Digital Commons Network^™

Conceptualization, Measurement, And Contributors To Participation Among People Living With Parkinson’S Disease, Moon Young Kim

WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs

Participation is a key outcome of rehabilitation and key to successful aging. Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often experience significant challenges in maintaining participation in meaningful activities and roles. This dissertation examines the influence of living with PD on participation by integrating findings from three studies: a systematic review, a cross-sectional study, and a longitudinal study.

The systematic review synthesized the existing quantitative research on participation in people with PD, revealing inconsistencies in the conceptualization of participation. While the evaluation tools aimed at assessing participation in PD showed acceptable coverage of domains of participation, the assessment of the aspects of …

Graduate Students And On-Campus Engagement, Lakeisha Jackson, Victoria Navarro Benavides, Jacqueline Saarenas

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

Research focusing on graduate student attrition, services, and needs is slim. Scholars investigating experiences of graduate students have attributed this gap in research to the limited number of master’s- and doctoral-level students who attend universities (Cooke, Sims, & Peyrefitte, 1995). With Seattle University enrolling approximately 2,000 graduate students as of October 2012 and steadily increasing the amount of graduate degrees awarded per academic year since 2008, the university benefits from learning about the diverse needs of this population (Seattle University, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012). The purpose of this quantitative study is to understand graduate student experience at Seattle University. More …

Magis Volume 8 Entire Volume, Editors Of Magis

MAGIS: Student Development Journal

No abstract provided.

2024 Fall Commencement Program: Winona State University, Winona State University

WSU Commencement Programs

This is the Winona State University Fall 2024 commencement program. Commencement was on Friday, December 13, 2024.

Training Staff Members And Caregivers On Utilizing Allen Cognitive Levels To Aid Individuals Living With Alzheimer's And Dementia To Maintain Activities Of Daily Living, Kristy Boyd

Student Capstone Papers

This capstone is about training caregivers and staff members on utilizing the Allen Cognitive Levels to help individuals living with Alzheimer's and Dementia to maintain their ADLs.

Improving Documentation Compliance And Patient Mobility Using The Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool, Hayley M. Bernard

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: Patient immobility during hospitalization contributes to avoidable complications including increased length of stay, pressure injuries, thromboembolic events, reduced functional capacity, and increased rates of discharge to rehabilitation facilities. The Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool (BMAT) was developed to empower Registered Nurses to safely assess and mobilize patients without a physical therapy evaluation. Aim: This quality improvement projects aims to enhance nurse compliance with BMAT documentation by 10% in three medical-surgical units of a 244-bed Northern California Hospital. Preliminary findings indicate an average daily patient census of 23.7 of which only 31.3% are assessed using the BMAT. Methods: Across a six-week …

Travel English For Japanese Third Age Learners: A Communicative Model, Yoshiko Okamura

Master's Projects and Capstones

The goal of this curriculum project is to effectively develop the English communicative skills of a small group of Japanese third age English language learners. The term, third age learners (TALs), represents learners who are generally in their mid-60s through early 80s, retired, healthy, active, and motivated to learn something new. When it comes to English language learning strategies, one size does not fit all. An effective curriculum must be built on the theories and approaches that fit the specific needs of the target learners. The first three chapters of this project report describe the theories, approaches, and methods applied …

Applied Behavior Analysis: Perspectives Of Mississippi Students Before They Enter The Educational Behavioral Consulting Field, Lauren Ashley Besong

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes how prospective Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) professionals are enculturated through their educational pathways at one public university in Mississippi. I surveyed 24 current and prior students of the ABA program, as well as interviewed 1 prior and 10 current ABA students. Findings captured their perceptions of the field they are entering, through their experiences within the program. Results found that the ABA field appears to be split in a dual identity, existing in both educational and clinical spaces. Results showed that external perceptions of the institution viewed the ABA program as more clinical, while the students were …

Prostate Cancer Screening Survey Among African-American And Their Partners, Angela James

Dissertations

The purpose of this translational research project was to survey adult African-Americans and their partners to explore inhibitors and facilitators to PC screening.

Aboard The Giant Clam: Ramon Muzones's Maritime Historicization Of The Nation, Winton Lou G. Ynion

Kritika Kultura

Philippine literature scholarship is currently interested in decentering the discourse of nation-building from the capital to the periphery, but least often is attention given to the very geography that makes these communities marginalized. Habitually, multiculturalism and multilingualism have been convenient explanations for why it is difficult for the Philippines to come up with a “national literature” and a paradigm for imagining a nation. This essay centers on this neglected aspect, casting a novel written by a marginalized author in a vernacular language – the Margosatubig (1946) by Ramon Muzones. Three prime objectives guided the navigation of this paper: (1) to …

The Effects Of The Brain Training Program On Cognition Among The Older Adults In Thailand, Chutima Thongwachira, Vilaivan Thongcharoen, Usa Khemthong, Natnarun Kleawklong

Journal of Health Research

Background: Dementia is typically found in older adults, and negatively impacts cognitive function. The current study examined the effects of brain training programs with learning activities on cognitive function in older adults.

Methods: We conducted a two-arm quasi-experimental study with participants who were over 60 years old and had Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores < 25 (n=66). The intervention group (n=33) performed a brain training program with learning activities based on social cognitive theory. MoCA scores were evaluated at baseline, immediately after activities were completed at Week 9, and 3 months after the activities were completed.

Results: Sixty-six participants showed low MoCA. Mean MoCA scores at baseline in the control group (CG) and intervention group (IG) were 20.09 (SD = 2.89) and 19.82 (SD = 2.33), respectively; whereas MoCA scores immediately after activities were completed (Week 9) were 19.15 (SD = 2.06) …

Impact Of Training For Nursing Staff In The Prevention Of Hapis, Onyinye E. Ohia, Colleen A. Anthony

Master's Projects

Abstract

Background: The incidence of Hospital acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) have remained a problem in healthcare despite concerted efforts by hospitals and other governmental agencies to eliminate the problem via policy and emphasis on safety. There is support in literature for the training of healthcare professionals as an important tool in the prevention and management of HAPIs. Despite the existence of studies that link training of nurses to a reduction in rates of HAPIs, evidence in support of that is still piecemeal; with poorly defined outcomes.

Aims and objectives: The aim of this integrative review is to identify …

Mexican Health And Aging Study Biomarker And Genetic Data Profile, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Jesús Daniel Zazueta-Borboa, Alejandra Michaels-Obregon, Dolly Reyes-Dumeyer, Sandra Barral, Giuseppe Tosto, Rebeca Wong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) is one of the largest ongoing longitudinal studies of aging in Latin America, with six waves over 20 years. MHAS includes sociodemographic, economic, and health data from a nationally representative sample of adults 50 years and older in urban and rural Mexico. MHAS is designed to study the impact of diseases on adults' health, function, and mortality. As Mexico is experiencing rapid population aging, providing adequate information to study this phenomenon is vital for designing and implementing public policies. The availability of biomarker and genetic data and longitudinal survey data elevates opportunities for …

Diagnostic Power Of Serum Creatinine/Cystatin C Ratio For Identifying Low Mri-Muscle Volume And Low Grip Strength: Data From 9 731 To 149 707 Uk Biobank Older Adults, Ben Kirk, Chia Ling Kuo, Peiran Liu, Meiruo Xiang, Jesse Zanker, Konstantinos Prokopidis, Marc Sim, Richard H. Fortinsky, George A. Kuchel, Gustavo Duque

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Biomarkers for sarcopenia are lacking. We examined the diagnostic power of serum creatinine to cystatin C ratio for identifying low magnetic resonance imaging-muscle volume and low grip strength in a large observational study of UK Biobank older adults.

Methods: Serum creatinine and cystatin C were measured via immunoassays (Beckman Coulter AU5800 and Siemens Advia 1800, respectively) and grip strength by hydraulic hand dynamometer at baseline visit (2008-2010). magnetic resonance imaging-thigh fat-free muscle volume and DXA-derived appendicular lean mass were measured at imaging visit (2014-2018). Extreme outliers were removed, and covariates (demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors, as well as time …

The Scientific Landscape Of The Aging-In-Place Literature: A Bibliometric Analysis, Saman Jamshidi, Nastaran Hashemi

Architecture Faculty Research

The world’s population is aging and, as populations age, they exhibit an increased prevalence of chronic diseases, which can reduce the independence of elderly individuals. The set of initiatives known as aging in place, a common policy response to the aging population, is preferred by both the elderly population and policymakers. Aging in place is a broad and multifaceted topic that involves multiple stakeholders and academic disciplines. A science map of the literature on aging in place can help researchers pinpoint their efforts and help policymakers make informed decisions. Thus, this study maps the scientific landscape of the aging-in-place literature. …

Contextualizing Adolescent’S Experiences Of Dementia In England, Esra Hassan, Ben Hicks, Naji Tabet, Nicolas Farina

Peninsula Medical School

Adolescents represent an under-researched group that mayalready have experiences of dementia. In this study, we aimedto capture adolescents’ level of contact (frequency) and qualityof contact (whether experiences were positive or negative) withpeople living with the condition. In this cross-sectional study,1,371 adolescents (aged 11–18 years old) across England wererecruited. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and regres-sions were employed to explore the association between socio-demographic factors and the frequency and quality of dementiacontact in adolescents. Over 64% of adolescents had comeacross people living with dementia, while over a quarter ofadolescents had looked after someone living with the condition.The level of contact and quality of …

Faculty Senate Chronicle December 5, 2024, Heather Loughney

The University of Akron Faculty Senate Chronicle

Minutes for the regular meeting of The University of Akron Faculty Senate on December 5, 2024

How To Design A Program For The Poor That Is Not A Poor Program: Explaining The Political Sustainability Of The Guaranteed Income Supplement, Daniel Béland, Patrik Marier

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

Created in 1967 as a temporary program aimed at supporting low-income people during the maturation of the Canada and Quebec Pension Plans, the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) has since become a permanent policy that remains a central component of Canada’s multi-layered public pension system. In this article, we explain why GIS is a popular and politically successful program that challenges the common wisdom in political science and policy analysis that “programs for the poor are poor programs.” The article shows that the success of GIS stems from its policy design (e.g., income-tested rather than means-tested benefits), the social construction of …

The Canada Disability Benefit: Battling Ableism In Design And Implementation, Jennifer Robson, Lindsay Tedds

Osgoode Hall Law Journal

This article, written shortly after the framework legislation for the Canada Disability Benefit was introduced, discusses the key benefit design elements and options facing policymakers. We contrast these elements with the directional parameters set in the legislation. In the intervening months, the Government of Canada released an estimate of the annual costs of the new benefit and eventually drafted regulations that detail the actual design of the benefit in the Summer of 2024. These developments are outside the scope of this article, but the analysis in this article provides a foundation for other researchers and stakeholders to interpret and critique …

'T-W-O': External Challenges And Coping Strategies Of Chinese Social Work Service Organisations During The Epidemic, Bin Xu, Bowen Mcbeath, Haobo Xi

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

During the peak years of COVID-19, Chinese social work service organisations actively participated in the preventing and controlling of the pandemic. These organisations also faced external challenges that reflected changing public health policies, contractual and fiscal changes, and immense service needs. This paper describes the specific external challenges that a purposive sample of 11 Beijing-based social work service organisations experienced because of the pandemic, as well as the strategies they used to address them. We find that project and fiscal precarity were the greatest external risks faced by social service organisations. In order to mitigate these concerns, the organisations actively …

The Minutes Of The Marshall University Board Of Governors Meeting, December 4, 2024, Marshall University Board Of Governors

Board of Governors Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Relations Between The Financial Wellbeing Of Custodial Grandparents, Their Overall Wellbeing, And Their Perceived Social Support, Paige L. Miller

Honors Theses

There have been numerous studies on how the financial wellbeing of custodial grandparents affects their overall wellbeing, and how the amount of social support custodial grandparents receive impacts their depressive and anxiety symptoms. However, little is known regarding the ways in which all three variables are related – financial wellbeing, overall wellbeing, and social support – or their impact on custodial grandparents. We examined the relations between these variables, as well as the moderating relation of financial wellbeing on social support and wellbeing. The data used in the current study was collected as part of a larger project, during which …

A Review Of The Association Between Dietary Intake And Brain Iron Levels In Older Adults: Preliminary Findings And Future Directions., Valentinos Zachariou, Christopher E. Bauer, Colleen A. Pappas, Brian T. Gold

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Non-heme iron is essential for critical neuronal functions such as ATP generation, synaptogenesis, neurotransmitter synthesis, and myelin formation. However, as non-heme iron accumulates with age, excessive levels can contribute to oxidative stress, potentially disrupting neuronal integrity and contributing to cognitive decline. Despite growing evidence linking high brain iron with poorer cognitive performance, there are currently no proven methods to reduce brain iron accumulation in aging or to protect cognitive function from iron’s negative effects. Recent studies suggest that nutrition may influence brain iron levels, though the evidence remains limited and mixed. Methods: In this review, we explore recent findings, …

Top 7 Things To Know About Frailty In The Emergency Department, Brandon J. Bukovitz

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

n/a

Urinary Metal Levels, Cognitive Test Performance, And Dementia In The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, Arce Domingo-Relloso, Katlyn E Mcgraw, Susan R Heckbert, Jose A Luchsinger, Kathrin Schilling, Ronald A Glabonjat, Irene Martinez-Morata, Melanie Mayer, Yongmei Liu, Alexis C Wood, Jeff Goldsmith, Kathleen M Hayden, Mohamad Habes, Ilya M Nasrallah, R Nick Bryan, Tanweer Rashid, Wendy S Post, Jerome I Rotter, Priya Palta, Linda Valeri, Timothy M Hughes, Ana Navas-Acien

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

IMPORTANCE: Metals are established neurotoxicants, but evidence of their association with cognitive performance at low chronic exposure levels is limited.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of urinary metal levels, individually and as a mixture, with cognitive tests and dementia diagnosis, including effect modification by apolipoprotein ε4 allele (APOE4).

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The multicenter prospective cohort Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) was started from July 2000 to August 2002, with follow-up through 2018. A total of 6303 MESA participants were included. Data analysis was performed from October 12, 2023, to June 13, 2024.

EXPOSURE: Urine samples were collected at baseline …

Major Depressive Disorder And Driving Behavior Among Older Adults, Ganesh M Babulal, Ling Chen, Jean-Francois Trani, David C Brown, David B Carr, Beau M Ances, Eric J Lenze, Drives Project

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Depression and antidepressant use are independently associated with crash risk among older drivers. However, it is unclear what factors impact daily driving that increase safety risk for drivers with depression.

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in naturalistic driving behavior and safety between older adults with and without major depressive disorder (MDD).

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A prospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted among older adults (≥65 years) from the Driving Real-World In-Vehicle Evaluation System Project collected from July 1, 2021, to December 30, 2023. The sample included 85 participants with MDD and 310 participants without. Neurological, clinical, mood, and neuropsychological …

A Scoping Review Of The Prevalence Of Polypharmacy In Dementia Patients In Correlation To Increased Falls And Hospitalizations, Julie Ward, Travis Adelman, Erica Barber, Elizabeth Upton

Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc)

Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative condition characterized by cognitive decline and behavioral changes, which often necessitates polypharmacy to manage symptoms. There is a negative trade off to polypharmacy in that it increases the risks of falls and hospitalizations. Dementia patients are at an increased risk of falls and hospitalization, making it valuable to examine admission records to identify potentially modifiable risk factors. One of the most prevalent modifiable risk factors is polypharmacy in geriatric populations. Polypharmacy has become prevalent in older adults, not just in dementia. In 2013 a 3-year prospective cohort study of 1,742,336 people >65 years old looked …

Navigating Menopause: Bridging The Gap Between Healthcare Practitioners And Black Women For Improved Clinical Support And Health Equity, Yejide Nelson-Glenn

MSW Capstone Conference

No abstract provided.

Donald Griffin: A Visionary In Science And Consciousness, Brock Fenton

Animal Sentience

I share some reflections on a sabbatical with Donald Griffin a half-century ago, with fieldwork on bats and echolocating swiftlets in Australia and our discussions of animal behavior and consciousness. Griffin's influence has been vast, from recent advances in bat research, including learning, navigation, and longevity, to his enduring legacy as a pioneer in animal cognition.

Urinformed December 2024, Urinformed

URInformed: The URI Employees' Newsletter

No abstract provided.