment and whether the driver passed, failed, or needed restrictions as …

Factors Influencing Receipt Of Outpatient Rehabilitation Services Among Veterans Following Lower Extremity Amputation, Jianxun Zhou, Barbara E. Bates, Jibby E. Kurichi, Pui L. Kwong, Dawei Xie, Margaret G. Stineman

United States Public Health Resources

Objective: To determine patient-, treatment-, and facilitylevel characteristics associated with receiving outpatient rehabilitation services after lower extremity amputation within the Veterans Affairs (VA) system.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: All Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs).

Participants: Veterans (N=4165) with lower extremity amputation discharged from VAMCs between October 1, 2002, and September 20, 2004. Interventions: Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures: Receipt of outpatient rehabilitation services up to 1 year postdischarge. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the adjusted hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval of veterans to receive outpatient services.

Results: …