Digital Commons Network^™

Screening And Brief Intervention For Alcohol Misuse In Older Adults: Training Outcomes Among Physicians And Other Healthcare Practitioners In Community-Based Settings, Constance L. Coogle, Myra G. Owens

Forensic Science Publications

Screening and brief intervention (SBI) is increasingly available to older adults who engage in at-risk drinking. This study examined the extent to which SBI training influenced the willingness of healthcare providers in a community-based hospital and other clinical settings to promote the implementation of SBI. Ninety-three healthcare practitioners (primarily physicians, nurses, and social workers) who attended SBI training were asked about their intentions to apply the information in their professional practice, as well as their enthusiasm about recommending the training to others in their profession. Although there were no differences among the professions in terms of commitment to apply the …

Direct Care Staff And Influential Factors, Michelle Jean Ryan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The shortage of direct care workers will continue to influence the quality of care that the elderly population will receive. With the projected increase of worker shortages there will be not enough direct care workers to take care of the growing elderly population. With the baby boomer population's need for long term care, the need for qualified staff is also growing. Staff training development and consistent staffing, along with employee friendly benefits and policies will be needed to recruit and retain employees. The growing aging population, along with the increase in demand for quality care drives a need to find …

The Psychological Benefits Of Animal Assisted Therapy On Elderly Nursing Home Patients, Sophia M. Elliott

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This literature review of the benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is centered on four scholarly articles published in major psychological journals discussing the reduction of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments as well as the increase in well-being and happiness in the elderly nursing- home population. Many time these residents are abandoned by family and experience little- to- no interaction with others due to understaffing at these homes. My goal through this literature review was to bring attention to an alternative form of therapy for these patients. Often patients grow sick from depression and lose their sense of self-worth …

Determinants Of Multimorbidity Among The Elderly Population In Indonesia, Yeni Mahwati

Kesmas

Multimorbiditas adalah kehadiran dua atau lebih penyakit kronis pada satu orang. Prevalensi multimorbiditas meningkat dengan usia, terutama pada lanjut usia (lansia). Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui prevalensi dan determinan multimorbiditas pada lansia di Indonesia. Data diambil dari survei keempat Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) yang diadakan pada tahun 2007. IFLS adalah survei sosial ekonomi dan kesehatan longitudinal di Indonesia. Sampel yang digunakan dalam analisis adalah 2.960 lansia (³ 60 tahun). Regresi logistik dilakukan untuk menentukan prevalensi dan determinan multimorbiditas pada lansia. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan prevalensi multimorbiditas sebesar 15,8%, dengan prevalensi lebih tinggi pada lansia yang overweight/obesitas, tingkat pendidikan rendah, tidak …

The Effects Of An Oral Care Program On Oral Health Of Institutionalized Elderly, Chia-Chi Chang, Jih-Hsuan Wu

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Friday, July 25, 2014:

Purpose: Institutionalized elderly overlooked the oral care because of multiple chronic diseases and decline self-care skills, impact the oral health quality of life, oral health status and nutritional status, resulting in oral-related diseases. There are few oral care program interventions. The purpose of this study was to develop an oral care program and to examine the effects of this program among institutionalized elderly.

Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study. Fifty-five convenience subjects were recruited from two northern long-term care facilities, randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 24) and the control group(n …

An Inventory Of Evidence-Based Health And Wellness Assessments For Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Elliott David Brent, Matthew Jordan Carlson

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

It is estimated that by 2020 older adults will makeup one fifth of California's population. Many of these older adults are living in the community and are maintaining their independence. In order to help the older adults to maintain their independence, occupational therapists are turning to the newly emerged wellness promotion model to guide their practice. The wellness promotion model is a holistic model that addresses six domains of wellness (intellectual, spiritual, physical, social, emotional, and vocational). One of the concerns in using this model to guide the emerging practice area in occupational therapy is that there is little information …

Reaching The End : An Exploration Of Attachment And Existential Theory As A Path To Assist In The Dying Process, Jillian Debenedetto

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

In this exploration I will utilize the theory of Attachment as well as Existential Theory to assist in expounding upon available paths to assist elderly individuals in their journey at the end of life. I will present an overview of the two selected theories of Attachment as well as Existential Theory and argue that such approaches honor the venerable end stage of life. A discussion pertaining to these two theories will shed light on the question of how a clinician can seek to improve the quality of life for an individual during the end of life process and therefore assist …

Elder Self-Neglect And Adult Protective Services: Ohio Needs To Do More, William White

Journal of Law and Health

Ohio APS statutes are antiquated, do not reflect the increasingly complex needs of self-neglecting elderly, and need to be changed to decrease the likelihood of significant self-harm or even death, as represented in the story of Carlene. Section II of this paper provides background information on elder self-neglect and APS. Section III discusses why Ohio needs to mandate that APS jurisdiction includes nursing facilities and how the law could be effectively changed. Section IV discusses how APS interventions need to evolve to meet the diverse needs of the growing elderly population; a singular investigative response no longer fits for every …

Active Ageing In Pakistan: Challenges And Opportunities, Samina Vertejee, Noureen Nasruddin Karamali

Department of Surgery Docs

Abstract

The increasing number of ageing population is a signpost for re-directing the resources to ensure quality of life for elderly thus promoting active ageing. However, the challenges to achieve the goal outweigh the opportunities due to scarcity of resources. Several factors including, brain drain, poverty, lack of knowledge of elderly to protect their rights in association with poor state laws determines the poor quality of life for elderly in Pakistan. Although, the apparent scenario is quite unpleasant yet there are several opportunities such as improved crude birth and death rates, increased awareness about gerontology as a specialty care area …

Exploring Factors That Influence The Choice To Retire From Driving In Older Adults, Debra J. Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations

No

The Forgotten "-Ism", Eric P. Harris

SURGE

“I’d rather not. I don’t like to talk to old people. They make me uncomfortable. They kind of smell weird and make me think about death. Some of them are even racist, so I’d just rather not.”

As part of my internship this summer, in which I helped to coordinate the Friday evening dinners at the Gettysburg Senior Center, putting out advertisements to “hang out with old people” wasn’t exactly an easy task. [excerpt]

Volunteer Programming Impact On Long-Term Care Facilities, Paul P. Falkowski

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this present study was to examine the direct and indirect effects between the organizational structure of a long-term care facility, the amount of volunteers at the facility, the activities in which volunteers engage while at the facility and daily average number of hours care staff spend with nursing home residents. The time care staff spends with residents has been directly linked to the quality of care provided by the facility. This time is measured by calculating nursing hours per patient and it includes only nursing staff hours.The data for this study come from the National Nursing Home …

Effects Of Short-Term Protein Supplementation On Muscle Work Efficiency In Elderly Adults, Kathryn Anne Sands

College of Health and Human Sciences Honors Program Undergraduate Theses

Objective:

This study assessed the effect of increased dietary protein intake on adaptation of energy expenditure and skeletal muscle function at rest and during low-intensity physical activity in elderly adults.

Methods:

Using a randomized, crossover design, 12 adults (7 F, 5 M), aged 82 7 y (mean SD) completed two 6-day periods of consuming fruit-smoothie beverages twice daily (with breakfast and lunch) containing 230 kcal and 25 g whey protein (WPro) or 25 g corn-derived glucose polymer (CHO) (total 460 kcal/day and 50 g/day WPro or CHO).

Results:

On day 7 of each period, fasting blood urea nitrogen was 28 …

Circles Of Connection: Finding Social Connectedness And Meaning Within Group Process, Julianna F. Bratsberg, Aundrea Marcella Roberts, Susan R. Untiedt

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Social participation is an area of occupation that can increase and enhance an individual’s participation in life. This is particularly true in senior housing communities where common issues of aging and adjustment can be addressed while reducing feelings of social isolation. The purpose of this demonstration project was to provide a venue where older adults living at The Redwoods, a senior housing community in Mill Valley, California, could share and develop meaningful strategies for living, and ultimately foster a sense of connectedness, which would affect quality of life. The project’s goals were to create and implement a series of process …

Factors Influencing Volunteering Among The Elderly In The Czech Republic, Michaela Kabelkova

All Dissertations

Using data from a convenience sample of 274 respondents, 55 years and older and living in the Czech Republic, the author carried out an exploratory research study to shed more light on volunteering among Czech senior citizens. Volunteering is currently promoted by the government of the Czech Republic, but as yet, remains an under-researched topic. The investigation of presumed low volunteer rates among Czech senior citizens was framed by two theories--social capital theory and socio-structural resources theory--and additionally by country specific factors that take into account geographical structure and historical development. The socio-structural resources were represented by variables related to …

Ageing In India: Need For A Comprehensive Policy, Kanchan Bharati, Charan Singh

Working Papers

In many countries people are living longer and enjoying better living conditions than ever before, as a result of increased life expectancy and medical advancements. Besides being a demographic feature, it also has socio-economic connotation in terms of the various challenges that aged population faces in the broader social context. Unlike previously, in recent times, the function of the family as primary care-giver to the aged has undergone change due to structural changes-both internal and external, most importantly to nuclearisation of family. As a result, one finds the partial shift of caring responsibility of aged on the government/state in the …

Functional Improvement In Older Adults After A Falls Prevention Pilot Study, Pei-Fen J. Chang, Yong-Fang Kuo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Falls are a costly, disabling, and life-threatening risk in the elderly. Improvements in physical function, balance, lower extremity strength, and health-related quality of life are hypothesized to help mitigate fall risk. In this pilot study, six women and men with an average age of 81 years participated in a 6-week exercise and education program created to reduce risk of falls. Evaluations were made at baseline and at 6 weeks on four tests: the Functional Status Questionnaire, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Six-minute Walk Test, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–BREF 26-question test. Scores indicated significant improvement in …

Lifetime Musical Activities And Cognitive Function Of The Elderly, Alicia Nevriana, Pandu Riono, Tri Budi W. Rahardjo, Adji Kusumadjati

Kesmas

Penurunan fungsi kognitif merupakan salah satu masalah umum pada lanjut usia yang mampu memengaruhi kualitas hidup mereka. Musik merupakan sebuah elemen yang dipercaya mampu berkontribusi terhadap kualitas hidup mereka. Meski demikian, hubungan antara aktivitas musikal yang dilakukan sepanjang hidup dan fungsi kognitif lansia belum diketahui secara pasti. Pada penelitian ini, hubungan antara aktivitas musikal sepanjang hidup dan fungsi kognitif dievaluasi. Lima puluh tiga lansia penghuni panti tresna werdha di Jakarta Timur dipilih dan diwawancarai terkait karakteristik dan aktivitas musikal sepanjang hidup mereka. Fungsi kognitif juga diukur menggunakan MMSE. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan adanya kemungkinan asosiasi antara aktivitas musikal sepanjang hidup …

Applying Mobile Application Development To Help Dementia And Alzheimer Patients, Jean F. Coppola Phd, Marc A. Kowtko, Christina Yamagata, Shannon Joyce

Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship

Caregiver anecdotes attest that music and photographs play an important role for family members diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), even those with severe AD. Tablets and iPads, which are prevalent, can be utilized with dementia patients in portraying favorite music and family photographs via apps developed in close partnership with geriatric facilities. This study addresses cognitive functioning and quality of life for people diagnosed with dementia via technology. Research has shown that technology instruments such as iPods, help stimulate those with dementia. This study focuses on innovative devices such as iPads and tablets, which are mainstream and easy to use, …

Perspectives On Aging: Stereotypes And Implicit Personality Theories, Reannin Michelle Weinstein

Theses Digitization Project

Current research regarding perspectives on aging discusses perspectives of older adults aged 65+ and college aged young adults, but does not include a discussion of perspectives of individuals aged 30-60 on aging.

The Impact Of A Memory Box Activity On Relationships Between Residents Of A Long Term Care Facility And The Staff, Camilla Reynolds

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

When working in a residential facility it is difficult for staff to take the time to really get to know whom they are helping due to time constraints. This study conducted a pre and post test to determine the impact that a Memory Box Activity has on staff attitudes about the residents. The Memory Box is a box put together by residents (with staff help) that includes items that have meaning to them. The presumption was that by participating in this activity with the residents the staff attitudes would be positively impacted. This study was conducted at two local long-term …

Quality, Objectivity, And Tone In Media Portrayals Of Care For Older Adults, Jennifer Van Loan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In response to the growing population of older adults who will need assistance to care for themselves, this research evaluates media coverage of care options for older adults presented in local newspapers, an informational resource used by baby boomers and older generations interested in planning for their futures and caring for their loved ones. Computer databases for four newspapers representing the Capital Region of New York State were scanned for keywords to identify articles about older adult care, then articles were reviewed to ensure they were relevant to older adult care. A quantitative content analysis was performed on the articles …

Snap Use Among Older Adults, Jennifer R. Geiger

LSU Master's Theses

Older adults participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at much lower rates than the general population. Possible explanations for this disparity include stigma, lack of information, and lack of transportation. However, past research focusing on SNAP use among older adults is limited and utilizes age cohorts in their analyses that may not accurately reflect actual age differences in SNAP participation. This study explored four different models of age categorizations as they relate to SNAP participation rates among older adults over 55. Using a sample of 10,116 from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the research used …

Promises And Problems In Alternative Dispute Resolution For The Elderly, Kevin Gibson

Marquette Elder's Advisor

Gibson describes several different practices which fall under the umbrella of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), including arbitration, mediation, and the role of an ombudsman. A comprehensive discussion of the mediation process describes the techniques a mediator may employ to assist parties in resolving their disputes, and uses examples of applying such techniques in situations involving senior citizens or nursing home disputes.

Preventative Medicine Guidelines For The Geriatric Population, Lisa Dockter, David A. Simpson

Marquette Elder's Advisor

To promote and maintain the health of elders, it is critical that physicians adopt preventative medicine practices. This article examines the geriatric health maintenance research, which provides comprehensive guidelines for healthcare providers

Ethics Of The Attorney In Medical Malpractice Litigation, Marshall B. Kapp

Marquette Elder's Advisor

In medical malpractice litigation, providing legal representation to older patients or their healthcare providers carriers significant ethical implication. However, there has been little scholarly or practical discussion of legal ethics concerning circumstances in which the medical malpractice plaintiff is an older person. The author sets forth a tentative outline of key issues that should be included in an analysis of legal ethics in the medical malpractice context, particularly when an older patient is involved.

Isolated And Underserved: Reaching Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Seniors, Nancy Flaxman

Marquette Elder's Advisor

This article examines how elders with diverse sexual orientations typically have spent a lifetime in the closet. Though many would benefit from professional advice that would assist with estate and financial planning and other issues raised by their nontraditional relationships, an attorney may never know unless the firm takes the first steps and lets the public know that LGBT elders are welcome and respected.

What Counsel For The Ward Can Learn From Will Contests, Alison Mcchrystal Barnes

Marquette Elder's Advisor

When courts base their determinations of competency on a preference for family control of assets, the property rights of older people are diminished. For elder law advocates to protect their clients' interest in controlling their own property, it is necessary to move the recognition of the family paradigm in guardianship and will contests beyond mere anecdote

Alcohol Abuse: A Hidden Epidemic Among Elders, M. Saleem Ismail

Marquette Elder's Advisor

Among elders with physical or emotional disorders, even modest alcohol consumption can seriously impair their already fragile health. Successful treatment requires identifying the problem, understanding the medical and social complexities involved, and providing the necessary support

Electroconvulsive Therapy (Ect): An Introduction For Elder Law Professionals, Deirdre Johnston, Doug Eitel, W. Vaughn Mccall

Marquette Elder's Advisor

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), colloquially called "shock therapy," is often denounced as barbaric by members of the lay population. However, it is actually a highly efficacious treatment for depression, which can be particularly common and severe in the elderly. This discussion illuminates the potential benefits and risks of this controversial treatment.