Digital Commons Network^™

Chapter 11: Suicide And Ageism: Understanding Risk And Tools For Prevention, Kristen Smith

Books and Contributions to Books

This chapter examines older adult suicide and its risk factors such as increased health challenges, isolation and loneliness, and negative self-ageism. It highlights older adult suicide as a preventable cause of death. It provides practical tools for suicide assessment, intervention, and prevention, using non-stigmatizing language.

Social Workers Addressing The Needs Of Visually Impaired Residents Of Nursing Homes And Assisted Living Facilities, Jessica S. Lampert

Social Work Theses - Archive

Objective: This qualitative study investigates social workers’ perception of their preparedness and confidence in their ability to address the needs of the population of visually impaired residents of nursing home and assisted living facilities. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants with experience in long term care, to explore how social workers viewed their work with visual impaired residents. Data were analyzed using the RaDaR method. Results: The following themes emerged from the data analysis: Challenges for Residents and Staff, the Importance of Experience, and Resources. Discussion: Participants indicated that they were currently confident in serving their …

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Depression And Subjective Cognitive Decline By Gender: A Moderated Mediation Analysis, Monique J. Brown, Darlingtina K. Esiaka, Jaya Viswanathan

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Studies assessing depression as a mediating factor between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) are lacking. Therefore, the aims of this study were to: (1) determine the mediating role of depression in the association between ACEs and SCD; and (2) assess the moderating role of gender. Data were obtained from the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Study (BRFSS) survey (N = 38,600). Crude and adjusted path analyses were used to determine the mediating role of depression between ACEs and SCD. Adjusted analyses controlled for sociodemographic confounders. ACEs were positively associated with depression (B = 0.129, p …

A Histological Survey Of A Large, Sub-Adult Tylosaurus Nepaeolicus With Implications On The Validity Of Tylosaurus Kansasensis, Carson Cope

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Tylosaurus nepaeolicus is a basal, medium-sized tylosaurine mosasaur that lived during the late Coniacian and early Santonian in the Western Interior Seaway. Despite being a well-studied species, there is debate over whether Tylosaurus kansasensis represents the juvenile form of T. nepaeolicus, or if the two species are distinct. Osteohistology can determine organism age at time of death and can be used to help resolve this debate and provide a better understanding of the growth of T. nepaeolicus. Thin-sections were taken from a humerus, rib, and vertebra of a single individual (FHSM VP-2209). All thin-sections show primarily parallel-fibered cortical …

How Sleep Disorders And Sleep Duration Impact Memory, Alexandria J. Sims

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

INTRODUCTION: Sleep duration and sleep disorders can cause changes in memory function as populations age. Previous studies have shown that disordered sleep is associated with increased risk of cognitive dysfunction and long and short sleep durations can cause memory impairment. This study studies aims to find if there is an association between sleep disorders and sleep duration and the impacts on memory.

METHODS: In this study, 3,478 participants aged 60 year and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 dataset were included in adjusted and unadjusted models, comparing the sleep disorders and sleep duration exposures to …

Red Palm Oil Mitigates Vitamin A Deficiency In Parotid Salivary Glands An Animal Study, Sara Elbanna, Mohamed Mansy, Mohamed Shamel, Mahmoud Al Ankily, Caroline Maged Massieh

Dentistry

No abstract provided.

Prevalence And Impact Of Xerostomia On Quality Of Life: A Clinical-Based Cross-Sectional Study In Egypt, Dalia Ghalwash, Ayman Elgawish, Asmaa Abou-Bakr

Dentistry

Background The current investigation aimed to assess the prevalence of xerostomia, its relation to risk factors, and its impact on the quality of life among a sample of the Egyptian population.

Methods This cross‑sectional study collected data on the occurrence of xerostomia and risk factors from 1220subjects in several Egyptian governorates, including sex, age, smoking, systemic illness, and medications. Subjective and objective dry mouth scores, taste disturbances, burning sensations, and their impact on quality of life were assessed.

Results Xerostomia was estimated to involve 49.6% of the studied population. It was found to increase with ageand was substantially higher amongst …

People Living ‘Well’ With Dementia ― Are They Truly Living Well?, Seelia Peter A, Elsa Sanatombi Devi, Rajeshkrishna Bhandary P

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

No abstract for this article type

Perceived Obligations Of Older Partners In Living-Apart-Together Relationships, Allison M. Martin, Timothy S. Killian

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Older and middle-aged adults are increasingly in Living-Apart-Together (LAT) relationships characterized by committed romantic relationships without marriage and cohabitation. Because of assumptions that older adults will receive family caregiving as they grow older and need caregiving, it is not clear how people are likely to perceive obligations to provide caregiving assistance. As adults move into old age and incidence rates of Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementia (ADRD) increase, questions about the availability of family members to provide needed assistance are complicated by LAT relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine perceived obligations to provide assistance to older adults …

Material, Health, And Social Vulnerability And Loneliness Among Older Adults: From The Welfare Regime Perspective, Ji Young Kang, Oejin Shin, Sojung Park, Jihye Baek, Minyoung Kwak

Faculty Publications - Social Work

Loneliness in later life is a significant global public health issue that negatively impacts well-being, life satisfaction, and mental health. This study investigates how material, health, and social vulnerabilities contribute to loneliness among older adults using a welfare regime framework. It examines the link between vulnerability and loneliness in the United States, Korea, Sweden, Spain, and Germany using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) alongside its international sister studies, encompassing both Western and East Asian welfare states. Findings indicate that older adults in less generous welfare regimes experience higher levels of loneliness and material vulnerability. A multidimensional approach reveals that …

Exploring The Role Of Bingocize® Workshops In Enhancing Health And Well-Being In Older Adults, Kaitlyn Gray

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

As the population of older adults grows, the need for better health and well-being also grows, making it necessary to implement effective strategies for healthy aging to improve the length and quality of life of older adults (CDC, 2024). This study evaluates the effectiveness of a Bingocize^® Workshop in improving the physical health of older adults. Bingocize^®, a unique program combining bingo with exercise, is designed to increase physical activity. Eleven (11) participants aged 68.55 ± 6.235 attended a ten-week workshop, two times per week focusing on physical exercises tailored to their abilities. The primary objective was …

Forgiveness Of Self And Others: A Group Approach To The Treatment Of Ptsd And Other Trauma Related Experiences, Jarrod A. Mask

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Forgiveness is often misinterpreted as the act of forgetting what happened or offering one’s offender the ability to redeem themselves for their wrongdoings. This is simply not the case. Rather, forgiveness is the process of the individual making the unprovoked choice to release their resentment in their own voyage towards living a free and happy life without being imprisoned from the emotions un-forgiveness produces. Forgiveness, as it may be a necessary process for the individual is to attain a sense of peaceful acceptance and liberation from their pain, is not an easy process. Providing a peer-based support system in the …

Reducing Caregiver Burden For The Caregivers Of Heart Failure Patients, Joyce W. Kimani

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Family members and friends of heart failure patients serve as informal caregivers for many heart failure patients, helping with the management of day-to-day heart failure care. Many caregivers of heart failure patients experience stressors associated with caregiving, including social, psychological, financial, emotional, and physical stress. Reducing caregiver burden is important in improving both patient and caregiver well-being. Healthcare systems can improve caregiver outcomes and encourage the long-term sustainability of informal caregivers by addressing caregiver needs through focused support strategies. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality framework was used to develop an evidence-based guideline that healthcare professionals can follow in …

Plastic Gerontologies: Epigenetic Clocks As Instruments Of The Profitable Medicalization Of Aging, Hans T. Purisch

Theses and Dissertations--Geography

Epigenetic clocks are algorithms that use epigenetic biomarkers of aging to calculate an organism’s ‘biological age.’ Through discursive analysis of commercially available epigenetic clock marketing materials, scientific articles, and interviews with actors in the longevity biotechnology industry, this study examines the commercialization of epigenetic clocks in the form of consumer test-kits. The study argues that longevity biotechnology companies leverage the malleable and fluid qualities of epigenetic markers of biological age to extend the domains of profitable therapies. It shows that epigenetic clock companies market the dynamic qualities of epigenetic biological age measurements to redefine health around the project of optimizing …

Characterizing Muscle Control As An Emg Visual Matrix, Peter W. Makary

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Evaluating electrical muscle activity patterns using surface electromyography (EMG) is a widely used technique to assess movement in research settings, but its use has not been translated to clinical settings. This study aims to investigate the potential of evaluating muscle activity control through a visual matrix display. EMG data from older and younger adults collected in a previous seated locomotor perturbation study was used to generate visual matrices representing their lower-limb ankle muscle activity. Visual matrices from each condition consist of 20x20 grids, where each axis represents activity from an individual muscle of muscle pairs, such as the tibialis anterior …

Moving Beyond What Pays The Bills: Implementing New Assistive Technology Outcome Measures, Connor Nathan Fuchs

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The World Health Organization states that measuring outcomes is paramount to understanding the efficacy of assistive technology (AT) intervention (World Health Organization, 2022). Over 1 billion people across the globe use assistive technology, which is expected to double over the next 50 years. Outcome measures such as the Functional Mobility Assessment (FMA) or Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) provide practitioners with information regarding the efficacy of AT interventions. This product aims to provide practitioners with a comprehensive, quick, and straightforward resource that outlines 14 assistive technology outcome measures for frequent use in practice.

Methods: A needs assessment …

Cognitive And Psychological Outcomes In Individual And Team Sport Athletes, Jana Elashmawy

The Undergraduate Research Journal

Participating in sports reduces the risk of early cognitive decline associated with modern sedentary lifestyles. While existing literature links sports participation with improved cognitive outcomes, it lacks emphasis on specific sport types that offer optimum neuroprotective benefits. This integrative review compares the cognitive and psychological outcomes among individual and team sports athletes to determine which sport structure offers the best neuroprotection. Across the studies examined, team athletes exhibited better cognitive performance in executive functions and attention, while results on memory functions are mixed. Individual athletes had a significantly higher prevalence of psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression, but substance …

"The Perfect Storm": Weathering Black Racial Trauma Across The Lifespan And The Impact Of Covid-19, Taryne M. Mingo, Kiauhna Haynes

Adultspan Journal

Descendants of Africans Enslaved in the United States (DAEUS), who lived in the South prior to 1965 and experienced decades of legalized discrimination, were found to have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Arline Geronimus (1992) coined the term “weathering” to acknowledge the accumulation of racial trauma stored within the body over extended periods of time. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study, aligned by the tenets of Critical Race Theory, explores how continuous racial trauma impacted DAEUS citizens’ well-being and trust in the COVID-19 vaccine. Three Group Experiential Themes emerged during this study, all connected with the experiences …

The Role Of Chronic Activity-Based-Anorexia In Drug-Paired Environmental Preference, Abby Bendixen

Behavioral Neuroscience Honors Papers

Anorexia nervosa (AN) has one of the highest mortality rates among psychiatric disorders. This disorder, and other eating disorders, have features that overlap with substance use disorder (SUD), including reward sensitivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of chronic, restrictive eating disorders on the development of cocaine-paired environmental preference. Seven-week-old female rats were induced to a model of chronic activity-based-anorexia (ABA) and underwent conditioned place preference (CPP) testing to examine cocaine-paired environmental conditioning. The activity patterns of rats that underwent chronic ABA were not consistent with previous studies inducing chronic ABA in …

Fp-25-08 Older Adult Cohabiting And Married Couples, Christopher A. Julian

National Center for Family and Marriage Research Family Profiles

As gray divorce has increased over the past few decades (Brown, Lin, & Julian, 2024), many older adults have chosen cohabitation over remarriage when repartnering (Brown et al., 2019). In 2000, fewer than 1 million older men and women cohabited (Brown, Lee, & Bulanda, 2006). By 2017, this number had grown to approximately 4 million (Stepler, 2017) and reached 4.6 million by 2022 (Julian & Brown, forthcoming). This rise in later-life cohabitation reflects a broad shift in relationship patterns, with cohabitation operating as an alternative to remarriage in later life (Brown & Wright, 2017). Using data from the 2023 American …

Improving Pituitary Lab Evaluation Following Radiation Therapy For Sinonasal/Nasopharyngeal Malignancies, Brandon M. Mcanulty, Msn, Aprn, Agacnp-Bc, Rnfa

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this QI project was to create a standardized order set aiming to increase consistency in lab work completion for improved monitoring of pituitary dysfunction in patients diagnosed with sinonasal and nasopharyngeal malignancies. Background: Radiation therapy is important in the treatment plan for this population. The hypothalamic-pituitary axis is frequently included within the radiation field, contributing to radiation induced pituitary dysfunction. There is no established order set for outpatient pituitary lab monitoring at the organization. Methods: Established order sets were modified to include pituitary labs to create a centralized ordering workflow among providers from all three departments …

Advancing Virtual Care Practices Across The Cognitive Impairment Continuum, Tara Sklar, Kathryn Huber

Health Matrix: The Journal of Law-Medicine

As the population of older adults grows, providing high-quality, costeffective healthcare for those with cognitive impairments is an increasing priority. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift towards receiving virtual care at home through temporary Medicare flexibilities. However, the uncertainty surrounding the continuing extension of these flexibilities at the federal level and variations in reimbursement policies across the states present challenges for virtual care practices to meet the rising demand for care amid unprecedented workforce shortages. Sustainable, long-term reimbursement at the federal and state levels, a trained and integrated healthcare workforce, and adherence to recognized accreditation standards and guidelines are essential …

Influence Of Sociocultural Aspects And Home Modification On Fall Risks Mitigation Among The Elderly In Thailand, Sumavalee Chindapol

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

This study investigates the impact of sociocultural dimensions on home modifications aimed at mitigating fall risks among elderly individuals residing in community settings. Personal measurements and questionnaire interviews were conducted across five regions in Thailand. Additionally, fall risk assessments were performed on the households of the elderly participants. These assessments incorporated both personal health factors and environmental risks associated with falls, resulting in quantifiable scores. The factors included health conditions, body size, sociocultural factors such as family conditions, physical-cultural aspects of elevated houses, bathroom and bedroom. The research revealed that these factors are significantly associated with fall risk (ρ <0.01), except body dimensions. Differences in body size among elderly individuals in different regions were significantly related to incidences of fall risk (ρ <0.05 in Chiang Mai female, Khonkaen male, Rangsit female, and Songkhla female). The contribution of this research is that different regions have varying body limitations and living culture. It was concluded that elderly females in Chiang Mai are at the highest risk of falling due to body shrinkage, residing in vernacular houses with hazards, and living alone. Overall, universal design may not be directly applicable for home modification in each region.  Consequently, the study suggested that home modifications alone may not offer a comprehensive solution for mitigating fall risks as sociocultural factors related to living conditions also play a significant role in shaping these outcomes.

The Impact Of Home Environmental Hazards On Subjective Health Among Healthy Elderly Adults In Thailand, Arunya Tuicomepee, Kitti-On Sirisuk, Juthatip Wiwattanapantuwong, Somnuke Gulsatitporn, Trirat Jarutach

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

Thailand's aging population includes a growing number of near-centenarians and centenarians living at home. Grounded in Lawton’s Ecological Theory of Aging, this study aimed to examine whether an unsafe home environment (outdoor, indoor, and additional hazards) has an indirect negative effect on subjective health among elderly Thai adults. Participants were 141 elderly (ages 80–112) but healthy adults, most of whom were living in well-maintained, single-story homes. Instruments used in the study included the Self-Rated Health Question, the Social Contact Scale, the Loneliness Question, and the Home Environmental Hazards Checklist. Findings reveal common indoor hazards such …

The Sociopolitical Manifestation Of Built Environment In Rural Thailand : Holistic Development For An Aging Society?, Sirima Thongsawang, Ampa Kaewkumkong

NAKHARA (Journal of Environmental Design and Planning)

Changes in demographic structures in an aging society have diminished farming employment and incomes of old residents of Talat Mai subdistrict, Angthong Province, Thailand. Under decentralization, the local government assumes primary development responsibility in managing the basic needs of citizens. This case study demonstrates how the local government uses the built environment—Wiset Chai Chan Historical Park Royalty Monument —as an instrument for community development to enhance life quality for old residents. This study examines ways in which the park's construction as a built environment are shaped and consequences due to community development as an aging society. Data was gathered by …

Graduate Catalog, Georgia Southern University

Graduate Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Female Brain And Endocrinological Research–Veteran (Fember-Vet) Study: A Study Protocol For Identifying Endocrinological, Lifestyle And Psychosocial Determinants Of Brain Health Outcomes In Female Veterans For Future Intervention Success, Tamlyn Watermeyer, Elliott Atkinson, Glyn Howatson, Gill Mcgill, Christina Dodds, Paul Ansdell, Chinedu Momoh

Brain and Mind Institute

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated a greater risk of dementia in female veterans compared to civilians; with the highest prevalence noted for former service women with a diagnosis of psychiatric (trauma, alcoholism, depression), and/or a physical health condition (brain injury, insomnia, diabetes). Such findings highlight the need for increased and early screening of medical and psychiatric conditions, and indeed dementia, in the female veteran population. Further, they call for a better understanding of the underlying biopsychosocial mechanisms that might confer heightened risk for female veterans, to tailor preventative and interventional strategies that support brain health across the lifespan.

Methods …

Fp-25-34 Older Parents’ Expectations Of Care From Children By Parents’ Nativity Status, Race, And Educational Attainment, Elisa Hernandez, Jaycob Applegate, Jenjira Yahirun

National Center for Family and Marriage Research Family Profiles

No abstract provided.

College-Specific Policies And Procedures: Ron And Kathy Assaf College Of Nursing, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

2025-2026 Course Catalog, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of The Registrar

University of Montana Course Catalogs, 1895-2024

An annual catalog of courses and course descriptions offered at the University of Montana.