Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Assistive And Interactive Technology Needs Of Older Adults, Joshua Idachaba, Julie Blaskewicz Boron, Sarah Hubner, Marcia Shade, Natalie Manley, Meaghan Walls, Ann Fruhling

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Most older adults have expressed a desire to age in place. Advances in medicine and technology have helped improve the feasibility to fulfill this desire. Assistive and interactive technologies (AITs), which assist with at least one activity of daily living (ADL) or instrumental activity of daily living (IADL), may be key in supporting independent living, improving the user’s quality of life, and reducing caregiver burden. This study aimed to investigate the technology needs and preferences of older adults and how demographics, IADL/ADL function, and quality of life relate to these needs and preferences.

Older adults, mostly in Nebraska, were recruited …

Effects Of Social Networks And Caregiver Characteristics On Loneliness In Caregivers To Older Adults With Chronic Conditions, Hayley A. Fouche, Janelle N. Beadle Dr.

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Caregivers to older adults with chronic conditions may experience physical and mental health issues, such as depression and loneliness, due to the stressful nature of providing daily care. Loneliness levels also may be affected by caregiving characteristics (e.g., time spent on caregiving per week), as well as differing levels of social support. Yet, few studies have specifically examined the relationship between loneliness, caregiving characteristics and social support in caregivers to older adults with chronic conditions. Understanding the risk factors for loneliness among caregivers may provide insights into ways to improve caregiver well-being. This study aims to investigate differences in loneliness …

Relationships Between Depressive Symptoms And Physical Resilience In Adulthood, Hyeon Jung (Judith) Kim

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Aging is a natural and multi-faceted process with changes in cognitive, psychological, and physical functioning. The experience of each person is different and may be impacted by individual levels of cognitive, psychological, and physical resilience–these are separate constructs, but may be related. Resilience is crucial as it contributes to sustained physical functioning, personal well-being, and cognitive competence, in addition to facilitating adjustment to change in capacity, activity motivations, and participation in everyday life activities. Depression is one risk factor that can negatively influence cognitive, psychological, and physical resilience. The purpose of the study was to investigate how depressive symptoms and …

High Cognitive Load Situations Decrease Both Gait And Cognitive Performance, Hyeon Jung (Judith) Kim

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

A high cognitive load situation (HCLS) is completing two or more tasks simultaneously (i.e. walking while talking). Differential allocation of attentional demands creates HCLS, potentially deteriorating cognitive and/or gait performance, impacting fall risk. This study investigated whether different load types [(Single-task (ST): talking/walking only, and HCLS: walking while talking on a phone)] impacted gait and cognitive performance among young (n=8; age=23.16±1.96yrs), middle-aged (n=14; age=44.79±7.42yrs), and older (n=15; age=74.47±3.91yrs) adults. In 3-minute trials, participants completed single-task walking (ST-W) and phone conversations with easy (e.g., favorite food, ST-E) and difficult (e.g., personal relationships, ST-D) topics, and also combined walking and talking (easy: …

Fact Book, Academic Year 2020, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Fact Book

The Fact Book presents important campus information in data tables and charts. Included are details regarding students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Generally, data are broken out by college, rank, level, gender, age and ethnicity for both spring and fall semesters, past to present. There are a few academic year tables that include information on tuition & fees, student credit hours by program, and degrees conferred. We wish to thank the many individuals and departments at the University for their contributions to the Fact Book.

University Of Nebraska At Omaha 2021-2022 Course Catalog, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Undergraduate Catalogs

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness, and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Commencement: December 2020, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Gait Complexity Is Acutely Restored In Older Adults When Walking To A Fractal-Like Visual Stimulus, Joao R. Vaz, Brian Knarr, Nicholas Stergiou

Journal Articles

Typically, gait rehabilitation uses an invariant stimulus paradigm to improve gait related deficiencies. However, this approach may not be optimal as it does not incorporate gait complexity, or in more precise words, the variable fractal-like nature found in the gait fluctuations commonly observed in healthy populations. Aging which also affects gait complexity, resulting in a loss of adaptability to the surrounding environment, could benefit from gait rehabilitation that incorporates a variable fractal-like stimulus paradigm. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of a variable fractal-like visual stimulus on the stride-to-stride fluctuations of older adults during overground walking. Additionally, …

External Funding Bulletin, July - December 2020, Uno Office Of Research And Creative Activity

Sponsored Programs Bulletins

This bulletin features recent award recipients.

Strength Of Plantar- And Dorsiflexors Mediates Step Regularity During A High Cognitive Load Situation In A Cross-Sectional Cohort Of Older And Younger Adults, Farahnaz Fallah Tafti, Kristen Watson, Julie Blaskewicz Boron, Sara A. Myers, Kendra K. Schmid, Jennifer M. Yentes

Journal Articles

Background and Purpose:

Completing simultaneous tasks while standing or walking (ie, a high cognitive load situation [HCLS]) is inevitable in daily activities and can lead to interference in task performances. Age-related physical and cognitive changes may confound performance variability during HCLS in older and younger adults. Identification of these confounding effects may reveal therapy targets to maintain optimal physical function later in life. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of increasing the difficulty levels of an additional motor task and restricting visual information, on gait parameters in younger and older adults while considering the effect of …

Fall 2020 Census Enrollment Indicators Report, Tables 1-3, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Enrollment Reports

Enrollment comparison for both the UNO Administrative-Site and the UNO Delivery-Site: Fall Semesters 2020 and 2019.

Summer 2020 Census Enrollment Indicators Report, Tables 1-3, Uno Office Of Instituional Effectiveness

Enrollment Reports

Enrollment comparison for both the UNO Administrative-Site and the UNO Delivery-Site: Summer Semesters 2020 and 2019.

Marital Satisfaction During Retirement, Marissa A. Fye, Christine Chasek, Grace A. Mims, Jacob Sandman, Alex Hinrichsen

Counseling Faculty Publications

Marriage/commitment and retirement are two common experiences in an adult’s life. Marital satisfaction and retirement have been researched in multiple disciplines. The relationship between these two constructs has not been as widely researched. The purpose of this study was to determine whether retirement has an impact on marital satisfaction. Quantitative methods and analyses were used. The variables used accounted for 83% of the variance of satisfaction. Limitations and implications are provided to inform marriage and family pedagogy and practice.

The Role Of Culture In Engaging The Senior Population In Omaha, Ne, Jamie Bish

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

In recent years, the senior care industry has become the focus of many public health initiatives as we have come to better understand the significance of our aging population (Olivari et al., 2020). Between the years 2010 and 2050, the population of the United States over 65 years is expected to more than double, from 40.5 to 89 million (Dall et al., 2013). While this data provides a national outlook, further research is needed to determine local impacts. This project centers on developing a better understanding of the demographics of seniors in the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Statistical Area and how …

Perspective Driven Behavior: The Effects Of Classroom Climate On A Student's Personality And Willingness To Communicate, Nicholas Weber

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Modern students are experiencing problems novel to the college environment. Much emphasis has been placed on learning in the classroom and the interactions with other students and professors, but this research has neglected features intrinsic to the student in question. The current study evaluates the student’s communication climate (or Connected Communication Climate Inventory (CCCI) score) within their classrooms as it relates to the relationship between key personality traits (i.e. Extraversion, Intellect/ Imagination, and Neuroticism) and their willingness to communicate (WTC) in those settings. College students have been given assessments to evaluate the prevalence of distinct personality traits and their relationships …

Challenges Associated With Occupational Therapy In Nebraska, Delaney Simmonds

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

As part of a fast-growing field, occupational therapists (OTs) in Nebraska face many challenges. This project utilizes interviews with local OTs, analysis of scholarly articles, and online databases in order to understand the challenges faced by OTs and how they may be improved upon at both an individual and a state level. The three most common settings for occupational therapists to be placed for fieldwork assignments and for work post-graduation are hospitals, schools, and skilled nursing facilities (AOTA State Affairs Group 2017). Interviews were carried out with occupational therapists working in these three settings in order to examine the similarities …

External Funding Bulletin, January - June 2020, Uno Office Of Research And Creative Activity

Sponsored Programs Bulletins

This bulletin features recent award recipients.

A Melting Pot Of Medications: Issues Regarding Over-Prescribing In Dementia Populations, Angela Gifford

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Over-prescribing is an issue faced by many in the older population, but dementia patients statistically experience higher prescribing rates of potentially inappropriate medications compared to their peers. There are currently no FDA approved medications available for the direct treatment of dementia, but drug classes like anticholinergics and psychotropics are used for the management of behavioral symptoms associated with the disease. These drugs can cause negative side-effects in the dementia populations including gastrointestinal issues, neurological issues, increased hospitalizations, and increased mortality rates within this group. Most troubling, the benefits that are supposed to occur from taking these drugs have been show …

Path Analysis Of Education And Disease Burden In Dementia Vulnerability, Sarah Hubner, Hyeon Jung (Judith) Kim, Julie Blaskewicz Boron

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

When considering the various extrinsic variables that affect disease vulnerability, it is valuable to study temporal ordering of factors to identify areas for disease intervention. This study sought to inform improvement of networks for the purposes of education and health by attempting to better define the causal ordering of ethnicity, age, gender, education, disease burden, and dementia diagnosis with the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study, a sub-study of the Health and Retirement Study. Participants and/or proxies self-reported total number of chronic conditions, subsequently regarded as disease burden. Assessments occurred over four waves; participants were not reassessed after dementia diagnosis. The …

Auditory And Visual External Cues Have Different Effects On Spatial But Similar Effects On Temporal Measures Of Gait Variability, Joao R. Vaz, Troy Rand, Jessica Fujan-Hansen, Mukul Mukherjee, Nicholas Stergiou

Journal Articles

Walking synchronized to external cues is a common practice in clinical settings. Several research studies showed that this popular gait rehabilitation tool alters gait variability. There is also recent evidence which suggests that alterations in the temporal structure of the external cues could restore gait variability at healthy levels. It is unknown, however, if such alterations produce similar effects if the cueing modalities used are different; visual or auditory. The modality could affect gait variability differentially, since there is evidence that auditory cues mostly act in the temporal domain of gait, while visual cues act in the spatial domain of …

Spring 2020 Census Enrollment Indicators Report, Tables 1-3, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Enrollment Reports

Enrollment comparison for both the UNO Administrative-Site and the UNO Delivery-Site: Spring Semester 2020 and 2019.

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Department Of Biomechanics Annual Report 2019-2020, Department Of Biomechanics, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Biomechanics Annual Report

This report contains:

A letter from the Director: Dr. Nick Stergiou

Articles on research that impacts the community

Article about the Movcentr Impact

Articles on Expanding horizons

Article on the people of UNO Biomechanics

Student Centered articles

Articles on Community Engagement

and Fun.

Fact Book, Academic Year 2019, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Fact Book

The Fact Book presents important campus information in data tables and charts. Included are details regarding students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Generally, data are broken out by college, rank, level, gender, age and ethnicity for both spring and fall semesters, past to present. There are a few academic year tables that include information on tuition & fees, student credit hours by program, and degrees conferred. We wish to thank the many individuals and departments at the University for their contributions to the Fact Book.

University Of Nebraska At Omaha 2020-2021 Course Catalog, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Undergraduate Catalogs

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness, and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community

Impacts Of Aquatic Walking On Arterial Stiffness, Exercise Tolerance, And Physical Function In Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Song-Young Park, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Yi-Sub Kwak

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic disease that is associated with attenuated vascular function, cardiorespiratory capacity, physical function, and muscular strength. It is essential to combat these negative effects on health by incorporating lifestyle interventions to slow disease progression, such as exercise. We sought to examine the effects of aquatic walking exercise on cardiovascular function, cardiorespiratory capacity [maximal volume of oxygen consumption (V̇o2max)], exercise tolerance [6-min walking distance (6MWD)], physical function, muscular strength, and body composition in patients with PAD. Patients with PAD (n = 72) were recruited and randomly assigned to a 12-wk aquatic walking training group …

Digital Divide Among Caregivers Of Chronic Disease Patients, Ayokunle Olagoke, Harveen Kaur, Ashley M. Hughes

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Expansive and rapid growth of technology creates unprecedented patient access to health information, including timely communication with care providers via patient portals and the ability to access information regarding specific disease(s) (e.g., cancer). However, several forms of digital engagement with health providers require access and use of reliable internet access. A “digital divide” is used to describe demographic differences which contribute to a patient’s use or disuse of patient portals; prior research have noted disparities in lack of reliable internet access. Despite the prevalence of informal caregivers in patient care, little is known about internet access and use among informal …

Aging And Its Impacts, Julie L. Masters, Christopher M. Kelly

CPAR Presents: A Data and Research Series for Community Impact

The 2020 Census is projected to show 77 million Americans will be age 65 or older, up from 40 million in 2010. Are you ready for the continued rise? Discuss the challenges and opportunities regarding our aging population.

Executive Committee & Cabinet Minutes August 2019, Uno Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

These are the official minutes of the Faculty Senate Executive Council Meetings at the University of Nebraska - Omaha (UNO) for Academic year 2019-2020. Minutes are not posted until officially approved by the Executive Council at the following meeting. Minutes are archived yearly within the UNO Library Archives.

Enrollment Report - Summer 2019, Uno Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Enrollment Reports

This Enrollment Statistical Summary provides delivery and administrative-site information on enrollment headcount and student credit hours. Delivery site reporting counts all students, including those in UNL programs delivered at UNO, but excludes UNO programs only (including the CPACS program delivered in Lincoln).

The purpose of this summary is to provide the undergraduate and graduate enrollments and student credit hour information by college of equivalent academic unit, class, gender and ethnicity. A glossary at the end of the report provides a list of definitions for headings and categories found in the report.

Pilot Study Of Empathy In Bilingual Adults, Libby Moberg

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Empathy is of critical public health importance due to its association with relationship satisfaction and well-being (Davis & Oathout, 1987; Davis, 1983). There is growing evidence that bilingual individuals may have higher levels of empathy (Javor, 2016). One potential mechanism for this relationship is that bilingual individuals tend to have higher levels of executive functioning (Costa et al, 2008), which is linked to higher empathy because individuals are able to more easily adopt others’ perspectives. Previous studies examining this question have largely relied on self-report questionnaires assessing empathy as a general tendency (i.e., trait). No studies have examined differences in …