Digital Commons Network^™

Type 2 Diabetes Management For Geriatric Veterans, Fachecia L. Fort

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managing diabetes in the geriatric long-term care population can be challenging, yet important because diabetes is a chronic, progressive disease. The purpose of this project was to identify clinical practice guidelines for managing Type 2 diabetes in geriatric veterans and to develop a class to educate providers on diabetes management in the geriatric long-term care population at a community living and rehabilitation center. The practice focused question asked if providing education to providers about the clinical practice guidelines for managing Type 2 diabetes in geriatric long-term care veterans would improve knowledge as measured by a pre- and posttest. The project …

The Effects Of Support Exchanges On The Psychological Well-Being Of Volunteers, Christy L. Erving, Amy Irby-Shasanimi

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Using a sample of volunteers, we examine whether providing and receiving emotional and instrumental support is associated with self-esteem and mastery. Drawing from social psychological theories of social exchange, we also assess the psychological effects of over-benefiting, under- benefiting, and reciprocal support exchanges. We use data from the Social Support from Peers: Mended Hearts Visitors Study. The sample is comprised of volunteers for Mended Hearts, a national and community-based organization. We find that giving emotional support was associated positively with self-esteem. Reciprocal instrumental support exchanges were associated positively with self-esteem and mastery. This study draws attention to the importance of …

Measuring And Addressing Elderly Bullying In A Senior Residential Community, Heather Jeffries, Karen Slovak, Sylvester Huston

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Elderly bullying lags far behind in research endeavors compared to related topics of youth bullying and elder abuse. This particular study is unique in its examination of bullying among elderly residents from independent and assisted living communities. This action-oriented study collected surveys from 98 residents of a Midwest senior residential community to determine levels, location, and responses to bullying by residents as well as to inform administration of appropriate responses. Results indicated that approximately one in four residents responded that they had seen or heard another resident being bullied at some point. Residents also reported their experiences with social, physical, …

Asset Building As Social Investment, Michael Sherraden

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Inclusive asset building as a social policy innovation is a relative “newcomer” in policy discussions and research. The context is that since the middle of the 20th century, many countries implemented asset-building policy that is not inclusive, serves mostly the well-off, and is highly

regressive. In the United States, for example, the largest policy mechanisms are in tax benefits for home owning and saving for retirement. Altogether in the United States, such policies transfer about $500 billion dollars per year to the non-poor, most of this to the top 10%. This of course exacerbates inequalities in wealth and social development. …

What's Wrong With Being Single: Lowered Relational Value Bias Toward Single People, Darian Farrell

Master's Theses

This study examined the perceived relational value of single individuals (compared to that of coupled individuals). I hypothesized that, participants would be more likely to make the conjunction fallacy in the single condition vs. the coupled condition, when asked whether or not it was more likely that the target person from the condition was a single teacher vs. teacher. The data supported my hypothesis: participants in the single condition were significantly more likely to make the conjunction fallacy than participants in the coupled condition. My study also tested whether or not the need to belong acted as a moderator for …

Self-Compassion, Social Connectedness, And Interpersonal Competence, Jacob H. Bloch

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Self-compassion has consistently been found to be related to well-being (Barnard & Curry 2011). Most research has focused on the intrapersonal benefits of self-compassion, such as its positive relationships with happiness, optimism, positive affect (Neff & Vonk, 2009), and life satisfaction (Neff, Kirkpatrick, & Rude, 2007). In contrast, little research has addressed how engaging in self-compassion may be beneficial to one’s relationships. There is strong evidence that social connectedness (e.g. Lee, Draper, & Lee, 2001; Lee & Robbins, 1998; Mauss et al., 2011; Neff, 2003b) and interpersonal competence (e.g Fiori, Antonucci, & Cortina, 2006; Berkman & Syme, 1979; Delongis, Folkman, …

The Golden Years, Gray Divorce, Pink Caretaking, And Green Money, Naomi R. Cahn

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

This Article considers the impact of changing family structures on aging in contemporary America. It looks at two critical and interrelated aspects of aging—economic security and caretaking—and offers policy suggestions on how to improve the financial stability of and caretaking possibilities for elders. The core thesis is that our current social, legal, and economic structure for growing old is organized around the nuclear family with respect to both caretaking and financial security. As family structures change in terms of partnering (and re-partnering and non-partnering) and number of children, and with the increase in economic inequality, support for old age needs …

Elder Care In Chile And The Us: Two Models Of Culture Change, Sarah Jane Robinson

Honors Theses

This project examines two long-term care models: the Green House Project model and the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged in Viña del Mar, Chile, under the lens of the long-term care culture change movement to explore what can be learned from each of these models to allow elders to grow in dignity and autonomy. The research methods used were primarily participant and non-participant observation, informal interviews, and review of social scientific and gerontological literature. Elements of culture change were found to be present in each model, both of which aim to provide person-centered care to elders. …

Effects Of 2 Years Of Caloric Restriction On Oxidative Status Assessed By Urinary F2‐Isoprostanes: The Calerie 2 Randomized Clinical Trial, Dora Il'yasova, Luigi Fontana, Manjushri Bhapkar, Carl F. Pieper, Ivan Spasojevic, Leanne M. Redman, Sai Krupa Das, Kim M. Huffman, William E. Kraus, The Calerie Study Investigators

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Planning For A Nondriving Future: Behaviors And Beliefs Among Middle-Aged And Older Drivers, Annie C. Harmon, Ganesh M. Babulal, Jonathon M. Vivoda, Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher, David B. Carr

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Graded Caloric Restriction: Xii. Comparison Of Mouse To Human Impact On Cellular Senescence In The Colon, Luigi Fontana, Sharon E. Mitchell, Boshi Wang, Valeria Tosti, Thijmen Van Vliet, Nicola Veronese, Beatrice Bertozzi, Dayna S. Early, Parcival Maissan, John R. Speakman, Marco Demaria

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Hypothalamic Sirt1 Protects Terminal Schwann Cells And Neuromuscular Junctions From Age‐Related Morphological Changes, Alison K. Snyder-Warwick, Akiko Satoh, Katherine B. Santosa, Shin-Ichiro Imai, Albina Jablonka-Shariff

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Lifelong Reduction In Complex Iv Induces Tissue‐Specific Metabolic Effects But Does Not Reduce Lifespan Or Healthspan In Mice, Sathyaseelan S. Deepa, Gavin Pharaoh, Michael Kinter, Vivian Diaz, Wilson C. Fok, Kaitlyn Riddle, Daniel Pulliam, Shauna Hill, Kathleen E. Fischer, Vanessa Soto, Constantin Georgescu, Jonathan D. Wren, Carlo Viscomi, Arlan Richardson, Holly Van Remmen

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Showing Your Pride: Image As Interpellation In The Pride Study, Valerie Rubinsky

Iowa Journal of Communication

This personal essay investigates the online presentation of The PRIDE Study: a longitudinal health study for members of the LGBTQ community that aims to improve understanding of LGTBQ health care issues and increase the wellbeing of the group. The study utilizes the rhetorical concepts of interpellation and identification to examine the PRIDE Study Website.

Effects Of Medicare Reimbursement Policies On The Quality Of Hospital Care, Monica Aswani

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation is composed of two papers related to the role of social risk factors in the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). As value-based initiatives like the HRRP become more commonplace, there is growing need to understand the relationship between performance in these programs and social risk factors, such as race and poverty, which are not incorporated in the program’s risk adjustment methodology. To address this gap in the literature, this dissertation specifically focuses on three areas: 1) how hospital and community factors are related to average HRRP penalties, taking the context of geography into account, 2) how hospital and …

No “Dead Giveaways”: Finding A Viable Model Of Ante-Mortem Probate For New Jersey, Joseph A. Romano

Seton Hall Law Review

No abstract provided.

Nonpharmacological Behavioral Interventions For Patients With Dementia: An Integrative Literature Review, Michelle Monique Spears

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of antipsychotic medications in older adults with dementia increases risk of

mortality; therefore, it is critical that nurses use nonpharmacological interventions in dementia care. The nurses' role is integral to implementation of treatment strategies to dementia patients and efforts to improve care in patients with dementia using a nonpharmacological approach are necessary. Therefore, guidelines outlining nonpharmacologic dementia care management will enable nurses to provide a wider spectrum of care to dementia patients. The purpose of this project was to make recommendations for the development and implementation of interdisciplinary practice guidelines to standardize care in the organizational setting. An …

Clinician, Educator, And Student Perceptions Of Entry-Level Academic Degree Requirements In Occupational Therapy Education, Whitney M. Lucas Molitor, Ranelle Nissen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Entry-level occupational therapy degree requirements have varied since the establishment of the profession. Currently multiple degree paths exist. There are cited benefits for a multiple degree path system; however, barriers also exist. Most notable among these are confusion among recipients of services and other health care providers. As other healthcare professional programs have transitioned to a single point of entry at the doctoral level, occupational therapy, until recently, had not yet made this change. A nationwide online survey was used to assess perceptions of the entry-level doctorate. Participants included current occupational therapy practitioners (clinicians or educators) and students in entry-level …

Telehealth Experiential Learning: A Pilot Study Of The Client’S Experience, Katrina M. Serwe, Christine Bowman

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This research examined the client experience of a student-led occupational therapy pro bono clinic that involved telehealth-delivered treatment sessions. Six clients responded to a survey that included both Likert scale close-ended and open-ended items. The researchers employed descriptive statistics for close-ended items and summarized open-ended responses. All close-ended items had a median score of 4 out of 5, indicating it was easy to communicate, easy to find and use features of the software, and that there were minimal problems with the software in the telehealth delivered sessions. Open ended-responses reflected an overall positive experience.

The Impact Of An Interprofessional Geriatric Training Experience: Attitudes Of Future Healthcare Providers, Lisa J. Knecht-Sabres, Minetta Wallingford, Michelle M. Lee, James F. Gunn, Esperanza M. Anaya, Sarah E. Getch, Nathaniel D. Krumdick, Gloria M. Workman

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

As the older adult population increases, it is vital to educate and train healthcare providers as members of interprofessional healthcare teams who can work effectively with these individuals. Ageism is a potential obstacle to achieving this goal. The purpose of this pre/post-test design pilot study was to determine the impact of an interprofessional geriatric training experience on the attitudes of future healthcare providers towards interprofessionalism and working with older adults. Sixteen graduate level students from occupational therapy and clinical psychology programs completed four interprofessional sessions with older adults residing in a long-term care facility. Quantitative data were gathered from pre/post-test …

Impact Of Patient Demographics And Health Insurance On Hospital Discharge, Ana Acosta

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Based on discharge data collected with 241 patients who received medical care from a fall injury between 2014 and 2015 at the emergency room in a general hospital in El Paso, Texas, I will examine whether individuals over age 55 have health insurance and the type of care that is recommended to patients after being discharged. In particular, I will examine demographics, including ethnicity, age, and language on whether the patient paid with insurance and the disposition of discharge from the emergency department after a fall. Additionally, I will examine which demographic factors are associated with disposition of discharge- facility, …

The Nutritional Care Of People Living With Dementia At Home: A Scoping Review, Louise Mole, Bridie Kent, Rebecca Abbott, Chloë Wood, Mary Hickson

School of Health Professions

No abstract provided.

Delirium Predicts Three-Month Mortality In Critically Ill Patients: A New Model, Katharine E. Hartnack

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Delirium is a neurocognitive disorder defined as an acute disturbance in attention, awareness, and cognition with a fluctuating course not better explained by a preexisting condition (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It is prevalent in up to 70% of hospital patients and 82% of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU; Ely, Speroff, Gordon, & Bernard, 2004; Kavanagh & Gottfried, 2007; Mcnicoll, Pisani, Ely, Gifford, & Inouye, 2005). The impact of delirium on mortality is inconsistent in the literature. Many studies have concluded that delirium prevalence is associated with increased risk of mortality (Cole, 2004; Kavanagh & Gottfried, 2007; Moskowitz et …

A Grounded Theory Of Millennials Job-Hopping, Deborah L. Rivers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corporations are finding it challenging to attract and retain the top talented Millennials. Their frequent job-hopping is costing the U.S. economy $30.5 billion annually despite corporations' best efforts to retain them. The central research question concerns the decision-making process that Millennials use to decide whether to job-hop or stay with an organization. The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a theory that explains the Millennials' process for deciding whether to job-hop or stay with an organization. The conceptual framework for this grounded theory research is generational theory, Herzberg's hygiene and motivational factors, and psychological contract theory. The data …

A Causal Layered Analysis Of Assistive Technology For The Cognitively Impaired Elderly, Dariusz J. Ropiak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Assistive technology may delay cognitively impaired elders' need for long-term institutionalization, and the promote independence. Its use is on the rise, yet the gap between the needs of the cognitive impaired elderly and what developers of the assistive technologies design, manufacture, and implement, remains to be filled. Using Inayatullah's 6-pillar approach, as the guide to the future of assistive technology, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how assistive technologies may fulfill the daily functional needs of the cognitively impaired elderly with Alzheimer's or other dementia by 2037. Data were collected from a focus group of 10 seniors …

Design And Development Of A Theory-Informed Peer-Led Falls Prevention Education Programme To Translate Evidence Into Practice: A Systematic Approach, Linda Khong, Richard G. Berlach, Keith D. Hill, Anne-Marie Hill

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Peer-led education has been shown to be an effective approach for raising community-dwelling older adults’ beliefs, knowledge and intention to engage in falls prevention strategies in a recent intervention trial. This article outlines the design and development of the intervention, which was a peer-led falls prevention education programme designed to promote older adult’s motivation to change their behaviour in the area of falls prevention. The elements of the programme that contributed to its efficacy are also described. The programme was designed using a four-step approach and was based on the constructs of a theoretical framework (the COM-B model). Feedback from …

Kettle Test Efficacy In Predicting Cognitive And Functional Outcomes In Geriatric Rehabilitation, Kristie J. Harper, Karleen Llewellyn, Angela Jacques, Katharine Ingram, Sara Pearson, Annette Barton

Health Sciences Papers and Journal Articles

Background/aim: Limited research has been available to support the use of the Kettle Test in a subacute rehabilitation setting with patients diagnosed with a variety of medical conditions. The Kettle Test is an occupation based performance measure designed to detect cognitive processes and function. The aim of this research was to measure the correlation between three cognitive tests, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Cognitive Functional Independence Measure (Cognitive FIM) and the Kettle Test. Secondly, to assess the efficacy of these tests in predicting functional outcomes via the motor subscale of the Functional Independence Measure (mFIM).

Methods: A prospective single-centre cohort …

General Practice Palliative Care: Patient And Carer Expectations, Advance Care Plans And Place Of Death-A Systematic Review, Claire E. Johnson, Peta Mcvey, Joel J. Rhee, Hugh Senior, Leanne Monterosso, Briony Williams, Julia Fallon-Ferguson, Matthew Grant, Harriet Nwachukwu, Michele Aubin, Patsy Yates, Geoffrey Mitchell

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: With an increasing ageing population in most countries, the role of general practitioners (GPs) and general practice nurses (GPNs) in providing optimal end of life (EoL) care is increasingly important.

Objective: To explore: (1) patient and carer expectations of the role of GPs and GPNs at EoL; (2) GPs’ and GPNs’ contribution to advance care planning (ACP) and (3) if primary care involvement allows people to die in the place of preference.

Method: Systematic literature review. Data sources: Papers from 2000 to 2017 were sought from Medline, Psychinfo, Embase, Joanna Briggs Institute and Cochrane databases.

Results: From 6209 journal …

Effects Of Daily Forced Exercise On Anxiety Of Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Living In Impoverished Environments, Meagan Collins

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of forced exercise on anxiogenic behavior in Danio rerio living in different environmental conditions. To study this relationship, zebrafish were introduced to the following housing environments for several weeks. Fish in Group 1 were exposed to brown gravel and green, plastic plants (enriched environment), and fish in Group 2 were exposed to no brown gravel and no green, plastic plants (impoverished, structurally-barren environment). Fish from both housing environments were randomly assigned to be exposed to exercise or no exercise (control). Fish in the exercise group were forced to swim against …

การวางแผนก่อนการเกษียณอายุและความอยู่ดีมีสุขของผู้สูงอายุ, ศราวุฒิ จตุวิวัฒน์วรกุล

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

ประเทศไทยเป็นอีกประเทศหนึ่งที่เข้าสู่สังคมผู้สูงอายุ ทั้งยังมีแนวโน้มประชากรผู้สูงอายุเพิ่มขึ้นอย่างต่อเนื่อง ประกอบกับอัตราการเกิดที่น้อยลง จึงทำให้อัตราการพึ่งพิงของผู้สูงอายุต่อวัยทำงานเพิ่มขึ้น จนเป็นภาระแก่บุตรหลานและงบประมาณของประเทศ ซึ่งทำให้เกิดปัญหาในการดูแลตนเองของผู้สูงอายุ แนวทางในการแก้ไขปัญหาเหล่านี้สามารถเริ่มได้ด้วยตัวของบุคคลเองด้วยการวางแผนก่อนการเกษียณอายุ การศึกษาครั้งนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาผลกระทบของการวางแผนเพื่อการเกษียณอายุและระยะเวลาของการวางแผนที่มีต่อความอยู่ดีมีสุขของผู้สูงอายุผ่านคะแนนมาตรฐานสุขภาพกายและสุขภาพจิต โดยศึกษาผ่านแบบจำลอง 2-Stage Least Square (2SLS) ด้วยการใช้ตัวแปรมหภาคเป็น instrumental variable ที่ส่งผลต่อการตัดสินใจวางแผนเกษียณอายุ ซึ่งผลศึกษาพบว่า แผนเกษียณอายุทั้ง 4 ด้าน ได้แก่ แผนเกษียณอายุด้านการเงิน สุขภาพกาย สุขภาพจิต และสังคม ผู้สูงอายุที่ทำงานภายหลังอายุ 60 ปีจะส่งผลให้ผู้เกษียณอายุมีความอยู่ดีมีสุขเพิ่มขึ้นได้เมื่อมีการวางแผนทางการเงินและสุขภาพกาย รวมทั้งหากมีการวางแผนเกษียณอายุในช่วงอายุที่เร็วขึ้น ก็จะทำให้ความอยู่ดีมีสุขด้านสุขภาพกายเพิ่มขึ้นอีกด้วย แม้ว่าการวางแผนเกษียณอายุอาจไม่ทำให้ความอยู่ดีมีสุขด้านสุขภาพจิตดีขึ้น แต่การที่บุคคลได้เริ่มมีการวางแผนย่อมทำให้สามารถตั้งเป้าหมายของชีวิต และเตรียมความพร้อมสำหรับสิ่งจำเป็นต่าง ๆ ได้ ผ่านการวางแผนเกษียณอายุด้านต่าง ๆ ภาครัฐจึงควรสนับสนุนให้เกิดการเตรียมความพร้อม ไม่เพียงแต่ด้านการเงินแต่ยังคงรวมถึงด้านอื่น ๆ อีกด้วย